Fundraising 101

When you work for, or volunteer for, an organization that relies on fundraising, it can be exciting, but #fundraisingfatigue is something that sets in very quickly and takes a very long time to subside.

Why do we fundraise?

Fundraising is a key element of a nonprofit's business model and something that most nonprofits rely heavily on. It's important to get it right, but it's also important not to overdo it. Organizations often rely on their members, whether a church, team, or school, to be the driving force behind their fundraising efforts, but the truth is those folks usually have a limited circle with limited funds. The more organizations I meet with, the more I'm shocked by how many nonprofits simply do not take this into account.

Fundraising is important. The idea is that it keeps entry fees low, whether it's free to join an organization or registration fees are low, but no matter what, it's done because the organization needs additional funds to keep operating at the expected level.

Fresh Ideas or the Same Old Stuff?

If someone is part of an organization, they are there for a reason. Whether it's a child being part of a team or an adult volunteering for an organization that means something to them, they joined for a very specific reason.

When I look around at the types of fundraising I see, a lot of it is recycled ideas that have been around since the 1980s. From selling candy door-to-door to the yearly spring sale of #GirlScoutCookies, many fundraisers are familiar... too familiar, and even though they come out once a year, people are often tired of them before they even begin.

The Problem with “We’ve Always Done It This Way”

A lot of organizations stick with the same fundraising strategies simply because they’ve always used them. There’s comfort in that. It feels safe and it feels like guaranteed money, but sticking with what’s familiar doesn’t always mean it’s effective.

Over time, those same programs lose their impact. What once generated excitement now barely gets attention, and instead of questioning the model, many organizations simply double down on it. I see it with each year that Girl Scout cookies come out. People love them, but it's also way less exciting, especially when the general public knows they're coming.

When Fundraising Becomes an Obligation

There’s a subtle but important shift that happens when fundraising is no longer seen as optional.

When participation is expected — or required — it stops feeling like support and starts feeling like a task. Not everyone wants to fundraise, and that doesn’t mean they care any less about the organization. That's very important to remember.

Some people would rather contribute financially. Others don’t have the time or the network to sell products. Forcing everyone into the same model ignores those differences and creates unnecessary friction. Some people simply do not have the time, interest, or financial ability to support a fundraiser. It could also be personal obligations or they could be fighting a health battle. No matter what, forcing everyone to do the same thing and telling them it's required? When I consult with nonprofit groups, I consistently tell them that situations like that suck the life and excitement right out of the room.

Give People Options, Not Ultimatums

You can argue that people love candy and cookies—and they do—but the point is that giving people an opportunity to fundraise is something that they may, or may not, want to partake in. Those folks should be given an opportunity to buyout their fundraising requirements. As an example, if your organization costs $500 to join, but you require another $200 in fundraising minimums from each member, the real cost of joining is $700. If people are given the opportunity to "opt out" of fundraising and join for $700, it puts them in a position where they no longer have to worry about fundraising and the organization now has additional funds that can be immediately put towards something else.

When people are given that flexibility, they’re more likely to stay engaged because they’re participating on their own terms. It’s a small shift, but it changes the entire experience.

Stop Competing With Other Organizations

Another challenge that often goes unnoticed is how many organizations are asking the same people for support at the same time. Families are juggling multiple teams, schools, and causes, all running their own fundraisers. Whether intentional or not, it creates competition for the same limited resources. If a child is playing soccer and baseball and has a siblings in lacrosse, chances are that all three of those programs are doing some sort of fundraising and if they're within the same town or league, they're likely happening at the same time and are most likely asking one family to contribute to each program, which is probably not financially feasible.

The organizations that succeed in that environment aren’t always the ones asking the most. They’re the ones making it easiest — and most appealing — to say yes.

Give the People What They Want

I know you've heard the saying, "Give the people what they want." It exists for a reason. One of the biggest mistakes organizations make with fundraising is assuming they need to create entirely new opportunities to raise money. In reality, the best opportunities are usually already there—they’re just being overlooked.

Think about a typical game day: You’ve got families, friends, and supporters already showing up. They’re already engaged. They’re already spending time—and in many cases, money—while they’re there. And yet, so many organizations let that moment come and go without doing anything with it.

Instead of asking people to go out and sell to their networks, the focus should be on meeting people where they already are. A simple merch table at every game. A snack stand that’s actually open and consistent. Small, thoughtful ways to make it easy for people to support without going out of their way.

Because the reality is, people don’t mind spending money when it feels natural. They mind when it feels forced.

Make It Easy to Say Yes

When someone shows up to support a team or an organization, they’re already bought in emotionally. That’s the moment that matters most. If there’s a table set up with well-designed gear—something they’d actually want to wear—that decision becomes easy. If there’s a snack stand open for the kids, that’s another easy yes. If you bundle the two together—a drink, a snack, and a small discount on merch—you’ve created something that feels less like fundraising and more like part of the experience.

That’s the difference. You’re not interrupting their day to ask for support. You’re building support into the day they were already planning to have.

Fundraising That Doesn’t Feel Like Fundraising

This is where a lot of organizations get stuck. They think fundraising has to feel like… fundraising.

It doesn’t.

Some of the most effective models are the ones that remove that feeling entirely. They don’t rely on parents sending emails to friends or kids going door-to-door. They don’t depend on whether someone has the time, the network, or the desire to participate.

Opportunities to buy something useful. Something meaningful. Something connected to the organization in a way that feels authentic.

And when you do that, participation becomes voluntary again—and that’s when it actually starts to work.

Why We Built It This Way

This is exactly why Falcon Design Studios does what it does. The goal was never to create more “stuff” to sell. It was to build a model that removes the pressure from fundraising altogether. No inventory. No upfront costs. No asking members to go out and sell to their personal networks. Instead, it’s about creating a consistent, always-available way for people to support—whether that’s through an online store, gear they actually want to wear, or something as simple as a merch table at a game. It gives organizations the ability to fundraise without constantly fundraising.

And more importantly, it gives supporters a way to contribute that feels natural, not forced.

A Better Way Forward

Fundraising doesn’t need to be constant to be effective. In fact, in many cases, doing less—but doing it better—is what drives the best results. When you focus on creating easy, low-pressure opportunities to support—especially in the moments where your audience is already engaged—you start to see a shift. Participation improves. Fatigue decreases. And fundraising becomes something people are willing to be part of again. Not because they have to, but because it finally feels like something they want to do.

To Sum It Up...

Do...

• Meet people where they are.

• Make it feel effortless.

• Remember that in-person opportunities always feel less like "fundraising" and more like "helping."

Don't... 

• Keep doing the same things year after year.

• Force people to fundraise.

• Tell them they are required to purchase something.