How to Fundraise Effectively During Event Season [Top Tips]

Event season is quickly approaching. Is your fundraising organization prepared?

According to Double the Donation fundraising statistics, 56% of worldwide donors choose to regularly attend fundraising events⁠—from charity auctions and galas to run/walk/ride initiatives, and more. Many organizations collect the majority of their funding through these types of events. 

In this guide, we’ll share five best practices for nonprofits looking to raise more during the fundraising event season. 

1. Plan ahead
2. Differentiate your event ideas
3. Get the word out using multichannel marketing
4. Amplify impact with matching gifts
5. Follow up 

Ready to explore tried-and-true tricks for maximizing your organization’s upcoming events? Let’s dive in.

1. Plan Ahead

The spring and summer months are some of the most significant in terms of nonprofit event-hosting. However, many organizations choose to plan ahead when possible. (In fact, GiveSmart statistics report that 76% of organizations begin selling tickets 30+ days before the event begins⁠—and the planning itself starts long before even that.)

Luckily, whether your team is in the beginning stages of event planning or you’re ready to finalize the nitty gritty details, an exhaustive fundraising event checklist can help!

2. Differentiate Your Event Ideas

Choosing your nonprofit’s fundraising event (or events) can be a big undertaking. But it’s also one of the most essential components of success.

If your team has been hosting the same event year after year, find a unique element that can put a spin on it! On the other hand, if you’re looking for brand-new event ideas to host, look for distinctive experiences that can make your event stand out.

These innovative and engaging fundraising events may include:

• Carnivals and festivals
• Themed fun runs (color run, costume run, glow-in-the-dark run, etc.)
• Benefit concerts with local or well-known performers
• Golf or other sports tournaments (fun idea: whirly ball!)
• Comedy shows
• Live or silent auctions (with unique prizes)
• Raffles (traditional, online, reverse, or 50/50-style)

Differentiating your event ideas from the pack can help your organization better attract attendees to your novel experience. Supporters will have the opportunity to support a cause they care about while also receiving unforgettable memories.

Talk about putting the “fun” in fundraising!

3. Get the Word Out Using Multichannel Marketing

In today’s overcrowded digital landscape, getting your message to your supporters is sometimes difficult. And when tons of organizations are promoting events at the same time as yours, your marketing efforts might get drowned out.

But all hope is not lost⁠—especially when you leverage a multi- (or omni-) channel marketing plan to spread the word about upcoming engagements far and wide. This enables your team to meet supporters where they are, using whichever communication channels they like best.

This may include:

• Email marketing
• Text messages
• Phone calls
• Social media posts
• Your nonprofit website (or even an event-specific microsite!)
• Co-marketing with corporate sponsors
• Direct mailings

And remember, regardless of the combination of methods you choose to spread the word about your upcoming events, making an effort to personalize your donor communications is key. This can even be as simple as saying, “Hey Jeff, we know you attended our annual gala last year. We’d love to see you again⁠—here’s how you can buy this year’s event tickets!”

4. Amplify Impact with Matching Gifts

Another of our favorite ways to elevate just about any fundraising event is with corporate matching gifts. Matching gifts offer a quick and easy way to leverage corporate partners for your event, and they’re accessible to nonprofit organizations of all shapes and sizes.

Not to mention, the presence of matching gift opportunities can even encourage personal giving as well. According to Double the Donation research, 84% of individuals say they’re more likely to give if a match is offered⁠—and nearly one in three donors indicate they would contribute a larger gift if matching is applied.

The result? A 71% increase in response rate and a 51% increase in average donation amount when matching gifts are mentioned.

In order to make the most of the opportunity, be sure to highlight matching gifts across all of your event communications. This will increase your supporters’ awareness of the programs, consequently driving more available matches to completion for your cause.

5. Follow Up

Your event has ended, and the last guest has walked out the door. But wait⁠—your efforts to ensure a well-planned experience are not quite done.

Now, it’s time to launch the final phase of your strategy: the follow-ups. This is the phase where you and your team to…

• Thank guests for attending, as well as any additional contributions (e.g., donations, bids, purchases)
• Provide additional ways for donors to amplify their support (such as with matching gift reminder emails and acknowledgments when corporate matches come through!)
• Share how supporters can continue to get involved with your mission (by following your organization on social media, signing up for a newsletter, etc.)

Properly thanking donors is one of the top ways you can influence donor retention, keeping your supporters giving again and again.

Taking the time to send a personal thank you will leave a good impression on your supporters long after the experience is over. Not to mention, they’ll be excited to attend your next event, as well!

Make your nonprofit fundraising event stand out from the crowd with the best tips, tricks, and tools highlighted above. In the end, your donors will be highly engaged in the cause, and your organization will be set to pursue its mission with the funding needed for successful operations.

And remember to keep matching gift opportunities engrained throughout the entire process, too. Best of luck, and happy hosting!

This blog is a guest post from GiveSmart Donor CRM integration partner, Double the Donation.

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