How to Boost FUNDrive® Donations: Pointers from Utah’s Perfect Pointers

If the word “fundraising” brings on a gut-wrenching sense of dread, you’re not alone. Finding a fundraiser that’s easy to host and requires little handling of inventory is hard to find. That’s what makes the FUNDrive® program great for many nonprofit organizations. Instead of a traditional fundraising model where items are purchased by supporters, your fundraising team asks for donations of gently used clothes, shoes and household textiles—blankets, sheets, towels, etc. We then buy these items from you and the funds go directly to your nonprofit group. Simple as that!

Many groups have found success with FUNDrive events. Donors are willing to contribute items they no longer need and the more they give, the more they benefit the organization they’re looking to support. Want some fun ways to inspire donations for your next drive? Look to Utah’s Perfect Pointers.

Utah's Perfect Pointers is a pointing breed dog rescue group located in the Salt Lake City area. They work to rescue pointer breeds and find them permanent homes. With nearly 100 dogs in rescue, expenses for boarding, training and medical care rack up quickly. Read below to learn techniques they used to boost donations and collect over 4,500 pounds of donations from their community.

Create a Catchy Event Name

Help your fundraiser stand out with a catchy event name. Utah’s Perfect Pointers came up with a name that is fun to say and summarizes their fundraising objective. “Duds for Dentals,” a fundraiser to support dogs in need of dental surgery, is a name you won’t soon forget. What fun name will you come up with for your next event?

Share Your Story

In the case of a FUNDrive event, social media is your friend. Posting on social media is effortless and allows you to access a larger audience. You can offer an inside look into your organization, the reason for your need and provide updates. If you need ideas for your social media posts, your FUNDrive event coordinator will provide templates and sample text. These templates make it easy to share your story.

Utah’s Perfect Pointers organizer, Marilyn, is a pro at this. Marilyn used Facebook to promote her fundraiser, followed up with posts about how the funds would help the dogs and shared successes along the way. Marilyn took time to respond to donors and worked to form relationships with online supporters. Her passion for rescue dogs in need emitted from her posts which encouraged others to participate. Who wouldn’t want to help those sweet dogs?!

Celebrate Success

Your donors don’t expect to be recognized, but when they are recognized it most likely feels good. Be sure when thanking your donors and volunteers on social media, you tag them to show your appreciation and encourage participation for your next event. Giving is contagious and will encourage others to help too.

Make it FUN!

Turn your collection day into a party! It’s always good to pre-collect, but setting one date for collection is an option if your group has limited storage space. Invite friends, family and community members to come together and turn in all the bags they’ve collected over the course of your drive. Let everyone know ahead of time their efforts will be celebrated at turn-in day. Reward everyone’s efforts with goodies from local restaurants who support your cause. Coffee and donuts were perfect for Utah’s Perfect Pointers supporters who not only dropped off donations at the Perfect Pointers facility, but then helped deliver the load to the Savers store.

You too can have great success with a FUNDrive event. Use these pointers from Marilyn and the Utah’s Perfect Pointers to launch your own drive. Reach out to your FUNDrive event coordinator or visit the FUNDrive portal to Get Started scheduling your own event today.