Ronn Torossian, CEO, 5WPR

During the pandemic, many nonprofits paused their fundraising efforts to deal with the effects of the pandemic. Public relations practitioners have varying degrees of responsibility for special events. Larger nonprofits may concentrate on working with the media. For smaller organizations, people who work for the organization run events. Due to the pandemic, social distancing made in-person fundraising difficult, and the economic downturn restricted philanthropy . By changing strategies, nonprofits can continue fundraising and engaging  supporters in spite of the pandemic. For nonprofits, their digital presence is now more crucial than ever. Given below are types of events that can serve as effective fundraising ideas. 

1) Virtual run/walk – Virtual runs and walks are creative fundraising opportunities. With little or no restrictions for people to walk or run on their own. Many organizations are transforming their in-person walk or run into a virtual one. As long as participants adhere to social distancing, they can walk or run indoors or outdoors. Supporters can be rewarded with t-shirts or medals sent by mail . Sponsors can also offer gift certificates or products to participants. 

2) Wish list fundraiser –  Many nonprofit contributors prefer to donate in-kind rather than give monetary contributions. Charity wish lists are increasing in popularity and provide an effective way for charities to acquire items they cannot purchase donor dollars. Office supplies and new computers are necessary, but are sometimes put on the backburner where expenses are concerned. The wish list of such items can be put on a visible area of the website of the nonprofit. Platforms like Amazon Wish List make this process easy by allowing charities to post their wish list for donors to self-select and purchase on the spot. 

3) Online galas – Galas are fundraising events that many nonprofits host annually. With the pandemic, virtual galas are gaining popularity. There are many advantages to such events, as donors can participate from anywhere. These events can also save on food, venues, and staff. The social media presence of such events can be  enhanced by attracting people to Facebook pages or YouTube channels. The most important element of such events is the ability to authentically communicate the mission focused messaging of a  nonprofit. 

4) TED Talks –  Nonprofits can host their own TED Talk-style events by recruiting  speakers to record their presentation about a particular topic. These events are  a great opportunity to talk about mission-related topics. A small fee can be charged to attend the talk. Donations can also be asked for at the end of the discussion. It is useful to host  Q&A sessions after talks in order to encourage people to attend the live event. 

5) Online gaming tournaments – This is a new  kind of fundraiser in which people raise money for charity by livestreaming themselves playing video games. Online gaming tournaments have existed  for a few years, and the gaming community is now built on connecting virtually. These events are also an innovative way to find potential new donors. A tournament board can be set up to keep everyone updated on how they are faring against their competition.