Fundraising Guide

Grassroots fundraising without wealthy donors.

Fundraising isn’t begging

Fundraising is giving people an opportunity to support something they believe in. If someone believes in your cause, asking them to contribute is a service, not an imposition.

Reframe your thinking: you’re not asking for charity. You’re building collective power.

Start with your network

Personal asks

Your first donors will be people who know and trust you. Make a list:

  • Family members
  • Close friends
  • Colleagues
  • Neighbours
  • Former classmates
  • People you’ve helped

These people don’t need to be wealthy. Small contributions from many people add up.

How to ask

  1. Explain what you’re doing and why
  2. Ask for a specific amount
  3. Make it easy to give
  4. Thank them regardless of outcome

“I’m running for city council because I believe [reason]. I’m raising money from my community to fund my campaign. Could you contribute $25?”

The hardest part

Asking feels uncomfortable. Do it anyway. The discomfort fades. The money stays.

Growing beyond your network

Every interaction is an opportunity

When you meet someone who supports your cause, ask if they’d be willing to contribute. “Would you consider making a donation to support our work?”

Email fundraising

Your email list is your fundraising base. Send regular fundraising emails:

  • Clear ask
  • Specific amount
  • Deadline or urgency
  • Easy link to donate

Test different approaches. See what works for your audience.

Event fundraising

Host events where you ask for money:

  • House parties (low overhead, high conversion)
  • Fundraising dinners (more work, bigger asks)
  • Online events (broad reach, lower conversion)

The key is making the ask. Many events fail because organizers are too shy to directly request contributions.

Social proof

When someone donates, ask if you can share that they donated (not the amount). “I just donated because [reason]—you should too” is powerful.

Making the ask

Be specific

“Can you donate?” is weaker than “Can you donate $50?”

Suggest an amount. Make it appropriate to the person and situation. Asking for $500 from someone who can’t afford it is uncomfortable. So is asking for $10 from someone who could easily give $500.

Create urgency

“I’m trying to raise $5,000 before the deadline Friday” is more compelling than “Please donate sometime.”

Explain the impact

“Your $50 will pay for 100 flyers to voters in our ward” connects the donation to the outcome.

Make it easy

Online donation link. Clear instructions. Mobile-friendly. No friction.

Compliance

Know your limits

Every jurisdiction has contribution limits. Know them. Enforce them.

Track everything

Record every contribution:

  • Who gave
  • How much
  • When
  • Contact information

You’ll need this for reporting.

Issue receipts

Provide receipts for every donation. Required by law and good practice.

Report on time

File required reports by the deadline. Late reports can result in fines or worse.

Special considerations

Recurring donations

Monthly donors are the most sustainable revenue. Make it easy to set up recurring contributions.

Matching gifts

If someone offers to match donations, use it. “Double your impact” is a powerful motivator.

In-kind donations

Goods and services count as contributions. Track them. Know the rules about what counts.

Online payment processing

Payment processors charge fees (typically 2.9% + $0.30). Factor this into your planning. Some processors have special rates for political campaigns.

Building a fundraising culture

Thank donors

Every donation gets a thank you. Personal is better than automated. Handwritten is better than typed.

Report back

Tell donors what their money accomplished. “Thanks to your support, we knocked on 5,000 doors this month.”

Ask again

Someone who gave once is likely to give again. Don’t be shy about returning to your donors.

Common mistakes

Not asking

You can’t raise money you don’t ask for. The biggest fundraising mistake is not asking enough.

Asking once and stopping

Fundraising is ongoing. Don’t send one email and give up.

Not tracking

If you don’t track donations, you can’t thank donors properly, report accurately, or identify your best supporters.

Ignoring compliance

One compliance mistake can cost you more than you raised. Take it seriously.

Getting started

  1. Make a list of 50 people you can personally ask
  2. Set a goal and deadline
  3. Send a fundraising email to your existing list
  4. Ask every new supporter if they’d consider contributing
  5. Track everything
  6. Thank everyone