Keys to Virtual Fundraising

​     The beginning of TSA means meeting with your chapter, working on competitions, setting goals for the new year, and paying fees - whether they be affiliation or fees that your chapter has. With those fees, one always looks to make dues less expensive using fundraisers. Due to COVID-19, there may be challenges doing typical fundraisers that require an exchange of goods, cash, and other activities that require hand-to-hand contact. With that being said, here’s a list of resources and tips to help you and your chapter fundraise in the virtual world. Note: It is always important to make sure you’re within the guidelines of your school and district. Check with your financial secretary or chapter advisor to make sure!  ​

1. Snap! Raise  

Snap! Raise is a digital fundraising platform that uses email, text, and social media to fundraise money for a team, club, or whatever group you would like to fundraise for. All you have to do is set up your account and page, and you’ll be set! You also are given an advisor that helps you get started and keep track of your fundraising efforts. Each member of your chapter can participate and your advisor can see how much money each of you raise.  

     2.  DonorsChoose 
Donors’ Choose is a digital platform that connects donors and sponsors to teachers and club advisors in need of materials and tools to help their students succeed. Your advisor can set up a page and list any materials that they need for your chapter. This can include balsa wood, sheet protectors, binders, folders, basically anything that can be fulfilled through Amazon or another shipping company. Once the entire project has met its goal, your order will be fulfilled, and each sponsor gets a thank-you from your advisor and a report of how each dollar was spent.  Donors’ Choose also runs many campaigns throughout the year, where during a certain time period, donations are doubled and tripled, helping you reach your fundraising goal even faster! 

    3.  Create a custom donation form! 
Maybe the first two options aren’t for your chapter, and you all want something with flair and style! Custom donation forms are perfect for you all! They’re convenient, versatile, and reach a broad audience. All you need to do is find an online fundraising software that can help build aesthetically pleasing pages without knowledge of HTML, Python, or CSS. Next, determine your donation tiers, design, and the fields you want donors to fill out. Here’s a tutorial on how to via WordPress, which is installed on most PCs. Lastly, send out your form to spread the word!  


    4.  Be creative! 
Maybe the resources I gave above, just aren’t for your chapter and that’s okay! During this time, be creative and think outside the box. Virtual fundraising will need to be a collaborative effort between you, your chapter, and advisor to ensure its success! That means spending time, bouncing ideas off of one another, and giving every idea a chance. Please feel free to reach out to me or any of the other state officers for help and ideas! We will do our best to assist in any way we can!