Kate Hannigan, Author at Wanna Pixel

Top 5 Crowdfunding Platforms Compared

Kate Hannigan - November 16, 2018

Crowdfunding is the rage in all sorts of realms right now, raising money to launch for-profit ventures like startup businesses and creative projects and programs, even paying for personal medical expenses. Crowdfunding is a great tool for nonprofits as well.

First off, what is nonprofit crowdfunding? The idea is that you tap a lot of people to invest in your organization’s mission, rather than soliciting donations from one or two big contributors. Everyone chips in small amounts — whatever they can give — to help your nonprofit reach its goals.

But asking hundreds of people to cut $10 and $20 checks is awkward if not an inefficient use of time. Instead, consider using a crowdfunding platform to manage raising the money you need to operate. With one online source, you can present your nonprofit’s role, share video clips and storytelling of what you’ve accomplished and what you want to do next, and cultivate new donors to your organization’s mission.

There are a variety of ways crowdsourcing platforms can help nonprofits. At WannaPixel, our mission is technology for good, and these crowdfunding platforms are great examples of where technology and social good meet. We want to help you find ways to grow your charity, so you can have more impact in the world.

What follows are some of the best crowdfunding platforms that provide nonprofit support. Big-name operations like Kickstarter and Indiegogo, by far among the most well-known crowdfunding platforms, tend to be product- or idea-based. And while Indiegogo allows raising funds to benefit charities, Kickstarter cannot be used for direct charity or cause funding. Kickstarter prefers that projects “create something to share with others.” So let’s take a look at other platforms you might not have heard of.

CauseVox

CauseVox offers highly customizable websites to raise funds for your organization and allows access to your own site editor. When you use CauseVox’s platform, you can generate Team pages that allow potential donors to support designated projects if that’s what excites them, or they can donate to your entire nonprofit. Flexibility is key, and CauseVox offers plenty of it. You can set up your own, customized donation forms and giving-level tiers, ask further questions to donors, as well as download and export donation and fundraiser data. You’ll have the ability to manage your own donation-processing account and receive the funds via PayPal or Stripe.

Classy

Classy is “on a mission to mobilize and empower the world for good,” having helped millions of people contribute to over 4,000 organizations since 2011. Their crowdfunding platform allows you to build branded, mobile-optimized pages for fundraising and add recurring donations as well as one-off contributions. Their emphasis is on effective design and efficient tools that are “out of the box,” meaning you don’t need to be an IT guru to set up their services. Check out Classy’s free downloadable guide, which shares the stories of five nonprofit crowdfunding campaigns launched on their platform.

CrowdRise

Launched in 2010, CrowdRise helped thousands of nonprofits expand their fundraising efforts before being acquired by crowdfunding megastar GoFundMe in 2017. Serving as the nonprofit arm for GoFundMe, CrowdRise offers a wide variety of tools from ticketing for gala events to registration capabilities for your next 5K.

As an efficient example of nonprofit support, the CrowdRise platform allows donors to cover transactions fees (including credit card fees) at checkout in order to maximize the amount of funding going directly to help your cause. And 93 percent of the platform’s donors choose to do so. CrowdRise boasts that more than $98 out of every $100 raised for nonprofits flows directly to the good work being done. As with most all crowdfunding platforms, CrowdRise requires that your organization be a registered 501c3 and in good standing with the IRS.

Fundly

Staying up-to-date about your crowdfunding efforts is crucial to any successful campaign. Fundly’s platform lets you build your nonprofit’s crowdfunding page that’s sleek and easy to navigate, as well as being mobile-optimized. And via a blogging tool, Fundly lets you communicate “Recent Updates” with your donors about achievements, progress toward your goals, and upcoming events. A “Campaign Wall” allows donors to comment and share support on your efforts too, so your supporters will feel plugged in and informed.

Fundly offers a variety of clever fundraising ideas. One of our favorite features is Fundly’s tool for selling T-shirts directly on your nonprofit’s campaign page. Design your own T-shirts in a variety of styles, and let your supporters wear their hearts literally on their sleeves with this innovative feature.

Chuffed

Chuffed the adjective means “quite pleased.” And Chuffed the crowdfunding platform means, to its founders, a simple way for active and engaged people to raise funds for social good, build an active community, and make the world a better place. Started in 2012, Australia-based Chuffed is designed for nonprofits only and charges no platform fees or transaction fees — they charge only for credit card processing.

