5. Identify Leaders within Your Constituency

            Communicate with them frequently and praise their participation. Give them suggestions about topics they might like to raise in the community. Send them links to Social Groupings or Forum discussions that will likely interest them. Convey to them ways to start individual fundraising drives in their locale.

4. Let Members Launch Initiatives that Parallel Your Goals

            Within your community, energize registered users by letting them create special groups that reflect your organization’s primary causes. For example, subscribers to the Sierra Club’s Student Coalition created a “Campaign” group called Save the Whales where like-minded members gather to blog, comment, share photos and link to additional web-based information. Let your members know that fundraising, in and of itself, can be the primary focus of a Social Grouping or posted Event.

3. Leverage Blogging in a Variety of Ways

Inspire subscribers’ generosity by helping them connect and share stories with strong human-interest elements. Center stage blog rolls and additional blogs in “Featured Groups” give community members unique ways to express opinions and comment on others’ experiences.

For example, the Arthritis Foundation uses a robust blog roll to let members tell each other about their trials and triumphs in dealing with arthritis. Plus, “social grouping” tools developed by ThePort Network give members a heightened sense of community and desire to help others by donating. Featured Rheumatoid Arthritis and Surgery & Arthritis groups feature blog posts that are emotional and inspiring at the same time.

2. Listen, Learn and Adapt to Your Members’ Needs

Fundraising links should be spotlighted in highly-trafficked areas of your community. For example, historic nonprofit CARE places a “DONATE NOW” button prominently on its main community page, center-cut, just above “Latest News” feeds, and just below a registration button for first-time visitors. Donating is automated, simple and fast.