For Private Schools: Online Fundraising Films That Mobilize Digital Audiences

Fundraising used to always mean a big room, a dinner, a podium, and a captive audience. Nowadays, it ain't necessarily so.

In the online fundraising world, you don’t get a stage—you get a scroll. That means you have seconds (not minutes) to make someone stop, watch, care, and give. That’s why your fundraising films need to draw in the crowd and promise a big payoff.

Online Fundraising Campaign Films by Shmuel Hoffman

Magen David Yeshivah – “MDY Makes History”

We put this film together during COVID lockdown, celebrating the legacy, growth, and impact of MDY. Using moving images of a prototype of the book, and using archival interviews to tell the story of the history of the Syrian Jews in Brooklyn working together to create a yeshiva, combined with some of our own footage of MDY from before COVID. Released as the flagship film for MDY’s online fundraising drive, we managed to use the book as the storytelling element to review MDY's history, and to place this fundraising opportunity - participating in the book - as a part of the ongoing legacy of the school.

Yeshiva Ohavei Torah – “Rebbes and Fathers”

With this short, intimate film, we wanted to capture the special bond between rebbeim and fathers, as partners, both in educating their boys, as well as in making the education happen. The implication here is that everyone is doing their part, and it is incumbent upon the community to support the Rebbeim, who are working with the boys daily and shaping them into the future leaders of the community. The film was widely shared during Ohavei’s digital fundraising campaign.

Ma’ayanot – “Girls Speak”

This concept involved mothers and their daughters interviewed together, showing how we pass on our values to the next generation.Designed to highlight Ma’ayanot’s mission during their online campaign, here again we remind the audience that it is the responsibility of the community to put our all into educating and supporting the next generation, in many ways, including financially through donations.

We receive feedback after most fundraisers that viewers report being brought to tears by our films. We are always pleased to know that we struck a chord, and that audiences are moved by the way we present the stories of our clients, and make the case for giving. The fundraisers we have made films for have typically seen a result of at least 116%-124% funded - so more than fully funded.

These films are built to grab attention fast, hit hard emotionally, and inspire action—without the advantage of a live moment. Your audience is distracted, spread out, and ready to swipe left. Your film needs to feel moving, and personal - striking a cord off the bat —like it was made just for that individual, as if chosen by an algorithm. 

While so many out there think they need to make fast, punchy films to fit in to the vibe on social, we go in the opposite direction, to make our films stand out. Fast and furious is great for recruitment films, but when you're asking people for donations, drawing out their emotions and pointing to what they value is the way to open hearts and checkbooks.

Here are 3 things your concept and edit should do to make your online fundraising film stand out.

1. Do what they don't expect: make them pause. If they can bingewatch a show for hours on Netflix, they till slow down to hear your message for the heart on social. It's about their relationship with your org that you've built that makes them trust that this content will be worth the watch.

2. Stir the heart: Our fundraising films don’t focus on features - they focus on benefits - the meaning behind the programs and atmosphere and service that you create day in and day out. We want our films to show impact, not just list the programs you offer. Real stories. Real people. Real transformation.

3. Create a sense of mission: The viewer should feel like they’re joining something bigger than themselves, and that it's only in collaboration with your organization that these results can be achieved.

We strive to make our online fundraising films high-impact and emotionally-driven, to make the sale. These aren’t just pretty videos. They’re tactical tools designed to convert attention into donations—at scale.

Online fundraising isn’t Plan B—it’s frontline strategy. It’s broad-reach, high-pressure... and here to stay. The right online film can transform a passive viewer into an emotionally invested donor. With story-first filmmaking, our campaign films prove that even on a small screen, you can still make a big impact—and unlock major generosity to reach your fundraising goals and beyond.

Click here to see some of our fundraising gala dinner films.