Offering a customizable donation box that allows you to set contribution amounts, Chuffed accepts donations from mobile devices and from supporters around the globe — so far, from more than 150 countries and 11 currencies. Chuffed allows for incentive prizes to award your donors and cheer on the difference they’re making in the world, ranging from thank-you messages all the way to branded items like T-shirts or mugs that might appeal to your nonprofit’s supporters — even to a trip to a specific location.

The Cost

As you explore the crowdfunding platforms available to your nonprofit, be sure to read the fine print. And most important, examine what fees they charge. Some, like Chuffed, only hit you for credit card fees. But others take a percentage for providing the platform. These fees might come as the money trickles in, or they can be collected once your nonprofit’s ultimate crowdfunding goal has been met. The range is wide — from about 2.5 percent per donation all the way up to 15 percent. Be sure to investigate before signing up.

At Wanna Pixel, we want to help support your nonprofit technology needs. Contact us today, and we’ll help you build up your organization’s online presence, so you can get busy doing good work in the world.

What Is Crowdfunding and How Can It Help Your Nonprofit?

Kate Hannigan - September 20, 2018

Maybe you’ve heard of the World’s Best Travel Jacket, made by BauBax. Or you’ve played a heated round of Exploding Kittens with the family during the holidays. Or maybe you’ve been rewatching that Veronica Mars movie. While each of these highly divergent things is interesting in its own way, what ties them together is that they were all started by crowdfunding. Interested supporters on Kickstarter donated $9,192,055 to bring the amazing jacket to market, $8,782,571 to launch the irreverent board game into the world, and $5,702,153 to bring back a beloved TV character.

So what exactly is crowdfunding? It’s the practice of financing a project by raising small sums of money from a large number of donors, typically through online sites. At Wanna Pixel, we’re here to help you better understand your nonprofit’s technology needs so you can take your nonprofit to the next level. And fundraising, donations, and donor management are crucial parts of that effort.

Aside from Kickstarter, GoFundMe is another of the best-known crowdfunding sites, with billions of dollars raised since its inception in 2008. Campaigns here are often launched to support personal projects associated with covering medical bills and recovering from national disasters or tragedies. One of its largest crowdfunding campaigns came in the wake of 2017’s Hurricane Harvey, which pummeled the Houston area. Crowdfunding efforts raised $41.6 million to help Texans in desperate need.

Crowdfunding sites are not limited to business or personal projects. They host campaigns for the nonprofit sector as well. Here are a few examples of how crowdfunding sites can help your nonprofit:

Attracting New Donors

Crowdfunding can impact the way your nonprofit does its fundraising. Crowdfunding campaigns typically suggest small donations, which can appeal to a broader number of people. This approach lowers the barrier to participation, allowing more new donors to come onboard and learn about your nonprofit’s work.

And once they’ve committed funds to your nonprofit, they might become loyal donors who continue to support your organization’s work over the long term.

Crowdfunding can reach an audience that you might not reach on your own. And because people who contribute to your nonprofit often share information about it, it’s an easy and efficient way to get more “eyes” on your organization’s work. Crowdfunding can serve as an easy place to start the relationship between a potential donor and your nonprofit.

Increase Number of Donations

Since nonprofit crowdfunding often involves targeted campaigns, the sense of urgency around your efforts can generate focused attention and therefore an increase in donations. When you present the problem your nonprofit is trying to address and demonstrate the need in clear and specific terms, donors can respond to that urgent call with increased enthusiasm.

Because crowdfunding sites provide tools to make sharing easy and fast, it can increase the number of donations coming in as word of your nonprofit spreads.

Keep in mind storytelling best practices so that you create clear and compelling reasons why a visitor to your site should donate. With the right motivation, you can turn a curious supporter into a lifelong donor to your nonprofit.

Raise Your Profile

Crowdfunding websites make it easy for you to connect with your donors. Make sure you include ways these donors can share your organization’s name and website, so they’re able to tell the world about the good work your nonprofit is doing. Take stock of popular social media platforms, and include buttons and links that will allow your donors to share ways friends and family members can help support your nonprofit too.

While crowdfunding is a fast and efficient way to raise donations, nonprofits should know that most all crowdfunding platforms charge fees. And these fees vary depending on what service you use. Make sure to read the fine print before you sign up.

