The Complete Guide to Planning a Birthday Fundraiser

A birthday fundraiser is an easy way to raise funds for a cause you care about instead of asking for usual gifts. It works by choosing an issue or nonprofit organization you’d like to raise money for, then asking friends and family members to forgo birthday gifts and donate to your fundraiser for charity instead.
If you’d like to shake things up this year, this guide provides birthday fundraiser ideas and explains how to donate your birthday to charity so everyone can celebrate.
Best Practices for Starting a Birthday Fundraiser
Select a Crowdfunding Platform
To create a successful birthday fundraiser, start by using an online crowdfunding platform like GoFundMe, which provides fundraising tools for easy donation collection, customization, and sharing.
Choose a Charity
The next step is to choose a charity close to your heart and research their work to share with potential donors.
Set a Fundraising Goal and Deadline
Setting a clear and realistic fundraising goal is crucial, as it provides direction, motivates donors, and helps measure the success of your birthday celebration. Set your birthday as the fundraising deadline to motivate quick donations and begin the fundraiser a few weeks in advance.
How to Pick a Platform and What to Look For
When choosing a crowdfunding platform for a birthday fundraiser there are a couple of things to consider.
Ease of Use
Look for platforms that offer user-friendly interfaces and straightforward setup processes, such as GoFundMe. You can set up a fundraising page in minutes and supercharge it with video and photo content to make it stand out. Find out how to write a compelling fundraising story here.
Platform Fees
Ensure the platform has a transparent fee structure, including any processing fees deducted from donations. On GoFundMe it is completely free to create a fundraiser but we charge a transaction fee of 2.9% plus $0.30 from each donation.
Transferring Donations to Charity
Some platforms may ask you to withdraw your funds yourself and it will be up to you to get the funds to your chosen charity. On GoFundMe we take care of that part for you. All the funds you raise on your fundraiser will be delivered directly to the nonprofit without ever hitting your bank account.
Fundraiser Visibility
Think about how well-known the platform is and the sharing capabilities on social media to maximize visibility. Does the platform include options to include multimedia content and tools for donor communication and updates? These factors can enhance your fundraiser’s success.
6 Tips on How to Make Your Birthday Fundraiser a Success
1. Draw others into your story
A birthday or other special day creates a natural storytelling opportunity, and telling your fundraiser story is a crucial part of crowdfunding. Your story should answer basic questions any reader would have: who, what, where, when, why, and how. You’ll also want to give your fundraiser a catchy fundraiser title to grab readers’ attention.
If you have decided to raise money for a specific charity or nonprofit, explain to potential donors why the organization you’ve chosen is so important to you. Consider this an opportunity to educate your readers about the charity or cause at the heart of your fundraiser.
Also, make sure to answer these questions in your fundraiser story:
- What will the funds be used for?
- How are you connected to the cause?
- Why is the charity or cause special to you?
- When it comes to fundraising, the why is particularly important—why does the recipient or organization need this donation?
Don’t forget, adding fundraiser images and videos can also help readers engage with your story and want to learn more.
2. Use Social Media to Spread your Message
To get the most from your birthday celebration, take advantage of all the tools that social media offers. If you’re consistent about sharing your fundraiser, you’ll be able to achieve successful social media fundraising.
Timing is everything
When it comes to posting your birthday fundraiser on social media, it is important to get the timing right. While it is important to post your fundraiser on the day of your birthday, it is also a good idea to post it ahead of time to give people time to contribute. Generally, posting it a week before your special day allows enough time for people to see the fundraiser and contribute, creating a sense of anticipation and giving people ample time to participate.
In terms of specific times, research suggests that weekdays, especially Tuesdays through Thursdays, tend to have higher engagement rates. Posting in the morning between 9 AM and 11 AM, or in the early evening around 7 PM to 9 PM, can maximize visibility, as these are peak times when people are most likely to check their social media feeds.
Check out this blog for specific social media fundraising ideas.
3. How to Ask for Donations
When asking people for donations, it is really important to be clear about why you are fundraising and where the funds are going. Start by clearly articulating the cause and the impact their contribution will have.
Ask for Donations Instead of Gifts
Be sure to make it clear that you would prefer for people to donate to your fundraiser instead of buying you a gift. This is a great way to encourage donations as people who were already thinking about getting your something will be likely to donate instead.
Personal Touch
Go the extra mile and personalize your message asking for a donation. Messaging someone on Whatsapp? Use their name when addressing them and show genuine appreciation for their potential support.
Be Specific
People are often more likely to donate if you ask for a specific donation amount. Why not ask everyone to give up their daily latte for your special day and instead donate $5 to your cause? This type of very specific request enables people to donate a reasonable amount without having to overthink the process.
Make it Easy
Make it easy for people to donate by providing clear instructions and multiple convenient methods for giving.
Say ‘Thank You’
Finally, make sure you remember to say thank you to your donors with a personal message and emphasize the difference their donation makes to your fundraising efforts. You could even send generous donors a small thank you gift or thank them on social media.
4. Plan a Birthday Party that Doubles as a Fundraising Event
Who doesn’t love a birthday party? And when it’s also for a good cause or nonprofit organization, there’s more reason to celebrate. A birthday party fundraiser event serves a few purposes—they help you raise money for your cause, bring communities together for a common purpose, and spread awareness of your cause in unique ways. Meeting with your friends and loved ones face-to-face in a casual environment also allows you to ask for support in a low-pressure way.
For birthday fundraising ideas and inspiration for special occasions, see our blog post on fundraising event ideas.
5. Don’t Forget to Share Offline
To encourage supporters to raise as much as possible, you’ll want to take your sharing strategy beyond Facebook messages and posts. Fundraising without social media can mean writing personal emails to your contacts, sending text messages, or talking to people face-to-face about your cause.
6. Take Advantage of Fundraising Resources
If these tips aren’t enough and you need some extra support as you plan your birthday celebration, we’ve got top fundraising tips to help for the big day:
- The Beginner’s Guide to Viral Fundraising
- Step-by-Step Guide: Writing a Thank You Letter for a Donation
- How to Set Up a Donation Page for Fundraising Success in 8 Steps
- Thirteen Easy Ways to Give to Charity and Make An Impact
Multiply Your Impact by Starting a Birthday Fundraiser
Creating a birthday fundraiser is a special opportunity to bring people together to reach a common goal. What better way to unite people than with a birthday or other special date?
GoFundMe makes it easy to reach your goals faster with our easy fundraising platform and we offer birthday fundraising ideas to help make your fundraiser a success. Our Customer Care team is always ready to help you every step of the way and answer any questions you may have. Start a fundraiser now and get the party started.