Fundraising Technology
From Democratic GAIN Wiki
Each day on a campaign is a race against time. Every day you must make the most of limited financial resources. Technology is a powerful tool that will enable you to maximize both your time and money.
The most essential piece of technology in any fundraising operation is the database. A database will allow you to track who has made a contribution, who has RSVPed to an event and who has received direct mail. Your database will enable you to generate call sheets and follow-up letters, and produce reports. Some finance directors prefer to build their own database, while others purchase commercial software. See Resources at the end of this manual for contact information for reputable vendors.
Keeping your donor base informed is critical to maintaining your fundraising progress. In the past, this was an expensive and time-consuming proposition. Campaigns can now communicate with donors electronically, by e-mail and fax, saving both time and money. Your donor base should receive regular updates from the campaign that include key endorsements, recent polling and positive press clips.
Technology can also greatly simplify the process for donors to make contributions to your campaign. Accepting credit card contributions is the best example. In the closing days of a campaign or when you are experiencing a cash flow problem and don’t have the luxury of waiting for checks to clear, funds from credit cards are electronically deposited into your bank account.
When researching which vendor is best suited to process credit card contributions for your campaign, read the fine print. What is the cost charged per transaction? What is the percentage taken off the top of each contribution? How long are you contractually obligated to the vendor? What are the administration fees, including terminal rental? Speak with specialized vendors who process on-line contributions for political campaigns. See Resources at the end of this manual for contact information of reputable vendors. Depending on the volume of credit card contributions that you expect to process on a monthly basis, it is often more cost-effective to use a vendor associated with your bank.
All printed materials should drive donors to your website, where you should prominently display the link to the fundraising page. Once you have the capability of accepting credit card contributions on-line, regularly resolicit your low dollar donors by e-mail, providing them with the link to your fundraising page. It is becoming commonplace to send out electronic invitations to fundraising events. This can be particularly useful when you have a limited amount of time to send invitations, and of course, eliminates the cost of printing and postage. Look into free, on-line invitation websites like Evite.com that enable you to design your own invitations, provide directions, and track RSVPs.
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- Make sure that all printed material drives the reader to your websites so the reader can be more engaged with the campaign.
- When sending e-mails, make sure you list prospect addresses in the Blind CC field.
- Be sure to follow election law guidelines pertaining to e-mails.</i>
General: Fundraising | Fundraising Plan | Fundraising Principles | Fundraising Technology
Spending: Budgeting
Compliance: Overview
Techniques: Call time | Fundraising mail | PAC Fundraising | Events | Online Fundraising
