Fundraising Ideas

5 Fundraising Ideas for Organizations You Need To Try Out

June 24, 2018 by Tim Grable

For nonprofit organizations of all sizes, fundraising is a critical aspect that needs to be continuously tweaked to deliver the best results.

To ensure that you’re going to increase donations and attract more donors, it’s essential to use various tactics and strategies to nurture the audience that’s already interested in your cause.

The fundraising ideas for organizations we’re going to talk about in this post are meant to help you increase awareness about your nonprofit and also invest in the relationship you have with your audience.

Here are five creative ways you can use to stand out and raise more money for your cause.

1. Charity Auctions

Charity auctions represent one of the most popular ways to raise awareness and money for your cause.

You can ask certain businesses to donate specific items or merchandise that can be auctioned off during the event. To get an item that they want, people are willing to pay more for it, and so they will make a significant contribution to your cause.

To build anticipation, you can provide the list of items which are going to be auctioned off before the event begins. That way, your audience will be extremely excited about placing bids for an item they want.

2. Crowdfunding

Crowdfunding has been gaining much popularity in the last ten years. It’s a fundraising method that takes place online on a crowdfunding platform, and it combines the power of social media with the influence of your community.

Through crowdfunding, you can visually tell your story and then use social media platforms and email marketing to reach as many people as possible.

3. Annual Gala

Organizing an annual gala is a must for nonprofit organizations of all sizes. It truly represents a fantastic opportunity to network with donors and sponsors and build long-lasting relationships with them.

What’s more, it also helps participants understand the impact they make when contributing to your nonprofit.

To keep the attendees engaged during the annual gala, it’s vital to book quality entertainment or a speaker who is tied closely to your organization’s cause.

4. Peer-to-Peer Fundraising

Peer-to-peer fundraising is an effective form of raising money because it helps you leverage the help of your supporters by relying on individuals’ networks.

To increase your chances of success when using this fundraising technique, we recommend reaching out to the supporters who are the closest to your organization.

If a supporter is interested, then you’ll need to help them set up an individual fundraising page, and they can start asking their friends and family to donate.

The funds from each fundraising page will be then transferred to the main fundraising page created by the organization.

Peer-to-peer fundraising is a technique that’s tied to an important event.

5. Donate to Win

This is one of those quick fundraising ideas for organizations that you can use anytime you want a boost, or you feel like your nonprofit has not been getting as many donations lately.

Make sure that the prize you’re going to give in exchange is related to your organization’s mission or cause. Alternatively, at least, you should think of something interesting, such as having dinner with a celebrity or providing a VIP experience at an important event.

Which Fundraising Ideas for Organizations Are You Going to Use?

Your goal should be to get as creative as possible when it comes to raising money for your nonprofit. Also, the point is to transmit to other people why your cause matters and why they should get involved.

We hope that these fundraising ideas for organizations will be useful to you and that you’ll get the chance to implement them.

Whenever you need to hire high-quality entertainment or the best speakers for an event, such as an annual gala, you can rely on us.

To get in touch with us, you can give us a call directly at (615) 283-0039.

Fundraiser Entertainment Ideas You Can Use to Get Inspired

June 20, 2018 by Tim Grable

Organizing a fundraiser can be an effective way to raise funds for your nonprofit. There are many aspects which go into planning the event, and fundraiser entertainment is one of the most important ones.

Why? Because it will engage your guests, make them feel good, and overall, they will feel more connected to your cause and organization.

Hiring entertainment is an investment, which is why you need to select it every time carefully. Luckily, there are multiple options you can choose from so you don’t repeat the same form of entertainment for all your fundraising events.

Here are some fundraiser entertainment ideas you can choose from whenever you need some inspiration.

1. Live Music

We’re pretty sure there isn’t a single person in this world who would say they don’t like music. Luckily, there are many genres of music out there, so anyone can find something they truly love.

When it comes to choosing the music for a fundraising event, you need to take into consideration your audience. Try to imagine what they would like to see and start from there.

Whether you’ll go for a singer or a live band, we’re pretty sure your guests won’t be disappointed with your choice.

2. Magical Evening

Magicians and illusionists are indeed masters of the stage, which means that they know how to impress audiences and put on a mind-blowing show.

This type of fundraiser entertainment is going to engage your guests and will even make them remember the event day after it’s over.

The announcement of a magician or an illusionist can also make your audience excited about the event, which may make them more willing to let their friends know about it as well.

3. Live Painting

Live painting is a type of entertainment you don’t see too often at fundraising events. In our opinion, it’s something unique, something every nonprofit should consider for a special fundraiser.

Your guests will be able to see how art is created right under their eyes. The live painter can capture the genuine atmosphere of your event in a way photography cannot.

