10 fundraising tips and strategies news publishers can borrow from Nonprofits (with examples!)

While reader revenue is still a new model in the journalism industry, charities and nonprofits have had decades to test, refine, and perfect fundraising strategies. They don’t limit themselves to the digital sphere, instead going wherever necessary to meet philanthropic-minded individuals (or, people who just really care about their cause) where they are. Here are seven tried-and-true fundraising tips you can borrow for your next fundraising campaign.

1. Write an impact report

What is the purpose of the impact report?

An impact report, annual report, or donor impact report, is a document created by charities and nonprofits to showcase the outcomes and successes achieved through donor contributions. It is a way for nonprofits to express their appreciation towards their supporters while showcasing the real-world impact of their donations.

Show what supporters helped you achieve!

Indiegraf network publishers like Tone Madison produce impact reports celebrating big investigations or well-attended community events. Other publishers include a financial transparency section that breaks down their sources of revenue and expenses just for their supporters, giving visibility into the growth of their newsroom to their biggest fans.

If you don’t want to compile a report, you can still break down your quarterly or annual accomplishments into a standalone campaign email and ask readers for help in producing more crucial journalism.

2. Explain your operating expenses

What are operating expenses?

The operating expenses are the costs that a business, nonprofit, or charity incurs to maintain its daily functions effectively. These expenses include rent, utilities, salaries and wages, marketing and advertising, office supplies, insurance, and administrative costs. In simpler terms, these are the necessary ongoing expenses required to keep an organization running smoothly.

Break down the costs of doing journalism

This one is a little harder and you don’t have to share all the details. We like how Indiegraf network publisher RANGE Media framed recurring financial support for their readers: “500 members pay for one full-time staff member.” You could also highlight the costs of filing FOIA requests, hosting community events, or sending journalists to cover developing stories. These fundraising tips help connect supporters to the tangible impact of their contributions.

The key is to link reader support to the stories your audience wants to read. Is the FOIA request necessary for key information that an institution is fighting to keep hidden, like environmental assessments of contaminated property in Peterborough? Did the community event help neighbors get to know each other or inform how you serve your readers? Reader surveys can help you determine which fundraising goals may be the most compelling!

3. Peer-to-peer fundraising

What is peer-to-peer fundraising?

Have you ever seen a friend ask for donations on behalf of their favorite charity? Many nonprofits and charities rely on peer-to-peer (P2P) fundraising to generate revenue leading up to a flagship event, such as a walk or run.

Ask your supporters to be your ambassadors

The easiest way to do this is to ask your readers to spread the word about your newsletter (or revenue campaign!). You can use free design tools like Canva to create customizable assets for your readers to share.

If you’d like to take this a step further, you could ask your readers to put your publication on their birthday or holiday wishlist. 

When you have the capacity, you could create a referral program, rewarding your readers for bringing in new newsletter subscribers or donors. In its simplest form, this could look like a post-donation survey that asks new supporters the name of the friend or colleague who referred them, and having a team member track and follow up with top referrers.

👉Check out related content: Fundraising campaigns explained. Strategies for publishers and newsrooms

4. Try snail mail (direct mail marketing)

What is snail mail marketing?

Snail mail or direct mail marketing is a physical mail communication method. It involves sending letters, postcards, or brochures via traditional postal services. Although digital marketing is becoming more popular, snail mail marketing offers several benefits, especially for news publishers looking to imitate non-profit organizations and charities’ fundraising strategies.

Why snail mail marketing is a good fundraising strategy?

Not everyone is online! Many charities will share testimonials from their beneficiaries through direct mail. If you’re a local newsroom, consider sending postcards or mail to the neighborhoods you serve with a pitch for your newsletter. 

To determine your conversion rate, create a specific landing page to track the number of signups you get from the postcard. (While you can ask for financial support, your postcard recipients will likely be high up your audience funnel and less likely to support you right away).

5. Implement donation matching

What is matching gifts or donation matching in fundraising?

Matching gifts, also referred to as donation match or matching funds, is a popular fundraising strategy for nonprofit organizations and charities. This approach involves another entity, usually a corporation or employer, matching the contribution made by a donor, effectively doubling the impact of the original donation.

Donation matching is one of our favorite fundraising tips because it enables nonprofits to leverage corporate partnerships and encourages individuals to donate.

Make reader support go twice as far

Never underestimate the power of a matching fund — it’s one of the most effective fundraising tips out there! It shows that a generous community member or organization stands by your publication, and allows readers to make their support go twice as far. Make sure to consider it in your fundraising strategic plan!

Donation matches are also great opportunities to upsell! You could ask one-time supporters to upgrade to a recurring contribution, or recurring supporters to increase the amount they give each month. Here’s a tip: If you’re a member of the Institute for Nonprofit News (INN), you may be eligible for NewsMatch! For two months, newsrooms have the opportunity to unlock matching funds — but only when their readers make one-time or monthly contributions.

At Indiegraf, our audience strategists assist NewsMatch-approved publishers with campaign messaging, copywriting, and project management!

6. Show up in your community

Nonprofits and charities have development or outreach teams with one purpose: to engage community members and steward donors. 

Indiegraf network publisher Sun Peaks Independent News holds public newsrooms and meet-and-greets, where readers can chat with their community reporter, discuss recent coverage, and suggest story ideas. Other publishers like Tone Madison hold Office Hours, which serve the same purpose.

