How to Plan a Fundraising Banquet

As many of us know, the most common expenses facing nonprofit agencies are in program costs and the amount spent on fundraising and development for the organization. However, effective fundraising keeps administrative costs in check and takes best advantage of donations to collect the largest percentage of profits possible from the event.

A fundraising dinner also offers a chance to make personal contact with donors and establish a one-on-one relationship that may lead to future donations.

Schedule a Date: Research other organizations in your area to avoid crossover event dates and calendar conflicts. Next, contact locations you feel may be a good fit and schedule a walk-thru to see the space. Look to book the location as far in advance of the dinner as possible - many prime locations fill quickly, as do busy people’s schedules. Discuss the date and location options with your organization to explore pros and cons.

Select a Location and a Theme: After researching and visiting available banquet facilities, select a location that matches with your target demographic. Close attention to matching the venue with the theme can also add to the event.

Secure Food & Beverage: Solicit food and drink donations for the event from local restaurants, caterers, and food vendors. Aim to accept donations that match the theme and the event to make a coordinated menu. If some donations don’t match with the theme, such as popcorn for a formal banquet, don’t alienate the donor, but use the donated food for a later event or for another fundraiser planned for a different date.

Solicit Auction or Raffle Items: Auctions and raffles are a great way to raise additional funds at an event. By securing the items to be raffled and auctioned in the form of in-kind donations, all profits from the endeavors will go directly towards your cause.

Assign Tasks to Volunteers: Utilizing volunteer services can equal additional savings on staffing but require organization and management. Prior to the event, volunteers can sell tickets, promote the event through email and social media and assist in soliciting donations. During the event volunteers work can help to serve the food and welcome guests.

Good luck and let us know if there’s anything we can do to help.

Successful Fundraising Essentials

It’s 2012 - a new year with new goals and new fundraising efforts on the horizon. Yet as you move onto bigger, better, and larger levels of achievement, don’t forget the tried & true basics of fundraising success.

Tell Your Story:

Offer people an understanding of why you’re doing what you’re doing, and give them a reason to give.

Why are you fundraising?
Why is the cause important to you?
What impact will each donation have? (Ex - $25 buys a new backpack with school supplies for a child).

Set a Fundraising Goal:

Donors want to see fundraising success; and they want to participate in that success. Some people will even donate again if they see the goal number is within reach.

Set a fundraising goal on your Fundraise.com page
Raise your goal once you reach it and be sure to let everyone know you did (it’s a great way to thank people who have helped and motivate people who haven’t yet had a chance to participate in the success)

Add Imagery:

Add photos that speak to your potential donors – images that create a personal connection and are aimed to affect people emotionally.
Embed a video directly onto your Fundraise.com page.

Embed a Widget/Send a Link:

Embed a personalized donation form directly onto your Facebook page to accept donations from friends.
Put your goal bar or your donation form onto existing blogs and websites.

Spread the Word:

Share your Fundraise.com page with family, friends, colleagues, or anyone you may have vested interest in yourself or your cause.
Email contacts directly through Fundraise.com or use your email client of choice and include your customized fundraising link.

Keep Sharing: It’s important tosend updates on your fundraising progress. Communicating both challenges and milestones makes donors feel they’re a part of your fundraising efforts.

Post daily updates to Facebook
Try to tweet at least a few times a day
Re-email everyone who has not yet donated right before your event as a reminder or directly after your fundraiser has ended.

Be Persistent:

Don’t forget to ask people to donate
Don’t get discouraged – not everyone is going to say “yes,” but if enough people say “yes” for you to reach your goal, your fundraiser was still a success.

Say “Thanks”: Never underestimate the power of two monosyllabic words - “thank you.” Looking for some suggestions on how to thank donors better? Check out this post.

Highlighted Cause: Sterling Minsky, Baby Boy Fighting Cancer

Sterling Minsky is an amazing little boy. At the age of 7 months old, he was diagnosed with Rhabdomyosarcoma. In August, he received clear scans after 6 mos of chemo under the supervision of an awesome team at Sloan Kettering in New York.

