Have you been charged with chairing a fund raiser for a non-profit organization? This can be an exciting and challenging undertaking. Make sure you fully understand the scope of the event and expectations. More than likely you’ve worked with the organization for some and attended their events as a guest, employee or board member. There are many non-profit organizations competing for a limited number of community dollars. Many non-profits are faced with increasing need and decreasing funding. Plan to make your fundraiser stand out from the crowd. Follow these recommendations from the professional event planners and development experts to ensure your function is a huge success.
The first steps are to set the date, define the budget and secure a venue. Next, secure your committee members. Select individuals with a variety of talents. Don’t simply rely on prior year’s volunteers. New volunteers can bring new energy and new ideas to the planning process and event. If you’re having a dance-off, auction or fair, plan each step of the process in detail. The level of organization and how smoothly the event unfolds is a reflection of the non-profit organization and in the eyes of potential donors, and indicator of how judiciously their charity dollars will be spent.
If the event is open to the public, begin to prepare media packets. If it’s a private, by invitation only event, send out save the date notices at least eight weeks in advance and have the artwork and printing for the invitations completed six weeks in advance. The higher the turn-out, the greater the potential for a successful fundraiser. If you will be collecting donations or making sales at the event, consider taking advantage of the awesome deals offered by Groupon coupons and use the mobile payment system available through Intuit-GoPayment. It’s simple to use and you’ll have an exact record of all funds raised.
Best of luck to you and your committee on a hugely successful fundraiser and an evening filled with wonderful memories for yourself and guests alike!
