Determine exactly how much money you need to raise for camp this year, and make that your fundraising goal. Consider your area’s specific expenses. Do you need to raise funds for the cost of transportation, such as a bus rental? Are you hoping to cover the camp fees for your leaders? Do you want to offer camp scholarships and if so, how many? Defining these details gives you a concrete target to work toward, while helping your donors see the tangible impact of their donations.
Create a unique giving link to make it easy for your donors. This link directs donors to a pre-populated Young Life giving page with details like gift amount, frequency, and your mission unit’s campership account and provide a streamlined, easy way to give a donation to camp. Generate your own custom URL for camp fundraising in YL Connect by following these steps.
Share your goal and your giving link. Incorporate your campership “ask” into regular communications, such as newsletters, emails, and social media. Also every fundraising event is an opportunity to share your campership goal. Share your “ask” via announcements, signage, and even one-on-one conversations at events. Paint a picture of what donations will achieve, from covering the cost of transportation and leader camp fees to scholarships.
Reach out to past donors who have generously supported camp in the past. Use the "Giving-by-Year Campership report” to identify those who are most likely to contribute. This is a valuable opportunity to build a dedicated, long-term team of donors who share your vision for making camp accessible to every kid. When connecting with past donors, emphasize their contributions’ impact, while inviting them to help send campers from your area to camp. Whenever possible, prioritize face-to-face conversations, as they often lead to stronger commitments.
For those donors who love to give specifically to camp, ask them to sponsor your camp sign-up night with matching donations. This way, every kid who signs up at sign-up night gets matching dollars toward camp.
Make the most of year-end giving. Keep in mind that November and December are typically the most generous months for nonprofits, making them an ideal time to focus on a specific campership appeal. Consider aligning campership requests with your year-end giving campaign materials. Check out these year-end giving resources to find customizable social media, email, and other templates.