If you don’t want to host your event, try going door-to-door or participating in other local events! Face-to-face interactions can help build trust among your readers and reinforce the idea that you are there to serve the community.

7. Donor stewardship: build a relationship with your supporters

What is donor stewardship in fundraising?

Donor stewardship, or donor relations, is one of the top fundraising tips. It is the process of building and maintaining relationships with donors or supporters to ensure ongoing engagement, satisfaction, and support.

Why is donor stewardship one of the best fundraising tips?

One of the best fundraising tips we can give you is to go beyond a thank you email! Your supporters are your biggest fans. When you have the capacity, consider building out a membership program. Survey your audience to see which perks they’d appreciate the most, like a monthly behind-the-scenes email, discounts to events, or swag. They’ll feel extra special and even closer to your newsroom, increasing the chance that they’ll recommend you to their friends or make additional contributions.

By prioritizing donor stewardship, publishers can cultivate deeper connections with supporters, enhance loyalty, and sustainably support their journalistic mission through continued reader support and engagement.

8. Build out a major gifts program

What is a major gifts program?

Typically, revenue campaigns targeting readers will ask people to contribute small amounts, like $5 every month or a $50 one-time donation. A major gifts program targets philanthropic donors and organizations who are able to give large donations, defined by the Institute of Nonprofit News as gifts of $5,000 or greater. 

Publishers should not solely rely on a major gifts program to sustain their publication, but to think of it as part of diversifying your revenue streams. While major gifts can be part of the pathway to sustainability for a news business, it’s just like every other revenue source — it can go away at any time.

What to consider when building a major gifts program

There are a few important things to consider before embarking on building a major gifts program for your publication. 

• What is the philanthropic culture of the community like? 
• How many potential donors could you target? 
• How do these donors like to be stewarded? 
• Can you invest the time and capacity needed to nurture donor relationships? 

While it is possible to build these relationships as a one-person newsroom, a major gifts program will be most successful when you have a staff member dedicated to fundraising, as they can spend more time on donor stewardship while you focus on your other business needs.

It’s also crucial to think about what the publication can offer to donors. For donors who are giving at a high amount, they’re usually looking for recognition of their contribution and what the impact is. Whether it’s a logo displayed on your website or naming the donor as the title sponsor of an event, there are many opportunities. 

You can also produce an impact report that demonstrates clearly where the donor’s contribution has gone and why their support is needed. However, the simplest way to make sure you are providing large-dollar donors with what they want is to ask! While you are in conversation with them, use active listening to understand what matters most to them when they contribute to an organization.

Resources for navigating the philanthropic sector

Fortunately, there are resources available for publishers seeking fundraising tips to build out a major gifts program. The Inspirit Foundation, in collaboration with the Local News Research project at Toronto Metropolitan University and the Canadian Association of Journalists, created “Funding Journalism: A Guide to Philanthropic Support for Canadian Media.” This guide features practical advice on how to navigate the philanthropic sector, identify the right donors, frame requests for money, engage in conversations about editorial independence, among other topics.  

The Institute for Nonprofit News also offers the Major Gifts Cohort Program, an eight-month intensive that provides newsrooms with resources, guidance and practical experience necessary to launch or grow major gifts. This program is aimed at organizations that have already begun planning for a major gifts program.

9. Events fundraising

What does it mean to fundraise through events?

Events are a great way to interact with your community, raise brand awareness and fundraise all at once. Large nonprofits and charities often do this through galas, where the admission ticket acts as a donation. These events usually include an auction featuring in-kind sponsorship donations. It’s completely possible to do this on a smaller scale with activities targeted towards the community’s interest. 

For example, Montreal reader-funded investigative journalism project The Rover’s fundraiser party offers raffle tickets for $10 with prizes including a one-on-one writing coaching session with the editors and art prints by a local illustrator. They also kept the event accessible for the community by making it free to attend, which encourages new and casual readers to get more involved with the publication.

Another tactic is peer-to-peer fundraising that involves your community even more. One example of this is having a flagship event every year, such as a basketball tournament or a run. Supporters would sign up to participate in the event and then fundraise on your behalf.

Keep in mind that organizing events also requires a lot of time and capacity. Don’t just host an event for the sake of hosting an event. If it is poorly planned and executed, it would likely damage your reputation more than it helps. Apply smart fundraising tips by listening to your community and hosting events that offer value — whether it’s meeting neighbors, learning something new, or sharing a meal.

10. Build out a membership program

A membership model helps shift the mindset of your readers from thinking of your publication as just a news organization to an essential community organization that is doing impactful work. Often, membership programs offer something in exchange for financial support, such as branded merchandise, exclusive access or public recognition. 

According to The Membership Guide, written by Ariel Zirulnick, Emily Goligoski and Jay Rosen,  membership is, “…a social contract between a news organization and its members in which members give their time, money, energy, expertise, and connections to support a cause that they believe in. In exchange, the news organization offers transparency and opportunities to meaningfully contribute to both the sustainability and impact of the organization.” 

The key to building a successful membership program is asking readers what they would want in exchange for their financial support through audience surveys and user interviews. It’s essential to take the time to talk to your readers. Ask them questions like, how are we doing? Do you still see value in our work? Is there anything that you want in exchange for a donation? If you don’t already give, what would motivate you to give?