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JULIA CAMPBELL: Cause Camp 2021 Host

Julia Campbell is on a mission to make the digital world a better place. Through speaking, training, and consulting, she shows social purpose organizations how to use social media and storytelling to build communities, showcase impact, and advance their causes. Julia is the author of Storytelling in the Digital Age: A Guide for Nonprofits and has a new book coming out this fall on nonprofit social media strategies. She was recently named one of the top 25 Nonprofit IT Influencers to Follow in 2019 by BizTech Magazine.

“In times of disruption and upheaval, it’s more important than ever for nonprofits to come together and learn how to best move forward. Cause Camp combines some of the most innovative thinking in the sector with tactical action steps you can take back to your organization and hit the ground running!”

MARYANNE DERSCH: Make It Stick: How to Get New Ideas into Action

Maryanne Dersch specializes in helping nonprofit leaders increase their influence and be the change agents they have always wanted to be without feeling rejected, ineffective, or pushy. She has spent almost thirty years working in the nonprofit world helping organizations communicate more effectively internally and externally. She is leading a movement to change “nonprofit” to “human investment company” to accurately reflect the contributions of the sector. She’s known for her love of ultrahigh heels, extra-large Diet Cokes, and short karaoke rotations.

“You are going to learn so much at Cause Camp that you will want to take back to your organization and make stick. I will show you just how to introduce these awesome new ideas in a way that will have anyone in your organization excited to implement them!”

PETER ROSS: How to Measure the ROI of your Marketing Strategies

Peter has defined the vision, strategy, and culture of 829 Studios since its founding in 2007. It is his mission to help clients transform their data into strategy and provide an integrated approach that blends creativity with technological sophistication. He is constantly searching for new opportunities clients can leverage to achieve differentiation, develop competitive advantages, and better communicate their brand story. Peter received his Executive MBA from Imperial College London and primarily focuses his time on business consulting, marketing strategy, site architecture, frontend/backend development, SEO/SEM, and interactive media.

“If you’re not already preparing for the changes coming to advertising attribution (particularly on Facebook) then you need to get started. It’s fundamentally changed the landscape.”

CIERRA SELBY: Kickstart Your Organization’s Internal Communication Strategy

Cierra believes effective internal communications are essential to nonprofit success. Her experience includes 8+ years of Marketing, Communication, and Program Management for organizations working on issues such as poverty, financial literacy, voter engagement, health research, and the public arts. Over the last few years, she has served as a conduit for making these best practices accessible to organizations seeking to enhance their efficiency and workplace culture.

“Internal communications can be your organization’s greatest asset or greatest liability,” said Selby. “I believe Cause Camp is going to be incredibly impactful this year. It’s an ideal experience for nonprofits seeking to both thrive and innovate in a post-covid world.”

BILL MCKENDRY: Doing More with Less

A veteran marketer, speaker, and messaging expert for nonprofit causes, Bill is the founder and chairman of DO MORE GOOD as well as the founder and chief creative officer of HAVEN | a creative hub. Recognized in 1999 when he headed Hanon McKendry as the top professional nationally doing cause marketing work by the American Advertising Federation (AAF) and inducted into AAF’s Hall of Achievement, Bill has cultivated a reputation as an expert in key success principles for nonprofit marketing and communications.

“It’s important for every nonprofit to understand that it is a conduit and not the cause. Cause Camp helps give attendees the tools and confidence to manage that reality.”

TAMMY CHARLES: How to Create Winning Corporate Partnerships

Tammy Charles, MBA is the Founder and Chief Strategist at Inovo Strategic Consulting. Inovo is a global consulting firm that helps purpose-driven leaders with innovative and profitable business models to pursue social change. Her passion for community impact and development has allowed her to train, consult, and coach more than 30 nonprofits and social enterprises. Also, she has raised over $10 million in financial and non-financial support in her career to support impact areas such as economic empowerment, social justice, poverty alleviation, health equity, racial justice, social innovation, and more.

