{"id":23244,"date":"2021-12-15T11:56:49","date_gmt":"2021-12-15T16:56:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.qgiv.com\/blog\/?p=23244"},"modified":"2023-08-31T09:39:02","modified_gmt":"2023-08-31T13:39:02","slug":"raise-money-for-animals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.qgiv.com\/blog\/raise-money-for-animals\/","title":{"rendered":"Raise Money for Animals with These Donation Form Best Practices"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

It makes sense that animal organizations are the second most popular type of organization people want to support\u2014right behind youth and family causes, and tied with medical research organizations. After all, we\u2019ve all gotten sucked into a black hole of cute puppies and kittens on the internet, only to emerge hours later, dazed and slightly confused.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

That doesn\u2019t mean that raising funds for your animal organization is easy! You\u2019re doing amazing work for animals, and you want to raise as much as you can to support your mission.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We put together some charity donation form best practices to help you raise more money for animals!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. Using Storytelling in Your Appeal<\/a> <\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Branding, Branding, Branding<\/a> <\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Tech Can Help You Raise More<\/a> <\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Get Creative When Communicating Donor Impact<\/a> <\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. Make Your \u2018Thank-You\u2019 Mean More<\/a> <\/li>\n\n\n\n
  6. Promote Your Donation Page<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Using Storytelling in Your Appeal <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    There\u2019s nothing more powerful than a story to help you connect with your audience. Luckily, animal shelters tend to have some great stories!  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    One of the most compelling stories that animal shelters can use is a heartstrings-tugging before -and-after. Whether you choose one animal\u2019s story to highlight all year, or you highlight a different story every month, this is a great way to communicate impact to potential donors and<\/em> encourage sharing. The dodo<\/a> has endless examples of these types of stories\u2026 and the fact that the dodo has garnered well over a billion<\/strong> views<\/strong> on Facebook alone is proof of their amazing social potential.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The dodo\u2019s popularity brings up another excellent point: the importance of video in storytelling. Video has long been the most popular way for audiences to consume media, and that\u2019s not going to change any time soon. In fact, Zenith Media<\/a> predicted the average viewer will watch 100 minutes of video a day<\/strong> in 2021!  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The good news is you don\u2019t need to hire a videographer or buy expensive equipment to make compelling videos. You can easily shoot and edit professional-grade video right from your smartphone, and it doesn\u2019t even have to be perfect! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Similarly, you can use your smartphone to take high-quality before and after pictures of more serious cases and add those pictures to a slideshow on your donation page. Using before and after photos instead of just the sad \u201cbefore\u201d photos can be more compelling because it conveys hope, and therefore does a better job of showing how your organization can make a difference with a potential donor\u2019s funds. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    One final way to tell a quick, visual story on your donation page is by using a fundraising thermometer<\/a>. While it doesn\u2019t show your organization\u2019s mission, it does tell the story of where your organization is in the fundraising process,<\/s> and how much you still need to raise to support your mission. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Branding, Branding, Branding <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    We emphasize the importance of branding for any organization, and that\u2019s because it works<\/em>! Not only do donations tend to be 38% larger when they\u2019re made on a branded form, but your supporters are also 70% more likely to make a second donation too. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Luckily, branding your form doesn\u2019t have to be labor-intensive. In fact, you can easily add your logo, custom images, and videos with Qgiv\u2019s fundraising platform. You can even change the color scheme of your forms and thermometer in minutes! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    While taking the time to brand your form is important for any organization, it\u2019s even more important if you\u2019re a branch of a larger organization, such as the SPCA<\/a> or Humane Society<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Tech Can Help You Raise More <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    One of the many benefits of technology is that we no longer have to guess how to make our donation forms more effective. We can try things and let the data speak for itself! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Here are some key things you\u2019ll want to include when trying to raise money for animals. We  already know they work! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    1. Make it easy for donors to find out if their gift is eligible for a match<\/a>. <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    While we most commonly think of matching gifts as coming from large organizations, plenty of individuals throw their support behind matching gifts as well. Your donors will be encouraged to give more if they know their donation will go further! <\/p>\n\n\n

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    \"screenshot
    Providence Animal Center<\/a> makes it easy for supporters to find out if their donation is eligible for a match with an in-form widget. <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

    2. Offer a way for donors to offset processing fees. <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Using Qgiv\u2019s platform, you only need a quick click of the mouse to enable GiftAssist. Even better, you can set up conditional thank-you emails to help acknowledge those who used GiftAssist to donate more!<\/p>\n\n\n

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    \"screenshot<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

    3. Mobile-friendliness matters. <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Over 50% of people visit your nonprofit\u2019s website on their phones. Imagine if they try to donate and the form doesn\u2019t work on their phones. Do you think they\u2019ll go grab their laptop or switch to their desktop? Unlikely. Make sure your donation page uses responsive design so you can connect with mobile donors the first time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    4. Recurring donation prompts are the future. <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Not only do recurring donors tend to donate five times the amount of non-recurring donors<\/a> throughout their lifetime, they also have a 90% retention rate. That\u2019s almost double the average donor retention rate of 46%!  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The Animal Protection Society of Durham<\/a> does a great job of incorporating these elements into their online donation forms, and it makes all the difference in the world! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Get Creative When Communicating Donor Impact <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Gone are the days of the generic impact statement. Your donors already know you want to help animals; now\u2019s your chance to tell them exactly how you plan to do it! <\/p>\n\n\n

    \n
    \"screenshot
    Saving Grace<\/a>\u00a0does a fantastic job of using images and creative descriptions to communicate impact.\u00a0Their captions<\/a>\u00a0mix a more fun, hopeful tone with some great educational elements\u2014all in a tiny X-sized space!\u00a0<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

