How to Plan and Host a Successful Fundraiser
Choose an organization., Find out how to get everything you raise to the organization., Get volunteers., Decide on a budget., Warning: You may have to extend your budget., Find a venue., Set a date and time., Plan activities., Get the necessary...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Choose an organization.
Choose one for a cause you care about, one that is close to your heart.
Make sure that the organization accepts what you want to give. -
Step 2: Find out how to get everything you raise to the organization.
Look on the website and figure out how to donate to them.
See if they accept objects, or just money.
Some organizations even have a wishlist.
There may be contact information that you'll need, like the email of the person running the donations, who to make checks out to, or an address to send objects to. , Ask friends, family, and neighbors to help out.
If you have kids, ask them to spread the word at their school.
Spread the word at your workplace, too.
Make sure that everyone knows that if they don't volunteer, they can still attend the event. , It should be right in the middle, like $100-400.
This will cover any costs you have to pay, and leave room for any surprises. , Don't be too stubborn, but don't go higher than $1000. , One idea is to ask a local school if you can use their backfield for outdoor activities, and/or classrooms/gym/cafeteria for indoor activities.
You can also contact the manager of a mall, store, restaurant, theater, etc to use their building and any outdoor space for the fundraiser.
Try asking if participants can sleep over at the venue.
If they say yes, more people are likely to stay for multiple days.
Make sure that the participants will have the choice of indoor or outdoor sleeping, especially if it's winter. , Pick a Saturday or Sunday unless most people have the day off, or can take it off.
Try starting at 7am and ending at 10pm.
You can even have it run into the next day.
Allow people to camp out if the venue will allow it. , There are many activities to choose from but here are a few: local band concert, raffle, auction, endurance games (with pledges), quiz games, child corner (moon bounce, puppets, games, etc), face painting, craft sale, antique sale, movie, book sale, game sale, toy sale, movie sale, music sale, *insert item here* sale, races, pool, dunking booth, hug-a-gram for a friend, car wash, dancing, guessing games, talent show, karaoke, game show, singing telegram, board games, pet grooming, ticket selling (movie, concert,etc), etc.
You should also sell refreshments.
You can also try direct donations, where people give money or a check and it goes to the organization in their name.
You should also have a laptop so people have the option of paying online using a credit card, or yours, and they can pay you back (for kids).
Try a marathon, like the kind Relay for Life holds, with booths along the path selling refreshments and other things.
Make sure people know where their money is going, and they'll be more willing to pay. , This all depends on the activities you have and where your budget is. , Tell people at work, school, and your place of worship.
Ask to run a booth at the mall.
Hand out fliers or set up an informational booth outside a restaurant, movie theater, store, or anywhere else.
Put up fliers around town.
Tell friends to tell their friends to tell their friends... and on and on.
If you want some extreme publicity, here are a few ideas: hold a flash mob using a song related to your topic, ask your local news station to advertise it, hold a live telethon, contact a TV or radio station and ask them to put up a commercial for your fundraiser, ask restaurant managers to tell their customers that if they attend your event their next meal will be free, etc.
That last one can be adapted to any venue where something is sold.
WARNING:
Using these ideas may result in a lot more people that you originally planned on hosting, so be aware when advertising.
Some grocery stores, etc let you post fliers around their store and you don't need permission.
Places like these can be a goldmine. , Put all the information about your event onto it.
Make sure that there is a way for possible participants to contact you.
Update your site as much as possible.
If any forms (pledges, etc) are required for certain activities, or for the event in general, post a downloadable version.
Post a downloadable version of the flier for people who want to give them to friends.
Post a link to the website of the organization you are fundraising for.
Include a link to your website on the flier. , It should be high but achievable.
Make sure to post it on the front page of your website, and people will want to donate more to help reach that goal. , The people need to donate money, so everything needs a price.
Be reasonable, but make sure the prices will help you reach your goal. , This is when everything happens.
Have fun with it and do a good thing all in one! -
Step 3: Get volunteers.
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Step 4: Decide on a budget.
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Step 5: Warning: You may have to extend your budget.