Fundraising comes with a long list of regulations you should be aware of. Before you solicit donations, you should become familiar with state laws. Most states require charitable nonprofits to register with the state before doing any fundraising there. Read more about crowdfunding campaigns for nonprofits before you get started.

Also, if you’re interested in the new Text-To-Give trend, check out this article by our friends at Wild Apricot – The Ultimate Guide To Text-To-Give Fundraising

Have more questions? Our Wanna Pixel team is ready to help. Contact us today and let us help you get started on taking your nonprofit to the next level.

Is Your Nonprofit’s Outdated Website Costing You Donors?

Kate Hannigan - September 6, 2018

There’s a saying that you never get a second chance to make a first impression. When it comes to the internet and your nonprofit’s website, you have all of 50 milliseconds to make that first impression.

An outdated website does more than signal that you’ve been around for a while. It may hurt your organization and drive potential donors elsewhere. Here at WannaPixel, our mission is to help nonprofits like yours set up website design best practices, so you can connect with a broader audience and expand the good work you want to do in the world.

As we work with you to consider technology solutions, we encourage you to take a look at your website from a new user’s perspective. What’s your first impression of your nonprofit based on your website’s landing page and images? How does it feel to navigate your website? How much trust do you put in the donation page? Can you even find the donation page?

Outdated Says You Don’t Care

Your website is your nonprofit’s face to the world. It’s where you meet and greet new audience members, it’s how you introduce yourself to the wider community of charitable organizations, it’s how you interact with strangers and friends. If you haven’t taken the time to update your website, you’re letting readers know that you don’t really care how you come off. Appearances matter, and you want to make sure you’re signaling to visitors that you really do care.

Outdated Says Your Service Is Spotty

Just as you might not trust that a dilapidated storefront will give way to a polished, inspiring shop inside, the same can be said for your website. A clunky design featuring dated images and laden with unnecessary text signals to new visitors that your organization might not offer cutting-edge services. And most importantly, outdated sites throw into question the security of your donation page: users want to feel confidence when they click the “donate” button to help support your work. If they don’t trust it’s safe, they won’t donate.

Outdated Says You Should Go Elsewhere

Another nonprofit doing good in the world is just an easy click away. Don’t give your website’s users a reason to turn away from your mission and good work into the arms of a competing charitable organization. You should be able to keep your visitors engaged and excited about the work you’re sharing and the people you’re helping. Take them through all the steps, showcasing the progress you’ve made, how their dollars can further the work, how people benefit from their support, and how they can get involved. If you don’t, you’ll lose these potential supporters to other nonprofits — perhaps for a lifetime.

Competition online for donors and volunteers is fierce, and it only takes seconds to lose a potential supporter.

Here are areas we pay special attention to when we want to ensure that a nonprofit’s website is turning visitors on to their cause, rather than off. We believe WannaPixel’s technology solutions and website design best practices can help your nonprofit connect with more users and develop relationships that, we hope, become lifelong commitments to your cause.

Speed Matters

If your pages take a while to load, it’s over before it begins. Nobody wants to wait it out, because they know another faster site is just a quick click away. A slow-loading site can also mean a lower ranking on Google’s search algorithm, which means fewer new readers will find your site.

Reading on the Go

Mobile is everything, as users explore the world on smart phones every hour of every day. If your website is not optimized for mobile use, you’re missing out on moments when new audience members are inspired to learn more about your good work, volunteer to help your cause, and even donate to support your nonprofit’s mission.

Tracking Results

Analytics offer you crucial information that can help your nonprofit grow and reach more potential supporters. Tracking how your website performs offers a window for you to measure important indicators like your website’s traffic as well as conversions.

SEO Optimized

You want your website optimized not only for bots to discover it, but for human beings to engage with it as well. This means storytelling that inspires and interests potential supporters. Visitors to your website want to know the story of your nonprofit, the people it helps, the lives it changes.

At WannaPixel, we believe in the power of compelling content to grow your organization and cultivate deep commitments. We can help ensure these stories connect with real people as well as search engines.

Eye on Conversions

We want to help you find beautiful web solutions as well as forge real ties with your audience. When your website implements tools to keep your supporters interested in the work you’re doing, it allows them to stay long enough to read pages that spotlight your mission, your projects, the people and causes you’re helping, and the ways they can get involved — and ultimately donate to support your work.

