How do I get donations if I don’t know anyone?

How do I get donations if I don’t know anyone?
Olivia
Userlevel 7
Badge +8

Fundraising through GoFundMe is a type of crowdfunding, which usually means that most people raise funds through their friends, family, and acquaintances.  However, there’s other ways to get people to support your cause if you don’t know anyone. It can be helpful to get creative with sharing, and to make sure your fundraiser is set up well.

Check out our post on how to write a fundraising story for more details on what to include. 

OK, so you’ve written your story - now what? 

  1. Share your fundraiser on local bulletin boards or businesses in your area. You can do this by printing out a poster from your GoFundMe page. The flier will include a link to your fundraiser, so anyone who comes across it can navigate to your page. 

  2. Make your own QR code and post it in places around your neighborhood. Learn how to create your own QR code in this Help Center article. 

  3. Contact local media. If you can, try reaching out to your local news outlet to ask for some help from your community. Check out this blog post for more on this.

  4. Network with other people. Get to know people in your community. Try to find people who can relate to your cause through events, Facebook, or Meetup groups in your area to see if you can find support there. 

  5. Try hashtags. Some people follow hashtags, so using them can draw new people to your page. Check out this blog post for how to create a fundraiser hashtag that inspires donations.

  6. Contact people you haven’t talked to in a while, like classmates, coworkers, or friends. 

  7. Design t-shirts. For some fundraisers, it can make sense to create shirts that say something like “Ask me about my fundraiser” to open up the opportunity to have a conversation with a stranger about your cause. 

  8. Reach out to organizations with similar causes to your own to see if they have resources for you, or if they can promote your page.

For more fundraising ideas, check out this blog post.

 

Any other ideas? Let us know in the comments below! 

(P.S. Please stay on topic with comments. Off-topic comments will be removed.)

34 replies

Jules
Userlevel 7
Badge +9

Great ideas @Olivia Just wanted to share a couple of more that I’ve seen people try:

  • You could create business cards that include your link to hand out at networking events, meetups, or whenever you make a connection.
  • If you’re comfortable in front of an audience, you can perform at an open mic night and announce your fundraiser at the end or create a poster people can view at the event.

 

C
Userlevel 3

I love those ideas! That will help us out a lot as we live in a small community and don’t know many people. I especially love the idea of printing a flyer with our link to post in businesses. Thank you for these tips! 

B
Userlevel 3

Even though I’m a long way from our overall goal what has helped a lot is going to people at work or posting anywhere on social media you can.

B
Userlevel 3

Thanks for the tips. I'm usually not on social media so I find some of these hard to implement, but we'll keep trying.

M
Userlevel 2

@Brenda Quijano Find a friend with social media to share it for you 

K
Userlevel 3

The problem I’m having I’d that I’m spending more on trying to get the word out than donations. Using social media. This fundraising is not something I feel comfortable asking friends and family for. 

G
Userlevel 2

I'm with you @Kaira  because humbling yourself to family and friends is super hard. I don't know how to go about getting donations when in my case I don't know anyone where I am. 

C
Userlevel 3

Thank you for the tips. I don't have social media. Have not had it in almost 5 years. Deleting it helped me with my mental health.  I'm having a tough time getting donations though. I've had one donation so far and it made me cry tears of joy knowing someone I don't even know took their time to read my cause and help me. Huge thank you to that donor. I've posted my fundraiser on reddit. Some nice people gave me some good advice which I also appreciate. Currently in the process of trying to reach out to other charities. But it's tough out there. I wish there was a way to promote your cause on the actual go fund me website. I hope all of you get all the help you need. Sending out blessings and positive vibes to all of you. Keep yah heads up. I know im trying my hardest. 

Cheryl Tilson
Userlevel 4
Badge +1

I have received donations through Facebook and Twitter keep trying.

Jules
Userlevel 7
Badge +9

@Cheryl Tilson Did you know the individuals who donated?

Cheryl Tilson
Userlevel 4
Badge +1

Saved your post to Facebook Twitter Tik Tok what's up and ask your Facebook friends to share your post on their page. I hope this helps

Alena Ryan
Userlevel 3

The most successful place I have found is that groups on Facebook that I am actively a part of. I do not know, personally anyway, most of the people that have donated and I am truly grateful honestly.

Olivia
Userlevel 7
Badge +8

That’s great @Alena Ryan. Do you have any tips to share on how you found those groups? And maybe how you worded your posts when you shared your fundraiser, to help convince people to donate to your cause? That’d be super helpful for the community to know! 

Alena Ryan
Userlevel 3

That’s great @Alena Ryan. Do you have any tips to share on how you found those groups? And maybe how you worded your posts when you shared your fundraiser, to help convince people to donate to your cause? That’d be super helpful for the community to know! 
 

