{"id":7150,"date":"2016-03-01T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2016-03-01T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.causevox.com\/?p=7150"},"modified":"2024-05-08T19:05:37","modified_gmt":"2024-05-08T19:05:37","slug":"4-lessons-nonprofits-can-learn-bernie-sanders-fundraising-strategy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.causevox.com\/blog\/4-lessons-nonprofits-can-learn-bernie-sanders-fundraising-strategy\/","title":{"rendered":"4 Lessons Nonprofits Can Learn From Bernie Sanders’ Fundraising Strategy"},"content":{"rendered":"

With the presidential elections fast approaching, you\u2019re probably busy weighing the similarities and differences between candidates. But, as a nonprofit, you can take away a lot more from election season than simply knowing where candidates stand on important issues. Turns out, you can learn a lot about how to improve your very own fundraising strategies.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s right\u2014presidential hopefuls like Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton employ drastically different fundraising tactics in order to foot the hefty bill for their campaigns. And, there\u2019s a lot to be learned from the varying systems they utilize.<\/p>\n

As this New York Times article<\/a> reports, so far Sanders has raised approximately $96 million to Hillary\u2019s whopping $188 million<\/a> ($127 million of which has come from individual donations<\/a>). But, while he\u2019s still behind financially, he\u2019s quickly closing that gap\u2014in fact, he raised $5 million more than she did last month.<\/p>\n

How\u2019s he gaining traction? As the New York Times piece continues, it becomes evident that Sanders\u2019 fundraising strategy\u2014which, in all honesty, he sort of just stumbled into with the help of a young and eager digital team\u2014relies much more on small donations made online by his more than 1.3 million backers.<\/p>\n

This starkly contrasts Clinton\u2019s tactic\u2014which goes after those $2,700 maximum contributions from individuals with much deeper pockets.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe competition between Mr. Sanders and Mrs. Clinton is as much about a collision of fundraising cultures as it is about dollars,\u201d the article eloquently explains. So, what tangible things can you learn from these contrasting strategies that are playing out head-to-head in front of the entire nation?<\/p>\n

Here are four big takeaways you can use to benefit your own nonprofit\u2019s fundraising campaigns.<\/p>\n

1. Don\u2019t Forget Your Smaller Donors<\/h2>\n

As perhaps one of the biggest lessons illustrated by these different campaign strategies, you simply can\u2019t neglect your smaller donors. A few dollars here and there might seem unhelpful and insignificant, but those minor contributions can really add up over time.<\/p>\n

\"Don't<\/p>\n

As a matter of fact, small donors account for 76%<\/a> of Sanders\u2019 overall campaign contributions. See? That\u2019s a huge chunk of his overall funds, all coming from pretty small donations. Sanders said himself in a news release from this past July, \u201cI am proud that we have more than 284,000 individual donors and that the average contribution was about $35.\u201d Since then, his average donation has decreased to right around $27 per person.<\/p>\n

Yes, $27 is a long way away from $2,700, which is the maximum contribution allowed in the primary campaign. But, Sanders proves that if you get enough people willing to provide even minor support of your cause, that can really have a huge impact.<\/p>\n

Even further, there are likely many people out there who are totally behind your cause\u2014but that doesn\u2019t mean they have huge amounts of cash to support it. By valuing even the smallest of donations, you\u2019re fostering a spirit of community and collaboration<\/a>, rather than materialism and competition.<\/p>\n

We place a lot of emphasis on identifying your key donors, and that\u2019s undoubtedly still important for scoring those large checks. However, take a note from Sanders and remember that you shouldn\u2019t compromise your entire fundraising community for the sake of throwing all of your time, energy, and attention into a few major contributors<\/a>. You\u2019re better off spreading the love.<\/p>\n

2. Donors Like Convenience<\/h2>\n

We\u2019ve said it time and time again, but it\u2019s a point that bears repeating\u2014you need to make it as easy as possible for donors to support your cause.<\/p>\n

When they\u2019re already opening their wallets in order to help you out, they don\u2019t want to be sent on a wild goose chase trying to figure out exactly how<\/em> to give you their hard-earned money. That part should be slick, simple, and painless.<\/p>\n

The Clintons have built up somewhat of a dynasty when it comes to their fundraising model, and it follows a much more traditional approach\u2014meaning there\u2019s a lot more wining and dining of wealthy contributors.<\/p>\n

This means that Clinton is able to score large donations from these well-to-do individuals, but it also means she had to put quite a bit on the table herself\u2014including resources, travel time, and tons of planning and coordination.<\/p>\n

In contrast, Sanders\u2019 model is much more barebones and cut and dried. The majority of his donations are completed by credit card right on his website. Directly on the homepage, visitors are greeted with a large, red \u201cContribute\u201d button\u2014further proof that a strong and direct call to action is absolutely necessary when it comes to successful fundraising.<\/p>\n

\"DonorsAfter clicking that, donors are walked through a few simple steps to select their donation amount, enter their personal and payment information, and their contribution is finished. It\u2019s simple, efficient, and incredibly effective.<\/p>\n

\"Bernie<\/p>\n

So effective, in fact, that following Sanders\u2019 speech after winning the New Hampshire Democratic primary, people couldn\u2019t flock to his website fast enough. As the New York Times reports, in just one minute alone, 2,689 people had donated an average of $34.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s the bottom line? You need to make donating to your cause as convenient, easy, and pain-free as possible. After all, supporters don\u2019t want to have to jump through hoops in order to give you their money. Even further? You need to explicitly ask for funds with a can\u2019t-miss call to action<\/a>. It\u2019s a crucial element of successful fundraising.<\/p>\n

3. Know Your Audience<\/h2>\n

So, what inspired Sanders\u2019 more modern approach to fundraising? You could argue that his young digital team has a lot to do with it. But, beyond that, he\u2019s in touch with what his audience wants.<\/p>\n

\"Bernie<\/p>\n

He recognizes that he appeals to a much younger crowd than Clinton does. This knowledge is important to his campaign for a couple of different reasons:<\/p>\n