Archive for the Fundraising Events Category
May
16
2012
Some pointers for fundraising events
A fundraiser event has to be planned and executed such that you get maximum bang for the buck. Make a budget and then try your best to stick to it. The budget will incorporate all the various allocations –f or venue, promotions, prizes, etc.
A fundraising event that has dedicated volunteers working for it has a much greater chance of succeeding and that too with low expenditure. A committed force of volunteers can handle and delegate tasks that would otherwise have to be handed over to paid work persons.
Are you reaching out to the right people? It’s important that your marketing efforts be targeted. You can get an idea about the people you should be targeting from your previous interactions and fundraisers. You should compare responses to emails sent and the interest that you are able to generate on online forums and social media sites.
A fundraising event that can attract donations irrespective of the physical presence of the donor requires a very good social media strategy. You need to reach out to the people in as large numbers as possible.
The success of a fundraiser depends to a large extent on the extent of relationship building that you...
May
14
2012
Unique fundraising ideas for you
Fundraisers that carry an innovative twist improve your chances of garnering footfalls and also meeting your fundraiser target. In fact, it has become imperative these days that you let your creative juices flow so that visitors to your event do not get the feeling of déjà vu. They should have something new to see and experience. Of course, the bottom-line is that you should reach out to the minds and pockets of the people involved.
So what is the kind of thinking and preparation that goes into coming up with a unique fundraiser that is also unforgettable for those that attend. Donor participation is often a great idea to incorporate. Keep it in mind that these events need not make a hole in your pocket or the donor’s. In fact, this is a big plus with creative and well-thought out fundraising ideas that they do not entail any massive expenses and yet achieve fundraising targets.
Also, the event need not require congregation. For instance, you can easily do something like a “sponsored silence” in which you take a vow of silence for a day and do your utmost to maintain it; this is more fun in college and school premises...
Here are some great elementary school fundraising ideas that you and kids will surely enjoy. An elementary school fundraiser that involves kids and allows them space to express themselves is sure to be a winner. The reason for this is that kids love to be in an environment where they can have fun and interact. Such opportunities are also useful because they allow teachers and parents to find out what a child is good with. A child’s interests can thus be promoted. So what are the examples of a fundraiser for an elementary school that will have the kids jumping for joy? Outdoor activities are an example. Children love sports and sporting activities.
But if you really wish to get the kids involved in a memorable fundraiser that brings out their creativity then you can get them to participate in a coloring or painting content; crafts and clay work are another option. Another very cool option is to bring out the designer in the kids. Let the kids design something for example a hair bow or a bolo tie. The girls can concentrate on designing hair bows using whatever materials they wish to employ and boys can do the same...
The best schoolfundraisers should fulfill certain criteria. Let us understand what these are; these will help us select the right type of fundraisers to participate in.
A school fundraiser has to be necessary. It is often taken for granted that a fundraiser is taking place for a reason and yet in today's commercialized setup, it is not uncommon to see schools going along with pastry, cake, schoolbag sales because there are attractive commissions to be had. So if you plan to expend time, money, and energy not just your own but also of your children be sure that you know what the funds are being raised for. Is there really a need for funds. Remember the best school fundraisers are those that follow the highest standards of ethics because the student of today is the society driver of tomorrow and foundations are laid in school. As a parent if you feel that you can serve the fundraising cause better by writing a check and saving your own time as well as your child's then do so; your contribution will surely be received with gratitude.
A fundraiser that educates kids, gets them involved, is not too heavy on marketing and convincing folk to...
Sports team fundraising is another one of those fundraising activities that are similar to cheerleading fundraising, and school fundraising. Sports is often a defining feature of many an educational institution. There is a lot of pride and history attached with a lot of sporting teams. Why are sporting team fundraisers held in the first place? Well, for a number of reasons - to pay for uniforms, practice sessions, travel, coaching fees, medicine, tournament participation, etc.
The great thing about sports team fundraising is that sports lends itself so wonderfully to products that can be sold. Quality products sold at a reasonable price and meant for a cause will find takers; at least in an ideal situation you will always have a captive market made up of enthusiastic supporters from the neighborhood.
