• Business Growth & Optimisation

Strategies to Increase Donations for Not-for-Profits

6 min. read03.02.2022
By Team Zeller

Engage your community and reach more potential donors.

Are you trying to get donations for a not-for-profit organisation? It can feel difficult to begin to gain traction with any new fundraising endeavour, yet increasing donations for your organisation doesn’t have to be a daunting task.

There are several strategies you can employ to increase donation efficiency. Keep reading to discover six of the most effective actions you can take today to help you grab the attention of donors and make it easy for them to donate.

1. Make your mission clear

Studies show that before a person donates to a not-for-profit, the most important piece of information they want to know is the type of work that the organisation does — and how that work is done.

Nielsen Norman Group, a global UX research and consulting firm, recently conducted a study into the usability of not-for-profit organisations’ websites and found that it takes a website visitor six minutes to find information about an organisation’s purpose, on average. This is far too long. If a visitor can’t work out exactly what it is your organisation does, they are likely to leave your website.

To encourage web visitors to donate, make sure you clearly and concisely explain your organisation's goals and objectives in a visible space on your website. This simple fix is enough to convince more visitors, who align with your mission, to make a donation.

2. Accept cashless donations

When it comes to digital payments, Australians are leading the pack. Unfortunately, this shift is making in-person donation drives a more difficult task than ever before. If you have the ability to accept cashless donations, your chances of success significantly increase.

Fewer and fewer Australians are carrying cash these days.

The ability to offer potential donors a cashless donation solution can benefit your organisation in several ways.

  1. Reduced admin. Accepting donations via an EFTPOS terminal removes the need for follow-up invoices or phone calls.

  2. More opportunity. When you have a portable EFTPOS machine on hand, potential donors aren’t limited by the amount of cash in their wallet and can give more generously.

  3. Quicker cash flow. Payments accepted via Zeller Terminal are processed in seconds, and the funds are swept to your Zeller Transaction Account overnight for immediate spending.

  4. Reduced admin costs. Fewer cash donations means fewer trips to the bank, less data entry, and less paperwork.

  5. Access to a wider pool of donors. Your youngest donors, those in Generation Z, are used to paying for things with a smartphone, wrist watch or even a ring. If your organisation doesn’t have the ability to accept their chosen payment method, you’re missing out on a big pool of potential donors.

There is untapped potential for not-for-profit organisations to grow their donations with quick and seamless cashless payment methods. As cash use continues to decline, it will become a necessity.

If you run a charity or not-for-profit organisation, now’s the time to implement your cashless donation solution.

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3. Fix your website design

Unless your fundraising efforts are entirely in-person, your nonprofit’s website is likely a cornerstone of your fundraising efforts. It’s where many donors will first discover your organisation. It’s also where many will make their donation.

Is your organisation’s website design making it difficult for supporters to donate, or know what other actions they could take to otherwise support the organisation’s mission? Good website design is crucial to ensure it’s as easy as possible for donors to make contributions.

When someone comes to your website to donate, they want to be able to do so quickly and without trouble. Would-be donors shouldn’t have to explore multiple pages of your website to find the Donate button — it should be right there, on your homepage.

Make sure that a donation call to action is visible on every page of your website, using clear and concise wording and an eye catching colour. When a donor clicks the button, they should be taken through a frictionless donation process.

You could also consider adding social sharing buttons that make it easy for supporters to distribute the content on your website across their own social media accounts. This helps to spread awareness of your organisation and its mission.

Finally, your website should work perfectly on every device. It must be optimised for both traditional desktop and laptop use, as well as mobile devices, to enable visitors to make donations conveniently.

4. Engage your community

There is a consistent downward trend in the number of Australians making charitable donations. However, even though a smaller proportion of Australians are giving, the good news is that those who do donate are giving larger amounts.

In an effort to increase ongoing donations, it makes sense to regularly engage with your past donors. For example, your organisation could do this by:

  • publishing a community newsletter

  • sending personalised thank you cards to long-term donors

  • remind previous donors to get their donations in before tax time

  • posting a shoutout on social media to your longest-standing donors.

Don’t forget that the key to reminding supporters that their donation is valuable is by keeping them updated on how your organisation is tracking towards its goals. You can do this by celebrating milestones with your donors. After all, humans want to know their efforts are appreciated and effective.

5. Use social media

Social media has become a popular online fundraising tactic due to the sheer reach the various platforms offer. More than 3.5 billion people use social media across the globe — that’s a lot of potential donors.

Make sure you understand the different ways to target potential donors on the social media platforms your organisation uses. Knowing how to use social media platforms best will enable you to get your organisation’s message in front of the right people.

