![\"Winter](\"https:\/\/causevox.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Olympic-skating.jpg\")
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If you\u2019ve been watching the Winter Olympics, you\u2019ve probably seen dozens of human-interest stories about ambitious athletes, the moms who support them, and of course, the politics and passion in Russia surrounding the games.<\/p>\n
But we found a few hidden lessons that nonprofits can learn from when it comes to crowdfunding<\/a>. Check them out:<\/p>\n In the men\u2019s free skate program of the team figure skating competition, four-time medalist (in four Olympics, counting this one) Evgeni Plushenko performed what he dubbed his \u201cBest of Plushenko\u201d routine, a combination of jumps and choreography from past wins. It earned Team Russia the gold.<\/p>\n If you\u2019ve seen success with certain strategies and tactics in the past, don\u2019t feel pressure to reinvent the wheel for every campaign.<\/p>\n Sure, adding in a few new moves keeps things fresh. But if you always reach your goal with a month-long timeline, or you know that four donation tiers<\/a> works better for you than six, don\u2019t change it!<\/p>\n Extra tip: get in the habit of creating narrative reports to support the data from each campaign. That way, you can easily refer back to tactics and specific details to use again.<\/em><\/p>\n Just a couple of days into the Olympics, champion snowboarder and two-time gold medalist Shaun White pulled out of the slopestyle to focus on the halfpipe, in an attempt to achieve a three-peat first place performance. White weighed the risks of getting hurt in the new Olympic event against the potential to win in his strongest event. Ultimately, he didn\u2019t medal, but he totally went for it!<\/p>\n You may have opportunities to do multiple innovative or fun things with your fundraising campaign, but consider the pros and cons of each before committing.<\/p>\n Think about staff resources, your goals, and the return on investment for each tactic. For instance, is it better to put all your eggs in one basket for a major partnership<\/a>, or to bring on several small partners and having to stretch yourself to get publicity? Do you spread out a campaign over a longer time or push yourself to reach an aspirational goal on a short deadline<\/a>? What is more likely to get you a win?<\/p>\n Extra tip: Outsiders may push back on your decisions, but you are the only one who knows all the risks as it relates to your organization. Commit to a decision, own it, and go for it with all you\u2019ve got.<\/em><\/p>\n In the lead up to the Olympics, and as people began arriving in Sochi, headlines focused on budgets gone wild, unfinished construction, dirty hotels, and Putin\u2019s pecs. But despite it all, the Russians created a spectacularly moving tribute to their country and to the Olympics in the Opening Ceremony, by focusing on what they are known for: storytelling through art, dance, and literature. And they pulled it off.<\/p>\n Things can and will go wrong in a crowdfunding campaign. You\u2019ll have technical glitches, unsatisfied partners, complaining donors, and typos in a big media piece. But those things can be overcome if you can show what you\u2019re made of through your story \u2013 your organization\u2019s identity.<\/p>\n1) Stick with what works.<\/h2>\n
The Crowdfunding Lesson<\/h3>\n
2) Be risky, not reckless.<\/h2>\n
The Crowdfunding Lesson<\/h3>\n
3) Stay true to your personal story.<\/h2>\n
The Crowdfunding Lesson<\/h3>\n