How to promote your fundraiser and get donations

Already created your fundraiser? Great – you’ve taken the first important step! Now it’s time to help people discover your cause and encourage them to donate. We know asking for support isn’t always easy, so we’ve put together practical ideas to help you get started.

Before you share your fundraiser widely, make sure it clearly explains what you’re raising money for and includes photos that help tell your story. It’s necessary to successfully collect donations. Need a hand? Take a look at our guide to preparing your fundraising page.

Asking for donations – best tips

• Start with people you know. Ask family, friends, colleagues and neighbours to donate or share your fundraiser.
• Make your request clear and personal. Explain what you’re raising money for, why it matters and how donations will help.
• Share through different channels. Use social media, messaging apps, emails and SMS to reach potential supporters.
• Involve your local community. Contact businesses and journalists, take part in local events and share posters or QR codes.
• Make use of free fundraising tools. Use 4fund.com widgets and donation boxes to involve others, and tracking links to see which channels bring in support.

How to get your first donations

Around 300 fundraisers are created on 4fund.com every day, so simply publishing yours doesn’t mean donations will start coming in. Sharing your story and reaching out to potential supporters is an important part of raising funds.

So where can you find your first donors? Start with the people closest to you! Rather than waiting for strangers to discover your fundraiser, reach out to family, friends, colleagues and neighbours.

Tell them what you’re raising money for, why it matters to you and how their support could help. Share your link and ask them for donations – even a small contribution can help you get started. If they can’t donate, encourage them to pass your fundraiser on to others.

Those first donations provide social proof – they show new visitors that others have already chosen to support your cause and may help them feel more confident about getting involved.

How to start promoting your fundraiser

Already received your first donations? Now it’s time to promote your fundraising page to the world! Here are a few fundraiser promotion ideas to help you reach more people and bring new supporters to your cause.

Messaging apps

Send your fundraiser link through Messenger, WhatsApp or other messaging apps. Encourage friends and wider contacts to donate or share – your own community could turn out to be your most generous supporters!

Text messages

A personal text message can be a simple way to ask friends and family to support your fundraiser. Briefly explain what you’re raising money for, why it matters to you and how they can help. Include a direct link and invite them to share it if they’re unable to donate.

Social media

Share your fundraiser regularly and in different places. Copy your link and promote your fundraiser on Facebook, Instagram, Reddit, TikTok and other platforms where you connect with people. Join relevant forums and community groups or create your own Facebook page or event to keep supporters updated. Try different content formats, such as photos, carousels and short videos, and give each post a fresh angle – a progress update, a personal story or a milestone.

Emails

Send emails to people you know who may be interested in supporting your cause. Choose a clear, engaging subject line that tells them what your message is about. Briefly explain what you’re raising money for, why it matters to you and how they can help. Include a link to your fundraiser and ask recipients to share it with anyone who might want to support it.

You can also add a short line about your fundraiser and a link to your email signature, giving people an easy way to discover your cause through your everyday correspondence.

How to promote your fundraiser in your local community

You don’t have to limit yourself to sharing your fundraiser online. Take it offline, too!

Local events

Raise awareness of your cause and encourage donations at local events! Ask organisers how you could get involved in community fairs, family picnics, concerts, music festivals, charity runs, sports competitions or school fairs – or organise your own fundraising event!

Posters and QR codes

Put up posters with a QR code in your neighbourhood, workplace, school, local shops, churches, cafés or restaurants, and display them at events. You can generate a ready-made poster directly from your fundraiser page and download it as a PDF – no design skills needed!

You can also download a separate QR code linking to your fundraiser or directly to the donation page. Print it on a small piece of paper and attach it to your phone case or T-shirt so people you meet can scan it. At events, you can also add it to name badges to make your fundraiser easy to find.

Local celebrities or influencers

Ask a local celebrity, artist, athlete or influencer to help promote your fundraiser. Look for someone whose audience is likely to connect with your cause – relevance and engagement matter more than follower count alone. Perhaps a friend knows someone who could introduce you? Make it easy for them to help – briefly explain your cause and provide a short message they can share.

