Set up a Fundraising Event

Much has been discussed with regards to the world's problems and the amount of money needed to put a dent in the need. Consider doing your bit by setting up a fun fundraising event! You'll need to know what sort of charity you'll be helping, brainstorm fundraising ideas, and figure out ideas for venues and guest lists.

Steps

Doing the Legwork

  1. Decide which charity you are going to help. Which one do you think requires the funds most? If you are unsure, discuss this with friends and family.[1]
    • Talk to organizations in your community, such as religious organizations, homeless shelters, veterans organizations, schools, and libraries. These types of places often need funding, and you'll make a real impact right there in your own community.
  2. Set your fundraising goal. It's helpful to have an idea of how much money you want to raise. You may find that participants are more enthusiastic when they have a concrete goal to work toward.[1]
  3. Determine your audience.[2] Think about the type of people you can get to attend your fundraiser. Are you targeting your friends and family? Co-workers? Fellow classmates or their parents? The type of event that you hold should be tailored to the types of things this group of people will enjoy doing.
    • For example, if you're running a fundraiser to benefit your school's band, you might want to set up a bake sale or a carnival.
    • You should also keep in mind what might not go over well with your audience. For example, you might not want to host a benefit wine tasting event if you are raising money for your conservative church.
  4. Decide what the event is going to be. Ideas are limited only by your creativity. You could choose to hold something traditional, such as a silent auction or a dinner, or you could try something really different, such as a race, a water-fight, or even collecting donations while wearing something silly for the whole day. Be creative![3]
    • Make sure the event is an "experience." This means that you make your fundraiser fun to participate in. Ideas could be having guest speakers, a band, activities after dinner, etc.[4]
    • You can offer a service with your fundraiser, such as hosting a car wash, or you can have contests, such as a wacky dance contest or a karaoke contest.[3] (If you have games or contests, you will need judges.)
  5. Set a budget. Sometimes, you have to spend money to make money. However, in order to know whether you've actually made any money for your charity, you need to establish a budget for your fundraising event.[1]
    • Include the cost of things like the venue, items or services for raffles, food and drink, tickets, and guest speakers or entertainers.
    • You may be able to get services, items, and venues donated by local businesses. Explain to them that you are hosting a fundraising event for your charity and that they can earn community goodwill (and exposure for their business) by donating to your event.[5]
  6. Find out if the cause you are championing has a list of people who would be open to being contacted. Email is especially useful for contacting many people at the same time, particularly for finding volunteers.
    • Use the contact list to find anybody who has experience with the type of fundraiser you are planning. They don’t have to have been in charge, but any experience will be helpful. This is very helpful, if you don’t have any experience!
  7. Consider opening a bank account. This is especially helpful for fundraising events that help a person or family. In many states, if you plan on asking the public for donations you must establish a bank account for your charity.[6] Put a name on the account to be sure it is clear for tax purposes. For example, if you are raising funds for a child (let’s say Susan Smith) who is getting treatments for cancer, name the account something like the “Susan Smith Donation Fund.”

Making Arrangements

  1. Find a place to hold the event. Possible places for large indoor events include: churches, schools, wineries, restaurants or halls of fraternal organizations. Find out where other similar events have been held and ask about the availability of those places. Depending on what your event is benefiting, you might get the space donated. You can also use the contact list to ask people for ideas on a place for your event.[5]
  2. Tour the facilities to determine if there is adequate space and to find out what supplies are available to use. While touring the facilities, make a map of the event ahead of time to help avoid any “traffic” problems, such as lines blocking places needing access.
  3. Determine a date and time. Consider things such as when other fundraisers are being held. Choose an end time that takes into consideration time for clean up.
  4. Decide what types of payment you will accept. Cash and checks are fairly easy. Credit cards probably get people to spend more but are more complicated. You may consider something like Square, which works with mobile phones. Be aware that Square has fees attached. Also, credit card companies take a percentage of each sale as payment.
    • You can also set up a PayPal account to help you take donations.
    • Be sure that when you set up, the entrance table has a clear large sign letting donors know to whom the checks are payable.
  5. Check with proper authorities to see if you need to complete any paperwork. For example, if you are holding a raffle, you may need to speak with the gaming authority. If you're selling food, you may need to check with the health department.
  6. Determine if your event will be free admission or require tickets. If the event requires paid admission, determine prices (single, couple, family) and make tickets. Tickets are fairly cheap, so overestimate rather than underestimate the number you need. You may also use a service like EventBrite (basic service is free) to coordinate the sale of tickets and/or guest list.
    • You could charge a "cover" fee for a benefit concert, and then have a raffle afterward. It's a good idea to provide multiple opportunities for donors to contribute.[4]
    • Depending on the type of event, you might get some friends and family to donate money in return for being allowed to take part.
  7. Get cash for change and a lock box to hold cash and checks as people pay. Consider putting a large bucket at your entrance table with a sign on it that gives people an opportunity to donate more. It works surprisingly well. Watch all money repositories very carefully. Probably nothing will happen, but it would be easy for someone to grab something and run out the door.
    • It's a good idea to assign one or two people to manage the money. These people should monitor the money at all times to make sure nothing happens.
  8. Purchase necessary supplies. Make a detailed list of everything you need. For a silent auction, for example, you will need tables, clipboards, paper, pens, and donated goods and services. If you are having catering or entertainment, you may need food, glasses, plates, lighting, etc.

