Fundraising isn’t just all about emails, cold calls, and boring meetings. Events are one of the main ways to engage and to attract supporters of your cause. With some smart planning, a fundraising event can raise a significant amount of money. Not all fundraising events are the same, however, some are fancy galas or golf tournaments, while others can involve people walking or running to raise funds.
While these are very different events, that they have in common is a plan.
No event can be successful without significant research and planning beforehand. As the weather warms up, non-profit fundraisers turn their attention to the outdoors in the form of runs, walks, golf outings, and festivals — to name a few. Here are a few tips for planning a successful outdoor event for your nonprofit organization.
Plan Early
If you are thinking about an outdoor event for your next fundraiser, it’s never too early to start making a plan. The first thing that you will need to decide is what kind of event you want to have and where you want to have it. As most outdoor events will need the space of a public venue, these places usually need to be reserved at least 6 months in advance. In considering this type of event you will also need to plan for logistics such as parking and restrooms.
PortaPotty.net can offer quotes on portable toilets for your event. You may also need to contact the local township departments to secure the necessary permits and get the event on the calendar. Events such as a run or walk could entail closing off streets, which would affect local businesses and would also need the aid of local law enforcement.
The further in advance, you can make these arrangements, the more time you will have to advertise the event, sell tickets, and encourage involvement. Local businesses may even want to take advantage of the crowds and plan a sale or their own special event in conjunction with yours. Early planning might even allow for extra sponsorship and collaboration opportunities.
Choose an online event management platform.
The success of your event could rest with your selection of an online event management platform. You will want to be sure that your platform offers customizable features, mobile and social media integration, training resources, and event registration and management. These options will help to ensure that your event will be the most successful that it can be.
You should also look for a platform that makes it easy for supporters to create, share, and manage a personal event page and has built-in marketing tools. You will want a platform that allows your nonprofit to engage with supports and drums up the excitement about your cause. Engagingnetworks.net offers innovative online fundraising and campaigning tools that could take your event to the next level. Having the right platform could be the difference in your fundraising goals.
Build a successful event planning team.
If your nonprofit is planning a major event, you will need a planning team to manage and organize your fundraising event. Event management teams have a wide variety of roles, including team leaders, volunteer coordinators, marketers, public relations, and many others. Your team will need to steer the vision of your event by establishing fundraising goals, determining a budget for the event as well as holding and planning meetings regularly. This team will be the backbone of your event and will be the driving force behind its success. Non-profit jobs are usually listed on reputable directory sites, so you should be able to find suitable candidates quite easily.
Begin fundraising before the event.
Once you have most of the major details nailed down, you will want to hit the ground running. You don’t have to wait for the event to start collecting money. Create a plan to saturate the market with details about your event and opportunities for people to begin supporting immediately. After you’ve thoroughly taken advantage of your traditional fundraising methods such as calls, letters, and meetings, online fundraising will be your next best source of income. This is where your event management platform will come into play. You will use social media and digital advertising to boost your charity’s revenue. Starting before your event will help lay the groundwork for a successful fundraising event.
An outdoor fundraising event is a great way to hoast a unique event that will stand out. With the right research, planning, and execution your event can be a huge success and generate the needed funds for your charity.
