15 Most Popular Online Fundraising Services
Even if your group has a website – what if the PayPal Donation button isn’t enough and you still need help with marketing, e-mail services and tracking your donations? There are dozens of fundraising services available, but we’ve combed the web for you and have come up with a list of the 15 (or so) most popular ones. (Did we forget one? Let us know!)
Which one is the right one for you? First, make a list of what kind of services you need: online payments and tracking, online auctions, volunteer management, marketing, e-mail campaigns, website design and hosting? Anything else?
Then – remember that each of these services is in business to make money from the groups that sign up with them – compare services and fees of three to five of the fundraising services listed. Fees to consider are one-time setup fees, any monthly fees and per transaction fees. Some fees might be higher or lower depending on how much you collect in donation dollars.
Each of the websites below provides a variety of services, some which might be useful for your group, some won’t. Be sure you don’t pay for services you don’t need and that the customer support offered is sufficient for you. Of course, make sure the website itself appeals to you and is easy to use! (Tip: Raising funds online may present new legal considerations for your group. It may be best to consult your legal adviser before raising funds online.)
So here we go, the 15 (or so) most popular sites that offer online fundraising services – as of October 2008:
If you’d like to get your own online fundraising page:
FirstGiving.com (JustGiving.com in the UK)
DonorsChoose.org This one is for teachers only.
ChipIn.com Micro-funding site – supporters can give as little as 25 cents.
Collect your funds via PayPal.
TipJoy Micro-funding site – supporters can give as little as 25 cents. Give via Twitter and collect your funds via PayPal.
Fundable.com This one is different from the other services: Your project will be funded once pledges meet your stated dollar goal. A great incentive to reach a specific amount.
If you need online fundraising management software:
After comparing some of these services, ask yourself, if the money you’re going to spend in the form of fees – which reduces your donation dollars – is really worth the service you’re getting.
Maybe recruiting more volunteers, or putting more effort into marketing your fundraiser would be sufficient for your group.
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Had no idea all these services existed! Thanks for the list