Some easy to customize products that you can all round the year and particularly on occasions include fundraising t-shirts for your team, mugs, bags, calendars, badges, magnets, decorative cutlery, stickers, buttons, baseball bats, basketballs, baseballs, shoes, etc. These products can be source of steady income with spikes in earning during events.
Discriminate wisely between events meant to pay for day-to-day operational and maintenance activities and funds meant for capital expenditure....
Jul
18
2011
Do You Know What Street Fundraising Is?
Street fundraising is one of the most basic and effective forms of funds generation for charities. You don't need a lot of skill and you have a ready and never ending stream of prospective donors coming your way or passing by your way; you don't have to go to them. You talk face-to-face with the donor and have a great opportunity to impress him with the worth of your cause. One has to keep in mind though that the time window is a short one; you catch a person either going to or coming back from work. Even in any other scenario, there are always enough and more people vying for an individual's money and that includes other competing charities.
If you can get a person's attention in the initial two minutes, you will achieve something or the other for the charity. At best you will acquire a donation on the spot and a donor committed to contributing again; at worst you'll get nothing but you've managed to spread awareness about your cause; and in between you get a promise for donation later on with the prospective donor's contact details. The returns on such a fundraising activity are very high...
Feb
5
2011
Fundraising for Valentine’s Day
Valentine’s Day is one of those occasions that seem to be tailor-made for fundraising. Yes, you can really crack the fundraising code this 14th February if you know how to do it and start preparing from now.
Give those young at heart a platform to spend time together; appeal to their community instincts and they will surely be generous on this day designated for spreading love all around.
You can hold it one day before the occasion or maybe on the Sunday before Valentine’s Day, this way you give the interested couples their evening together on the big day. What are the things that you can do?
How about a wine tasting session? Make it a part of a romantic evening, target married couples. You’ll probably get more of them to attend; young lovebirds would rather have the whole time to themselves in their privacy.
Greeting cards, anyone? Yep, you can raise funds quick and easy by selling these. In fact, there is a lot of memorabilia that you can sell to swooning lovers – pendants, charms, neckties, perfumes, etc. And the proceeds go to your charity.
Then there’s the biggie – chocolates. Easy to make, with so many varieties, package attractively and you...
Auctions are an important fundraising tool - here are some pointers for you to make these work even when the economy is down.
• Be aware of what ideas have worked for your auctions so far and see how you can tweak them to get the best in a recession.
• Online auctions work because communication through the net is cheap and you reach out to a large number of people. Tap into the power of the internet.
• Inform interested people early enough that there is going to be an auction.
• You need to rev up your item-seeking from both private and institutional donors. Focus on getting high-end items from them.
• You should consider putting fewer items up for auctions; this will increase the competition in bidding. Select categories where you are aware of participant interest and promote those. Promote auction items aggressively and also promote the cause for which the auction is taking place.
• Incentivize the auction - give participants a reason to come and bid on the stuff being auctioned.
• Have your finger on the pulse of what will sell - replicas and souvenirs, sports memorabilia, Hollywood memorabilia, etc.
• Think of ideas to get more people to attend - maybe add a concert or an open barbecue; of...
Jun
6
2009
Tips to Raise Money through Fundraising
Non-profits and charities exist because of the good folk that follow the maxim – “People give to people.” And as a fundraiser you have three main options to raise money; on an individual basis, as a team, and of course the ever-growing online fundraising.
Given the finances and skills available with your organization, you can follow one, two, or all three options to raise funds. Whatever you do remember to take it forward and not leave it halfway. Spread your fundraising activities, do not expect immediate results.
Have a long-term fundraising plan that covers fundraising activities for the year and the avenues that you wish to tap. Apportion work according to the capabilities of the manpower resources at hand.
Fundraising is very dependent on the amount of information your team has on the cause you wish to support and how you plan to make a difference. So, for example if it is arthritis patients that you are keen to support then have the stats on the condition, particularly in the area where you wish to canvass for funds. You are bound to be asked questions and relevant answers will help you strike a chord with people who know the travails of...
