Successful Nonprofit Fundraising Event Planning and Execution

Nonprofit fundraising events are an excellent method to build support and recruit new contributors. But on the other hand, significant events need extensive organization, financial backing, and hard labor. So before booking that banquet space or making those golfing appointments, consider the following:

Is it vital to hold an event? Even while events may be a lot of fun, you should have a clear vision of the outcome.

Who is our target audience? Is this for current supporters, or are you looking for new ones? 

Perhaps your event is for customers. Determine your target audience before you begin event planning.

What are we expecting them to do? First, provide guests with a clear call to action.

Is holding an event the best option? Events may be time-consuming and costly, so be sure they are the best method to achieve your target goal. If your primary purpose is to promote awareness, you should reconsider.

Create a strategy to assist you in arranging, advertising, and staging your fundraising event once you've concluded it's the best method for your group.

fundraising event

Here are Steps to a Create and Deliver a Successful Fundraiser

1. Establish a reasonable goal:

Set ONE objective and concentrate solely on that goal. It should be measurable and aimed.

You must also set a budget and stick to it! Your budget and ticket pricing must be in sync. If your event is extravagant, the ticket price should be more significant. Do you know how much money your guests are willing to pay? Before you decide, be sure they are willing to spend that much on a ticket.
2. Select the appropriate type of event:

Your event should include:

Your main fundraising objective 

The fundraiser is an essential part of any successful campaign. Whether raising money for a political candidate, a nonprofit organization, or a local school, a fundraiser can help you reach your goals. But how do you ensure that your fundraiser is successful? The first step is to set a clear objective. 

What are you trying to raise money for? 

How much do you need to raise? 

Once you have a clear idea of your goal, you can begin planning your fundraiser. Panning may include choosing a date and venue, setting ticket prices, and recruiting volunteers. With careful planning and execution, your fundraiser can be a success.

Your target market or demography

If you're planning a fundraiser, it's crucial to have a clear understanding of your target market. 

Who are you trying to reach with your event? 

What is their age range? 

What are their interests? 

What is their income level? 

Answering these questions will help you determine the best way to reach your target market and maximize the success of your fundraiser. For example, if you're trying to reach young professionals, you might consider holding the event at a trendy nightspot. If you're trying to reach families, you might consider holding the event at a local park or community center. By taking the time to understand your target market, you'll be in a much better position to make your fundraiser a success.

fundraising receiving kindness

Your company's identity and mission

Your company's identity and mission are essential considerations when planning a fundraiser. You'll want to choose an event that aligns with your company's values and will appeal to your target audience. For example, if your company is committed to environmental causes, you might consider a fundraiser that supports an environmental organization. Or, if you're looking to engage your local community, you might plan a fundraiser that benefits a local charity. By careful planning, you can ensure that your fundraiser is a success and that it reflects positively on your company.

Your Fundraiser Event Budget 

Regarding fundraiser budgeting, there are a few key things to remember. First, you'll need to determine how much money you have to work with. Determining your budget may require creative thinking, but it's essential to be realistic to avoid overspending. Once you have a clear idea of your budget, you can start planning what type of fundraiser you'll hold. Many options are available, so choosing one that will fit your budget and meet your fundraising goals is essential. You can hold a successful fundraiser on any budget with little planning and creativity.

Your available time to dedicate to the event

You have a fundraiser to plan, but you're short on time. What can you do to make the most of your available time?

One option is to focus on online fundraising. Social media makes it easy to reach a broad audience with your fundraiser. You can promote your fundraiser on your page and any relevant group pages or forums. You can also create a fundraiser page on a crowdfunding site. Leveraging social media and crowd-sourcing platforms will give you more control over how your fundraiser is presented, and it's easier to collect donations through these platforms.

Another option is to hold a smaller fundraiser. Instead of trying to reach everyone in your community, focus on inviting your closest friends and family. Smaller fundraising can be accomplished through a simple event like a bake sale or car wash. You can also ask for donations directly from the people you know who would be most likely to support your cause.

No matter what option you choose, the most important thing is to get started and make the most of your available time. Then, with some planning and effort, you can hold a successful fundraiser – even if you're short on time.