Spreading the Word

  1. Get the word out. Find out if a local advertising business would be willing to help. A local newspaper can be helpful. Contact both the advertising department for advertising and the editorial department or a columnist for news coverage of your event. Contact local radio and television stations to see if they will give your event news coverage or offer Public Service Announcements. Use your contact list to have people spread the word via email, Twitter, Facebook etc.[5]
  2. Make up flyers and post them around the area. If you make a flyer on your computer and know how to make it into a PDF or a JPEG, you can email that to anyone on your contact list willing to print and post flyers.
  3. Pre-sell tickets, if you are charging admission. There are free websites which can help you, such as EventBrite.[7] This gives people who can’t make it to the event a chance to donate to the cause. It also can give you an idea of how popular the event might be. (This is helpful when buying supplies.) Volunteers can try to get permission to set up tables at local businesses to sell tickets and accept donations. This is good advertising, too.
    • You can offer an "early bird" discount if you are charging for the tickets to encourage people to buy early.
    • You can also offer a group discount. This will encourage people to tell their friends and book in larger groups.
    • Consider a VIP Early Access event. For example, if you are hosting a silent auction, you can charge extra for VIP tickets that let holders get in to the auction early and scope out the goods. Or, if you're hosting a benefit concert, you could have a pre-concert meet & greet for VIPs.

Setting it Up

  1. Start well in advance. There are always last-minute glitches that cause delays. Make sure you start preparation well in advance of your event's start time. A big volunteer team can help things run smoothly.[1]
  2. Keep it fun. A pleasant ambiance will do a lot for your fundraising event, but what that means depends on the type of event.[8] A fancy benefit dinner might have candles and floral arrangements on the tables, whereas a charity cookout would be less formal. Make sure your event space reflects the mood you want to set for your event.
  3. Make things clear. Make sure that attendees know exactly where to go and what the function of each space is. For example, if you are running a silent auction, make large signs specifying where bids can be taken, where people go to pay, etc. Use your tables to create large aisles to direct people where you want them to go.
  4. Start the event!. Try to make it as fun as possible. This means being positive and energetic. Interact with the people attending your event. Let them know how thankful you are for their generosity.
  5. Clean up as much as possible after the event. Be sure to keep your receipts and careful records.
    • Send thank-you notes to donors and sponsors after the event.[8]
  6. Take the money you have collected to the charity. You may want to designate one person to be in charge of this.



Tips

  • Be nice and kind to customers or donors.
  • Don't let people wiggle their way in if they don't want to pay.
  • Remember, if you are collecting money or admission fees don't price them too high.
  • If you are holding a car wash or something similar, remind everyone to bring clothes that can get wet.
  • Offer refunds to people who change their mind.

Warnings

  • Be careful not to do things considered offensive by many people. The point of a fundraiser is to raise money, not be offensive or test social limits.

Things You'll Need

  • Equipment for event.
  • People
  • Money.
  • Of course an Event Manager.

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 http://www.thefundraisingauthority.com/fundraising-basics/fundraising-event/
  2. ↑ http://www.networkforgood.com/nonprofitblog/secret-effectively-marketing-your-fundraising-event
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 http://oasc.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/100-Fundraising-Ideas.pdf
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 https://www.themuse.com/advice/5-things-you-need-to-throw-a-fabulous-fundraiser
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 http://www.networkforgood.com/nonprofitblog/planning-and-executing-your-next-big-event/
  6. ↑ https://www.irs.gov/Charities-&-Non-Profits/Charitable-Organizations/Charitable-Solicitation-Initial-State-Registration
  7. ↑ http://www.fundraiserhelp.com/10-ways-sell-event-tickets.htm
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 http://www.afpnet.org/files/contentdocuments/makingthemostofyourspecialevent_english_stubhubversion.pdf
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