Fundraising events represent just one of the various tactics you can use to raise funds for your nonprofit organization.
Because the stakes are high, it takes careful planning, attention to details and dedicating a few weeks for the preparations.
To help you in the planning process, you can follow the fundraising event rules we are about to discuss in this article.
This way, you can be confident you will make the most out of your special event and get closer to reaching this year’s fundraising goal.
Here are the rules you should always follow when organizing a fundraising event.
- Put Together a Team
Staff is an integral part of a charity event, which is why you need to figure out how many people you are going to need for the event.
If your organization is small, then you may not have that many volunteers on hand, which is why you will need to think about recruiting them for the event.
As your organization grows, you will have a lot more supporters, but at the same time, the event may take place on a larger scale. In this case, you also need to figure out if the volunteers and the organization members can cover the entire staff needs.
- Set Goals
The event needs to revolve around the goals you are going to set beforehand.
For example, aside from setting the goal to raise a certain amount of money, you could also aim to have a specific number of people attend the fundraiser, gain more media coverage or connect and build relationships with more sponsors.
The goals will help you stay focused on the end game.
- Know Who Your Audience Is
When it comes to fundraising event rules, knowing the audience is connected to your goals.
If one of your goals is to gain more publicity, then you may also want to consider inviting media.
Knowing whom you are going to invite will also dictate the entertainment you will hire and whether you want to go for a special dinner, an auction or combine them into one event.
- Hire Entertainment
Hiring a keynote speaker or a famous entertainer can get your event more exposure even before it is begun.
However, aside from publicity, entertainment is a staple at fundraisers because it will keep your guests engaged for longer, avoid boredom and turn an average evening into an unforgettable one.
- Plan in Advance
Depending on the size of your charity event, you may need to start planning it months in advance.
This is one of those fundraising event rules which can be easily overlooked.
From booking the venue to finding the right entertainment, creating and sending the invitations and starting the promotion – all of these activities take time, and it is best to check them off your list as early in the planning process as possible.
That way, you will get to focus only on the smaller details after you have taken care of the bigger picture.
Do You Apply These Fundraising Event Rules?
It is not too late to start doing it right now. By respecting these five tips, you will notice how much easier it is going to be planning a charity event from scratch.
