Create a Profitable Fundraising Event Plan

Do you have a solid fundraising event plan and timeline? One that will guarantee a solid ROI?

Fundraising events take a lot of time and energy.

Love ‘em or hate ‘em, fundraising events are here to stay.

They are part of the scene for many nonprofits.

Since you and your organization are committed to an event, let’s make sure it is the BEST event ever.

The Best Fundraising Event Plan is all about ROI

That’s the only reason you do events – to make money. If you want PR and community visibility, there are other less painful ways to generate good press.

Here is your path to a sane, efficient PROFITABLE event: a timeline that lays out what needs to happen when in order for it to all come together and make the most money possible!

You can download your Profitability Planning Timeline here.

Your Leadership

Who’s in charge of the event? What is the staff’s role and what is the role of your volunteers? Be sure you are absolutely clear on who has what responsibility!

Especially clear up who has what decision making authority – that will prevent conflict and hurt feelings down the road.

Nothing upsets a hard-working volunteer more than making a decision and then having it reversed by someone else. I know – it has happened to me!

Your Volunteer Committee

I am all for a huge volunteer committee! Why?

Because they:

• Bring their friends to the event! Your committee gives you reach into your community.
• Are the “Social Stamp” of your event. Their names say whether the event will be full of fun people – or not.
• Help bring in sponsors. Your committee’s connections open the door to many more sponsorship opportunities.

My tips: Have a big committee of folks who are well-known and well connected. (Well-liked  helps too!)

Bring in committee members of different ages, social and professional networks, regions of your community.

Don’t let your committee be a little social group – that will limit your organizaton’s reach via the event.

Your Budget

Early on, you need to set important financial parameters for your event:

Your financial goal – never hold an event without a goal. It helps everyone focus.

AND with the goal, it’s best to say “all proceeds from this event will go to a specific program.” For example:

• All proceeds from this event will underwrite our programs for hungry kids on our community.
• Or will help bring meals to lonely older people.
• Or will help underwrite our fall performing season.

Be sure to put a limit on your event costs – invitations, postage, etc, or those may go out of control too!

Your Sponsorship Committee

Getting those sponsorships is probably the most important thing you’ll do.

And securing bigger sponsorships requires tons of lead time:

• You’ll need to enlist your committee members,
• Draw up a prospect list and sponsorship benefits,
• Decide who calls on whom,
• Make your calls on the prospects,
• Followup to close the “sale,” and
• Get it all done in time to get on the invitation!

Your Venue, Food and Beverages

Your venue can make or break your event. Don’t let it be too large! Otherwise it will feel like there is no energy!

Be sure your food and beverages are ample, even if they are simple! You don’t want to be known as the party that ran out of food or booze.

Don’t forget to negotiate! You have more power than you think when securing a venue!

Your Auction (Live and Silent)

If you are including an auction at your event – be careful – don’t go overboard with the silent auction stuff. Lots of tiny, cheap items are more trouble than they are worth.

I think the money is in the live auctions. But you need the crowd seated and pretty quiet and you need an auctioneer who understands nonprofit and charity appeals.

There are many, many decisions to make waaaaay ahead of time that can dramatically increase your event’s profitability!

Bottom Line: Create a Fundraising Event Plan that will bring in the ROI!

Be sure you make tons of money with your event.

iLeave me a comment and share your event tip with us all!