Moreover, the painting can be auctioned off during the event which is going to help you raise more money for the cause.

4. Clean Comedy

Incorporating clean comedy into a fundraising event is an excellent idea because laughter makes your audience more connected to your cause.

The best thing about this type of comedy is that it doesn’t offend your guests or embarrass your organization in front of the audience.

Some clean comedians can even build a relationship with their audience by sharing relevant content. You could also try to find someone who can tailor their performance so it can match with the theme for your fundraising event.

That way, you can get much closer to your guests’ hearts.

Choosing Fundraiser Entertainment

No matter the size of your event, entertainment should not be overlooked. You need to make the guests feel special by booking a performer or a band which they would enjoy.

If you need help finding the perfect entertainment for your event, don’t hesitate to give us a call at (615) 283-0039. We’d love to help out.

The Biggest Mistakes Nonprofits Make When Organizing a Fundraising Event

June 13, 2018 by Tim Grable

Fundraising events represent a fantastic way to raise awareness and funds for your cause, attract new donors, build stronger relationships with donors.

Unfortunately, there’s an ugly side when it comes to organizing a fundraising event. A poorly planned fundraiser can cost a nonprofit money, or it can barely manage to cover the organization’s costs.

To avoid this from happening, we’ve gathered in this post one of the biggest mistakes nonprofits make when organizing events.

1. Start the Planning Too Late

This is an easy mistake to make because most of the time event planners underestimate the challenges that come when organizing a fundraising event.

Moreover, everyone involved is going to be affected.

Even though two months may be a long time, it isn’t when it comes to fundraising event planning. In this case, you’ll need to start six months in advance or even a year in some cases, depending on the event’s size.

2. Set a Low Budget

Trying to cut costs when it’s not necessary is only going to harm your entire strategy and the event’s outcome.

Even if you find sponsors to help cover some of the event costs, you’ll still need to invest in quality entertainment or speakers, a beautiful venue, catering, promotional materials, marketing, and staff.

Your guests will be able to tell if you decided to cut costs on some aspects and in return, they can end up donating less money than you would have hoped for.

3. Ask a Random Company for a Sponsorship

Fundraising events usually have at least one big sponsor, and the secret behind getting that sponsorship lies in the fact that event planners do their research before making the ask.

Sponsorship is a partnership agreement which benefits both sides. To find the right sponsor, a nonprofit organization needs to know precisely what they have to offer to that company.

4. Lack of Entertainment

No matter the size of the fundraising event you’re organizing, entertainment is an integral part of its success.

The entertainment, whether it’s a band, a clean comedian or an artist, has the purpose of engaging the participants, making them feel good and more connected to your cause and organization.

The lack of entertainment can make your guests feel like they’ve attended a dull fundraising event which had no impact on them.

5. Forget to Make a Checklist

Having a checklist can save your planning in so many ways. Your work revolving the event will be much more manageable, and you’ll be able to stick to the schedule.

Even if you’re going to make adjustments along the way, the checklist is still going to serve as the primary roadmap you need to follow.

That way, during the weeks which lead up to the fundraising event, you’ll know for sure that you won’t forget anything.

Organizing a Fundraising Event Which Is Flawless Is Not a Challenge Anymore

If you take into account the most common mistakes nonprofits make, you’ll be on your way to organizing successful fundraising events.

As you’ve already seen, organizing a fundraising event cannot be done without proper entertainment.

Want help in selecting the right type of entertainment for your event? Then don’t hesitate to contact us here. We’d love to be your partners in this process.

The Ultimate Fundraising Event Checklist You Need to Plan Everything

May 18, 2018 by Tim Grable

Whether you organize a fancier or a more informal fundraising event, they will all have in common one thing: a well-established plan.

No event, regardless of its size, can take place without proper planning.

A fundraising event checklist will help your organization reach your goals and increase your chances of raising enough money to cover the costs.

When the success of your event is on the line, you can’t afford to leave to chance any aspect which goes into organizing the event.

Use this checklist next time you need help planning a fundraising event.

1. Set Goals

Goals are essential because they will help you stay on track and measure success once the event is over. They will also impact the decisions you make from start to finish and determine aspects regarding the size of the venue, staffing needs, entertainment type, catering and others.

The goals need to be SMART: specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, time-based. That way, you will be able to set a realistic goal when it comes to how much money you want to raise.

When settings your goals, think about these three following points:

Attendees number. How many people you’d like to attend your event? This goal is important because it can also help you figure out the size of the venue you would need.
Fundraising goal.
Press coverage. Coverage from the press can help your nonprofit organization because it can increase the awareness of the cause you’re advocating for. Moreover, it may also encourage other people to attend your events in the future.

