One of the biggest benefits of online fundraising is how easily you can share your project. With just a click of a button and a quick message, you can reach thousands of potential donors via social media, email, PDF documents, or even through a link on your website.

But how do you promote an online fundraiser on game day, or when you’re hosting in-person events?

QR Codes

After everything went digital in the COVID-19 pandemic, the majority of us have become accustomed to scanning QR codes. We scan them to order food at restaurants, enter competitions, and even to book appointments, so why not at a sports club?

Creating a QR code that links to your fundraiser, and then displaying a physical copy at a venue is a simple way to get extra donations to your project. You could display one permanently at the canteen, or place printed copies around a venue for one-off events.

Creating a QR code

Countless websites provide a free service for creating QR codes, and they often offer customisation options that enable you to add your logo or colours, as well as options for tracking the code’s performance. 

For just a simple QR code, one of the best free generators is QR Code Monkey, which enables you to enter your URL, set colours, add a logo and provides three different design customisation tools without even having to set up an account. By signing up for a free account, you can access statistics and edit your code at a later date.

However, Canva has also recently released a free option to create a QR code, which you can add directly to your design or any of their thousands of templates.

Presenting your QR code

Although it’s an option, just simply printing your QR code off most likely isn’t going to get you the results you’d hope for. For it to be effective, you need to give people information about what they’re scanning and why.

This can be done on a simple Word doc, or if you want to make the display more eye-catching, you can take advantage of Canva’s design options.

For this, you will need a free account. Once you’re signed up, simply enter something similar to “QR display” or “QR template” into the search bar and select a design you like, or if you’ve got the time and skills, you can create one from scratch. 

Designs can be customised to your liking, so you can add logos, photos, custom colours and write your text. 

At the bottom of the left-hand side navigation bar of your design, there will be an option to add a QR code. Just enter the URL for your fundraising project, and it will be generated and added to the design. Once it’s complete, you can download and print it yourself, or even get it printed and delivered to you through Canva.

Alternatively, if your fundraising project doesn’t have an end date, you may like to consider a more permanent solution. For a small cost, you can get a QR code that leads to your project printed onto an acrylic or wooden sign through websites like Etsy.

QR codes aren’t the only way you can encourage supporters to connect with and contribute to your project. Check out our guide on Adding a ‘Donate Now’ Button to Your Website for more tips and tricks.