Facebook, for example, enables its users to create ad campaigns targeted to people in a specific area, or of a particular demographic, or who have specific interests. Plus, there’s even a “Donate Now” button you can have appear on your ads and profile — to make it even easier for supporters to donate.

On Instagram, you can add a URL to your bio that will take your followers directly to your organisation’s website. Add a short explanation of your organisation’s mission, or a fundraising target, to encourage more followers to donate.

No matter which platform you choose, social media makes it very easy to get the word out about your cause, why you're fundraising, and the impact your organisation is making to get others excited about becoming involved.

6. Send a letter

Now, the idea of putting pen to paper may seem a little old-school for some. However, appeal letters don’t need to be sent out to each and every donor and potential donor in your database. Instead, use direct mail as a way to reach out to major donors, loyal supporters and businesses whose mission aligns with yours.

A physical letter lends a certain formality to a donation ask, a factor that is important when seeking a sizeable donation from either an individual or a business. Direct mail gives you the opportunity to lay out the projects your organisation hopes to complete, in detail. You can also include specific instructions to enable recipients to take the next step and donate.

Fundraising is tough. However, it’s necessary to deliver the critical donations and contributions required to keep your organisation running. While it’s true that what might work for one organisation might not work for another, one thing is clear: cash is rarely carried these days.

In order to grow donations, your organisation must be able to accept every potential donor’s chosen method of donation — whether that’s credit or debit card, or via a smart device. For that, you need an EFTPOS terminal.