“The pandemic has presented an opportunity for us to reimagine social change. Now more than ever, the cross-sector collaboration between nonprofits and corporations will be critical to scaling, innovating, and ensuring sustainable impact for generations to come. I’m excited to talk at this year’s Cause Camp to share some important tools and strategies nonprofits can leverage to create winning partnerships with corporations through innovative funding models and strategic alliances.”

The post Cause Camp 2021 Speaker Line-Up appeared first on Nonprofit Hub.

To help you prepare, we will ensure you can answer the following:

1. What are the different types of events you can host?
2. What tools do you need to plan an event?
3. What are the best ways to engage event attendees?

Ready to learn more? Let’s begin!

1. What are the different types of events you can host?

In-person events

In-person events are likely what your nonprofit has traditionally done in the past. It’s a great way to meet your supporters, engage them in something meaningful, and raise a good amount of money. Some common examples include:

• Walkathons
• Auctions 
• Talent show
• Exercise classes
• Charity concert

At first glance, you might think these types of events are not feasible during this time. After all, how can you conduct an auction if you have to fundraise from home? Let’s move on to the next section to learn more.

Virtual events

To better understand how you can pull off almost any type of event you want online, let’s explore the following examples of virtual fundraising events:

• Peer-to-peer fundraising. Taking place entirely online, this social media fundraiser is an engaging experience and doesn’t require any face-to-face interaction.
• Live-streamed experiences. This is great for events such as concerts or even an online class! Sell tickets to your virtual event and provide instructions on how to access the livestream video.
• Individual remote activities. This is a great way to host a walkathon without having to meet in person. Equip participants with a distance tracking tool and encourage them to post updates on social media!!

• Online auction. All you need is an online auction platform or mobile bidding app and you can provide a virtual experience that’s just as special as a traditional auction.

This Qgiv article states that virtual events are achievable for everyone— it just requires careful planning and the right tools. 

Hybrid events

Hybrid events are in-person events with virtual elements. But what exactly are the benefits?

For one thing, offering a virtual alternative to an event allows more people to participate. People from all over the world can tune in! And this means more supporters who might give to your cause. 

Note that hybrid events continue to rise in popularity, especially after this spike in virtual experiences. People will grow accustomed to the convenience, so make sure you flesh out your virtual resources and tools now. This way, you set up the foundation for future event success, no matter which type of event you want to host.

2. What tools do you need to plan an event?

If you’re planning an in-person or virtual event, you’ll need a dependable arsenal of event registration and management tools. Consider the following:

• Event registration tool. The right tool can net you 29% more completed registrations!
• Integrated payment processor. Make sure you have an integrated payment tool that securely processes purchases and accepts a variety of payments.
• Email communication tool. It’s important that you communicate with attendees. Find a tool with automated marketing capabilities so that emails are sent in a timely manner. 

• Reports and data analysis tool. Having a tool that collects event data is a great way to look back at engagements and learn how to make future ones better.
• Live-streaming or video conferencing tool. This is a great way to engage your attendees in real-time even when you can’t meet face-to-face.

The right virtual fundraising tools can set any event up for success, whether in-person, virtual, or hybrid. Make sure the above solutions are in your own event management toolkit! Even better, find a system that handles all of your needs! For instance, many registration tools will come with an integrated payment processor, assist with email communication, and track key data points.

3. What are the best ways to engage event attendees?

Whether you’re hosting an in-person, virtual, or hybrid event, engaging your attendees is a challenge that you must overcome. Virtual events have their own unique obstacles, like how to keep participants interested without experiencing too much screen fatigue. 

Let’s review the following engagement best practices:

• Consistent engagement in the days leading up to the event. Make sure to send emails with event details as well as reminders for any pertinent information. 
• Engagement during the event. Post a live fundraising thermometer or conduct live surveys! This is a great idea for both virtual and in-person experiences. 
• Post-event engagement. Send a thank you letter as well as a summary of the event’s impact. For help crafting a thank you letter, check out this resource of free donor thank you letter templates.

