10 Proven Gala Fundraising Tips for Your Nonprofit
GALA
FUNDRAISERS ARE A POPULAR WAY FOR NONPROFITS Raise money
Build relationships
GALA FUNDRAISERS Opportunity to gather some of your nonprofit’s supporters and donors in one place and present to them your achievements and successes
Best Gala Fundraising Ideas and Tips
1
ENSURE YOUR GALA WILL HELP YOU ACHIEVE YOUR GOALS Goal setting
Healthy fundraising campaign
Review your strategic goals and objectives Look at your fundraising goals and objectives Clearly ensure that organizing a gala fundraiser fits with those
SMART method
Measurable – The goal should be measurable, not subjective
Specific – The goal should deal with a specific area of performance or a specific KPI
Relevant – The goal should be connected to the overall mission and vision of the organization
Attainable – The goal should be ambitious, but remaining within the realm of possibility
Time-bound – The goal should have a deadline
2
PUT TOGETHER AN EVENT TEAM Distribute tasks
Commitment and hard work
CONSIDER ALLOCATING RESPONSIBILITIES BY ZONE
Venue and logistics management Speakers Marketing and PR Sponsors Attendee/delegate experience
3
THINK ABOUT THE VENUE
Finding the right venue
Christmas and New Year’s holidays
Book early while carefully considering the location and access, the type of venue, the dates, the type of your agenda, the food and beverages
4
DO MORE WITH LESS – OR NOT? Spending
Saving
Set a budget that balances smart spending and providing a great environment for your attendees
5
GO DIGITAL Technology
Outsourcing
Registration and payment Displaying schedules Sharing information about and around the event Seating and table arrangements Reporting and analytics tracking
6
DECIDE HOW TO ACCEPT DONATIONS Raise funds
Accepting additional donations
Text-to-give Cash-only Donation kiosks Mobile-optimized donation forms
7
ENRICH YOUR PROGRAM WITH ACTIVITIES 7.1. Auctions
7.2. Raffles
Auctions are a staple when it comes to gala fundraisers and nonprofit fundraising in general
Raffles can either be run as part of a fundraising event, or as a dedicated fundraiser outside of an event
Make sure you read up on rules and regulations when it comes to holding a raffle in your respective country
8
MAKE THE GUEST EXPERIENCE YOUR PRIORITY
Stay away from the ‘me, me, me’ approach
Talk more about your nonprofit
Gala fundraisers should be about celebration too. Get that spirit across through your decorations, your words, and your agenda
9
FUN, FUN, FUN
Fun is the essential
Spread good words about your nonprofit
Wonderland (a grownup tea party with scones) Masquerade (masque ball with a live band complete with mask competitions and fireworks) Magical Garden (a gala in a botanical garden with bold patterns complete with organic and healthy appetizers)
10
DON’T FORGET ABOUT THE AFTER
Logistics, speakers, locations
Thank you Emails
Thank sponsors, speakers, VIPs, etc. by mail, phone call or e-mail – whatever is most appropriate for your specific relationships
Organizing gala fundraisers can be a stressful and resource-consuming endeavor
In addition to being a great platform [DonorBox.org] for raising funds, gala fundraisers are also an opportunity to build strong, lasting, and meaningful relationships with donors and supporters
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