An outdated website can signal to visitors that you simply don’t care, and that the service you’re offering is questionable. If you ultimately want your readers to believe enough in your mission to click the button to donate money, you’ve got to give them confidence in your organization. And this means that their donation is secure and protected. And this sense of security comes from an updated, seamless website. Contact the WannaPixel team, and we can work with you on updating your website today.

Top 10 Nonprofit Storytelling Best Practices

Kate Hannigan - June 1, 2018

The story your nonprofit tells can inspire lifelong partnerships, pull more energy to your cause, and help generate the financial support you need not just to survive but to thrive.

We talked previously about understanding the role of nonprofit storytelling and how it can impact your fundraising. With this post, we’ll go deeper and highlight our top 10 nonprofit storytelling best practices. Consider these a checklist as you build your relationship with your clients, partners, supporters, and staff. And use them to keep your nonprofit’s mission and focus foremost in your mind.

It’s not about you.

We all know people who drone on and on about themselves and never stop to think about the other people in the conversation. Don’t be that guy. With nonprofit storytelling, your message should not be about you but rather about the amazing work your organization is doing in the world. Through your website and media communications, share the passion your nonprofit has for creating change, talk about the boots-on-the-ground work your staff and volunteers are doing, and focus on those you’re helping. Make sure you’re showcasing the passion, not yourself.

Give us someone to root for.

Every story has a main character. While you want your audience to learn about your nonprofit, you’ve got to give your audience someone to care about, to connect with, to root for. In making that emotional connection, you’re making it easier for them to care about helping with and committing to your cause. There’s a universality to our needs and desires: we all want to feel safe, we all want to know where our next meal will come from, we all want to believe our children have potential. Seeing someone we can root for brings those feelings forward and solidifies the connection between your nonprofit’s good work and those it’s helping.

Make it compelling.

“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did,” award-winning poet and author Maya Angelou once said, “but people will never forget how you made them feel.” And she’s right. When we’re moved emotionally, we’re touched on a deeper level than in our ordinary exchanges. In telling your nonprofit’s story, establish a firm link between the viewer and who they see in the video, and try to reach that audience in a deeper, less superficial way. This can be through text, music, words, or images—or ideally all of these aspects working together.

Keep it simple.

You want to make it easy for your audience to connect the dots between action and impact. Tell your story simply and clearly, and you’ll help supporters and potential supporters better understand what you’re all about. And when the message and story are simple, those viewers can spread the word to their network of friends, expanding your nonprofit’s reach even further.

Sticky stories are the best.

The best stories are the ones we remember. And they aren’t always complicated plots. Try to use a clean, simple image on your website or in your nonprofit’s video. Make the goal of your work clear, the recipient defined, the impact explicitly stated. Your audience will hold onto that story and return to it to take action.

Vary your storytellers.

When you look around your nonprofit, chances are you have limited staff and resources at your disposal. Like most nonprofits, budgets are tight. But storytelling doesn’t have to break the bank. Instead of hiring actors to play parts, consider putting a staff member in front of the camera to walk through a recent project. Film a supporter explaining why she cares about your nonprofit and what motivated her to make a donation. Your marketing department doesn’t have to work its magic alone. Try to tap a variety of volunteers, team members, and donors to take part in your nonprofit’s storytelling.

Bring people together.

Let your staff have a go at creativity, and you might be pleased by the results. Try pairing up someone who works for your nonprofit with someone who volunteers or donates. Give them a microphone and camera, and see what happens. Or sit them down with a notepad and let them talk for an hour. What comes out of organic, one-to-one exchanges can be personal and powerful. And that story can be part of your nonprofit’s message.

Don’t limit the medium.

A clean, easy-to-navigate website is crucial to your nonprofit’s fundraising and donor management. Through photos and text, you can explain what you’re all about in concise and effective language. Email blasts allow you to keep your story current and your audience updated. And videos serve as an effective way to highlight what you do, why you do it, and how your audience can help. Social media platforms let you do precision messaging that reinforces your mission or promotes engagement opportunities like galas and events. Don’t limit yourself to just one means of reaching your audience. Variety will help you reach more potential supporters.

Keep it short and sweet.