Satisfied event attendees are high prospects for long-lasting supporters. Make sure that no matter the event you decide to host, whether in 2020 or beyond, you have a dedicated engagement strategy in place.

In conclusion, event planning in 2020 is no easy feat, especially if you haven’t dipped your toes into virtual events before. Hopefully, this guide has given you more insight into the differences and benefits of in-person, virtual, and hybrid event planning. As well as the necessary tools and strategies you’ll need. Good luck!

The post Event Formats in 2020 and Beyond appeared first on Nonprofit Hub.

What is DIY Fundraising?

When schools raise money for a cause, they usually do it via a student run or walk event. The school will rely on the students to go door to door asking individuals to pledge money that will then be collected once the run is completed. Most people can relate to this type of experience, having likely done it themselves when they were young. This type of fundraising is called peer-to-peer and is very similar to DIY. “The main difference is that in a DIY fundraising scenario, each individual has the ability to raise money the way they want to. It does not have to be for a walk, run, or bake sale,” writes Gale Summers, a business writer at Writinity and Lastminutewriting. The organization will often do something to facilitate the raising of funds, but the exact method of how is up to the individual fundraisers.

Trends in DIY Fundraising

DIY fundraising has become more and more popular over the years because of its ability to reach a higher degree of donors. Each individual who goes out with the intent of raising capital will likely look to a specific area they have some kind of interest or involvement in. “Whereas traditional peer-to-peer methods will focus on one single event, such as a run, the DIY model does not,” writes Henry Vashon, a blogger at Draftbeyond. This diversification in methods reaches more donors and usually results in more funds.

DIY fundraising works particularly well in nonprofit organizations because donors may see some kind of community or overall value in the mission of the nonprofit. For-profit businesses may have a more difficult time convincing donors to hand over money, but it is not impossible. Traditional crowdfunding methods offer some kind of perk, product or service, to those who donate. Whatever the compensation is, it’s usually paid out at some point in the future, once the company is up and running. 

Another major trend in DIY fundraising is the use of virtual events. These types of events are useful because they do not put time or geographical constraints on a potential donor. This is in stark contrast to the traditional peer-to-peer fundraising events. A common platform for DIY fundraising virtual events is Twitch. This live streaming platform has already been used to raise over $80 million for organizations around the world. 

Why DIY Fundraise?

One of the major advantages of DIY fundraising is that it allows people to raise money in environments they feel the most comfortable in. A recent example of a DIY fundraising technique was a video game tournament hosted on Twitch. Every player had to pay a fee to enter the competition, and the winner got to keep a portion of those proceeds, with the vast majority going to the organization. Whoever organized that event knew exactly what they were doing because, in theory, they had spent a decent amount of time within the online video game community.

Another advantage is the ability to easily incorporate social media into one’s DIY campaign. Social media has become a great place for companies to raise money as well as brand awareness. These types of campaigns are quick and easy to organize and involve very little start-up costs. The traditional peer-to-peer event may require an initial investment and there is no guarantee that the event will be a success.

Companies and organizations are always looking for new ways to raise money. Often the traditional methods are not desirable for one reason or another, and they find themselves looking for other solutions. DIY fundraising offers a cost-effective, easy-to-run and limitless fundraising solution. All it requires is a bit of imagination, dedication and hard work.

Author Bio

Victoria Munson is a business reporter at Luckyassignments.com and Gumessays.com. Victoria’s main areas of interest include current events and tech. She believes that these two topics go hand in hand as technology is always playing a major role in how our world progresses. Many of Victoria’s writings can be found at Researchpapersuk.com.

The post A Nonprofit Guide to DIY Fundraising appeared first on Nonprofit Hub.

1. Be prepared

Work out exactly what you want to get out of the event in advance. Make sure to have a tight elevator pitch ready to go, and bring plenty of business cards so you can focus on making your interactions count in the moment. But don’t try to stick to a strict script ― let yourself be in the moment.

