Creating a Great Fundraising Event: from Planning to Follow-Up
Planning and executing a successful fundraising event is critical to the sustainability of many non-profit organizations. In this program, the team at Back2Back Ministries guides us through each phase of creating a successful fundraising event. From identifying the audience, to sharing your own story, to making the ask, each phase serves a different purpose and contributes to the overall experience of attendees.
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Introduction to Creating a Great Fundraising Event
Todd introduces his development team and discusses the value of a great fundraising event.
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Keeping the Audience in Mind: Planning 1
The most basic part of planning a fundraising event is understanding your audience. If you know your audience and plan around its needs and interests, you're much more likely to be successful.
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Finding a Powerful Theme: Planning 2
The "theme" of a fundraising event is the concept that brings all of the different pieces together. A good theme helps an event stand out to the intended audience.
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Crafting the Experience: Planning 3
A great fundraising event is a complete experience from start to finish. Engage your audience with your mission from the moment they enter the building.
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Preparing the “Ask”: Planning 4
Planning how to ask for contributions (and how much to ask for) is nobody's favorite part of a fundraising event, but it's essential to put effort into this element. Whether we want to admit it or not, a fundraiser is ultimately about raising funds to support your work.
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Energizing the Event with a Great MC: Design 1
An outstanding master of ceremonies (MC) can energize an event, keeping an audience engaged and entertained and connecting all of the different event components to your core mission.
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Using Video to Tell Your Story: Design 2
Video is a powerful way to communicate ideas and excite emotions.* Video production is also more and more accessible to a wide range of organizations. Using video elements in your event can both inform and entertain your audience, giving them a clear idea of the quality of your work and the lives...
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Telling Stories from the Front Line: Design 3
The team member who do the front-line work of your organization can be powerful advocates of the mission. They understand what a difference financial support makes to the people, communities, or causes you serve.
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Sharing Progress in the “State of the Union”: Design 4
A key element of a great fundraising event is the "State of the Union" speech, in which a key organizational leader updates the audience on key measures of impact, and describes important strategic objectives.
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Connecting Fundraising to Your Purpose: Design 5
Why should the audience give? The answer to this question must be central to the design of an effective fundraising event.
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Linking Passion and Mission with a Keystone Speaker: Design 6
A "keystone" speaker is someone who is a dynamic and engaging public speaker and serves as the centerpiece of the event, with an infectious passion for the mission and organization.
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Executing the “Ask”: Design 7
How are you going to ask for donations? When will you do it? What methods of giving are available to the audience? The answers to these questions may vary, but you need to have an idea of what works for you.
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“Strike while the Iron is Hot”: Follow-up 1
The opportunity to give doesn't end with the event. Quick follow-up is crucial, as a significant percentage of funds raised from an event come in the days and weeks after an event concludes. Have a strong follow-up to your event.
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Learning through an After-Action Review: Follow-up 2
Nobody's perfect. It's crucial to learn from fundraising events. What went well? What can we improve? An effective review will make future events even better.
