How To Win Gold in the Nonprofit Fundraising Olympics

The 2016 Summer Olympics are upon us, and athletes from around the world will compete for the highest honor: an Olympic gold medal. By learning from the work ethic and determination of Olympic athletes, you can achieve unprecedented success in your nonprofit fundraising efforts.

The Importance of Preparation

No one becomes a gold medal Olympic athlete overnight. You can’t simply sign up on a whim and participate the following day. Even if you could, you would not be able to compete on the same level with the best of the best, who had been training for years to prepare for their moment in the spotlight.

Your organization may not be able to raise the same amount of funds as larger, more well-known nonprofits right now, but you can still build a successful campaign if you are willing to put forth the effort. If you put in the time and work required to plan a well-constructed fundraising strategy, you will be rewarded with a more successful campaign.

With continued preparation going forward, you may one day achieve the nonprofit fundraising prowess of even the biggest and most successful organizations.

Use Every Tool At Your Disposal

Some athletes have the financial security and connections required to train in the greatest sporting facilities with the world’s top coaches. Others are not so lucky and can only afford to train in their local gym. But in order to achieve Olympic greatness, they must use the tools at their disposal to secure their ticket.

Think you can’t afford the latest and greatest fundraising technology? You will be pleased to learn that you can accept donations in modern ways without draining your budget. With a free fundraising app like Givelify, you can provide a beautiful and effortless giving experience for your donors. Additionally, you have access to the Givelithon feature at no cost, which enables you to project a live feed of incoming app donations and a running total during your event.

Even if your organization is just starting out and cannot afford to make extravagant purchases, you can still find ways to use what is available to you and create a successful nonprofit fundraising campaign.

Don’t Get Discouraged By Minor Setbacks

Even the most skilled and well-trained Olympic athlete will occasionally slip up. Whether it involves losing their balance during a gymnastics competition or a getting a slow start on the race track, just about every competitor at the Olympic level has experienced some kind of setback. But what separates the winners from the rest of the crowd is their determination and ability to bounce back from their mistakes or injuries. If they let it get the best of them, they may give up despite still having a chance at the gold.

Take Olympic gymnast Kerri Strug, for example. While competing on the vault in the 1996 Summer Olympics, Strug injured her ankle. Rather than allowing the injury to hold her back, she instead finished the competition, sticking the landing despite her painful ankle injury — and earned a gold medal for the U.S. team in the process.

Nonprofit fundraising is hard work, and you will likely experience hurdles and full-on road blocks along the way. These setbacks do not have to keep you down. Don’t allow yourself and your team to get discouraged. Keep your eyes set on the prize and work harder next time. That perseverance will be the key to eventually achieving your ultimate nonprofit fundraising goals.