Unfortunately he was so young, they were not able to treat him with radiation and now there is a recurrence of the tumor. Sterling will be undergoing a more aggressive treatment plan starting in January 2012, which will include chemo and radiation.

Friends of Sterling’s family have dedicated themselves to doing whatever it takes to cure their baby boy and this fund will help them make that a reality. The fund’s main purpose is to defray their medical bills and to assist them with costs of traveling to and from New York for treatment.

Any amount you chose to give is greatly appreciated; every little bit helps! To donate to Sterling’s fund please visit his page at: www.fundraise.com/sterling-minksy-fund

Get Auction Items Donated:

Silent Auctions aren’t always the most fun to plan – they take time, seem to require extensive resources, and can be intimidating at the get-go. However, if done right they have the potential to add thousands of dollars to the revenue of your fundraising event.

To start the silent auction process, identify retailers and businesses from which you’d like donations. Your event might have a specific theme making certain donations more appropriate than others. For example, if the theme of your event is athletic, you might want sports memorabilia or game tickets donated. But even if you have a theme, it’s nice to have some variety in your auction item selection because different people like different things.

Gift certificates to local spas, hair salons, or athletic facilities are usually a hit, as are hotel rooms, luxury or niche activity passes – golfing, rock climbing, sailing - or personalized experiences such as in-home dinners with accomplished chefs or local celebrities. Wine, art, and event tickets are also appropriate at auctions. Think about what’s popular in your area to see, eat, drink, or do and work from there.

Next draft a letter or personalized email addressed to the correct personnel at each specific business or organization. This correspondence should include a brief but detailed description of your cause, the goals of your fundraiser, the “when, what, and where” of your fundraising event, and what you would like donated. Be sure to close the letter with gratitude; often times a little “thank you” goes a long way.

If possible, have a representative from your organization take the letters to the businesses. This is a good task for volunteers and adds a personal touch to your request. To save time in person, find out in advance the name of the individual best suited to accept such requests and try to find out when they will be available. Also try to pick “down times” that won’t interrupt busy schedules or business productivity to make your visit.

You may get a donation on the spot, or they may ask you to return for the donation. Don’t get discouraged if they’re busy or deny the donation request, you won’t get one from every business you solicit.

Hold a Fundraising Cocktail Party:

When deciding which type of fundraising event to hold, consider hosting a cocktail party. Cocktail parties are fashionable and fun, and most guests genuinely enjoy a well executed party-for-a-purpose.

A successful fundraising cocktail party depends on an engaging blend of drinks, food and atmosphere. But with a little creativity and some advanced planning, your event could be the talk of the town and in the running for party of the year.

Start by searching for a low-cost or no-cost venue in which to hold your cocktail party. Be mindful of convenience for your guests and choose a local establishment – restaurants, bars, social halls or even someone’s home or backyard are good spots to consider.

Next, estimate your costs and decide on an amount to charge guests for attending the cocktail party event. Generally, ticket prices can be anywhere from $25 to $250 per person, depending what’s considered economical to your guests, and are intended to cover your expenses and create a donation for your cause.

Choose a theme for your cocktail party. Seasonal themes based on holidays such as Halloween, Christmas, or Mardi Gras always work. A garden party, luau, or barbeque are good Summer choices. Hollywood blockbusters, favorite pieces of literature or decades past are also great sources of inspiration… Get creative and have fun with it!

Style your cocktail party Fundraise.com page and invitations to reflect your theme. Remember to include the name of the host(s), information about the organization or cause the party is benefiting, as well as the name of the event, location, date, time, RSVP requirements, cost of attendance and additional instructions such as special dress code.

Decide what type of cocktails you will serve; limiting the choices to two or four will make things easier for guests and bartenders. If you have the ability, creating a signature cocktail for the party is also a fun idea. Estimate two drinks per hour for each guest and remember to provide sodas, water, and coffee for those who prefer non-alcoholic beverages.

