12 Simple Ways to Successfully Raise Awareness for Your Cause
Deciding to help a worthy cause is one thing, but managing to raise awareness about it or collect donations from a wide group of people is another. It doesn’t have to be daunting though, and when your cause is worthwhile, raising awareness for it doesn’t have to be expensive, either. It’s all about engaging people with the right ideas.
Use these 12 fundraising tips to help drive awareness and donations for a special cause.
Awareness campaign ideas to help drive donations
1. Host fundraising events
A fundraising event can help boost both public awareness about a special cause and donations to it. You can organize an event like an art sale or a silent auction by yourself, or pull together a group of friends or colleagues to plan and run a fundraising event together, whether it’s a sports day, a movie night or a gala. Hosting events where people meet in person can help you start building a real community around your cause. There’s no shortage of winning fundraising event ideas.
For example: Off The Record – Fundraising Event
A group of students decided to throw a volleyball tournament at their university to raise money for Off the Record, a charity dedicated to mental health. With this simple event, they were able to beat their fundraising goal.
2. Organize educational events
Education initiatives can be a great way to engage students or members of your local community with an important cause. You can bring groups you may be fundraising for like firefighters or or a sports team into a school to talk about what they do and how they help the community.
You can reach new audiences by offering up your own personal skills to run workshops with people in the community, where you can talk about your cause and connect with like-minded people. For example, if you’re raising awareness around a music charity and you play an instrument you could offer free piano lessons to people, or if you’re connected to a nonprofit helping people find employment you could do advocacy work by running workshops on how to write a resume.
3. Set a world record
Brainstorm ways you could potentially set a world record (perhaps a Guinness World Record) that’s related to your cause. It could generate publicity and direct people to your fundraiser. Turn it into an event—ask existing supporters to participate, or to cheer you on–or a partnership with a nonprofit or local business that could help support your efforts. Well before your event date, reach out to local media through calls, emails, or a press release.
For example: Tara’s Guinness World Record Event
Tara wanted to raise money for The Herren Project, a nonprofit helping with substance abuse. Since she’s a confident runner she decided to take on the 24-hour treadmill Guinness World Record. She raised more than $4,000 for her cause.
Brand your cause to leave a lasting impression
4. Be consistent
When planning what communication strategies you want to use for your awareness campaign, make sure that your overall message is clear and you are tailoring it to your target audience. Keep your imagery and wording consistent; always use the same image or logo for profile pictures, and make sure your call to action doesn’t vary.
5. Design your own swag
Any grassroots campaigners need to employ a little DIY thinking to get their message out and reach wider audiences. Spend a small amount of money making branded t-shirts, stickers, bookmarks or buttons that you can hand out to people at events.
For example: Jada’s JellyBeans T-shirt Fundraiser
After Jada was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in second grade her family started a fundraiser and created t-shirts to help raise money for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.
6. Boost your social media presence
Whether you’re helping an activism group in its awareness-raising efforts to help create social change around a global issue like climate change, or you’re trying to raise awareness about a specific issue like organ donation, boosting your social media presence will make a huge difference.
Make sure all your social media accounts, whether on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, or Nextdoor, contain the same clear call to action for your cause, and start engaging with your community to spread awareness about your chosen cause. Try sparking thoughtful conversations about your cause by asking questions or giving feedback before branching out to reach wider communities.
Content ideas to pique your donor’s interest
7. Produce content others find valuable
Outreach work can come in many forms. You can use your personal expertise to produce unique content related to your chosen cause that others will find valuable. For example, are you a librarian helping to raise awareness about a literacy charity? Get a children’s entertainer to run a reading group at your library. You can film a story time segment with them for children to watch at home, too. Make sure the design includes your logo and is consistent with your other branded materials.
8. Make information pamphlets
A great way for people to learn about your fundraiser or the cause you are supporting is through informational pamphlets, whether printed or digital. If you’re looking for new ways to engage people in your chosen cause then create an information pamphlet to educate people in your local community about the initiative, nonprofit or specific issue you’re supporting with information about how people can get involved. Ask local businesses if you can leave pamphlets out for people to take.
9. Write a press release
Think about the communications strategies people working in public relations use to raise awareness about a story or cause. Try starting an awareness day for your nonprofit, write a press release about the new initiative and find a case study related to your cause who would be willing to talk to the media about how the organization has helped them. You can submit press releases to sites such as PR Newswire. Include eye-catching photos to increase the chances of getting your story featured.
Challenge ideas to drum up support
10. Make a viral challenge video
Everyone remembers the Ice Bucket Challenge. Come up with your own viral video challenge to get people talking about your cause. Read this blog for more tips on how to increase your chances of going viral.
11. Challenge your coworkers
Encourage people to participate in a workplace challenge to raise awareness and money for your fundraiser like a cook-off or a board game tournament. You could partner with a local business to host a fundraising or awareness event for your cause where you crown the winner and announce your fundraising total.
12. Take on a challenge
Garner attention by taking on an impressive challenge that will impress potential donors with your dedication. Pick something that fits well with your lifestyle. Do you enjoy working out? Take on an athletic challenge. Are you an artist? Challenge yourself to create five new pieces a day.
For example: Cycling for Change
Lucy and her dad cycled 2,500 miles across the country to raise money for early breast cancer detection in their fundraiser.
Raise awareness and double your donations
Now you know how to raise awareness for a cause. Use these proven methods to truly put the crowd in crowdfunding. Read honest GoFundMe reviews from people just like you. Be sure to check out the latest fundraising tips and ideas. Start a fundraiser today.