Fundraisers are a great way to raise money for worthy causes and charities. But, organizing a fundraiser is no easy task. Making sure that your fundraiser runs smoothly and achieves the desired goals all comes down to thorough planning.
In fact, it isn’t enough to simply set a goal. You need to analyze and identify the best steps to take in order to reach it!
So, how can you achieve this? How can you optimize your planning so that you achieve your goals? It’s all about setting clear objectives for yourself, and following each step to a T.
Below are our top 6 tips for planning a fundraiser. The more organized you are, the better the chance for success!
This may seem obvious, but it is crucial. You need to think about the purpose of your fundraiser, and ask yourself what you are looking to achieve and what your goals are. Who are you looking to benefit? Is it a cause or a charity? How much money do you need to raise?
Once you have identified your purpose, you can start looking at other things - like your target audience. What kind of people or organizations can you target your fundraiser towards in order to achieve your fundraising goals?
By asking yourself all of these questions, you are taking the first steps towards defining clear objectives for yourself and your fundraiser. There’s no use in beginning your planning without knowing and analyzing the purpose and goals of your event.
Because fundraisers often need a set amount of money in order to be worth it, you need to identify your fundraising goal first. Once you know your goals, you can start thinking about things like your budget.
First of all, don’t set yourself a budget without considering sponsors first. Sponsors are a wonderful way to make sure that the majority of the money made during a fundraiser goes towards the cause. What’s more, sponsors increase the visibility of your event!
Then, think about the costs that will go into planning and executing the event. Taking into consideration the overheads of the event, you can set ticket prices that cover or exceed these. The more money you can make or save straight off the bat before the fundraising starts, the better!
In this step, you'll want to make sure that you assign tasks, roles, and authority in the best way possible. Think about each person’s strengths and who works well together. Now, you can form teams and team leaders - each with their own specific goal to reach in mind.
It’s also a good idea to consider saving money by attracting volunteers and host committees. Fundraisers for causes and charities that people are invested and interested in will always attract helpers. These helpers come with their own skills and strengths.
Host committees and volunteers may also be able to provide you with new, helpful resources that can aid you in decreasing your overheads, increasing your profits, and boosting visibility of your event.
Remember that a fundraiser will only be as strong as the people who work towards making it a success!
This is a simple yet important part in the process of organizing a fundraiser. Here, you’ll want to ask yourself questions like when, where, and how. When will your fundraiser be held? Where will it be held - online or in person? How much time will you give your donors to donate to your cause or charity? And how do you plan on accepting and storing money?
Logistics also means setting schedules for yourself and for your team. So, set clear deadlines for tasks and don’t stray from them.
Be as meticulous as possible when organizing a fundraiser. You’ll always see the benefits of careful, considerate planning for large or important events like fundraisers.
Marketing is a very important step when it comes to organizing a successful fundraiser. We’ve already spoken about increasing visibility and reaching out to target audiences, volunteers, and host committees. But, what are some of the best ways to achieve increased visibility?
Use the internet! This is an inexpensive (or often free) way to market your fundraiser and let all kinds of people and organizations know about your efforts to raise money for a worthy cause or charity.
Social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram are a great place to start. Here, you can reach potential donors from all over.
You can also go the traditional route of placing adverts in the form of newspaper pieces, posters, and flyers. Never underestimate the power of this simple advertising tactic. Again, you can also enlist the help of volunteers and host committees to get the word out.
Here, you should think about how money will be accepted, stored, and ultimately used for your cause. You’ll need a treasurer to keep track of everything, and to set up accounts too. It’s a great idea to consider platforms like PayPal. They are easy to navigate and transfer money into and out of.
Or, if you’re hosting an online fundraiser, like a virtual auction, you can use management software like BiddingOwl. This ensures that your donors have an easy check-out process and integrates with PayPal to make the entire process seamless.
Another thing you need to remember is to always send thank you notes to your donors and volunteers. This will not only show your appreciation, but also increase the chances of them donating or helping again!
Keeping in mind these 6 tips for organizing a fundraiser, you’ll be well on your way to making sure the event is a success! It all comes down to proper planning and setting realistic goals.
By identifying your target audience and goals, you can plan better and market your fundraiser better. Thus, you will be able to host a successful event and raise more funds for your nonprofit or charity organization.
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