Strive for aesthetic appeal and variety in the arrangement of your food offerings. Depending on your budget and theme, you may choose comestibles that speak of elegance, like caviar, crab cakes and truffles, or trays of simple nibbles and finger foods such as a fruit & cheese platters, chips & dip, nuts and cold cuts. Plan to offer enough for each guest to eat six bites per hour.

Decorate your cocktail party venue in keeping with your theme. Candles provide a suitable backdrop for relaxing and mingling, while colorful dinnerware, chair covers, tablecloths and centerpieces set a festive tone.

Good luck and let us know if there’s anything we can do to help!

Highlight Cause: VIP Tickets on Sale for Hot Stove, Cool Music

Theo Epstein returns home to join legendary baseball journalist Peter Gammons and an all-star musical line-up for the 13th annual Hot Stove Cool Music charity concert presented by Ipswitch, on Saturday, January 14th at the Paradise Rock Club.

The Foundation To Be Named Later fundraiser features performances by Grammy award-nominated blues musician Susan Tedeschi, Grammy award-winning guitarist and former Allman Brothers Band member Derek Trucks, legendary Boston rockers The Remains, and the Hot Stove All-Stars featuring Peter Gammons, Buffalo Tom’s Bill Janovitz, Indi Rocker Kay Hanley and more. Actor Mike O’Malley will take the reins as emcee.

All proceeds will benefit Foundation To Be Named Later’s Gammons College Scholarship and their non profit partners.

Ticket are now on sale for the exclusive VIP party from 5:30pm to 8:00pm.

Meet and greet with the stars, enjoy fabulous food from Boston area restaurants including Tremont 647 and Red Lantern, Drink Complimentary Harpoon Beer and Round Hill Wine and have fun bidding on great items in their silent auction.

All proceeds benefit Foundation To Be Named Later and its extraordinary non profits working on the front lines serving disadvantaged children and families and are available here: www.fundraise.com/hotstove

Sports Team Fundraisers

Sports fundraisers are imperative for a variety of reasons - to buy new uniforms, to provide teams with the proper equipment to practice and compete, and to pay for travel expenses or entrance fees in order to play in various tournaments or leagues.

Most everyone can agree as to why it is important to keep our youth sports teams thriving; these organizations enable participants to be active, competitive, and social while learning new skills. Other benefits include building strong characteristics like leadership, commitment, and responsibility, while learning about teamwork, trust, and working together to achieve a common goal.

Putting on a successful fundraiser to support these ideologies is crucial, and by utilizing a basic marketing concept known as “The 4 P’s,” successful sports fundraising can be a home run.

Product: Appealing to the masses is of the utmost important and it can be as simple as selling raffle tickets, or as challenging as organizing a 5K. Regardless of what the product that is chosen may be, it must have appeal, an overt benefit, and be easy to sell.

Pricing: You want to set the price point so your organization is making enough money to reach its goal efficiently, but not too high where potential supporters will hesitate to purchase and help the cause. However, keep in mind that many people are willing to pay a slight premium when they know their money is going towards a good and charitable cause.

Placement: When marketing your fundraising campaign or selling your fundraising product, location is key both online and offline. First you’ll want to create a virtual hub for your information. A fundraise.com page will easily provide one singular place to drive online traffic for details and donations.

Offline, you will want to position yourselves where a large number of people are sure to pass you consistently, such as outside the local grocery store or a favorite coffee spot. Being able to sell your product at one of the team’s games is also a great idea, because those attending the games most likely already have vested interest in the program.

Packaging: Try to personalize the area you are selling your product from as much as possible. Brand your fundraise.com page, online, and create signs that attract attention and state the purpose of the fundraiser, offline. Then have the kids that are looking for support, marketing and selling your product or event. Example - if you are trying to raise funds for a youth baseball team, consider having the team present is going to make the appeal to the consumer real and put a face to whom they are supporting.