2. Just Be Yourself

You may think you are the only secretly uncomfortable or nervous introvert at the event, but remember that everyone is human and a lot of people are feeling the same way. Be open, be yourself, and don’t force it ― just start conversations casually and focus on making a human connection with other people first and the business side of things will follow.

3. Remember: You are the Solution

Another thing to bear in mind is that the other people attending the event are looking for new businesses and brands to connect with ― in other words, you are the perfect solution for some lucky business out there! Talk to as many different people as you can and remember that, while you are also seeking the right company to work with, they are on the look-out for you, too. Remember when you initiate a conversation to put your best (and by best, we mean most generous) foot forward. Show them what you can offer before you ask for something in return.

4. Find Events that Suit You

Not every networking event will be suitable for your business or brand, so be selective and identify the events that will potentially be the most fruitful. Christina Battista, a business writer at Elite Assignment Help and State of Writing, says: “There are plenty of tools to help you do this, such as Eventbrite and Meetup, which have countless listings.” Talk to other businesses for recommendations of good events and try to attend events that may be outside of your usual comfort zone. This will help expose you to new audiences and present different opportunities for you and your business.

5. Make Networking a Habit

The best way to make sure you stay involved in networking events is to make it a part of your regular routine ― schedule in an event on a monthly basis, for instance, to ensure you are nurturing the relationships you make with donors, partners, or other corporate or community entities. This will pave the way for following up with more exclusive meetings. Connecting with someone a few times at a group event will make them more likely to accept an invitation to a friendlier, one-on-one conversation.

6. Arrive Early ― or, Better Yet, Arrive First

There are so many benefits to turning up early, especially for those who are less comfortable with the whole networking process. Firstly, it will make the first few minutes much less daunting and more accessible, since you can settle in while the crowd is small. It also places you in the position of greeting people as they arrive, rather than trying to introduce yourself to an entire room full of people. This also puts you in their minds as a friendly welcoming face and relieves them of the awkwardness of trying to approach people themselves. This will also make you come off as confident, approachable, and ― most importantly ― memorable.

7. Get to Know the Event Host(s)

Joseph Dailey, a project manager at Academized and Academadvisor, explains: “Get in touch with the person/people organizing the events you attend beforehand to form a personal relationship before you even arrive ― ask them questions and see if they have any recommendations for who to talk to.” Then, once you arrive, make contact with them again before you begin to work the room and they may even be able to facilitate certain interactions and make introductions.

8. Be Memorable and Move On

Don’t go into events expecting to talk to every single person ― focus on creating meaningful, memorable interactions with select individuals. Still try to keep the conversations short and sweet, exchange business cards, and move on!

At the end of the day, just be personable and try not to get caught up in being perfectly professional. Simply be prepared and be yourself!

Author Bio

Molly Crockett is a marketing and technical writer at Paperfellows and Oxessays. Her area of expertise is digital and social media marketing as well as using technological options to improve business processes. Molly enjoys sharing her experience and personal tips with her audience and she also writes for Bigassignments.

The post 8 Tips for Fundraising When You Hate Networking appeared first on Nonprofit Hub.

Many schools decide to focus on running peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns, in which the students (along with the help of parents and guardians) take on the responsibilities of raising money for their school. A few popular examples include the classic walk-a-thon and magazine sales.

However, many parents dread the fundraising season at their children’s schools. It may be too time-consuming, continuously drowned out by other priorities and ultimately not worth the hassle. These parents want their children to experience field trips, sports teams, student organizations, and more, but they may have a hard time getting involved in the fundraising process that makes such events possible. 

If you are a teacher, parent, school official or volunteer dedicated to supporting students’ educational experiences, this can be a very frustrating challenge. So how can you boost parental involvement in your elementary and middle school fundraisers? 

Here are our top 5 tips:

1. Get the students excited. 
2. Offer a variety of parent roles.
3. Host unique campaigns.
4. Ensure family-friendliness.
5. Show your appreciation.

Ready to get started? Let’s jump in.

