Organizing a fundraising event for a non-profit organization is an essential way to engage the community, expand the network, attract new donors and volunteers, and raise funds for the cause. To ensure success, it is vital to choose the right type of event, create an engaging experience for followers, and evaluate the results. To begin with, it is important to define who the event is for and how much you want to raise. This will help clarify the additional goals needed to succeed.
Do you need nonprofit volunteers to help organize the event? If so, how many? What location will work best? Are you looking for sponsors for in-kind donations and gifts? Do you need media attention to get the word out about your nonprofit event? Clearly outlining your goals and needs from the start will help the event go smoothly. Organize a photo contest to draw attendees, build brand awareness, and connect with donors more organically. Identify a topic or subject for your contest, and then invite donors to share their photos on Instagram with the appropriate hashtags and photo tags. Collect all the entries, upload them to a central home page and ask your community to vote for their favorite by making a small monetary donation.
Nowadays, everyone has a professional quality camera in their pocket. Organize an amateur photo contest to discover which fans can take the best photo with their iPhone, camera or mobile device. Events are an important fundraising tool for nonprofit organizations, and millennials, in particular, love live events because of the sense of connection they inspire. That's why thousands of nonprofit organizations trust Eventbrite to promote their events, raise more funds, and sell more tickets.
Check out our 10-step guide to planning a unique charity event or fundraiser that exceeds your goals and expectations. Take into account all of these elements and then make sure to include them in your current nonprofit event planning process. One of the best things you can do before you start is to invest in a CRM for non-profit organizations to streamline your process. Heat up the pans and recruit a team of passionate volunteers to serve endless piles of pancakes in support of your nonprofit organization.
Setting up your budget in a spreadsheet in Microsoft Excel can help you keep track of all the expenses and details and, ultimately, avoid worst-case scenarios, such as losing money during your event. Volunteers are the main workforce behind most nonprofit organizations, making them an obvious choice for nonprofit events as well. While location is key, it's just as important to consider what the venue offers in terms of discounts or special promotions to help with the event's fundraising efforts. InitLive offers a volunteer management solution that can be used for both programs and everyday events, which gives non-profit organizations the ability to manage all their volunteers in one place. For those looking to meet like-minded new people and share a common interest in philanthropy, organize a speed-dating fundraising event to break the ice among singles in your community and create a welcoming environment for connection. Like those participating in non-profit endurance events, participants in a polar dive can ask friends, family, and loved ones to support their ambitious goals. Fundraising events for nonprofit organizations are an excellent way to engage your nonprofit community, expand your network, attract new donors and volunteers, and raise funds for your cause.
It's always beneficial to ask what topic, activities or artists your followers are most interested in for your next event. This step will include all the details of your event which are extremely important to include in your nonprofit organization's event planning checklist. If you've organized a nonprofit event in the past, that means you have an enormous resource at your disposal. While the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines offers hope for nonprofit event planning, it's still important to check with local health and safety authorities about the rules and regulations for events. Most nonprofit organizations rely on a few fundraising events a year to get much-needed donations and raise awareness for their cause.
