Planning Your Next Nonprofit Fundraising Event: 4 Tips
Events are a significant part of most nonprofit’s fundraising strategies. They offer opportunities for your organization to form deeper connections with your existing supporters, to meet potential new donors, and to bring the community together around your cause.
Many fundraising events also have the potential for a high return on investment (ROI), helping you to bring in significant funding for your organization’s programs and projects. However, this is only the case if you plan thoroughly and strategically.
In this guide, we’ll share four tips for planning successful fundraising events and direct you to valuable tools and resources that will take your fundraisers to the next level. Let’s get started!
1. Choose an Event That Resonates With Supporters
Before you start planning the logistics of your event fundraisers, you first need to decide what type of event you’ll host. Each event will require a different investment of time and resources up front and will attract a different audience, so make sure to consider those factors as you plan.
Here are some common types of fundraising events to inspire you:
Galas. Many organizations host an annual gala as their marquee event. The formal nature of these events tends to bring together major donors and board members for an evening of entertainment, food, and speeches about the nonprofit’s work.
Auctions. Whether live or silent, auctions engage supporters through friendly competition and provide tangible rewards in exchange for their contributions. Forming connections with local businesses is often helpful in securing donations of auction items.
5K races. 5Ks invite your more athletic supporters to gather casually and have fun challenging themselves. If supporters don’t want to run a timed 5K, they could also walk the race course at their own pace or volunteer at the event, offering some flexibility in participation.
A-thon style events. In an a-thon style event, participants collect peer-to-peer donations based on how long or how much they can do a specific activity. For example, a participant in a swim-a-thon could ask their friends and family to donate $1 for each lap they swim, while someone doing a bowl-a-thon might request the same amount for every 20 points they score.
Family fun activities. An outdoor movie screening, bingo night, or holiday-themed craft event will appeal to supporters looking for activities they can do with their children. You can fundraise by charging an admission fee, selling concessions, and setting up a donation box.
If your nonprofit has hosted any of these events in the past, review the attendance data to see which ones were most popular. Also, consider surveying your supporters about which events appeal to them and if they’d rather attend an in-person, virtual, or hybrid fundraiser to guide your brainstorming.
2. Invest in the Right Tools in Advance
No matter what type of event you plan, your fundraiser will go most smoothly if you have the right nonprofit software to help run it from the start. Take inventory of what tools might be helpful to you, such as:
An event management solution to track your total registrations and donations.
Marketing tools such as an email management system and social media calendar.
A specialized peer-to-peer fundraising platform to support an a-thon style event.
Livestreaming software for hybrid or virtual fundraising events.
In some cases, you can find one tool that fulfills multiple functions, such as an event management solution that also has livestreaming capabilities. Compare the features and cost of each type of software and invest in the ones that will be most beneficial to your organization long-term.
3. Use a Multi-Channel Marketing Strategy
As with any fundraiser your organization launches, it’s best to market your events using multiple channels. The more touch points you create, the more likely supporters are to find out about your event.
To promote events effectively, start with these common marketing channels:
Your organization’s website. Create a page with a title like “Upcoming Events” where you list the logistical details and a short description of each event you’re planning.
Social media. Post the date and time of the event as soon as those details are finalized so supporters can mark their calendars, then provide additional information as it becomes available.
Email marketing. Many nonprofit marketing tools allow you to personalize the greeting and subject line of email blasts, so you can invite each supporter on your contact list to your event by name.
Fundraising flyers. Both print and digital flyers can catch supporters’ attention if they’re designed well and include all necessary information.
Direct mail. While many nonprofits focus mostly on digital marketing, direct mail can serve as an effective supplement to your online content, especially if you’re trying to reach supporters in older demographics.
In each of your marketing materials, include a link or QR code to your event registration form. This way, supporters can take action as soon as they see your message, and you’ll likely increase your registration numbers.
4. Focus on Retention From Start to Finish
Besides bringing in funds for your nonprofit, fundraising events help donors and volunteers connect more closely with your cause. You can use these events to improve your supporter retention strategy.
As you plan your event, include notes on the ways you plan to retain supporters afterwards, including:
Sending personalized thank-you messages to everyone who participated in or donated during the event.
Creating a follow-up survey to gauge what supporters would like to see when attending future events.
Add supporters to your email list so you can communicate with them about other opportunities to engage with your nonprofit, such as volunteering or joining your monthly giving program.
Also, make sure to add any valuable information from supporters’ registration forms (for instance, their contact details and how they found out about the event) to your donor management system. That way, you’ll have the information on hand to continue building long-term relationships with these supporters.
About the Author:
Craig Grella is a Content Marketer at Bonterra, the leader in social good technology. Bonterra enables and elevates the hardworking people at organizations that do social good by bringing together best-in-class tools and technology. In his role, Craig serves thousands of nonprofits and advocacy organizations across the U.S.
Craig focuses on digital strategy using email marketing, online advertising campaigns, SMS campaigns, CRM management, reporting/analytics for KPIs, and more. He’s also the founder of Think Big Campaigns, a full-service consulting firm that specializes in political consulting, digital organizing, and issue advocacy.