1. Get the students excited.

First and foremost, it is crucial to get your students pumped about your fundraisers. While parental involvement is necessary as well, it all starts with the students. 

Kids’ excitement will drive the parents to get involved. Especially given the bad rap that school fundraising often has, if a student is not interested, then the parent will think they’re off the hook — and there goes your fundraising revenue. 

This means it’s vital to market your fundraising efforts to the students in your school. Kids are motivated differently than adults. Instead of focusing on the mission behind the fundraisers, children tend to care more about the benefits they’ll receive for earning money. Offering incentives for money raised by students is an effective way to increase involvement and, as a result, donations. 

A few examples of incentives that work well with elementary and middle schoolers include:

• Bounce houses
• Limousine rides
• Pizza parties

Consider establishing fundraising levels with varying prizes. The more money a student raises, the greater the incentive they receive. This often encourages friendly competition among classmates — and they’ll be begging their parents for fundraising help in no time.

2. Offer a variety of parent roles.

Not every parent in your school will fit into the traditional fundraising role. By recruiting parental assistance in a variety of roles across the fundraising process and catering to busy, working parents, you increase the percentage of families that are able to help out. 

For example, parents and family members can assist in these three main ways:

• Organizing: Some parents are better-suited for behind-the-scenes work that goes into planning a successful fundraiser. Different campaigns will involve varying levels of planning. For instance, organizing a walk-a-thon involves deciding on logistics, pledge collection and boosting excitement throughout your community. Dividing up the workload among eager parents is a great way to prepare an excellent event while fostering a school-wide community between families and other supporters.
• Volunteering: Other parents may choose to assist in the main event. Whether it is a fun run, read-a-thon, or another event, recruiting volunteers can make the day go by smoothly. Parents can attend to support their children, cheering them on in any competitions or races, and garnering excitement among participants and other supporters.
• Promoting: Parents that may not get involved in other ways can quickly and easily boost their child’s fundraiser through the power of social media. Parental involvement with social media practices is a key strategy for growing your donor network. Aunts, uncles, and grandparents from all over the world can help fund your projects because of the involvement of a family member.

Make sure your fundraiser is inclusive of non-traditional families by inviting grandparents and other guardians to help out as well. This will ensure that all students are encouraged to participate and to engage their families.

3. Host unique campaigns.

A great way to engage both parents and students is by exploring new and exciting peer-to-peer fundraising ideas. Many schools (and other organizations) often get stuck in a rut and end up reusing the same bland fundraising ideas each year. Not only will students and parents both tire of repetitive campaigns, so will their friends and family members who are pledging their support. 

Taking advantage of unique campaign ideas is an effective way to boost your fundraising revenue and levels of parental involvement. 

Consider any of these tried-and-true school fundraisers:

• Raffle
• Shoe drive
• Art auction
• Talent show
• Parent’s night out
• Read/Bowl/Bike-a-thon
• Bake sale or cook-off

Regardless of which campaign you choose, it is vital to create a strong foundation to build on. According to re:Charity, the success of any school fundraiser is based largely on the abilities of its teachers, students, parents, and supporters to work together and communicate well. Check out these fundraising ideas specifically targeting Parent/Teacher organizations!

4. Ensure family-friendliness.

The most successful school fundraisers are those that are family-oriented because they are a great way to involve parents, students and other children as well! Parents are busy people, so you can’t expect them to be able to drop everything and help fundraise. This is why getting the whole family involved is a great idea.

For example, you may choose to host a family fun day full of games, snacks, music, etc. This can be an exciting event that your whole community can rally around. You can fundraise by charging admission, selling snacks and drinks and/or accepting donations. 

On the other hand, you can choose to throw a parent’s night out. For this event, parents drop their kids off at school for an evening of games and movies, while they head off to a much-needed date night. Teachers, staff and volunteers can stay in to entertain the kids, while parents get affordable childcare, an opportunity to do something special, and an easy way to support their child’s school.

For other ways to get started, check out 99Pledges’ top family-friendly fundraising ideas for schools. Remember to get the whole family involved for the best results.

