10 Tips for Planning a Successful Fundraiser
1. Be creative!
There are endless possibilities for fundraising events, so be creative—find just the right event to appeal to your community and audience.
You can host:
- a gift fair,
- a benefit concert,
- a bake sale,
- an art show, or . . .
You can put on:
- a talent or fashion show,
- a comedy night or play, or . . .
You can hold:
- sponsored runs,
- walk-a-thons,
- bike-a-thons,
- dance-a-thons, or similar event, and ask family members and friends to contribute by the mile or hour.
You can host:
- a pizza party,
- an afternoon tea,
- a casual buffet dinner or an elaborate sit down dinner. The fundraising part is easy, ask your guests to bring a donation equal to the cost of the meal for the IRC or . . .
- Hold a bake sale at your church or office.
- Hold a stoop, garage or yard sale; sell items on eBay and donate the proceeds.
2. Think strategically!
You need to attract plenty of participants and donors for a successful fundraiser. In order to do this—
- Identify your target attendance goal.
- Choose an event to stir passion in the people you want to reach for support.
- Make sure your event will generate revenue, publicity and promote good community relations.
3. Plan ahead!
A successful event requires careful planning!
- Give yourself lead time (at least three months)
- Define success for your event (# participants, $ revenues raised, publicity generated, etc.)
4. Ask for help!
- Form committees and delegate responsibilities.
5. Make a checklist!
6. Create a budget!
Make a financial plan for your event. Build a detailed budget, including ALL:
- revenue opportunities (sponsorship, ticket sales, donations, concession sales, etc.)
- expenses (venue rental, printing, postage, speakers, food/drink, music, security, cleanup, etc.) [Sample budget-See DIY Events Kit]
7. Consider logistics!
Line up the biggies:
- venue,
- food and drink,
- entertainment,
- setup (tables, chairs, booth),
- organizing volunteers,
- event timeline,
- parking,
- security,
- signage,
- publicity coordination,
- cleanup,
- transportation
- Keep track of donations with the donation tracking form - See DIY Events Kit
- and More!
8. Promote your Event!
To publicize your event, think creatively and practically. The primary objective is to generate interest in the event using:
- radio,
- TV,
- Internet,
- newspapers,
- Office or school newsletters,
- Church, Synagogue Bulletins,
- flyers, etc.
The secondary objective of publicizing is to raise awareness of the specific organization and need. So, as much as possible, spotlight IRC and the people we serve in your publicity.
9. Evaluate!
Take time to evaluate soon after the event while the details are still fresh. Provide a questionnaire to participants and have them complete and submit before leaving your event. Apply what you learn from the evaluation to help shape your next event and to share with us.
What to evaluate:
- Actual attendance numbers compared to projected attendance goals? How does this impact promotion for your next event?
- Net Proceeds = actual revenues minus actual expenses (Be sure to cover all budget details!)
- Compare actual revenues and expenses to budgeted revenues and expenses. (How can you budget more accurately for future events?)
- How well did the event fulfill its goals and objectives?
- What worked well?
- What needed improvement?
- Participant feedback?
- Logistical problems?
- Oversights?
- Surprises?
10. Housekeeping!
- Please write to share your story with us. Tell us about your event – include photos, if possible. Share what you learned from your evaluation.
- Collect all revenue, pay your vendors and mail proceeds to International Rescue Committee, 122 East 42nd Street, New York, NY 10168. (Checks should be made out to: International Rescue Committee. Please include your event registration ID on the check.) You may also donate any funds raised through our website at www.theIRC.org/DIYdonations
Finally, it is important to remember to celebrate your successes and thank everyone who participated or contributed in any way to make your fundraiser successful.
If you have any questions, please email DIYevents@theIRC.org with your event registration ID in the subject-line.
