[I amputated the scammer how’s that for vet care]
Normally I just ignore these but it’s a great opportunity to talk about fundraising and also plug my actually legit and verifiable fundraiser for the bunny I’ve been fostering, Marlow.
Here comes a longass post.
I have been campaigning for donations through Gofundme, Paypal, ko-fi, Venmo, offering commissions, adoptables, patreon rewards, selling prints, mugs, and products, posting assets, workshops, and photography, and reaching out via facebook, email, and phone to vet bill help groups, bunny enthusiasts, local animal aid groups, community pages, and rabbit rescue organizations to solicit donations. So, I’ve learned a lot over the past month about what works and what doesn’t. The more effortful and widespread your outreach, the better.
What I learned about fundraising
It’s not easy.
I spend hours per day on fundraising and Marlow is still over a thousand dollars in the hole. You don’t sit there and wait for free money. You put blood, sweat, and tears into it. While donating feels good, having the beneficiary return their investment with passion, effort, and information creates a mutual investment that is good for everyone.
First off. Don’t spam random popular blogs. There are plenty of blogs out there who love to signal boost mutual aid posts. I am not one of them. I am an art blog. I have not shared campaigns I’m not part of and will never share anything I can’t personally verify.
Be Detailed
Give details to show you’re legit. You only have the ONE post about your dog that I could find, yet your story implies he’s been sick for a while. Nobody’s going to be invested if they don’t know the story, don’t know your dog’s personality, don’t know your relationship with your dog, etc. You gotta tell people why they should care if you want to get donors. More details with a consistent timeline also make you more trustworthy. Showing a timeline of events is important so people know you aren’t reusing old campaigns, and that you’re still in need of funds.
You also need to include how much money you need (specific amounts are best) and what it will be used for (exam fees, medicine, specific procedures etc.) This not only makes you more believable, but also more tangible and donors will feel involved and invested if they can picture something they are specifically paying for. What is “treatment” ? how soon is “asap” ?
There are more scams out there than there are people in need, so I do not recommend ANYONE donate to your campaign as it is.
Speaking of campaigns, let’s talk about fundraising sites.
Gofundme
Fundraising sites are good for You
I didn’t actually realize how easy it was to make a gofundme campaign until I did it. You literally just make an account, do a tiny write up, and tell the site who you are. You don’t even have to connect bank details to get started, that comes after you actually get donations. If your campaign doesn’t make anything, no problem. Gofundme also gives you all the funds you earn, whether or not you reach your goal. While they do take a percentage in processing fees, the legitimacy, organization, update records, and sharing system more than make up for that, and you’ll get more than you do through a paypal link. I know because I’ve been campaigning for bunny donations through a million methods, and the Gofundme returns exponentially more cash than the others. Additionally, Gofundme sends SUPER on-point prompts for updates and campaigning based on your donors, views, funds, and momentum.
Fundraising sites are good for donors
Gofundme has donor protection, and will do the work of verifying that the money is going where you say it’s going. They can file through the site to open an investigation, and get a refund if it turns out they donated to a scam. This makes people more likely to donate than to a random paypal. It also subscribes them to your campaign so they can get all their updates in one place. Many people donate again because they are invested and want to see you succeed, and updates let them know they are still appreciated and helping.
To anyone with a paypal or a bank account, just toss $1 in and you’re subscribed for life for basically nothing. Nobody minds that it’s “”“only”“” $1, I promise. It adds up and we appreciate every cent.
When I had the time, I was updating thousands of words practically every day about Marlow’s health, personality, prospects, favorite foods, favorite people, quirks, and silliness. Donors aren’t wallets, they are people who donate because they Care, so let them into your life a little and show more than just desperation. Being open with them makes them care even more and be more likely to share, and it also makes you stop and appreciate all these incredible humans rallying around you.
Share. Share. Share.
Don’t spam people or fling links where they aren’t wanted. Follow the prompts gofundme gives you (they’re actually good tips, turns out) and be prepared to put in many hours of work to be successful. I won’t act like I’m Just Super Good at fundraising, I already had maybe 4k followers when I started. But being popular isn’t going to raise enough for a paralyzed bunny who needs lifelong, round-the-clock maintenance and is extremely prone to life-threatening medical emergencies. Right now he’s an inpatient at an exotics vet, and you can imagine how much that racks up costs in addition to his medications, cleaning, and surgeries. The hardest part is that it’s never going to stop. Marlow disabled. He is never going to be 100% stable-healthy-perfect, so my campaign isn’t going to end until he gives up the fight. But he’s so happy and content and active I don’t see that happening any time soon. It just means I need to keep working.
It’s a community effort
Fundraising is WORK and it is HARD. You don’t sit there and collect donations. You invest hours and hours into outreach and research. You invest in family, friends, and strangers and take the time to approach them personally. Don’t send out copy-pastes because that’s not how community works. It might seem dumb to spend time nurturing a friendship with someone when you’re desperate and panicking, but the rewards are worth it.
You get genuine interest in your cause, you get emotional support, and you get human connection, which is something you’ll need in the days to come.
What is most important though, is that by taking the time to be personal with people, you also grow to care more for them. Maybe you find out their stove is broken while you talk; and make them a meal while they save up for repairs. You didn’t get any money but you nourished a relationship, and that’s what counts. Knowing you will be there for them encourages people to help you by sharing, even if it’s just for exposure.
Places to share:
Personal social media
- Your facebook, tumblr, instagram, twitter, and youtube channels. Yes, all of them. If you only do one you’ll be disappointed.
- Your friends’ social media.
Social media pages
Facebook is only good for its robust group communities. Unfriend all your relatives and engage only in stuff you care about.
- Your city/town/neighborhood’s community group
- Local animal/illness/activity/freebie group that are pertinent to your need (Bay area rabbit society)
- Widespread groups that are specific to your need (Disabled Rabbits worldwide)
- Pages made for fundraising (bay area animal fund help, worldwide bunny vet bill help)
- Reddit has many fundraising subs, but they may have specific activity rules you don’t meet.
Mailing lists
Ask organizations if they can circulate your campaign to their mailing lists. (I have half a dozen rabbit rescues sharing on my behalf after calling or emailing them)
Stand out
What can you do to make your campaign memorable? What about your dog is so special? For me, it’s pretty easy because I’m an emotional storyteller, photographer, and artist.
Do something that shows you are invested in both the animal and communicating with people who care about you. Caring can look like donating, sharing, or just offering you comfort and asking how you are. Be really open and genuine and thank everyone for everything they do to help.
TLDR
Fundraising is extremely hard and it takes work to be successful. Reach out in appropriate places and keep it personal and heartfelt. Reward donors by thanking them and giving updates as often as possible.
Also the original asker was a scammer so you should donate to someone else, like me for example