5. Show your appreciation.

It’s important in any fundraiser to understand your donors — who they are and why they give. For a school fundraiser, this tends to be fairly self-explanatory. Parents and family members give to support their children and their education. Community members give to raise up the next generation within their neighborhoods.

Because parents are busy, they like to know that their time, effort and hard-earned money are being appreciated by the organizations they give to. It can be as simple as a handwritten thank-you note, a personal phone call or even a follow-up email.

Thanking your families for getting involved will leave parents with a better impression of your school, and will encourage repeat donations or volunteering. 

Here are a few key tips for showing appreciation to your supporters:

• Thank your students. Make sure to thank the kids who bring your campaigns to life with their enthusiasm and knack for competition. Although their parents may have done most of the hard work, it’s nice to appreciate the students who take on the role of a fundraiser for their school.
• Thank their parents. Thanking the parents for their involvement in your campaign is an effective way to build relationships with some of your school’s most important supporters. Offering a genuine thank-you to these vital constituents is key to establishing repeat donors and getting the funding you need.
• Thank their donors. If students bring in pledges from their family members, friends, neighbors, parents’ coworkers, etc. it is nice to take an extra step and thank those donors for their support. For a more personal touch, you can have the students create their own thank you cards for their supporters.
• Thank your volunteers. This includes anyone who helps plan, organize, set-up, run, and/or clean up your fundraiser. Even if your volunteers do not make monetary contributions to the school, it is crucial that they know they are valued by your school. 

Make sure that everyone who has contributed to your fundraiser’s success has been thoroughly appreciated. Just as valuing your constituents leads to increased engagement, a lack of appreciation can lead to a loss of donors, volunteers and supporters of your school.

When you run a school fundraiser and implement these 5 key strategies, you should start to notice an increase in parental involvement. Whether you see growth climbing gradually or welcome a sudden spike in engagement, it is vital that you continue to take part in effective donor relationship practices to retain these crucial supporters. Best of luck!

The post 5 Ways to Get Parents Involved in School Fundraisers appeared first on Nonprofit Hub.

After you’ve planned your auction event, there’s still the actual hosting part. We’re going to break down the day-of silent auction execution, highlighting what you need at each point of the event. We’ll make pit stops at the following points:

1. Guest arrival.
2. Start of the auction.
3. End of bidding.
4. Checkout.
5. Post-Event.

If this is your very first silent auction, our more comprehensive silent auction planning guide might be a helpful next resource to share with your team. With that, let’s get started!

1. Guest arrival.

There are a few factors to iron out as guests arrive.

Allow guests to pre-register and/or purchase tickets ahead of the event. As guests arrive, create two lines— one for pre-registered guests and one to register at the door. Be sure to staff the at-the-door line with more volunteers. This will speed up the process for everyone involved.

Further, encourage guests to pre-register their payment information online before the event. This drastically reduces checkout lines, creating a seamless guest experience and improving post-event reconciliation.

When they enter, give guests time to peruse auction tables and items before opening bidding. This is especially important if you’re not providing an online auction catalog prior to the event.

2. Start of the auction.

There are a few key terms to remember once bidding opens and the auction officially begins:

• Minimum starting bid: This is the lowest amount that the first bidder can bid on an item, usually set at 30-50% of the market value.
• Minimum raise: To be the highest bidder, each consecutive bidder must top the previous by at least the minimum raise amount. This is usually 10-15% of the market value. Learn more with this guide to auction item pricing.
• Buy now items: These are items that guests can purchase on-the-spot rather than bidding for them.

Outline parameters for each item and communicate them to bidders. Tent cards are the classic choice and are definitely worth using, but remove any room for mix-ups by including a digital catalog, as well. 

Further, consider using silent auction software and mobile bidding to automatically inform guests when they’ve been outbid, and incorporate scoreboards to add a fun competitive element to the event.

