Fundraising Event Basics

A fundraiser, in its simplest terms, is an event held to raise money for an organization or a cause. This event can be something as simple as a bake sale or as involved as a concert, conference, or other large event. When you hold a fundraiser, you have to choose an event that fits the cause or organization. This is usually based on who will be there. A golf event or other athletic event may be the best way to raise funds from athletes. A fancy dinner will get funds from philanthropists and socialites. Deciding what type of event you want to hold is the first step to a successful fundraiser.

Once you’ve decided how to raise your funds, you have to go about planning and executing your event carefully. You will need someone to market it, someone to worry about logistics, someone to handle the money, and a whole team of people to do decorations, food, programs or favors, and other details. You also will need to know who is coming, especially if you are hoping for big names. Event registration software can help you get what you need as quickly as possible.

The person, or team, marketing your fundraiser will probably be the one to sell tickets. Whatever event you choose to hold, whether it be a conference, workshops, concert, or something else altogether, needs to be well-attended for your fundraiser to work. With Eventzilla you can sell tickets online, or use the conference registration software to track online registration for the event. This is easier than trying to figuratively go “door to door” to sell tickets. Event registration software can even make it easy for your guests to RSVP through online registration, so you don’t have to worry about following up with them. This also means you know how many to expect for your event. All of your staff will need this information, so it is imperative that the marketing team takes advantage of the software to get it quickly.

To really make your event profitable, you will need a team to handle the logistics. This entails the details surrounding the location, the time and date, and even the arrivals of caterers, guests, musicians, and more. They need to be able to focus on details. The type of people who are successful at this are the people who are able to think through an event step by step, and make sure each detail is taken care of. For many events, such as conferences, they will need to know how many people to plan for, so use a software program, like conference registration software, so you can plan accurately.

The best way to handle the funds earned at an event is to put a few people solely in charge of the money. Depending on your event you may have checks, cash, or even credit card payments. Be ready for anything, and handle it all professionally. You may even have the option of setting up a fund online. You can certainly sell tickets online, which eliminates the problem of cash or checks being everywhere as you gear up for the event. You want people to remember how easy it was to give to your cause or organization. Remembering this will increase the likelihood of future fundraisers will be as profitable.

You also need different teams for the focus of your event. Food, drinks, music, decorations, and more all need to be handled. If you have enough people, you can delegate these responsibilities. Otherwise, be prepared for some hard work. But it can all pay off if your event is well attended and successful.