2. Build the Team

When it comes to event management, you need to have a team which covers a variety of roles, including team leaders, volunteers, public relations, logistics and many others, depending on the event size.

Here are five key aspects which your fundraising event checklist needs to include when building a team:

Establish who is going to be the team leader;
Define team roles and assign responsibilities to each person;
Work on team unity by organizing activities, even if they are small, because they will help the members be more effective when working and interacting with each other.
Hold regular meetings to keep track of the how the event planning is going and if the team members have hit any roadblocks.

3. Set the Budget

The budget needs to include staffing costs, venue, catering, entertainment and speaker fees, marketing and other additional costs which depend on the type of event you’re organizing.

4. Select the Venue and Choose a Date

Before selecting the venue, you need to determine how much space do you need and how much money you can spend on it.

It’s also important to be practical when choosing the location and see if they have parking, and if they can provide A/V equipment or you need to bring your own.

When it comes to choosing the date, you need to be flexible here because the venue you want may not be available on your desired date, so you will probably need to change it accordingly.

5. Book the Speakers/Entertainment

Speakers and entertainment can make a big difference when you’re organizing a fundraising event.

If you want to hire speakers, they need to be relevant to your cause, and preferably they should have experience in the field.

Additionally, you can book an entertainer who can make your event unique and your guests feel welcomed. You have multiple choices here, from a clean comedian to a visual artist, juggler or live music band.

Keep This Fundraising Event Checklist Close

Because it takes months to organize an event accurately, a fundraising event checklist is what you need to keep yourself focused and on track with everything.

If you’re looking to book quality entertainment or find the best speakers for your fundraiser, don’t hesitate to contact us at (615) 283-0039. We’d love to hear from you.

4 Unique Fundraising Ideas Which Will Help You Avoid a Snooze Fest

May 1, 2018 by Tim Grable

Fundraising events target serious issues, but that does not mean they should be dull and monotonous. In fact, fun is often that secret ingredient which can help you turn a mediocre fundraiser into a truly memorable one which will get donors want to reach deep into their pockets.

That being said, here are four unique fundraising ideas which will make your event feel less like drudgery and more like an exciting opportunity.

1. A Low-Key Event with a Special Theme

Putting together fancy fundraiser events with champagne and sophisticated food seems to be the norm. The motivation behind it is to impress guests and ensure they have an enjoyable evening.

The only problem is donors may get bored of attending the same types of events over and over again. So why not try changing things up from time to time?

An excellent suggestion would be to host a more low-key event instead of an overly-pretentious fundraiser. So, instead of a rooftop cocktail party at a high-end hotel, why not a pizza party at a local restaurant which is a landmark for the community you are serving?

The secret here is to tie in the theme of the event with the local community’s traditions. So, for a German heritage community, for instance, you could have a Bratwurst/crafted beer party. Customization is key to creating meaningful and genuine experiences for donors.

2. A Direct Action Event

Unique fundraising ideas are most effective when they play into the mission of your nonprofit. That is why direct actions events work so well when it comes to raising money.

What makes this idea special is that, as opposed to merely asking donors to give money to your group, you tie the donation to a precise direct action your organization is going to take.

For instance, you could break down your event into different parts, each detailing a specific action which will be taken as part of the work your organization does – using donors’ money.

This way, guests will have a more substantial image of the impact they are making through their contributions. Also, they will feel more engaged and more included in the event, which can only have positive effects.

3. Outside Paint Jam

With the weather warming up, why not consider hosting your charity event outside? This way, you can take advantage of how popular street art has become to put together an evening full of art and surprises.

The concept is pretty straightforward: by bringing together several graffiti artists to paint live, you can give donors a chance to see their skills in action. You can bet everyone will be excited to see a work of art come alive in front of their eyes.

If you want to take this idea even further, consider booking a live painter who can capture essential details of the event into a painting you can then sell as part of an auction.

4. A Puzzle Charity Event

Puzzle events, such as escape rooms and city scavenger hunts, involve donors working together to uncover clues, experience new things and solve a challenge as part of a team.

As far as unique fundraising ideas go, this is one which offers endless customization options. You can host the event in a park, hotel or even an entire city. You can give out written clues or create different quizzes to guide guests on their adventure.

Split donors into groups and provide a symbolic prize (like a private tour of your organization) to boost their competitive spirit.

Pair Your Unique Fundraising Ideas with the Best Entertainers

To make the most out of a great idea, choose high-quality entertainment which measures up to it. To ensure that happens in your case, we encourage you to browse through our selection of nearly 800 top entertainers, artists, and speakers.

Filter your search based on relevant criteria to find the perfect fit for your event! Then get in touch and book the best entertainment!