@Olivia These are groups I have been part of for years and I am active in, and have been for years.Most are on Facebook and  I got a friend to share it for me as well. It pays off to be part of the community, even if it is a social community online. I have many people who I don’t know personally but definitely interact with a lot. I also am an active part of the bird community on Facebook and I am always giving advice and helping people with their birds as I have had my cockatoo for 30 years. If you are a part of any social community I definitely would post there. If you have any friends that are a part of groups also get them to share. You have to definitely share your personal details and make it the most detailed you can. It takes a little humbling but when you really need something you don’t care.
Stephanie Brewster
Userlevel 1

Hello,

I am having bit trouble with finding people who would help my tiny business. I did email some places that are companies. Locally and out side locally. Now I am just not sure if I still continues emailing businesses places.  

Alena Ryan
Userlevel 3

What are u selling? @Stephanie Brewster ? I suggest Amazon selling fba app... Oh I’m sorry I miss read your original post. You are trying to get funding to like start a business?

Stephanie Brewster
Userlevel 1

Hello,

  @Alena Ryan Yes, there not enough incoming coming in to having the recourses to do the animations. The www.heyyou.info is just a free website but the projects I do are my own creativity. It takes whole lot more income then expected.  

 

Thank you

K
Userlevel 2

 

Stephanie Brewster start off by having a public yard sale to display what you are selling!That is how you bring people in and give them a card! My problem is I live in a small town move here 5 year ago ,trying to move back home!No one here can help my daughter, keep giving us the run around !That is why she got worst ! Took her back home Dr  told me she have MS! Right now keep praying 

Cheryl Tilson
Userlevel 4
Badge +1

Just keep posting don't lose hope just keep posting to your friends on Facebook and ask them to put your post on their friends page try posting on Tik-Tok and Twitter I wish you well I am still trying to raise money so don't lose hope

Cheryl Tilson
Userlevel 4
Badge +1

I think I agree with a lot of advice you'd received to share this on Facebook and Twitter and Tik-Tok is good. Following the instructions on go fund me page it will help you tremendously they are awesome. Good look to you

T
Userlevel 2

@Amanda Sipe There was a time I knew no one. It was harder to raise money but not impossible. 

  • Hold an online event. That makes what you’re doing newsworthy and also a reason to submit it to a bunch of places for free. It can be as simple as a teleconference  call discussing a shared problem.
  • Find other newbies and promote each other. Someone else you’re acquainted with is also raising funds. If there’s 7 of you, dedicate a day to each person. 
  • Ask people who owe you favors or money to share your fundraiser. They may jump at the chance for alternate means to pay you back. 
  • Give away a resource or ask friends to, as a thank you to contributors. This gets tricky because new IRS rules may make your donation income taxable. But if your due diligence makes it worth it, it can be as easy as a PDF of resources your community needs.
  • Help other people. So this makes no logical sense. But the more I help other people raise money, the more I someone get donations? Set boundaries though or desperate folks may forget themselves and take advantage of you. 

     
M
Userlevel 1

I love those ideas! That will help us out a lot as we live in a small community and don’t know many people. I especially love the idea of printing a flyer with our link to post in businesses. Thank you for these tips! 


it’s such a good idea right! If anyone needs help I can ask my sister if I can post your flyers in her Starbucks!

C

I’m in the same boat. Don’t really know anyone anymore. Don’t use social media much and have no friends irl on there to share with. One of the things I’ve been trying, and maybe it will work, maybe it won’t, but I’ve been grabbing videos from Twitter and other places when a breaking news story comes out and uploading i.t. to YouTube. If I catch it soon enough, sometimes I’m the first person to get the video on to YouTube. And then I add a link to my go fund me in the description and put a little watermark on the video telling the viewer about my fundraising campaign. I’m definitely getting views, so at least that’s SOME exposure. I’ve only gotten a couple of donations though. But I just started it so, we’ll see. Thought I’d share.

Jules
Userlevel 7
Badge +9

@Jessica Marie Minder adding an offline donation to represent your own contribution was a great idea. If you would like someone to review your fundraiser, please check out the Exchange Fundraiser Feedback discussion room. If you would like some advice on sharing strategies, I recommend sharing exactly what you’ve tried so far to this discussion room here.  

Jules
Userlevel 7
Badge +9

@Kasha Simons This community is more for sharing tips and advice about what worked or encouragement when fundraising gets difficult. Most people here are also organizers so they’re trying to do the same thing as you are! For spreading the word to a wider audience, I would try sharing your link to social media platforms that have tools for boosting your posts further.  

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