How your nonprofit can raise money through podcasts
A podcast can help you build relationships with donors and prospects, which can help your nonprofit raise money.
Podcasts are becoming more and more of a common method of communication. This is exciting news for nonprofits, because podcasts are an excellent tool to connect with your supporters.
One question I've been asked is: Can you raise money with a podcast?
The answer is yes — with caveats.
podcasts can be a part of your fundraising plans
Some people (I'm not talking about nonprofits) do make a lot of money specifically from their podcast, usually from ad revenue because they have extremely large audiences — though most don't.
But for nonprofits, I don't think outright dollars should be the first goal. The goal really needs to be connection and understanding. Isn't this what helps raise money anyway? When the right people understand and believe in your mission, they want to be a part of it. A well-created podcast (even a short nonprofit podcast) can do that.
Your nonprofit podcast should be a fundraising support tool, versus a fundraising tool itself.
So with that in mind, let's explore a few ways nonprofits can raise money using their podcasts.
How nonprofits can raise money through a podcast
ask for support within your podcast
Most podcasts have room for ads, and podcast listeners are used to hearing them. For nonprofits, why not use your ad space for fundraising? If you have a fundraising goal in mind, you can even share that with your listeners.
At the end of your episode, suggest that listeners support your work and give them an easy URL to visit (which can then be tracked as a donation from your podcast). You can also include your donation link in the shownotes.
Outright giving is not uncommon in the podcast world. Listeners will donate to a show, usually through companies like Patreon, if they love it and want to support its production.
Here's an example of what to say in your end-of-show donation ask:
Thanks for listening to [our nonprofit's] show about [our program]. If you want to support this program and help [quick phrase about how the program helps], visit [ournonprofit.com/podcastdonate] today. Even a few dollars can help us achieve our mission to [state the mission] together.
Two reminders:
Make sure your donation form is simple and quick to complete.
Use a unique URL so you can better track the dollars that come from your podcast.
Use your podcast as supporting project communications for large donor asks or stewardship
If you are considering asking a donor for a very large gift, or if you want to steward the gift a donor has already made, you can create a podcast show as part of that stewardship or gift proposal. Use your show to help your donor visualize the project you are hoping to fund and how their donation contributes to the mission.
Later, you can use this same show, or parts of it, to share more widely with all of your supporters. That way, you get more mileage out of the effort you’ve put in to creating it.
Add your podcast as part of a donor package or tier
Many nonprofits encourage giving and giving growth by creating donor tiers. Each level of giving comes with more and more benefits. Those might be invites to special events, free or reduced admission to programs, private tours, early access to new content, and more.
Special podcast shows can be a great donor tier benefit, and can even be tiered themselves. For example, perhaps the foundation level benefits package includes the show, but next-level tiers also receive special interviews and behind-the-scenes discussions.
These podcasts for donor groups would live on a private feed only accessible to that group. When a new show comes out, their podcast app would automatically update with the new show.
And, it gives your fundraisers another touch-point, since you should also let your donor groups know about the new show through other channels, like a direct email or even with a postcard in the mail. New podcast alerts are a great way to continue relationship-building with your best donors.
Add your podcast to your Corporate sponsorship package
In the beginning, middle, and/or end of your favorite podcast, you've probably heard an ad for a new product or program. Likely, your ad was read by the podcast host. That's because host-read ads tend to perform the best. This same model can be used in your own podcast, but the advertising spots can be a part of your corporate sponsorship package.
Since your nonprofit needs to be careful not to advertise for that sponsoring business, you can instead have a "sponsor highlight" space or two in your shows. Think NPR's "This podcast was brought to you by our corporate sponsor" language. Your sponsor gets recognition and association with your mission, and you get another opportunity to create more incentive for the right corporate sponsor.
Consider how a podcast can be a part of your fundraising communication plans
I've seen a short nonprofit podcast bring in outright dollars and provide educational support in a successful ask of a donor for a program-specific gift. I've also seen how well podcasts can strengthen relationships with donors, both through direct connection prompted from communications around the podcast, like email responses, and through the experience of listening to the show.
A podcast is a powerful communication tool for nonprofits that can lead to increased donations. That just shouldn't be the only goal of your show.
Let’s connect about your nonprofit podcast.
If you want to learn more about how a podcast might work for your nonprofit, schedule a free 30-minute call with me.
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Photo at top by Ramiro Mendes on Unsplash