Zeller Terminal: Your EFTPOS Payments Solution, and So Much More

Meet your newest recruit: a sleek, reliable multitasker that takes payments, processes sales, cuts costs, grows tips, splits bills, and boosts your brand. Once upon a time,  EFTPOS terminals did one thing: accept card payments. In 2024, they have become the beating heart of a business’s finances, incorporating myriad tools and features to help merchants not only deal with the increasing volume of card payments, but also make informed business decisions, deliver premium and branded customer service, and get you paid faster. Zeller Terminal is one such device that’s leading the way in payment technology in Australia. Integrated into Zeller’s financial ecosystem, which offers a  point-of-sale system ,  transaction account  and  savings account ,  debit cards  and  corporate cards , a  contact directory  and  mobile app , Zeller EFTPOS Terminal is a key component of an all-in-one system that gives businesses real-time visibility of their cash position, important sales insights, and near-instant access to their funds. So much more than an EFTPOS machine, Zeller Terminal is a key growth driver for your business, and below, we explain twelve reasons why. Top 12 benefits of Zeller Terminal 1. It saves your business money. Zeller Terminal is yours to own outright for the low cost of $99, or $199 if you choose Zeller Terminal 2, which comes with a built-in point-of-sale system. There are no monthly rental fees, no lock-in contracts, and no hidden costs. Once you start taking payments, you will only ever incur a 1.4% transaction fee for all card types – including AMEX – or 1.7% for over-the-phone transactions. Plus, with Zeller Terminal’s flexible surcharging capability, you can choose to pass on all or part of your merchant fee to the customer. Unlike many merchant services providers which lock you into surcharging for an added fee, Zeller’s zero-cost EFTPOS  option can be turned on, off, or customised at the press of a button. 2. It accepts every payment method. Zeller Terminal gives your customers the option to pay however is most convenient for them. To make payment, a customer can: tap their smartphone, watch, or other  NFC-enabled device  to the terminal tap their contactless debit and credit cards to the terminal insert a chip card into Zeller Terminal and, if needed, securely enter their PIN swipe their card and enter their PIN, or sign directly on the screen (available on Zeller Terminal 1 only) call you and read their card details over the phone 3. It simplifies checkout with a free, built-in point-of-sale system. Traditional point-of-sale software can be costly to growing businesses, which is why Zeller Terminal 2 incorporates a simple POS solution right into the hardware, for free:  Zeller POS Lite . Designed for micro, small, and mobile businesses, this easy-to-use POS solution records sales and delivers a fast and secure customer checkout experience. With Zeller POS Lite, you can: Manage a library of items directly on the terminal or via Zeller Dashboard or App Customise your product offering with modifiers and variants Design your home screen grid to allow quick access to frequently used items Generate itemised receipts which customers can receive via email, SMS, or QR code View detailed sales reports to understand what you are selling and when Create and manage discounts Get set up instantly – Zeller POS Lite comes automatically installed on Zeller Terminal 2 4. It boosts your brand with customisable receipts and screensavers. Zeller ensures your brand is central to the payment process by allowing you to customise both your receipts and your machine’s screensaver. Whether they’re printed or sent digitally as an email or SMS, Zeller receipts can incorporate a custom image at the top of the receipt, as well as business details, social media handles, a brief message or returns policy. Similarly, Zeller Terminal’s large digital screen can be customised with an image of your choice, allowing you to engage your customers with your brand while you scan their items or pull up their order on your point-of-sale. Much more than a simple payment device, Zeller Terminal is an innovative marketing tool that can be leveraged to instil your brand messaging. Customise your Terminal screensaver and your receipt to align with your brand. 5. It splits payments. Gone are the days of making your customers get out their phone calculator to figure out who owes what after a group meal. Zeller Terminal’s  Split Payments  functionality gives customers the option of splitting by custom value or by number of people. Not only is this more convenient for your patrons, but it speeds up the payment process, freeing up the EFTPOS terminal for it to be used by other staff. Additionally, by giving each individual customer the option to pay their share, it gives them all the opportunity to provide a tip. Everyone tips differently, so by giving more power to each customer, it is not only a more democratic process, it's likely to result in cumulatively greater tips for your business. 6. It settles the bill, tableside. Zeller Terminal’s  Pay at Table  feature is revolutionising the dining experience. Where before waitstaff would have to jostle between the diner’s table and the point-of-sale machine to settle a bill, Zeller Terminal now allows you to see total outstanding bills, take payments and close tables — all on one device. Rather than the customer paying at the counter or finalising the bill in the traditional, time-consuming manner, waitstaff can deliver the bill and the mobile payment device, all at the same time. The status of a table is updated in real time and synced across all machines, reducing human error and optimising the whole operation. 7. It makes processing refunds easy. Zeller Terminal supports both complete and partial refunds – and you, as a business owner, have the ability to restrict who can provide a customer with a refund. It’s an added level of protection for your business. Refunding a payment doesn’t cost your business anything; Zeller doesn’t charge any additional fees for refunding a customer. 7. It gives you real-time insights. Track key metrics from your Zeller Terminal in your own Zeller Dashboard or on  Zeller App . By providing powerful real-time data and a searchable transaction history, Zeller equips you with the tools you need to better manage cash flow, identify cost-saving opportunities and sales patterns. With most payment services providers, daily transaction information is unavailable until totals are tallied up at close of business — and important business information can only be found in a monthly merchant services statement. Having the ability to see how your business is performing at a glance enables you to quickly understand your short-term cash flow, progress sales targets to meet (and outperform) business objectives, and ultimately make smarter business decisions. 9. It gets you paid faster with same-day settlements. When you settle your funds into a Zeller Transaction Account, your day’s takings from Zeller Terminal will be deposited into your account the very same night, 365 days a year. If you choose to settle your funds into a third-party bank account, you will receive them the next business day. Speeding up the settlement process means you have access to your funds faster, helping to keep your cash flow healthy, and helping to avoid delays to wage payments or supply orders. 10. It can be controlled remotely. If your business operates across multiple locations, you need an easy way to manage your EFTPOS payment terminals. Every one of your Zeller Terminals can be controlled from your Zeller account, ensuring consistency across your entire operation. Update your staff permissions, enable and disable surcharging, update the information on your receipts, and more from one easy, online location. 11. It increases your tips. Zeller Terminal makes it easy for customers to leave a tip. This is particularly useful for hospitality businesses — you don’t have to enable the feature, but the functionality is there. You can configure your Zeller Terminal to provide a range of tipping options, either prompting a customer to leave a tip calculated on a percentage of their purchase or allowing them to enter a custom amount. This is a proven tactic, designed to grow tips for your business. 12. It reduces paper with digital and QR code receipts. A recent study* revealed that Australia produces 10.6 billion paper receipts annually, but because of their chemical coating, none of them can be recycled. With consumers and businesses becoming increasingly aware of their environmental footprint, many are choosing digital receipts as a convenient and sustainable alternative. Zeller Terminal embraces this step forward by offering customers the choice to have their receipts sent via email or SMS (available on both terminal models), or they can quickly scan a QR code which appears on-screen after the payment has been processed and download their receipt directly to their smartphone (Zeller Terminal 2 only). *‘Life Journey of an Average Receipt’ report, commissioned by Slyp, undertaken by the University of Technology Sydney (UTS). Plus protection for your business. Zeller uses end-to-end encryption and industry best practices to protect transactions from the time they are taken at the terminal to the time your money is received. Whether you choose to use an open or secured Wi-Fi connection or a mobile broadband-based connection, all the information Zeller processes is encrypted to our servers. Our team adheres to industry best practices in cybersecurity and threat management, constantly monitoring transactions for suspicious activity and blocking fraudulent transactions. When payment disputes occur, our team of experts deals with the bank for you, helping you avoid costly chargebacks. We’re always looking ahead. Our team of developers are hard at work, continuously building new functionality to give your business an edge. That's why, when you sign up for Zeller, there are no lock-in contracts or commitments. We know you’ll love our solution enough to never want to leave. Learn more about how  Zeller Terminal  can help your business grow by accepting every card payment, quickly and securely, for one low rate. By sharing your details with us, we may contact you from time to time. We promise we won’t bug you — and you can unsubscribe from communications at any time.

