Charitable events pose a particular challenge to event planners. After all, they have to be loaded with appealing entertainment while also conveying a meaningful vibe.
That is why a charity event organizer has to always be at the top of their game.
While this task is by no means easy to accomplish, there are some fundraising event planning hacks that charity event planners might want to have up their sleeves:
1. Plan Six Months in Advance
Planning is the one aspect that always seems to come up when talking about virtually everything – and with good reason. After all, you need to line up every organizational element so that there are no unexpected surprises.
Ideally, six months should be enough for you to plan everything out. Come up with timelines and ideas for the:
- Theme
- Venue
- Budget planning
- Promotional strategies
- Volunteers
2. Pick the Theme and Location before Anything Else
First things first – a charity event organizer comes up with a fun theme.
Keeping your audience engaged throughout the whole event is not an easy task. But if you go for an irresistible idea from the get-go, it can get considerably easier.
Moreover, participants will be compelled to talk about the event with their friends. In the long run, that means that original event themes will attract new attendees.
Once you’ve picked a central theme, the venue comes next on the priority list.
How fast you move is decisive when it comes to finding a location that:
- Is free during the weekend
- Has enough space for all participants
- Is close to the downtown area
- Has a parking lot
3. Success Is in the Details
After solving the issues above, consider the following details to make your efforts come together:
- Look for local businesses that are interested in promoting their services through your event. Again, you need to reach out to them in time and choose those options that add value and specifically meet your event’s needs.
- Come up with prize ideas to add to generate engagement during breaks.
- Make sure there are food options for everyone – don’t forget some people might be vegetarians.
4. Don’t Forget about Volunteers
The best place to find people willing to help with organizing a charity event is on social media. Engaging them is quite simple. There are numerous groups and pages dedicated to the act of being a volunteer.
All you have to do is just ask them for help.
Looking for volunteers could also be a promotional opportunity. How? Well, you can ask them to share the news about the charity event on their social media profiles and pages.
5. A Must-Have for Any Charity Event Organizer: Proper Entertainment
Entertainment should be given special treatment. A two-hour event doesn’t go by so easily when there’s nothing to keep your audience entertained.
Besides hiring a charismatic host, you need other entertainment sources. Stand-up comedians, music bands, art performers – they are all great options.
For instance, we collaborate with dynamic music bands like the String Angels, who can really infuse your charity event with awe and energy.
A charity event organizer knows that guests have different cultural backgrounds. So, to satisfy all tastes, you have to provide overall entertainment with these aspects in mind:
- The music shouldn’t be too niche
- The comedy should be clean
- Artistic performances must be uplifting and convey a purposeful message
What you ultimately want to achieve by providing entertainment is a way to thank donors for the efforts they’ve made.
It’s always a plus if the participants are offered reinforcement for the fact that they decided to turn up and show their support.
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