Throwing a successful fundraising event is an incredibly important part for your non-profit or charity. This is the time to show your donors where their money is going to, and how they are helping your company. As event planners, we have planned many amazing fundraisers that have raised a-lot of money for their non-profits. Here are a few steps we’d love to share to make your fundraiser successful:

Step 1: Set a Budget

In order to raise a profit the first thing you want to do is set a budget. Setting a budget will help you calculate how much money you want to spend when creating a successful event. The budget will also help you determine the types of vendors you can book, the ticket prices, and it will also help you determine a good fundraising goal. An important thing to note is in order to make money, you need to spend money. A low budget doesn’t always mean you will raise more money. You want to make the event worthy for your attendees—make them WANT to donate to you. Keep in mind, throwing an event is a large undertaking and you want to make sure you have the donors and correct budget to do that.

Step 2: Create Donor Packages

Now that you have a budget, you will know how much money you need to raise. An easy way to get larger donations quicker is with donor packages. Donor packages are basically perks for certain levels of donations. For example, "donate $500 and your logo will be on all marketing materials, and you get 2 tickets to the event. The perks and levels are up to you! They should though, be based around your ideal budget and your audience. Remember, make it worth it. Make them want to donate. You can also ask around for any potential sponsorships, or physical donations—these will be big perks later!

Step 3: Select a Theme

Once you have your budget and packages, NOW it’s time to plan your physical event. The first step is to have a theme. You might be thinking, “a theme for an event just trying to raise money?” And we say, “yep!” ALWAYS have a theme. It will help you when securing your vendors, designing the space and marketing materials, and if the theme is exciting enough—it can become an extra incentive for your guests. The theme doesn’t have to be super grand or unique (though we are always big fans). For example, if you are a Latinx company, it can be as simple as “Latinx Love” and hire only Latinx Vendors. That being said, have fun with the theme!

Step 4: Secure a Venue

Now you need to find a venue that can fit your guests, has room for fundraising activities, and contains extra space for wiggle room or extra fun entertainment. If you are unsure about your guest count, we always suggest finding a venue a little bigger than your anticipated guest count, so you don’t have to cap ticket/donor sales.

Step 5: Secure Other Vendors

After booking your venue, it’s time to book your caterer, photographer, videographer, decor, and any other vendors. Obviously the vendors you use will be based on your budget, design concept, and venue. It can always be nice to find a venue that includes some of these vendors already to make it easier on you. When sourcing vendors, we always recommend booking professionals! Trust us, it always looks better! When reaching out, don’t be afraid to ask if there are any non-profit discounts. (That being said, please respect vendor’s prices. If they don’t fit your budget, just move on.) If you haven’t already, see what sponsorships and connections you might have. For example, do you have an alcohol sponsorship? Great, this will lower your beverage costs a bit, and you might be able to spend a little more on a photographer. We also always recommend at least having a photographer. You will want to document this event in someway! It will be awesome for marketing, records, and can be used next year.

Step 6: Fundraising Strategy

After setting your fundraising goal and accepting your large donations, it’s time to decide the best way to continue raising money during your event. Luckily, there are many options: a live auction, silent auction, grab bags, raffles, etc. If you have physical items being donated, then an auction or raffle is the perfect way to continue raising money. A silent online auction is also a great way to get guests not present at the event to donate. Selling small grab bags or game tickets can also be a fun way for guests to donate smaller portions. You can even incorporate your theme into your fundraising strategy. For example, is your fundraiser carnival themed? Than selling game tickets and having various games can be a small but affective way to continue raising money.

Step 7: That Unique Touch

Now you have all the basics…but do you want to make it extra special? Hire entertainment. The more guests are laughing or feeling touched, the more likely they will donate. Make the event memorable so guests will come back next year, bring friends, or down the line say, “Oh I remember this non-profit. Their party was amazing! I’ll donate to support them!” Have a dance floor! Have a DJ! Have unique ways to serve your guests alcohol or food. The options are limitless. We’ve had a non-profit title their fundraiser “Magic Hour”, so we had sparkle linens, and hired a roaming magician to entertain guests—As a bonus, we drove a DJ van into the venue to heighten the dance floor. We’ve had a non-profit hire samba dancers on stilts to really get the guests out of their seats. Think about your theme and really get creative! Need suggestions? Don’t be afraid to reach out!

Need Support with Your Fundraiser?

Fierce Productions is a Chicago based event planning company specializing in curating unique, bold, non-traditional events. Our talented team of professionals can handle all of your event needs including planning and coordination, design and styling, vendor and talent management, fundraising, marketing support and beyond - get in touch to learn more!

How to Throw a Successful Fundraising Event