Your employees and volunteers

A fundraiser is a great way to get your employees and volunteers involved in your organization. By getting them involved in planning and executing the fundraiser, you can help build team morale and loyalty. Moreover, by involving them in the fundraiser, you can also help to raise awareness of your organization's mission and goals. In addition, fundraising can also be a great way to raise money for your organization. Finally, getting your employees and volunteers involved in the fundraiser can help make it a success.

Make sure you already have a network of supporters in place. A significant event is not necessarily the best one to start with. Before holding that big gala, you might want to do a few smaller events to get people to know you.

1. Obtain corporate sponsors: 

You must identify your value to demonstrate why your firm is a good match. For example, how does your purpose fit in with the aims of the sponsor? Do they already have staff that supports your cause? How many individuals have benefitted from your organization in the community?

Discuss the number and demographics of the audience you intend to target. Then, inform prospective sponsors how they will be presented and promoted at the event.

Offer several sponsorship packages and levels to attract both small "mom and pop" sponsors and large corporations. Getting a sponsor begins with building a connection. Don't restrict yourself to what you can provide as a package to the sponsor. Instead, inquire about what is essential to them and design a package around it. They might not want as much as you think.

2. Create an exciting experience for your supporters:

Consider the following suggestions for a successful fundraising event:

Invite the right folks. (Use your donation management system to identify distinct attendance categories and donors.)

Take note of your invitation. Make it exciting and relevant to your cause. Early bird pricing and unique advantages for early registrants can create a feeling of urgency.

Go for the green! Send the paper only to those who require it, and sell tickets online.

Solicit more donations from participants as well as non-attendees. Give them a choice to pay more than the ticket fee - many attendees will give extra if asked.

Encourage ticket purchasers to spread the news by making it simple for them to publicize the event via Facebook buttons or tweets.

Consider starting a peer-to-peer fundraising campaign to supplement your event and make it more personal and involved.

Thank your supporters right away.

Make something else than your typical chicken supper. Encourage "out of the box" thinking, but also aim to educate your fans. For example, create an "educational gallery" instead of your usual cocktail hour—showcase beautiful images and intriguing tales about your actions.

3 .Promote your event aggressively:

Create a communication strategy. Use your website, social media, email, and print. Allow corporate sponsors to promote the event through a widget on their website. Invite folks to be your advocates. Please consider finding the most ardent supporters for your cause and urge them to promote the event on their social media profiles.

4. Evaluate your outcomes and build your relationships:

Examine whether you stayed within your budget after the event. Did your promotions entice people to come? Did more people sign up online or in person? Did you get any new donors? How did your corporate sponsorships go? Analyze the responses to these questions to determine what worked and didn't. Then, following the event, thank your supporters, nurture new contributors, and give more chances for event attendees to interact with and support your cause.

Fundraising is made easy and fun with Embers Candle Bar.

Take the stress out of your next fundraiser and make it something everyone will love. We offer three easy options for raising money with candles.

Fundraising with Embers Candle Bar is an excellent way for a motivated group to raise money. We give you an order sheet of our top 10-12 seasonal single scents, and you get to sell them to your family and friends. 

Our Process

We all know a few people who are nuts for candles. Your organization collects all the money directly via cash, check, Venmo, or whatever works best. Sales typically last 2-3 weeks. 

Once the sales period has finished, you turn your order sheets over to us and buy the candles at a discounted rate. 

We price our fundraiser candles on a sliding scale so that the more you sell, the more you make! 

Pricing

Candles sell for $25

First 50 candles - $19 ($6 for you)

51-150 candles - $17 ($8 for you)

151-500 candles - $15 ($10 for you)

500+ candles $13 ($12 for you) 

We even include bags and packaging to make your orders look great! 

Candle Pouring

Candle pouring is a fun, easy way to fundraise! We choose a day (Tues-Thurs) that works for your organization to host a Fundraising Day in our store. 

We provide you with marketing materials so you can spread the word throughout your community. 

Your organization will receive a donation of 20% of our proceeds from that day. 

We require a party of at least eight people from your group to be eligible for the donation, but the more people you get to visit, the more you make. ** Must have 501c3 designation 

Private Label

Are you looking for a way to personalize your fundraising? 

Look no further. We offer private labeling wholesale candles you buy wholesale and sell for a profit. You get to create your custom scent, and we will use any artwork you have to create the candle labels. Sold in cases of 36 and need 4-6 weeks of lead time. 


Jody Autrey