The Internet has made it easier and faster than ever to meet fundraising goals for a variety of causes. In 2007, Ron Paul broke records by raising $3.5 million online for his presidential campaign in a single day. The Chronicle of Philanthropy reports that the Internet played a key role in raising millions of dollars in the weeks after Hurricane Katrina for the flooding in New Orleans and the Asian tsunamis. A number of website building tools and charity widgets can help you to earn funds for your own charity.
Instructions
1. Create an account at a free website building service such as Wordpress.com, Tumblr or Google Sites. Not only are these services free, but they allow you to add text, photos and widgets without needing to know any programming languages. Choose a web site address that is short, easy to remember and easy to spell.
2. Explain your charity's mission and how you will spend the funds raised. Include compelling stories and photographs to encourage people to donate to your cause.
3. Create an account with PayPal to accept donations via check, credit card and existing PayPal funds. PayPal is an online payment service that processed more than $71 billion in 2009, according to NPR. List the email address associated with the charity's PayPal account on the website so visitors can use their own PayPal accounts to send donations to that email address.
4. Create a PayPal donation button to make it easier for website visitors to make donations, particularly those who do not already have their own PayPal accounts. Log in to your PayPal account and click the Merchant Services tab. Click the Donate link in the Buttons list. Follow the on-screen instructions to create a donation button. Copy the code provided into your website. If your website has multiple pages, add the button to every page for maximum visibility.
5. Incorporate game play and increase the sense of urgency for donors by adding a ChipIn widget to your website. This allows everyone to see the amount donated so far online, relative to your charity's fundraising goal. Create a free ChipIn account and copy the provided widget code onto your website.