3. End of bidding.

End bidding either manually or automatically, depending on whether you’re working with auction management software. Stagger out the final announcements to keep the momentum up, and definitely avoid closing every item at the same time.

Don’t schedule any other event activities during the final moments of bidding. Ensure guests’ undivided attention is on the auction and that they can place their last bids without distraction.

Further, ensure guests are well aware of when bidding is about to end. Announce that bidding is closing 5-10 minutes in advance, and then announce the closing. If you’re using silent auction software, send notifications corresponding to the announcements.

4. Checkout.

Checkout is a stressful moment for any charity auction. Each item won needs to be paid for and distributed to its winner, and receipts, payments and invoices need to be quickly tabulated. As time goes on after your auction closes, so does the risk of long checkout lines.

Simplify the checkout process with these sure-fire techniques:

• Mobile bidding checkout. Skip the checkout lines entirely. Guests can checkout automatically upon winning an item simply using their smartphones.
• Physical checkout booth. Include a physical checkout booth for guests who choose not to use mobile bidding options. Make sure this booth is well-staffed with volunteers and staffers and prepared to accept card, cash and check payments.
• Item pick-up area. Designate a separate pick-up area for guests to collect their items, away from the main auction floor. This prevents a backup in the main auction space.

Checkout can quickly become a headache, so it’s crucial that you remember to plan for this point ahead of time.

5. Post-Event.

After the event, remember to thank everyone involved for their participation!

This includes your nonprofit’s staffers, dedicated volunteers, item donors, event sponsors and guests. At the end of the day, this was a fundraising event for your nonprofit — so you should follow all of the same best practices for thanking participants as you would any other nonprofit donor. Effective communications are a crucial donor retention strategy!

Store all of the data from your auction in your nonprofit’s CRM. It can provide valuable insights on your donor base and inform any fundraising events you hold going forward, whether an auction or not!

Successfully executing a silent auction can be a challenging, but worthwhile, task. By remembering the considerations outlined above, you’ll be well-positioned to host a successful silent auction that goes off without a hitch.

Author Bio:

Kelly Velasquez-Hague brings over 20 years of fundraising, nonprofit management, and sales/marketing experience to her role as the Director of Content Marketing for OneCause. As a member of the OneCause sales and marketing team, Kelly manages all of the company’s content strategy and execution. She is passionate about empowering great missions and loves that her current role allows her to continue to help nonprofits reach new donors raise more funds for their cause.

The post Silent Auctions: What to Remember Day-Of appeared first on Nonprofit Hub.

1. Fall Feast

Pay homage to the first Thanksgiving with a community fall feast! Bring together different vendors across your community, and have them bring their most bountiful harvests. Local chefs and businesses could show off their food and get awareness, while you simply charge a donation as an entrance fee. Bring in some carmel apples, pecan pie and everything pumpkin to get everyone in the fall spirit while they learn about your cause. 

2. Haunted House

Everyone loves a good scare around Halloween. A few bloody chainsaws and creepy clowns can sometimes be a good thing. Creating a little DIY haunted house is a fun way to get support for your cause, and it’s easy to keep it under budget with a little spooky creativity. Volunteers will love dressing up in scary costumes and jumping out at people. With a little help from your community, you can create a great, low-cost haunted house, and charge a donation for an entrance fee to meet your fundraising goals.

3. Pie-Eating Contest

Hope you’re hungry! Setting up a pie-eating contest fundraiser can be easy as… well, pie! With a donation for an entrance fee and some hungry participants, your pie-eating contest is sure to be a crowd favorite. 

4. Halloween/Thanksgiving Run

It’s getting to the time of year where people are a little more eager to work off those few holiday pounds. Why not host a good old-fashioned fun run? Whether it’s a pumpkin run or more of a turkey trot, getting people out and active during the holidays is always a good way to help you meet your holiday goals.

5. Arts and Crafts Fair

Here’s something that’s fun for the whole family. Contact local crafts vendors or set up your own crafting booths to set up a little DIY festival. Without having to splurge too much on materials, simply charge a donation for an entrance and let people make their own fun! Hand turkeys, pumpkin carving, pinecone painting and more, kids and parents will love the opportunity to have some crafty fun and not have to worry about cleaning up the mess afterward.

