Even back in elementary school, you were told fundraising can be fun! Now that you have money of your own to spend, you can see how people would be cautious with their own. Organizing a fundraiser and getting people to donate can be a difficult task, but with these tips you can get on your way to reaching your monetary goals for your charity of choice.
Consider personal costs
It’s good to feel like a hero, and raising money for a worthy charity can help you feel that way. However, it’s important to understand that fundraising isn’t about turning a profit for yourself. There are plenty of personal costs like time, money and effort that you need to consider before throwing a big fundraising bash. If the benefits outweigh the costs, move forward.
Think about the details
There are many ways to fundraise, but throwing a fundraising event is a different beast. With events, you need to plan for food, drinks, tables, silverware and more. If you’re throwing an event like a 5K run, luncheon or night of drinks, ask for donations. People are happy to help for a worthy cause. If everyone is willing to pitch in with a bottle of wine or a side dish, soon you’ll have a fundraising event that’s tasty and savvy. The more money you save on minor expenses, the more you have to donate!
Marketing 101
Think about your cause and its target demographic. If you’re looking to host a fundraiser for your daughter’s Girl Scout troop, think about the types of people in your community who would like to help, and then market toward them. Visit churches, schools, parks and more to find mothers and fathers who would be willing to kick in a few bucks for a nice dinner and a good cause. If your event is public, put flyers around town to advertise and promote it. When you have plenty of people showing up to your event, you’ll have plenty of cash to donate to your cause.
Set your goals
Determining your goals will help you plan the kind of event you want to host. Sure, you need to set emotional goals like spreading awareness, but you also need to set monetary goals to help decide how much to ask from each person. Money is a sensitive issue, so choosing a price that covers your costs, but also donates a substantial sum to your charity can be tricky. You want to make the event affordable, but profitable at the same time. For example, charging $200 per plate at your local event might be out of reach for normal folks in your town, but $50 a plate might be doable. People can always donate more cash if they choose.
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