How to Organize the Perfect Fundraising Event

Organizing a fundraising event might seem like a slightly outdated idea, but it can still offer a range of distinct benefits. Hosting a fundraising event can enable you to make in-person connections to offer your donors not just promises but an experience to reward their generosity. However, organizing a fundraising event is to all that simple. The quality of your fundraising event will directly represent the standards that you hold yourself to as an organization, so it is vital you get it right.

1. Think About Your Clients

The first step to organizing a successful fundraising event is to first consider who the attendees will be. Whether you are planning on selling tickets or you are going to be selling items at the event, it is likely that you will have some concept of your target attendees. The better able you are to define who your target attendee is, the more effectively you will be able to organize your fundraising event to suit their needs.

2. Create a Budget

Creating a budget is another essential step to ensure the success of any fundraising event. It is recommended that your fundraising event should be running at about a 60% profit margin. Some people choose to cover the costs of the fundraiser in the price of the tickets, but you don’t have to get your attendees to pay everything upfront. Alternatively, you can bring in extra money during your fundraiser through other means. Some of the ways that you can increase the amount of money you have coming in from your fundraiser include:

• Have a raffle
• Offer sponsorships
• Have a silent or live auction

3. Find the Right Venue

The biggest outgoing expense from your fundraising event will undoubtedly be your venue, so it is vital that you make the decision of which venue to use carefully. Ideally, you should not have to make too many alterations to a venue before you are able to use it for your fundraising event. Commonly, a venue will require you to use their bar and their restaurant for your event.

To ensure you are able to get the very best deal, you should make sure to take the time to negotiate with the venue hosts.

4. Offer the Right Incentives

When it comes to holding draws and auctions, it is important that you offer the right incentives. You should focus on offering meaningful items that are going to incentivize for the auction or the draw. For example, you could offer engraved bricks so that your donors can see their name in stone in your building after the fundraising event.

5. Hire the Right Help

Hiring the right staff is another critical step when it comes to organizing the perfect fundraising event. You should take the time to find the right entertainment to set the right tone for your event. It is not only the entertainment that you need to organize but also the organization for the auction. An experienced auctioneer can make a huge difference, so it is highly recommended that you make this investment.