special events
One proven way to raise funds, build relationships and acquire visibility for your organization is to host an event. This section covers all you need to know to achieve success, and provides you with some templates that you can customize to your event.
feature article:
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Analyze This: A Nonprofit's Guide to Event Fundraising Analytics is a truly useful free ebook for nonprofit event fundraisers, written by Jono Smith (formerly of Network for Good) for Convio and Event360, that shows, step by step, how you can use the data collected from your fundraising events to create more successful events in the future. |
- Communitywide special events are staged for a variety of reasons - to celebrate a holiday, season, or an historical event, to raise money, to provide a cultural or educational experience, or to provide fund and entertainment. This article will give you the steps to take and the information you need to make it happen.
- Replace the annual “rubber chicken” dinner with something that will really interest your donors and bring in new ones. Here’s one unique idea.
- This information will tell you how to run a halloween pumpkin fundraiser.
- Events. To do them or not to do them, that is the question. Every non-profit’s goal is to generate sustainable funding; is an event the means to this end? Here is a really great article that discusses both sides of the issue.
- This is a funny take on the “what you’ll get for your money” part of an event invitation.
But the question then arises – do you use guilt to encourage people to donate? As a fundraiser, I used to say I’d take money from anyone except maybe a drug dealer. I tried to have at least one scruple. I grew up with guilt. My mother was the queen of guilt. When she invited us for dinner on Friday night and I told her we couldn’t come, she’d say, “so why did I buy the extra chicken?” That’s elementary guilt. But my mom was a Phi Beta Kappa in guilt. She would give my husband two ties for a gift. When he appeared in one to show her how much he liked it, she would say, “so you didn’t like the other one?” She was good! I tried to me more subtle in my fundraising output, but guilt was there if it would work – and if often did. If you’ve tried to think of every which way to raise funds, you’ll enjoy this article. - Why not to do a golf tournament.
- Customize this Event Timeline.
It will totally organize your event "to-do's," tell you who needs to do what by when, and the result will be a well organized, easy to run special event!
View template now... - Looking to organize a special event?
View article now.. - Seven biggest special event planning mistakes and how to avoid them. Special events can make or break you. Read these tips on what to avoid.
Looking for more information? The links below are to sites that we feel may be helpful in your search:
- Fundraising Ideas.
- We've said it a million times - fundraisers eat, drink, sleep, think "raising money." Here's an article that supports the theory that you should not have an event unless your goal is to raise money from it. See how much money you should make for every $100 spent and get motivated from this message.
- Lots of articles with all kinds of fundraising tips here.
- This blog provides good information and templates that will help organize your pre and post event.
- 50 ways to have a successful auction.
- How to raise $$ in 30 days - read here.
- For fundraising idea updates.
- Top 5 fundraising ideas.
- Gives names of companies for items you can sell to make $$. We don't like this kind of FR, but…
- Special Events Checklist.
- This is an event marketing plan.
- Free fundraising tips.
- This is a free copy of 100 pages to download on specific topic areas of fundraising.
- Guide to special events fundraising.
- Things to think about before throwing a party.