Local businesses

Approach companies close to you and ask them to support your cause. Many businesses run CSR or community support programmes, and your fundraiser may fit their priorities. They can help by making a donation, sharing your fundraiser with employees and customers, matching employee donations or even organising their own fundraising initiative on your behalf.

Local media

Look for local radio stations, TV channels, news websites, newspapers and journalists who might be interested in your fundraiser. Prepare a short story they can use, and remember to include your fundraiser link. You can also offer a fundraiser widget for their website.

Reach out by email, phone or social media. Highlight the local connection, explain why support is needed now and share the personal story behind your cause. You could also invite a local media outlet to become a media partner – for example, by offering to feature their logo on your fundraiser.

How to ask for donations

You know where to share your fundraiser, but what should you actually say? Asking for help can feel difficult, especially when the cause is close to your heart. You don’t need perfect words – just explain what you’re raising money for, why it matters to you and how a donation would help.

Good advice:

• Start with what you already have – use your fundraiser description as a starting point. Choose one angle for each message: who you’re helping, what’s needed or what donations will make possible.
• Keep it short and clear – every message should make sense to someone discovering your fundraiser for the first time. Include your link so they can read the full story.
• Make a clear, friendly request – ask people to donate if they can, or share your fundraiser with others. Leave them room to decide without pressure.
• Be personal, not pushy – adapt your message to the person or community you’re contacting. Avoid repeated unsolicited messages or posting your link under unrelated posts and fundraisers.

Free tools for promoting your fundraiser

Make the most of the extra features on 4fund.com, designed to help you promote your fundraiser.

Fundraiser widgets

Use a fundraiser widget to make donating easier directly from other websites. Add it to your own site or ask friends, partners or bloggers to feature it on theirs.

You can customise the widget to suit the space available – link it to your fundraiser or directly to the donation page, adjust its size, and choose between a version with a cover image or a simple button.

Donation boxes

Donation boxes are a great way to involve friends, companies and public figures in your fundraiser. Instead of simply sharing the main fundraiser link, people who want to support your cause more actively can create their own donation box connected to it.

This gives them a more active role in the campaign and can help increase engagement, while all the money they raise still goes towards the main fundraiser.

Tracking links

Tracking links let you track clicks and the total amount donated through a specific link. Create a separate link for each promotional channel – such as email, Facebook or X (Twitter) – to compare results and see which channels bring in the most support.

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Additional paid promotion options

Paid promotion is an optional extra. If you’ve tried the free ideas above and want to give your fundraiser more visibility, here are two options to consider.

Custom fundraiser link

Make your fundraiser’s address simple and easy to remember with a custom alias. An address like 4fund.com/help-tommy is easier to mention and remember in conversation than a randomly generated link. This paid feature remains active for the duration of the purchased service.

Facebook advertising

Want to reach people beyond your own network? Our specialists can help you set up a Facebook ad for your fundraiser. You can choose your budget and campaign duration, and request an audience based on age or location. It can help more people discover your cause, but it does not guarantee donations.

Sharing and promoting your fundraiser – FAQ

Not sure where to share your fundraiser or how to ask for support? Here are answers to common questions about reaching people and encouraging donations.

How can I promote my fundraiser without social media?

Reach out through personal conversations, phone calls, emails or text messages. Ask local businesses to display your fundraiser poster, contact local journalists or introduce your cause at community events. Include a fundraiser link or QR code so people can easily find your page and donate.

Do I need paid ads to promote my fundraiser?

No. You can promote your fundraiser through personal outreach, social media and your local community without paying for ads. Paid advertising is an optional way to reach more people.

How to ask for support?

Briefly explain what you’re raising money for, why it matters to you and how a donation would help. Include your fundraiser link and make a clear, friendly request. If someone can’t donate, invite them to share your fundraiser instead.

How to get more donations?

Start with people you know, then ask them to help you reach others. Share your fundraiser through different channels and give people fresh reasons to support it, such as a progress update or an explanation of what their donations could fund.