How to communicate about your fundraiser

Being able to celebrate a successful fundraiser starts long before you’re wrapping up your reporting—it starts when you’re planning your fundraiser communications.

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For parent-led organization leaders, fundraising communications are not just about getting the word out. They’re about consistent, thoughtful messaging that builds trust, momentum, and a sense of shared purpose.

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Planning fundraiser communications

Long before you launch your fundraiser, you have to come up with a communication strategy that will get your community excited and engaged. Your strategy should include these critical elements:

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• Timeline: If you wait until the day your fundraiser launches to start promoting it, you’re missing a huge opportunity. Your communications should kick off before your fundraiser goes live so you can build excitement and interest. 

• Channels: A big part of your communications strategy should be deciding which channels you’ll use to reach your community. Will you focus on email and your website alone, or will you use social media and the school newsletter to promote your fundraiser?

• Frequency: Think about how often you want to send communications about your fundraiser and build a calendar. While the number of communications and how often you send them may depend on the size and type of your fundraiser as well as the channel you’re using, you definitely want to share progress—from teasers and go-live to wrap up. 

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Communicating about your fundraiser

Whether you’re sharing messages through social, email, or other channels, before your fundraiser launches, your communications should focus on building awareness and excitement. 

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Once your fundraiser is live, your messaging should shift to getting your community involved and sustaining momentum. Keeping your communications fresh, timely, consistent, and varied is key to your fundraiser’s success.

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To avoid saying the same thing over and over throughout your fundraiser, you’ll want to incorporate lots of different types of messaging. 

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These ideas will help keep things interesting for your community:

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• Make it personal: Instead of repeatedly asking for money, talk about impact that shows supporters they are part of something meaningful. For example, rather than say “Donate now,” try “Thanks to you, we’re halfway to funding new library books!”

• Vary how you communicate fundraiser totals: Share a progress bar one day and a photo of students holding up a sign with the current total the next day.

• Spread the love: Share shout-outs and profiles of community members who have made a difference to your fundraiser.

• Go behind the curtain: Create a story for social media that gives a glimpse into the behind-the-scenes work going into your fundraiser.

• Gamify: Run a time-limited challenge during your fundraiser that encourages your supporter to help reach a specific mini-goal in a short timeframe.

• Create a public count down: Share reminders of how much time is left for your fundraiser and how far away you are from reaching your goal. 

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Communications after your fundraiser ends

When your fundraiser is over, the communications shouldn’t stop. It’s important to wrap up with a prompt, heartfelt thank you that is shared across all your channels within a few days of the end of your fundraiser.

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You’ll want to include the total amount raised, how it supports your mission, how your community came together to make it happen, and recognition for key players.

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Telling a high-impact story that makes supporters feel good about how their donations are being used is a great way to increase the likelihood that they engage with future fundraisers. 

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Why communication matters

At every stage of your fundraiser—before, during, and after—the most effective communication is intentional, varied, and authentic.

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When your communications plan incorporates lots of different types of messaging, and you focus on connecting with your audience, your fundraiser is more than just a transaction. Instead, it’s a shared effort that brings your community together and makes everyone proud to take part.

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