    This means you should use separate forms (you get unlimited donation forms with Qgiv) for your annual fundraising campaigns and special campaigns, such as a new building fund. Each form should communicate the impact that a particular donation will make.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    You aren\u2019t limited to text impact statements either. For example, if you\u2019re trying to raise funds for surgery for a rescued animal, use a video to communicate the animal\u2019s current state and how exactly donations will make his or her life better. You can post updates on the donation page and social media to show his or her progress, which will encourage even more donations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    You can also show impact using the \u201cvirtual food drive\u201d format, like The Sharing Center<\/a> does for their food bank. It\u2019s easy for animal shelters to set up a similar drive to support their needs. Instead of listing out food and pantry necessities for people, you\u2019re listing the necessities for the furry, feathery, and scaly friends in our lives! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Your categories might include food, medical needs (like spay and neuter services), training (which can range from potty pads to obedience classes), comfort (blankets and dog beds), and enrichment (which includes everything from toys to leashes and harnesses for walks). This is an easy way to help donors see how their donations help. You can also include a \u201cGreatest Need\u201d section for donors who want their donation to meet your shelter\u2019s most urgent need first. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The most important thing is to make an emotional connection with potential donors. You want them to see<\/em> where their donation will help the animals your organization serves. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Make Your \u2018Thank-You\u2019 Mean More <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Showing your donors love<\/a>\u00a0is always important, but\u00a0your\u00a0thank-you\u00a0pages\u00a0and emails can do so much more!\u00a0You can include social sharing buttons to encourage your viewers\u00a0to share on Facebook and X, and you\u00a0can\u00a0include graphics for them to share on Instagram.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    You can also include topics for them to make videos for YouTube and TikTok, such as encouraging donors to record telling their rescue\u2019s story. <\/p>\n\n\n

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    \"Picture
    These rescue pups want to hear ALL the rescue stories.<\/em> <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

    With your donors\u2019 permission, you can even use those videos on your social media to increase donations! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    You can also add \u201cumpph!\u201d to your thank-yous by customizing them based on how the donor gave. With Qgiv\u2019s fundraising platform, you can customize your thank-you emails based on whether or not your donor chose to cover processing fees, or if they chose to dedicate their donation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    You can even customize your emails for recurring donors! After all, you don\u2019t want your recurring donors to get the same generic message every time, do you? By updating the thank-you email every month, you can not only highlight new animals your organization has helped (and thus, continue to show donors how their donations make an impact), but you can also use that to promote any new urgent causes, advocacy campaigns, or volunteer opportunities.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Additionally, you can use your thank-you page and emails to highlight additional ways donors can give. Will you take the opened bag of food that a picky eater didn\u2019t like? Are you in need of old sheets and towels to help clean new rescues up and keep them comfy? Your donors won\u2019t always think about these things unless you tell them, so let them know how else they can help! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Essentially, you can use your thank-you pages and emails to both thank your donors and <\/em>help them get more involved with a cause that already matters to them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Promote Your Donation Page <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Here\u2019s where animal shelters have a step up on other organizations: animal content is already hugely popular and shareable on the internet! Here are some ways you can capitalize on that while raising more donations: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    1. Text campaigns. <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Text messages have the highest open rates (98%) of any form of outbound communication. Make the most of it by including a link to a YouTube video that highlights your biggest success stories over the past year. Follow that with a quick ask and link to a donation page. <\/p>\n\n\n

    \n
    \"Phone<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

    It\u2019s an easy way to share an impact statement without needing to use many words.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    2. Social media. <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    While we\u2019ve already given you some ideas for social media promotions through this article, there are endless ways you can encourage donations through social media. The easiest may be to post a simple composite image with a before and after shot, followed by a link for a donation. Canva<\/a> is a great, free tool for this. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    A slightly more time-consuming (but very powerful) example might include taking followers  along on a rescue\u2019s journey back to health. You could start with a video showing the original  condition of the animal, and then follow those up daily\/weekly (depending on severity)  updates until the revised and healthy pet finds their new fur-ever home! This is a great way to not  only increase donations but also help get special needs animals adopted! <\/p>\n\n\n

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    \"Screenshot
    Ghetto Rescue Foundation\u2019s Facebook<\/a> is a masterclass in social media for animal shelters \u2026 and cuteness!<\/em> <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

    From there, you can create user-generated content campaigns that encourage users to show off their beloved pets (let\u2019s face it: we all like to do it) via picture or video. Supporters then post to their social media accounts with a link back to your donation page to raise money for animals!  It\u2019s a great way to both increase donations and raise awareness for your organization, even if it will take more hands-on guidance and moderation from your team. But realistically: how cute would a TikTok campaign like this be?!  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    3. Email. <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Last, but not least, we have email. Email gets a bad rap, but the reality that email marketing is still an important and effective component of any fundraising campaign. And <\/em>it has the highest ROI (return on investment) of any other marketing channel!  <\/p>\n\n\n

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    \"Screenshot
    Pet Alliance of Greater Orlando<\/a> sends out regular, inspiring emails to their supporters to keep them motivated to help. <\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

    While the thank-you emails we mentioned above are part of this, there\u2019s so much you can do!  You can reach out with organization success stories, volunteer opportunities, you name it!  Just make sure you have the donate button prominently displayed in your email template, paired  with a short compelling impact statement. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Final Thoughts to Help You Raise Money for Animals<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    If you work for an animal organization, you already work hard every day to help the animals in your community. We hope this article helps make your fundraising work a little easier! Here are some additional resources to help you on your way: <\/p>\n\n\n\n