Skip to main content
My IU
Get Involved
Fundraise for an IU cause

Annual Giving Volunteer Fundraiser Guide

Fundraising is vital to IU, and so are you.

Fundraising helps IU fill the gaps. Not only the gap between annual budgets and expenses. But also the gap between stagnation and progress. IU donors help advance education, improve communities, elevate the arts, spur invention and discovery, and so much more.

But no one donates if they’re not asked. That’s where you come in. You have the power to connect potential donors with the IU causes you support.

By volunteering to fundraise for IU, you can help others find the same kind of fulfillment you have in supporting IU.

Use your passion for IU to inspire others

Your passion for IU (combined with the generous gift of your time) can be a powerful force for good.

Volunteer fundraisers like you leverage their own networks and connections to rally support for their favorite IU causes. This is an especially effective way to promote the idea of giving. Nielsen research tells us 88% of people most trust recommendations from people they know over brands and even influencers when it comes to advertising.

Here you’ll find resources to get you started as a volunteer fundraiser—along with plenty of examples.

Questions about volunteer fundraising? Reach out to your primary IU Advancement contact or email Lindsey Pearsey, associate vice president, at lpearsey@iu.edu.

Sign up to start fundraising

Before getting started, complete the volunteer form to let us know you’re interested in fundraising for IU. You’ll be assigned a dedicated IU Advancement contact who can answer your questions and help you track who’s giving.

Five steps to fundraising success

Follow these steps to determine the who, what, when, where, and why of leveraging your connections to support your favorite IU cause.

    Want to help students? Give back to your school of graduation? Rally around the arts or athletics? All these opportunities and more are right at your fingertips.

    IU has thousands of funds you can support. Not sure where to start? Browse by campus or search by topic, or get involved with one of our limited-time crowdfunding campaigns.

    Once you’ve chosen your fund, you’re ready for the next step.

    Consider the various types of connections you have:

    • Personal connections – friends and family
    • Professional connections – current and former colleagues, industry peers
    • Community connections – people you volunteer with, neighbors
    • Shared affinity connections – IU classmates, people passionate about the cause

    Narrow down your list to about 5-10 people most likely to give by considering these factors:

    • How financially capable? Consider their financial situation.
    • How inclined to give? Consider their interest level in IU and the cause.
    • How connected to you? Consider how comfortable you’ll feel asking them to give.

    Once you have your contact list of 5-10 people, it’s time to come up with your pitch.

    Once you know who you’ll contact, it’s time to decide what you’ll say to them and how you’ll say it.

    In fundraising, a case for support is the logical and emotional argument for giving. It will form the basis of all your messaging, whether you’re talking to someone in person, on the phone, via email, or social media. It answers questions for prospective donors like: Why should I care? Why does this matter? Why now? What do you want me to do?

    Use these three steps to develop your case for support:

    1. Start by writing in your own words (or record yourself speaking) why you support IU and the specific cause you’re fundraising for. Don’t try to make it sound a certain way or get anything “right” at this stage. You can always refine your message before you share it.

    Tip: Having trouble getting started? Review the fund page—like this one for the IU Student Support Scholarship or search all funds. See how IU talks about the cause you want to promote, and then put it in your own words.

    1. Next, expand on your initial thoughts by considering the reasons someone might say “no” to giving, and the different ways you could respond. Include proof or examples to back up your argument.
    2. Now bring it all together! In a paragraph or list, lay out your top reasons for giving. You’ve now completed your case for support and you’re ready to start reaching out.

    Tip: Generative AI tools, like ChatGPT or Copilot, can help organize your notes into a clear, concise, compelling statement.

    Asking someone for a financial gift isn’t always easy. But it’s worth it for a cause you care about. The only certainty: No one will say “yes” if you don’t ask them.

    What makes an ask effective for a prospective donor?

    • Clear – I understand the problem/opportunity.
    • Memorable – That’s going to stick with me.
    • Personal – This relates to my life.
    • Urgency – There’s a reason to act now.
    • Call to action – I know what to do

    Write out what you’ll say when you reach out to your contacts. This is helpful even if you’ll be talking directly with someone, rather than sending an email or posting in social media.

    Tip: Contact someone using the channel that you already use to connect with them. So, if you usually text someone, ask them via text. If you usually email them, do that. And so on

    Use this formula to write your ask message

    Using the case for support from step two as your foundation, use the following formula to write your ask message: Hook + Case for support + Call to action (+ Link) + Reinforcement.

    • Hook: Open with an attention-grabbing line (or visual) to draw people in. There are many ways to do this, including a powerful statistic or thought-provoking question.
    • Case for support: Connect your hook to your best argument(s) for giving.
    • Call to action: Tell people how they can help address the problem or opportunity laid out in your case for support. And don’t forget the link to the webpage where they can give.
    • Reinforcement: Summarize your overall message into just a few words that reiterate the need or potential impact.

