How to Organize a Fundraiser: 7 Tips to Remember

By Diana Younts | July 12, 2019 |

An average of 72% of charitable donations come from individuals rather than companies. If you’re looking to raise money for your organization, organizing a fundraiser to get individual contributions together is the way to do it.

Fundraiser planning isn’t something to take lightly, however. There are many things to consider in order to get everything right.

Luckily, there are steps to take in order to have the smoothest fundraiser possible. Read on for our guide on 7 tips to consider when organizing a fundraiser.

How to Organize a Fundraiser, the Right Way

If you’re currently figuring out how to organize a fundraiser for a project, trip, or organization, the process can be challenging. It’s just like planning a big event; a lot can go right, but a lot can also go wrong.

Fundraiser planning involves preventing those annoying issues that can seriously impact the success of the event. For instance, researching your venue and available layouts ahead of time will prevent you from any surprises or space issues the day of.

By anticipating issues, setting your intentions, and planning properly, you can be sure you’re doing all you can to make the fundraiser great. If you take the time and stay organized, fundraiser planning can be a breeze.

1. Choose Your Purpose

If you’re wondering how to organize a fundraiser, one of the most important places to start is by having a clearly defined purpose. In other words, what will your fundraiser be benefiting?

You can choose to start fundraiser planning in order to raise money in general for your organization, or you can have a specific story behind it. Regardless, you want to have something compelling to tell potential supporters for the event.

If you are looking for other things, such as a new partnership or general publicity for your organization, be sure to keep that in mind as you begin fundraiser planning. That way, you’ll be sure you’re doing everything you can in order to accomplish everything you’re setting out to do.

2. Come Up With a Goal

For those wondering how to organize a fundraiser with excitement and impact, you should set a specific goal for the amount of money you’re trying to raise. For instance, if you’re saving for a trip, figure out all the money details and use that as your financial goal. A goal will help you promote your story, which is ultimately what will help promote the fundraiser.

Once you’ve figured out a concrete goal, use that number in all of your marketing. Keep track of the numbers as you go, as people are often inclined to give more if they see that you’re just beyond your fundraising goal.

3. Decide On Your Budget

Okay, you’ve got a goal and a purpose. Now what?

Another necessary thing to consider when figuring out how to organize a fundraiser is what your budget will be. This is especially important to help your efforts stay profitable. Without paying attention to the budget, you could even end up financially in the hole.

Come up with a fundraiser checklist of anything that will require investment, such as venue reservation, materials, transportation, and merchandise. It’s best to contact all parties directly and figure out exactly how much everything will cost. That way, you’ll know how much you need and you can avoid overspending.

4. Assign Leadership

If you’re wondering how to organize a fundraiser, here’s a good tip to remember: don’t do it alone. If you have the available resources, break down the tasks and figure out who the leaders in your organization will be.

If you plan on having more fundraisers in the future, you may want to set up a general fundraising committee so you’ll be able to skip this step next time. Choose your most trustworthy and reliable team members to take on different parts of the workload. With everyone working together, you’ll have a much easier time planning a successful event.

5. Hash Out a Timeline

Another important step in fundraiser planning is figuring out your timeline. Once you know what you’ll need to accomplish, you should write it all down and put some dates behind it.

Create a fundraiser checklist of everything that needs to happen before the day of the event. Here are a few key things to consider:

Your marketing schedule (what your marketing materials will be, how and when they can be printed, what other promotions you’ll be doing, etc.)
Your venue reservation, including due dates for deposits and time needed to reserve in advance
Any preliminary marketing plans, such as passing out fliers and doing other public promotions
The production period of promotional materials and giveaways
Procuring of funds to set everything up

While this is by no means an exhaustive list, you’re likely to have some individual items of your own to factor into your timeline. Get your leadership committee together and get everyone’s input. That way, you’ll be sure you’re mapping out everything that needs to happen.

6. Find a Great Venue

Your venue choice is one of the most important parts of how to organize a fundraiser. With the right venue, you’ll receive the size, setup, and support you need in order to make your event successful.

Be sure to do all your research beforehand in order to ensure the venue offers the space you’re looking for. Here are the main points to look for when selecting a venue:

Cost: does it factor into your original budget?
Location: will it be easy for your staff and guests to get to?
Size: will the space accommodate the crowd you’re expecting?

Choosing the right venue can make or break your fundraiser. Be sure to do your homework beforehand so you can be sure you’re going with the best option.

7. Figure Out Marketing and Sales

Fundraiser planning involves more than just planning. If you want your event to really be a hit, you have to take the time to market properly.

Get your committee together and talk about a marketing plan. Use your story and goals to provide a compelling way to capture the attention of potential supporters.

Start Planning Your Fundraiser Today

Planning a fundraiser doesn’t need to be overwhelming. All it takes is some planning, promotion, and organization. Now that you know how to plan a fundraiser, start your plans today!

Posted in Fundraising Gala and tagged fundraiser