There are two purposes for each charity event: to raise awareness for a certain cause and raise funds for it. By nature, people tend to be charitable, going so far as to donate their hard-earned money for a worthy cause. Done properly, charity events make a powerful channel to raise funds. Conversely, a poorly organized event could stain your cause and your reputation as a planner.
Planning a fund-raising event takes time and creativity. Below are some tips on how to pull it off without a hitch.
-
Create a Complete Budget
Outline the event budget to help you determine the scope and size of your incoming event. A complete list of all the expenses involved should be drawn up, so you can set an allotted for each item.
This includes:
- Rental fees for the venue
- Transportation
- Entertainment (musicians, guest speakers)
- Staffing costs
- Invitations
- Rental fees for equipment (audio speakers, tables and chairs, portable events shade, etc)
- Decorations
- Catering
Your budget should cover all known costs including a separate amount for unexpected circumstances. Remember that the event should end with an amount of money that exceeds all your expenses.
- Select a Suitable Venue
Your venue will depend on your budget. Of course, you would want a fantastic venue, but take note that the venue is often the hugest cost of a charity event or any event for that matter. While you’re trying to avoid a worn-out warehouse, you don’t want to have a no-expense-spared way of thinking either.
In choosing a venue, see to it that the place can accommodate everything — equipment and guests included. It is also important that the venue goes along with your theme to make an impression. Consider getting a venue that’s commonly used for charity functions so that you can market it easily.
- Find Sponsors
With a well-established cause, approaching sponsors shouldn’t be as hard as it may seem. Your inner circle should start first then gradually work your way out. Businesses already engaged with charity functions are easiest to target, and you will benefit from their customers too since they can be sponsors themselves.
Your team may have ideas for sponsorship, as well, so draw suggestions from them. Do not simply rely on formally written letters. Use phone calls, visits, and emails to make sure they’re up to it. Your approach should be integrated, persistent, and systematic.
- Market Your Event
When you’ve reached the bottom of your checklist, it’s time to get the word out. Social media is the most convenient way of promoting a charity event, starting with your friends and then work your way out. Using hashtags is all the rage these days, so make one and use it for every post, and encourage people to do the same. Paid ads on social media also don’t cost much, but they can reach audiences as far as you can imagine, with several different demographics to boot.
Emails also work, but make sure that’s it attractive and clickable from the subject alone. Otherwise, your message will be buried beneath the piles of other emails.
To get the attention of your locality, flyers and posters will do the job. Distribute them liberally to get the townsfolk talking.
- Gratitude Matters
Being grateful means you remember that there is a lot of good that is left in this world, so don’t make the costly mistake of not thanking your volunteers, sponsors, contributors, and attendees. A simple “thank you” before and after the event works, but sending personal notes or tokens shows your sincerity. After all, cultivating a sense of thankfulness is the heart of every charity.