    Example ask message 1

    • Hook: Imagine having to choose between staying in school or feeding yourself.
    • Case for support: One in five IU Indianapolis freshmen are food insecure, according to a recent survey—and nearly half of students have experienced food insecurity in the last month. To be successful in the classroom, students need security in knowing where their next meal will come from. Paws’ Pantry provides relief by providing free food and other essentials to the campus community. Without donations, this wouldn’t be possible.
    • Call to action: Make a gift to Paws’ Pantry.
    • Reinforcement: Help IU students stay fed and focused by donating today.

    This first example would work for email, where you have more space. Now let’s use this same formula to write a shorter message that would work well for social media.

    Example ask message 2

    • Hook: IU Indy students are hungry.
    • Case for support: Nearly half have faced food insecurity—unsure where their next meal is coming from.
    • Call to action: You can help by donating to Paws’ Pantry at go.iu.edu/U6vYkS.
    • Reinforcement: Feed a student, fuel the future by donating now.

    Expressing gratitude and impact is an essential part of fundraising.

    It’s important to thank those who support your cause—whether they donate, give their time to listen to your pitch, or help you spread the word. Call or email your assigned IU Advancement contact or reach out to iufgive@iu.edu to find out if any of your contacts have made gifts.

    Best practices for thanking

    • Thank promptly – Thank them for supporting your fundraising effort. It doesn’t have to be elaborate; simple gratitude is better than none at all.
    • Reinforce impact – Remind them of what their support will make possible.
    • Make it personal – Let them know how much it means to you that they supported your efforts. Whatever you decide to say when thanking, say it in your own words.
    • Offer more opportunities – When applicable, share follow-up actions they can take, such as following IU on social media or checking if they’re eligible for a matching gift.

    Your thank you can be formal or more laidback; it depends on who you’re contacting, what your connection is, and your own personal style. Let’s look at two approaches for the same fund.

    Example thank you message 1

    Monique, thank you so much for joining me in supporting Paws’ Pantry. Because of you, more IU Indy students will have the fuel they need, not only to survive but to thrive.

    As someone who had to pay my own way through school, I wish the pantry had been around back then. So I know that your generosity will be a big help for students in need.

    Will you take a quick look to see if you’re eligible for a match? I believe your company has a matching gift program, which could mean double the support for this important cause.

    Thank you again for helping students stay fed and focused on what matters.

    Warmly,

    Your Name

    Example thank you message 2

    You’re so awesome, Monique! Thanks for supporting Paws’ Pantry. It’s a cause dear to my heart because I know what it’s like to struggle financially as a college student. But thanks to you, today’s IU Indy students will have full bellies so they can reach their full potential.

    Thanks a million!
    Your Name

    P.S. Do me a favor and see if your employer matches gifts—it’s an easy way to double your impact and won’t cost you a thing.

    How to use social media to fundraise

    Social media can be one of the most effective ways to reach a large audience, so be sure to incorporate it into your volunteer fundraising plan.

    There’s no one formula that can guarantee social media success. And many of the principles we’ve already covered apply in social media too. But there are key differences to be aware of and best practices you can use to make your posts as effective as possible.

    Social media best practices

    • Enhance your messaging and grab attention with a visual (image or video).
    • Use as few words as possible to convey your message.
    • Reach more people by tagging names and using hashtags.

    Video tips for social media

    Social media posts with video tend to have higher engagement—more shares, more comments, more likes. Videos with faces are especially engaging. That means a simple selfie video can be one of the best ways to help you spread your message.

    Thanks to modern technology, most of us carry a video camera in our pockets each and every day. Follow this guidance to create the most effective videos you can.

    Setup
    • Lens – Remove smudges from your camera lens using a non-abrasive cloth.
    • Lighting – Position yourself near natural light (outside or by a window), ensuring you aren’t looking directly into the sun or standing right in front of your light source. Don’t use the flash.
    • Focus – Make sure that you are in focus (not blurry) and maintain a steady hand, or prop your phone up on a flat surface. Don’t zoom in or out.
    Framing
    • Shoot your video in vertical format to optimize it for social media.
    • Place yourself in front of a simple background to avoid distractions.
    • Center yourself, leaving space between you and all edges of the frame.
    • Keep audio clear by choosing a quiet spot and make sure you’re not covering the bottom of your phone near the speaker.
    Recording
    • Record a brief test to ensure visual and audio quality. This will let you know if you need to make any adjustments before recording your actual message.
    • Optimal video length varies by platform, but a general guideline is at least 15 seconds and no more than 60 seconds.
    • Strive for authenticity by recording yourself saying your prepared message a few times in a few different ways. Also record a few versions where you speak unscripted.
    Posting
    • Upload your chosen recording to the social media platforms of your choice.
    • Tag the campus, school, or program that you’re fundraising on behalf of using @ followed immediately (no space) by their profile name. Be sure to tag us as well at @IUFoundation. You may also want to tag friends you know would be interested in the cause.
    • Reinforce your message briefly in the caption or post copy, and add your call to action and link.

    Thank you for fundraising for IU!

    You’ve gone above and beyond when it comes to supporting IU, and we couldn’t be more grateful. Keep that passionate energy going by getting involved in the Never Daunted campaign, joining one of IU’s philanthropy circles, or attending an IU event near you.