6. Yard Cleanup

Call in the troops! Bring in all of your friends and family (and many willing volunteers) to put some elbow grease into clearing out a mountain of leaves. Overshadowed, but much needed, a yard cleanup event is a shining light to help out your community members, while they help you. They won’t have that huge pile of leaves and twigs looming over their shoulder, and you will get a donation for the work! Most people will be so grateful that they might even donate more to you than it would cost to have it professionally done. It’s for a good cause!

The post Fall Fundraisers – 6 Ideas to Kick off the Season appeared first on Nonprofit Hub.

1. Make sure an event is the best option

Events are fun and can be beneficial, but they may not always be the best option. You can avoid spending  time and resources on a big event when a different approach―like getting sponsorships, grants or individual donations―may be more feasible. Since events aren’t always the most lucrative in their returns, your goals could be to build awareness and attract people to your cause, rather than raise funds.

2. Know your audience

Who are you trying to reach? Do some research about the type of people that would be most interested in your cause and who you want to bring to the cause. How old are they? Where do they live? What other causes do they care about? Once you begin to answer some of these questions, you can shape your event accordingly. This will help you find the best ways to reach the right people.

3. Have a goal in mind

What are you trying to gain from your event? Are you looking mostly for exposure and fundraising, or do you want people to take action in some other way? Have a clear call to action in mind for your attendees. They should know exactly what’s expected of them when they leave your event. For example, if you want attendees to take part in an awareness campaign, have flyers available outlining the specifics, or direct them to a web page with more information.

In any case, make sure your goal is measurable and specific. A goal you can’t evaluate is almost as bad as no goal at all.

4. Make a budget (and stick to it!)

Design your event around that budget, and line it up with your ticket price and your time restrictions. Don’t try to go beyond your means. If your goal is to fundraise, don’t spend money on bells and whistles that won’t bring in more dollars. And if you’re unsure how successful your fundraiser will be (it’s your first one, after all), it’s best to err on the side of caution. If you’re concerned about funding, reach out to some corporate sponsors for support.

5. Choose what type of event you want

For your event to be effective, you need to choose the type of event wisely based on your audience, goals and budget.

Consider your audience. What type of event would be most interesting to the group you’re trying to reach? It could be a gala, an auction, concert, sporting event, a-thon event, fun run—anything! Though the classic fundraisers might be tried and true, it never hurts to spice it up a bit. Brainstorm events that break from the norm and get people talking. A rollerblading movie night? Sure! A disco-themed, potluck benefit concert? Why not?

No matter what you land on, make sure your event aligns with your mission and will help you reach your goal.

6. Inspire your audience

Get the community invested in your cause by showing the difference their impact could make. Use examples from some of your previous victories to inspire hope and get people talking. If an attendee or non-attendee feels so inclined, give them the opportunity to donate beyond the event’s registration cost. Many attendees will choose to give more if asked.

7. Promote, promote, promote!

Get people talking about your event and encourage community members to spread the word! Word-of-mouth is a powerful source of earned media that can spread your cause exponentially. But, you can never go wrong with posting across social media platforms and making a website. You can also make an impact by putting up posters, making t-shirts, emailing like crazy and attending other community events―people will feel more inclined to support your cause if you supported theirs!

Use your current support base to your advantage. If you have loyal newsletter subscribers, donors or volunteers, reach out and ask for their support. If they have been there in the past, odds are they’ll be more than happy to help out again.

8. Take time to reflect

After the event, look back on the experience. Did you stick to your budget? Did you meet your goal(s)? Could an event like this be useful in the future? Figure out what worked and what didn’t. This last part is essential to helping you find a process that works for you and your supporters.

Boom—you just planned your first event. That wasn’t so bad, was it?

The post 8 Tips on How to Plan Your First Event appeared first on Nonprofit Hub.