Fundraising 2.0

A term, and hopefully a practice, that will find its way into the mainstream lexicon in the coming months is Fundraising 2.0.

Not unlike Web 2.0, F20 (for short, pronounced like the molecular formula for water H20) involves social networking, social bookmarks, blogging, and other modern online practices intended to enhance connectivity and create communities of like-minded advocates.

However, the success of F20 will only shine through with the activation of live, offline intersections by way of person-to-person networking, relevant events and promotions, and most critically by way of partnerships between nonprofits and businesses.

These partnerships will come to be known as Brandraising. Ideally, current and prospective donors, volunteers, advocates and customers will come to understand, acknowledge, and embrace the partnership as a brand unto itself.

Outreach activity to cultivate said constituencies is already known as Friendraising. Like Experiential Marketing, Friendraising relies on understanding the habits, emotions, aspirations, and rituals of target constituency profiles. These days, Friendraising is complicated by the recession and the ensuing ability for people to make immediate commitments to contribute financially to nonprofits.

Activation of both Brandraising and Friendraising can be described as Fundraising, but it is crucial to understand that in the 2.0 context Fundraising is a much more active, frequent, and event-based commitment to development than ever before.

The beauty of F20 is in its very definition: strength in numbers. There are little, often zero costs to nonprofits to practice F20 aggressively. The minimal costs to partner businesses are recouped almost immediately via the traffic and revenues F20 events provide.

If F20 is to truly work, it will first require nonprofits to embrace the shift in pace and begin to reach out to resources that can help connect them with venues and (ideally) sponsors - and beginning the Brandraising process. In a world of recession, unemployment, swine flu, etc. Fundraising 2.0 is a bright spot that can help sustain if not elevate nonprofits and businesses now, and for years to come.

Marc-Portugal