Best practices for fundraising events
Start early: Plan your event well in advance to ensure you have enough time to secure sponsors, promote the event, and execute it successfully. All event announcements are always best with the sponsors already secured.
Focus on the donor experience: Make sure your event is enjoyable and meaningful for your donors, and that they feel appreciated for their support.
Provide a clear call to action: Make sure your donors know what you are asking of them, whether it's to make a donation or to get involved in another way.
Collect data: Collect contact information from all attendees so you can follow up with them after the event and keep them engaged with your organization.
Mistakes to avoid
Not having a clear purpose: Make sure your event has a clear purpose and message that aligns with your organization's mission.
Overspending: Stick to your budget and avoid overspending on unnecessary items that will not significantly impact the success of the event.
Underspending: Nonprofits have limited budgets, we get it. However, underspending can also make your nonprofit look “cheap” or “ungrateful”. Create a budget that meets your needs in a professional manner and don’t be afraid to spend money to make money.
Ignoring logistics: Make sure you have a detailed plan for all logistics of the event, including food, entertainment, and transportation. Walk through the line-up with all staff to make sure everyone is on the same-page and the logistics are realistic.
Neglecting follow-up: Follow up with donors after the event to thank them for their support and restate the impact they made.
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