7 Types of Not-for-Profit Fundraising

Discover the different types of funding that fuel nonprofits. Fundraising is the lifeblood of a charitable organisation. Not only does it provide crucial funds to ensure your organisation can continue to operate, but it also serves as a way to raise awareness for that cause. However, fundraising is a big undertaking. Raising money can be burdensome, yet it doesn’t need to be. This guide will explain the legalities of nonprofit fundraising, as well as seven types of nonprofit fundraising to explore. Share it with your volunteers to avoid fundraising pitfalls and create a sustainable organisation with the means to fulfill its cause. What is nonprofit fundraising? Nonprofit fundraising is the process of collecting money to support a nonprofit or charitable organisation. Contributions can come from individuals, businesses, and foundations, and it’s often the main source of revenue for these organisations. Many nonprofits and charitable organisations dedicate valuable resources to fundraising. That’s why it’s so important to fundraise in the most efficient and effective way possible. Nonprofits can fundraise through a variety of methods, both digital and traditional. The more diverse fundraising opportunities your nonprofit organisation embraces, the more likely you are to receive donations from a wide group of people. As you read about seven types of fundraising and the different ways to raise money in each category, keep in mind that fundraising isn’t a ‘this or that’ effort. Consider combining methods, and opt for a multi-channel fundraising approach to diversify your method so donors have multiple ways to contribute. Before you implement any of the below ideas, make sure you’re aware of your organisation’s obligations under the Australian Consumer Law . Fundraising legalities in Australia Your organisation will likely have obligations under the ACL if your fundraising efforts are classified as being “in trade or commerce”. In short, that means: your organisation engages in a fundraising activity involving the supply of goods or services; you are a for-profit professional fundraiser; or you are fundraising in an “organised, continuous and repetitive way”. Simply put, consumer guarantees apply to every organisation that sells goods or services to customers — including those that exchange those goods or services for charitable offerings, such as donations. If your organisation does any of the above, it must not: engage in misleading or deceptive conduct or unconscionable conduct; make false or misleading representations or engage in unconscionable conduct in relation to the supply of goods or services. 7 types of not-for-profit fundraising To survive and prosper in a fast-changing world, a not-for-profit organisation should develop a fundraising plan that incorporates as many of the seven pillars of fundraising as possible. Events Grants Crowdfunding Donations Membership Sales Sponsorship The trick is to diversify your fundraising attempts in a creative way, that works for your organisation and appeals to your target donor demographic. For example, if your organisation is running a trivia night, you might raise more funds by auctioning off the option to ‘Phone a Friend’ or skip a question — as well as by conducting a raffle, or selling food and drinks. You could also attach a donation form to every answer sheet, together with information on how people can become members. Read more about each of the pillars below, and explore which are feasible and profitable for your organisation. Events Events are a popular way for not-for-profit organisations to raise both money and awareness. When it comes to event fundraising, consider your demographic. What sort of event would they like to attend? A bake sale, rummage sale, concert, picnic, or evening of entertainment — the options are endless. The success of your event hinges on your attendees; you’ll find it easier to sell tickets if it’s a natural fit. Typically, event guests will purchase a ticket to reserve their spot. At the event, there are multiple other ways to raise additional funds — such as through games and ticket drawings, silent auctions, and other activities. All you have to do is rent an EFTPOS terminal , and you can accept payment from any venue. Events can also be peer-to-peer fundraising method, meaning your supporters actually raise money on your behalf. This takes the pressure off your organisation’s volunteers. A charity dinner where supporters buy a table and invite their friends is an example, as is a charity fun run where runners are encouraged to raise funds in the lead-up to the big event. Grants Grants are an important source of funds for many not for-profit organisations. Every year, various local, state and federal governments — as well as a number of philanthropic, community and corporate trusts and foundations — provide billions of dollars in grants. The trick is in writing a winning grant application. Start by creating a shortlist of grants that fit within your organisation’s aims. Although it pays to cast a wide net and apply for multiple grants, every grant application takes time. It’s important your efforts are best spent on grant applications that are likely to succeed. Before putting pen to paper, make sure you know exactly what it is your group wants to achieve. Will the grant help you to fund a specific project? Detail the project background, and what the outcome will be. Also consider how your grant application will stand out from the hundreds of applications the grantmaker will receive. Keep in mind that there are a few things your organisation must do before applying for a grant. For example, the funder will likely require your organisation to have