The coronavirus pandemic has made virtual engagement a new necessity for many organizations, even those operating in the fundraising landscape. Since then, the majority of companies have been giving the public some fun experiences while also raising funds for specific projects. Research shows that 33% of donors prefer to engage fully or mostly virtually with their favorite firms. In fact, it is possible that this shift supporting virtual fundraising will remain strong in the coming years.
Charitable organizations hosting virtual fundraiser events store a lot of donor data, like financial information, which demands ultimate safety and security. This can be challenging to achieve, as a report from the University of Maryland says that hackers attack every 39 seconds and 2,244 times per day on average. Therefore, preventing cyber-attacks and keeping donor information safe and sound is important. For this purpose, we will cover five essentials to help organizations host secure virtual fundraiser events.
What is a Virtual Fundraiser Event?
A virtual fundraiser is an online event that seeks to solicit funds or other donations. It enables attendees and supporters to interact with your team and offer financial support to your mission from anywhere, including the comfort of their own homes. Hosting virtual fundraising events allows you to expand your audience beyond those who can attend your physical events. In addition, virtual events are less logistically complex, so their planning and execution are simpler.
An extensive range of events typically hosted in person can be moved online, including virtual auctions, nonprofits and galas, crowdfunding, peer-to-peer fundraising, concerts, contests, and so on. As a result, you can save considerable funds that would otherwise be spent while reserving a space or on other tasks, consequently enabling you to drive a greater ROI.
Bonus! Check out our mega list of 100+ Fundraising Event Ideas for Nonprofit Organisations Can Execute
5 Best Practices for a Safe and Secure Virtual Fundraiser Event
Since fundraising event organizers are a favourite focus of cyber attackers, having a security plan in place makes sense. You can control your cybersecurity risk by following the five best practices to host a secure virtual fundraiser event:
Attendee Pre-Registration
Each attendee must complete a simple pre-registration for your fundraiser event. The information obtained will help you identify any spam-like signups and weed out any suspicious accounts.
Password Protection
A strong and secure password is The primary defence against cyber threats. So, consider password-protecting your virtual fundraiser event. Only those registered for your upcoming event will get a password. Craft complex passwords that are hard to guess or crack. A password should use at least eight characters, a mix of uppercase and lowercase letters, digits, and symbols. You can use a secure password management system to create strong passwords and update them often.
Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
Research shows that 56% of nonprofits don’t use multi-factor authentication to access important data. MFA is a useful implementation for donors on their end. It is a multi-step account login method that offers an additional layer of security. In addition to providing a password, MFA requires users to provide additional information, like a passcode. With no passcode, hackers cannot access account information even if the username and password are correct. This multi-layered protection approach makes it extremely difficult for attackers to breach an account and access sensitive information.
Reliable Fundraising Platform
Another important thing is to choose the right fundraising platform to host your event. One good choice is DoJiggy – a leading fundraising application provider for nonprofits, charities, and other organizations. This platform is known for its international fundraising services, connecting people all across the globe. Its stand-out features include donation software for one-time or recurring donations, donation management applications for online fundraising campaigns, like online auctions, peer-to-peer crowdfunding fundraisers, event ticketing, live streaming to enhance donor engagement with virtual events, and integration with Zapier to provide smooth donor management.
Additional Security Measures
Additional security measures can and should be taken to ensure donor data security at your organization. Here are the major ones:
- Encryption – In this process, plain text is coded with an algorithm called a cipher, and one of its variables is a key that can be used to unlock the information. A hacker must guess the type of cipher used and its key to unlock the information, which is quite a challenging and almost impossible process.
- Tokenization – It is a process of replacing sensitive information with a string of numbers chosen using algorithms. This information can then be sent securely via online servers to make purchases, donations, and other information transactions. Tokenization is the most widely used method to protect payment information.
- VPN – Virtual private network, or VPN, is a service that adds security and anonymity to users when they connect to websites or web-based services. VPN establishes a protected network connection when using public networks. It creates a tunnel in which your IP address is hidden, as well as encrypts your data and connections. While some VPNs are cheap or even free to use, many create a safe, encrypted online connection and provide additional features for a price.
- Firewalls – A firewall is a network security measure that tracks the traffic and blocks certain data packets depending on the default security rules and protocols. This security measure keeps hackers or viruses away from your data.
Virtual Fundraising: Wrapping Up
With every passing day, more and more fundraising events are moving online. Virtual fundraiser events and campaigns stand out for their flexibility, cost-effectiveness, and ability to reach wide audiences. However, organizations hosting these events are not exempted from cyberattacks. So, it is vital to ensure the safety of personal data about members, donors, workers, and others. With the right precautions and plans, charitable fundraising companies can protect sensitive information while responsibly delivering their missions and aiding their beneficiaries.
