When a fire strikes an iconic building, images of the destruction spread rapidly through social media. Seeing the painful images, the sympathetic public acts fast to set up online fundraising campaigns and raise funds for the relief effort – all before the fire brigade have barely put out the flames.

The ability to fundraise online and leverage social media has upended the art of giving. But if you’ve always used live events to raise awareness and funds for a cause — don’t panic. Live events are still critical to the cause, too.

The surge of online fundraising presents an opportunity that all types of fundraisers can leverage to spread the word. Learn the new rules of fundraising by combining events with social connectivity, and your nonprofit or charity will amplify its efforts and enact real change.

Say hello to a new generation of givers

For generations, fundraising events have centered on the affluent donor class. But while there are still big, traditional donors who prefer to be wooed into signing generous checks to their favourite causes, you can’t afford to ignore younger, more socially connected generations.

In fact, according to our Eventbrite Survey, Millennials will account for 75% of the UK workforce in a decade and spend over £419,556,233 each month on attending live events. They are known as the “experience generation,” they’re enthusiastic event-goers who jump at the chance to make memories – and change. They’re typically enthusiastic about advocating for a cause they believe in across their social channels. This is great news for fundraisers!

Enter the brave new world of social fundraising

This spirit of social generosity is important, according to research by CrowdRise. Today’s young adults have a lot of social capital, and their behaviours drive the new rules of event fundraising.

For instance, they’re more likely to donate a few pounds here and there to a casual friend running in a charity race than to write an annual check to a single organisation. But those small donations here and there add up. CrowdRise data shows that when someone shares their donation on social media, it generates another $15 in the US, the equivalent of £11.63 in the UK. So, if your 300 original donors each share their donation online, you stand to raise another £3,489!

Even a small donation can make a big dent in your fundraising goals if it kicks off a chain reaction of giving. Choose a fundraising platform that makes it easy for your donors to share about their donations — and your mission — with their own personal networks.

Pro Tip: With Eventbrite’s integration with CrowdRise by GoFundMe, your fundraisers and donors can register for your events and create branded fundraising pages at the same time.

Recruit fundraising teams to amplify giving

The new donors aren’t just social — they’re team players. Crowdrise Marketing Director Gary Wohlfeill says, “When a fundraising event encourages supporters to form teams, they motivate individuals to raise more money than they would on their own.”  

Consider these numbers from CrowdRise:

• Fundraising events get 59% of their donations from teams or groups
• Teams typically raise 70% more than individual participants
• Team captains tend to donate 74% more, on average, than individual fundraisers
• When team captains come back a second year, they raise two to three times more than first-time team captains

Teams — and especially team captains — make a big difference in fundraising. To encourage teamwork, look to the natural leaders within your fundraising audience. Aim to recruit captains with a personal connection to your cause. They’ll build teams of others with similar personal connections, and those are the people motivated to work together to raise funds.

Master the new rules of fundraising events

To learn more about social fundraising, check out ‘How to Plan a Successful Fundraising Event (with 70+ Ideas).