Fundraising isn’t all lofty and inspiring. Lately, a lot of it is quite angry.
And quite successful.
- Outrage over President Trump’s immigrant ban helped the ACLU raise more money online in one weekend than in all of 2016.
- Nathan Pryor hacked an Amazon Dash button to send $5 to the ACLU every time he felt outrage over assaults on civil liberties. (h/t Beth Kanter)
- Planned Parenthood received over 82,000 donation in the name of Vice President Pence – he gets a thank you note for each donation.
- MomsRising invited supporters to donate and get a “Nevertheless, She Persisted” button as a battle-cry response to Sen. McConnell’s silencing of Sen. Warren during a recent Senate cabinet hearing.
ADDITIONAL READING: ‘Nevertheless, She Persisted’ and the Age of the Weaponized Meme
Sometimes, rage fundraising has nothing to do with politics.
Spurned love anyone?
26 Oct 2010 — Madagascar hissing cockroach on white background — Image by © Michel Gunther/Biosphoto/Corbis
And then there’s just plain funny.
Rage fundraising isn’t suitable for every nonprofit, and it won’t work as a permanent fundraising strategy for those that are able to push the envelope. It’s gaining steam right now because of the current political climate, the ability of nonprofits to react quickly to news and events, and the increasing popularity of online giving.
If you want to try this kind of fundraising:
- Lurk and listen to other nonprofits first
- Reach out to fellow nonprofits who have launched a rage campaign to learn of the pains and pitfalls that might be ahead.
- Ask your fundraising team: Will this hurt or help our brand? What do we need in place to make this happen? Are we ready to respond to donor concerns?
- Proceed with caution.
Do you have a rage fundraiser example? Share it the comments section.