a particular taxation status or legal structure. Crowdfunding Crowdfunding is an increasingly common way to raise funds online, as well as create awareness and broaden support for your cause. Generally, crowdfunding involves creating a listing on a crowdfunding platform, setting a fundraising goal, and then asking the internet for donations to help reach that target. Crowdfunding differs from traditional fundraising in that it requires a specific target, although many crowdfunding projects will meet and exceed their targets. When it comes to a choosing a crowdfunding platform,not-for-profits and charities have an array of options. The below is a small selection. Mycause can be used for charity-based projects, but it also supports personal fundraising campaigns Gofundraise is a commission-based platform, purpose-built for not-for-profit Australian charities Pozible comes with fees based on the success of your campaign Kickstarter is a good platform to trial if you’re launching a not-for-profit creative project Chuffed is a platform created specifically to support socially-conscious projects GoGetFunding is a global website for every type of cause and project StartSomeGood is a platform for groups creating a positive social or environmental impact Donations Donations are key to most, if not all, nonprofit organisations. Without donations, it would be impossible for NFPs to fund their initiatives and make progress towards their mission. Donations allow your organisation to stay up and running, and help those that you serve. When it comes to seeking donations, there are a few best practices to consider. Following these best practices will help your organisation focus its efforts and maximise its fundraising abilities. For a start, it’s crucial that your organisation makes it as easy as possible for a donor to give money. The introduction of newer technology has changed the nonprofit fundraising game. Organisations are no longer reliant on donation boxes, filled with coins. Instead, with an EFTPOS machine, a donation can be made and the funds available in your Zeller Transaction Account for spending the very next day. Membership The membership model has been a mainstay of nonprofit fundraising for decades. It’s a proven tactic to grow your member base, strengthen relationships, and increase the size of donations. Membership programs are a way to incentivise giving and involvement within nonprofit organisations and charities. Members typically receive additional benefits or opportunities in exchange for ‘membership fees’, which are donations. Offering your supporters the ability to invest more deeply in your organisation’s success can be transformational. CanSurvive is an organisation providing support and information to those living with cancer, their families and carers. When a person signs up to become a member, their postal details are collected so that they can receive the CanSurvive magazine. This is a great way to involve and educate your community on your cause, as well as keep your organisation front of mind. Sales The sale of goods is one of the oldest forms of fundraising. The proceeds from the sale of merchandise go toward funding the mission of the organisation. People appreciate receiving something in return for their donation. Your organisation could set up a physical store, or an online shop linked to your website. Consider what your target donors would be interested in purchasing — what are their common interests? Big Ears Animal Sanctuary , for example, offers animal calendars and a children’s book about rabbits, as well as mugs, tshirts, caps and even wine with animal iconography. The organisers know their target demographic are animal-lovers, and likely have a pet themselves. So, you can even have a pet portrait drawn – and the funds will go towards the cause. When you are involved in a fundraising sale, the key is to market the product properly. If you’re selling at the market, you might publicise the fundraiser in a local newspaper. If you’re selling online, you can use social media to get your website in front of the people most likely to purchase. Sponsorship Sponsorship support is a payment, typically from a business, to a nonprofit to further the organisation’s mission. Sponsorships offer public recognition of a business’s connection with a charitable cause. A successful corporate sponsorship benefits both the charitable nonprofit and its sponsor. Businesses like to sponsor charities and not-for-profits for goodwill, and because it may help them attract new customers or bolster the business’s reputation. Before you start looking for sponsors: Identify the value proposition that will attract a business to sponsor your nonprofit's mission or special event. Consider your organisation’s goals, beyond financial contributions. There is no one-size-fits-all sponsorship package. Give some thought to what a ‘successful’ sponsorship looks like to both the business and your organisation, and make sure to document each party’s expectations. Start with local businesses and companies that have a distinct crossover with your mission. Keep in mind that offering a variety of sponsorship packages will give you a better chance to attract multiple sponsors. Diversification is the key to success Not-for-profit organisations are at a greater risk of running into trouble if they only have one or two sources of funding. Diversification of fundraising efforts is key. With so many nonprofit groups competing for donor dollars, increase your opportunity to raise money from a broader pool of people is your best chance of success. Sign up for the Zeller Business Blog for more business tips delivered straight to your inbox.

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