-
Step 6: Find a venue.
-
Step 7: Set a date and time.
-
Step 8: Plan activities.
-
Step 9: Get the necessary equipment.
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Step 10: Get the word out.
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Step 11: Design a webpage.
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Step 12: Decide on a fundraising goal.
-
Step 13: Pick prices for everything.
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Step 14: Hold the event.
Detailed Guide
Choose one for a cause you care about, one that is close to your heart.
Make sure that the organization accepts what you want to give.
Look on the website and figure out how to donate to them.
See if they accept objects, or just money.
Some organizations even have a wishlist.
There may be contact information that you'll need, like the email of the person running the donations, who to make checks out to, or an address to send objects to. , Ask friends, family, and neighbors to help out.
If you have kids, ask them to spread the word at their school.
Spread the word at your workplace, too.
Make sure that everyone knows that if they don't volunteer, they can still attend the event. , It should be right in the middle, like $100-400.
This will cover any costs you have to pay, and leave room for any surprises. , Don't be too stubborn, but don't go higher than $1000. , One idea is to ask a local school if you can use their backfield for outdoor activities, and/or classrooms/gym/cafeteria for indoor activities.
You can also contact the manager of a mall, store, restaurant, theater, etc to use their building and any outdoor space for the fundraiser.
Try asking if participants can sleep over at the venue.
If they say yes, more people are likely to stay for multiple days.
Make sure that the participants will have the choice of indoor or outdoor sleeping, especially if it's winter. , Pick a Saturday or Sunday unless most people have the day off, or can take it off.
Try starting at 7am and ending at 10pm.
You can even have it run into the next day.
Allow people to camp out if the venue will allow it. , There are many activities to choose from but here are a few: local band concert, raffle, auction, endurance games (with pledges), quiz games, child corner (moon bounce, puppets, games, etc), face painting, craft sale, antique sale, movie, book sale, game sale, toy sale, movie sale, music sale, *insert item here* sale, races, pool, dunking booth, hug-a-gram for a friend, car wash, dancing, guessing games, talent show, karaoke, game show, singing telegram, board games, pet grooming, ticket selling (movie, concert,etc), etc.
You should also sell refreshments.
You can also try direct donations, where people give money or a check and it goes to the organization in their name.
You should also have a laptop so people have the option of paying online using a credit card, or yours, and they can pay you back (for kids).
Try a marathon, like the kind Relay for Life holds, with booths along the path selling refreshments and other things.
Make sure people know where their money is going, and they'll be more willing to pay. , This all depends on the activities you have and where your budget is. , Tell people at work, school, and your place of worship.
Ask to run a booth at the mall.
Hand out fliers or set up an informational booth outside a restaurant, movie theater, store, or anywhere else.
Put up fliers around town.
Tell friends to tell their friends to tell their friends... and on and on.
If you want some extreme publicity, here are a few ideas: hold a flash mob using a song related to your topic, ask your local news station to advertise it, hold a live telethon, contact a TV or radio station and ask them to put up a commercial for your fundraiser, ask restaurant managers to tell their customers that if they attend your event their next meal will be free, etc.
That last one can be adapted to any venue where something is sold.
WARNING:
Using these ideas may result in a lot more people that you originally planned on hosting, so be aware when advertising.
Some grocery stores, etc let you post fliers around their store and you don't need permission.
Places like these can be a goldmine. , Put all the information about your event onto it.
Make sure that there is a way for possible participants to contact you.
Update your site as much as possible.
If any forms (pledges, etc) are required for certain activities, or for the event in general, post a downloadable version.
Post a downloadable version of the flier for people who want to give them to friends.
Post a link to the website of the organization you are fundraising for.
Include a link to your website on the flier. , It should be high but achievable.
Make sure to post it on the front page of your website, and people will want to donate more to help reach that goal. , The people need to donate money, so everything needs a price.
Be reasonable, but make sure the prices will help you reach your goal. , This is when everything happens.
Have fun with it and do a good thing all in one!
About the Author
Sandra Henderson
Enthusiastic about teaching practical skills techniques through clear, step-by-step guides.
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