Your message should be direct and easy to understand. Take a look at your website and get rid of the clutter. Your audience should be able to get a sense of what you’re about in a matter of seconds, not minutes. In video storytelling, clear the clutter from your messaging too. If you are hoping a video will go viral on social media, shorter clips of just one minute work best on sites like Facebook. If you want to use a platform like YouTube for a longer video, shoot for 10 to 12 minutes at most.

Remember the fundamentals.

A talking head reading from a script into a camera is not a story. Stories have three fundamental parts: a beginning, middle, and ending. When telling your nonprofit’s story, be sure to take your audience through all three. And above all, show them how they can play the crucial role of bringing about a happy ending.

Nonprofit Storytelling and How It Can Impact Your Fundraising

Kate Hannigan - May 9, 2018

“Storytelling is the most powerful way to put ideas into the world,” writes Robert McKee, author of Story, the enormously popular book for aspiring writers that’s come to be known as “the screenwriters’ bible.”

At WannaPixel, we believe storytelling plays an essential role in helping your nonprofit reach a broader audience. It also serves to recruit new volunteers into your ranks and ultimately motivate donations to support your cause. But incorporating the power of storytelling into your nonprofits’ website and donor management first requires an understanding of how to establish a story and how best to convey it to your audience and potential new supporters.

While many organizations rely on statistics to hammer home their points, a clearly presented story can serve to motivate your audience to action. Good storytelling can create a deeper emotional connection to the individuals you’re trying to serve. So what is nonprofit storytelling? And how does it impact your fundraising?

It begins with a human face.

Give your readers someone they can connect with and care about. They need to see who is affected by your cause, and how potential donors can play a part in positively impacting this person’s life. Readers need details that help forge the connection: does the character play soccer? have a beloved dog? like to read? A character and story are more compelling when readers find footholds for empathy and concern.

When telling the story, you want readers to see themselves or someone they love in that character. There’s a universality to our experiences, and your character can convey the struggles we all share—the deep need we all have to feel secure, to know our loved ones are safe, to see that our children have opportunities, to bring justice and fairness in the world.

Make the goals clear.

The character you’re presenting to potential donors has dreams and hopes just like any one of us. Share them. Do they want to grow up to become a teacher? Do they want clean water for their village? Make it clear what they’re trying to achieve, and help your readers understand what’s at stake.

When the goals are clear, the fundraising becomes less complicated. Your character needs shoes to be able to walk to school? Your nonprofit is working to make clothing and shoes available to children in need. Keep the language direct and simple, and the message hits home.

Compelling stories present conflict.

Life is full of ups and downs. But some people face obstacles that seem insurmountable. That’s where your organization comes in—to approach a challenge and make things better. Present the conflict in clear ways so your readers understand what’s keeping your character from their goal. Is it a food shortage? A lack of clean water after a recent hurricane? A dire need for school supplies and books? Make the conflict clear.

And let your audience feel an emotion, whether it’s happiness or anger, desperation or pride. Your character’s story should be compelling and make your reader feel moved to respond. After all, you wouldn’t have started this nonprofit if there weren’t a pressing reason. Emotion motivates us to act. And for your audience, that emotion can serve to bolster your fundraising so that you can do the good work your nonprofit set out to do.

Call to action.

This is the part where you connect the dots. Lay out the roadmap connecting the challenges that your character faces with how your reader can act. Spell out how they can help by financially supporting your work on the ground. Make it clear what your organization is doing and the role donations play in helping you accomplish this work. Make sure to direct them to your donation page, so they can put their motivation to work immediately. What does every dollar do? Show it. Make your reader an actor in this challenge, and show how fundraising allows you both to solve the problem.

Accomplishments.

Everyone wants to see results, whether it’s a good score on a math exam you studied for or the flowers growing from the seedlings you planted. Showcase and highlight what your character accomplished through the donations and hard work your organization and your supporters did together. What specifically has the character been able to achieve through your help? Has their village dug new wells for fresh water? Has their local school established a library so that all kids now have access to books?

Nonprofit storytelling is a powerful tool for connecting the dots and motivating interested readers to make donations to the work you’re doing. When your audience can see how important they are in your character’s journey and the crucial role their financial support plays in improving your character’s life, they become actors in the story as well. And hopefully it leads to happy endings all around.

Let WannaPixel help you with storytelling today.