10 Fearless Fundraising Events For Those Starting Out

If you are new to running a non-profit, part of a small group, or just joining a group, thinking about fundraising can be overwhelming! I began my fundraising journey back in 7th grade, when I became treasurer of my class. We had to raise money to help pay for a school trip we were taking in the spring. I had no idea what I was doing, but I knew we needed to make money! Over time we got better and better at running them. Below are 10 Fearless Fundraising Events For Those Starting Out that I would like share for those on a fundraising journey!

1. Start small

If it is just you or a small group, start with a small fundraising event. Also, start with easier fundraisers like mailings (I will discuss mailings in a future blog). If you are doing an event, make sure you try and think about all of the things that need to be done. Make a list and share it with others that are going to help, so everyone knows what needs to be done.

2. Have a reasonable objective or goal

With any event that you hold, it is important to have a goal. Share it with others that are helping, too. But, what is a reasonable goal? If you are holding a bake sale, I wouldn’t assume you can make $1,000 the first time out. May $100 would be great! If you pass your goal that is great, but if you set your fundraising goal too high, you might be disappointed.

3. Understand your Fundraiser

Before launching into a fundraising event do your homework! You want to make sure you know what you are getting into and are comfortable with it! I have gotten involved in a lot of fundraisers without really knowing most of the details and components and it has taken a lot more time than I anticipated. Everything is on the internet, so do some research before diving into any new fundraiser. Also, look at your team, friends and family and see what skills they have, in order to help! For example, if you know someone who is a great baker, I would be all over them for a fundraiser for Valentine’s Day! Everyone loves a themed cookie or cupcake!

4. This is a “Friend”-raiser as well as a Fundraiser

You might not make a huge amount of money at an event, but if you get 50 new names for your mailing list, that would make it worth the day! There are businesses that PAY $10 per lead! Yes, these people are sales leads for you as potential supporters of your organization down the road. So make sure you take that into account as you hold any event.

5. Don’t be bullied

Over the years, I can’t tell you how many times people have contacted me with, “Stacy you should do XYZ fundraiser”. Sometimes people get really focused on this stuff! One year, everyone seemed to think the theme should be to have a golf fundraiser. I, however, was already running two large events during the year, so adding another one seemed overwhelming to me. We had so many people asking about it, though, I felt like I was letting the organization down by not having one!

What I ended up doing was creating an event planning form. I began to give that form out to anyone who suggested a new event. On the form, I would ask many questions that I would ask for anyone starting a new event, such as who is going to run it, who is on the committee, what would the costs be and how much money would be raised. That form has saved me for years! Whenever anyone wants me to do an event, I thank them for their idea and hand them this form. I have never gotten one back!

6. During the event plan for extra help

You never know when you might be need an extra pair of hands! Don’t be shy for asking for help during an event. I have even asked attendees to help in a couple of panic situations! One year, the front door to a building blew off during one of our auctions that was happening during a bad Nor’Easter. That was pretty interesting! So, we needed lots of help and it taught me to never be afraid to ask.

7. After the event, stop and reflect

Before discussing the fundraising with your volunteers, take a day or so to stop and reflect on your thoughts. How did you think it went, what were the tentative results, was it a success in your mind?Was it a good fit for your mission? Do you see growth possibilities? Don’t miss the chance to increase the success of future events by not deconstructing what happened at the current event!

8. Debrief with your team and thank them

Often times, I will host a dinner meeting with my event fundraising committee with a review of how the event went. This is the time to get their feedback and discuss any wrap-up issues and begin the plans for next year. It’s an important time to thank your team, as well, and show them how much you appreciate their time and commitment to the cause!

9. You’re Fired

Don’t be afraid to “fire” a fundraising event. I have run many events that just didn’t seem to be a good “fit” for the organization that I was working with. One year, we ran a fundraiser, Pedaling for Paws, which I thought was a great idea! We did 25, 50, 100 mile routes for people to ride their bikes, fundraise and support the cause. It is a win, win right?

Well it seemed like our supporter base really didn’t ride bikes as much as we would have thought. We had to work really hard to find bike riders! Plus, coordinating the event was a major challenge. We had to do maps and get permission from every town that our bike ride entered, needless to say, it included a ton of logistics. So while it was a great idea, we just didn’t have the support needed to build the event. Because of all of the troubles we had, we “fired” the event after much discussion, post-race.

10. Enjoy and have fun!

Running these events can and SHOULD be fun for all! If we don’t have fun we aren’t going to want to do it again. So, even if it is raining hard at your fundraising walk, keep a smile on your face and take what comes your way!

As you can see, there is a lot to consider when planning any event. But the main thing is to realize that the “do nothing” option really isn’t an option, at all. We all need funds to help support community cats and the work we are doing. Take a leap and start building a strong fundraising events program today!

Next week… How to track those Pesky Grants!