Your Guide to Creating Inspirational Fundraising Videos For Your Nonprofit

In terms of likes, shares, downloads, and donations, video consistently outperforms all other digital communication channels. Every campaign should include a series of inspirational fundraising videos with a simple call to action. And eight in 10 marketers feel video has a positive impact on sales. 

Compelling video storytelling is the best way for nonprofit organizations to strengthen donor engagement and community outreach across mobile, social, and online channels. And now smartphones make it easier than ever for nonprofits to create professional-looking fundraising videos. The majority of consumers prefer video content over all other media. 

Let’s look at the basics of nonprofit video production.

The 5 Key Principles of Effective Video Production for Nonprofits:

Video production is no longer just for professionals. Smartphones give everyone the ability to make great nonprofit videos, but remember that your message is more important than a Hollywood-quality one. Keep that camera on to capture inspiring, feel-good moments, and use each guideline to help you share your story effectively and compel donors to keep giving. These are the key principles of effective video production for nonprofits.

1. Tell Your Story by showing viewers the issues that matter most to your cause. Thanks to smartphones, your message is more visible than the production quality.
2. Speak To Donors and show them how your organization makes a difference. Raw videos, with their real moments, uniquely capture authentic emotion and passion.
3. Show The Good You Are Doing with inspiring behind-the-scenes footage and interviews with program recipients. Handmade videos often outperform high-end productions.
4. Be Passionate and show donors how they can help contribute.
5. Say Thank You by continuously recognizing donor generosity and support.

Nonprofit Video Best Practices 

Ensure you always have a clear call to action at the end of your video. Don’t just leave your audience hanging – ask them to make a difference. Include a call-to-action slide in every video that tells supporters how they can easily give to your cause. Remember! Video content is all about human connection.

• Compile a library of footage taken by volunteers and staff.
• Keep your donors’ interest piqued with raw, real behind-the-scenes footage that shows the good you are accomplishing.
• Post videos separately on YouTube & Facebook, and cross-promote via email and SMS whenever you have something compelling to share.
• Keep your donation call-to-action coherent and consistent.

Start Sharing Live Video Content

Facebook and Instagram Live have changed content consumption forever. It’s the easiest way for nonprofits to create video content and instantly broadcast it to a worldwide community of engaged supporters.  

Here’s How it Works:

1. Open an app on your smartphone.
2. On your personal page: Select News Feed > Status > Live Video
3. Your followers will receive a message that you are broadcasting, and your live feed will display on your wall.
4. Followers can chat with you in real time, and your broadcast can also be viewed publicly by a worldwide audience. It’s that easy!
5. Keep your broadcast focused: use it to promote an upcoming event, provide an urgent update, or enable donations.

Video Fundraising Production Essentials

Video content is not just for galas and events. It is the fastest and most effective way to convey your nonprofit’s core message to your audience and tell your story to viewers across channels.

Video relays your message clearly and effectively, creating emotion that inspires viewers to take action for your organization and shows them how they can help, be it by volunteering time and resources or making a monetary donation to your cause.

When you highlight your organization’s core message in a real, authentic way, you give viewers the opportunity—and inspiration—to get involved with your nonprofit on an emotional level and to volunteer time and resources to your cause.

Key Components of the Best Fundraising Videos

• Evoke the senses when telling your story with images and stories that give viewers a reason to believe in your cause.
• Relatability is key, so tap into what resonates by creating a familiar persona that incorporates your organization’s message and aspirations.
• Cast powerful characters, passionate people from your org or benefiting from your mission, create empathy to help viewers relate to and get them behind your cause.
• Know your audience. Target your story for a direct and specific purpose—if you don’t know who you’re talking to, the right people won’t be listening.
• Passion is paramount, so keep your purpose in mind and add depth to match your organization’s tone and feel.
• Humility helps everyone–connect your audience to your org in a sincere way to create trust in your mission and get people involved.

Guaranteed Success with Fundraising Videos

• Use social media: Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, and Instagram.
• Create a following in the community by reaching out to influencers.
• Give it time—even the best campaigns don’t succeed overnight.
• Immediacy is essential, so be sure your images reflect timely stories that are important to your organization and to your viewers.
• Create a visual narrative to encourage liking and sharing.
• Start small—you don’t need a big budget to have a big impact.
• Reach out to the community to find those willing to dedicate time to help you create a great video for your cause.

With all that in mind, here are our top tips for creating videos for your nonprofit.

Tip #1: Use a Movie Creation App to Produce Videos and Upload Them to YouTube, Vimeo, or TikTok

In just a few hours, a member of your team can get fairly skilled at iMovie. Your nonprofit will be able to easily create, edit, and publish professional-looking fundraising videos that include:

• Video clips and photos
• Music and testimonies
• Transitions and effects

Get any number of video production apps on your smartphone. Search for training videos in advance to ensure you choose the right tools. 

Tip #2: Encourage Your Staff and Volunteers to Share Videos on Facebook

Organic videos, recorded on individuals’ smartphones, are often the most effective way to capture and showcase the essence of your mission and the good you are accomplishing. Have them share on your nonprofit’s page and on their own personal pages to help spread the word. Use this content to create fresh 15-60-90 second PSA videos with a call to action for donations.

Tip #3: Use AirDrop to Easily Share Content Between Devices

Connect devices (smartphones, tablets, PCs) to a WiFi connection and use AirDrop to share content. In seconds, you can collect existing content from volunteers and supporters by having them easily transmit their videos, photos, and recordings. AirDrop is the easiest way to gather up content from multiple devices before creating a video.