Good luck and let us know if there’s anything we can do to help!

Highlighted Fundraising Cause: Chase After a Cure, Hokies vs. Tigers

A few months ago, the Hokies vs Tigers Fund Raise Face-Off didn’t quite reach its goal. With a rematch looming, they put forth the challenge once again and encouraged Hokie and Tiger fans to help them raise money for childhood cancer research prior to the VT/Clemson ACC Championship Game on December 3^rd.

At the game, the Tigers prevailed. But since they’re so close to their off-the-field goal, we would love to see them reach it…

“Chase After a Cure” has ties to both Virginia Tech and Clemson. Their Founder is a graduate of Virginia Tech and is a proud resident of South Carolina. Out of 31 match ups between Clemson and Virginia Tech, Clemson has won 19 and Virginia Tech 12, and one tie.

Battles are won and lost off the field every day in the world of childhood cancer. To help Chase After a Cure win this battle visit their Tiger page at: www.fundraise.com/gotigers or their Hokies page at: www.fundraise.com/gohokies

More “Sizes,” More Donations:

Customized Messaging Maximizes Online Fundraising Efforts

Ever see something that’s “one size fits all,” perhaps a shirt or a pair of gloves? In concept it seems like a great idea – one universal solution with the potential for seamless execution. However, much like the fact a “one size fits all” shirt will perform much differently for a 6’4” 250lb man than for a 5’2” 102lb woman, the same is true in regards to your holiday email appeals.

While organizations often provide highly relevant content in direct mail appeals – based on giving history, interests and past actions – that same approach isn’t always carried over to email appeals.

Delivering relevant content to your audiences can significantly increase email click-thru rates. Remember, what works in offline fundraising also works for online fundraising.

Utilize Your Information:

1) Provide stats about last year’s big event:

- How many people attended last year

- How much the event raised last year

2) Personalize your emails:

- Thank people for last year’s gift

- Include last year’s gift amount

- Include how last year’s donations were used

3) Hyper Personalize Information

- Recognize the various micro-demographics within your donors

- Figure out the motivating factors & specific interests of your micro- demographics and include information that appeals to them

Create the Data:

What if you only have someone’s email address? How can you personalize? Start finding out more:

1) Ask for interests during the email signup process

2) Give current subscribers the opportunity to tell you what they like

3) Capture more information during event registrations

4) Get creative with how you capture information at events

5) Analyze the stats of previous emails

Offer options:

1) Include funding opportunities that match your donors’ interests

2) Position your ask in a way that speaks to donor interests

Your donors will likely only take a few seconds to decide whether to read or delete your email. Relevant content that catches people’s attention has the ability to establish a personal connection with people and keep them reading.

If you’re not delivering personalized content, your email could negatively impact your relationships. Think more “sizes,” more interested readers, more engaged donors, and ultimately more donations.

Highlighted Fundraising Cause: Go Ape with Wildlife Waystation & Betty White!

Sha Sha the chimp is spokes-chimp for 42 other chimpanzees at her home, Chimp Village, at the Wildlife Waystation in Los Angeles County, California.

It costs $29.95/a day to feed and care for each chimp. Money from Sha Sha’s fundraiser will be used for Chimp Village enclosure enrichment and improvements.

Sha Sha and her 42 companions at the Wildlife Waystation are going bananas over a recent gift from golden girl Betty White. As spokeschimp, Sha Sha recently launched a fundraising campaign to raise $150,000, and White, a long-time supporter of the organization, made a challenge grant - Betty will match donations, $1 for $1, up to $20,000!

“I have been supporting the wonderful work at the Wildlife Waystation for 35 years,” White said. “It warms my heart to help Sha Sha help her chimp mates. So, I encourage others to go ape with me and please support my challenge!”

To donate online to help Sha Sha and her village visit her Fundraise.com page here.