Are you looking to raise money for an organization you care about? Be it a charity gala with dinner and dancing, a themed trivia night with friendly competition, or a traditional silent auction with drinks and hors d’oeuvres, you can source funds and thank donors with many fun, entertaining ideas.
To ensure you meet your fundraising goals, we recommend some essential planning and preparation steps:
Be clear about your intentions
Choose your fundraising methods
Give yourself enough lead time
Secure the right venue
Send attendees thank-you notes
Keep reading to learn more. Modern Moments has helped many clients host successful fundraising events, and we’d love to help you too!
NEED SPACE FOR YOUR CHARITY EVENT?
Book Modern Moments; we’re the East Valley’s most charming venue with affordable rates! Our half-acre outdoor space can accommodate up to 300 guests and comes with an elegant brick patio, lush greenery, and warm string lights. We also have a bright and airy 1,200-square-foot indoor venue with a refreshment bar and zoned kitchen area that can comfortably seat 60 people.
Need planning assistance? Our professional event planners have over 20 years of experience helping clients throw all kinds of memorable events. We’ll help you secure top-notch vendors, coordinate timelines and setup, and even provide custom-made centerpieces.
Book a free property tour today. We’ll show you around, ask questions about your event, and share pricing and booking details.
Be Clear About Your Intentions
When it comes to goal-oriented events like charity fundraisers, clear intentions will make or break your results. Before sending out emails to potential guests, securing partners, or putting down a deposit on a venue, make sure to clarify:
The charity, organization, or cause you’re aiming to support
The “why” behind your event. Why a particular charity? Why now?
The dollar amount you’re seeking to raise. How much do you need to break even, and how much will make your efforts worthwhile?
Whether this will be a one-time-only or repeated event
The experience you want guests to have
And anything else that you feel is important to identify beforehand
Event planning takes a fair amount of effort. Add in the challenges of fundraising, and you’ve got your work cut out for you. To avoid losing time, money, or other valuable resources, it pays to invest in some planning beforehand. That way, your event produces the results you’re aiming for!
Choose Your Fundraising Methods
Once your intentions are set, you can begin to execute your event preparations. First up on the list is choosing the right fundraising methods. We say plural because you shouldn’t limit yourself to only one avenue.
For example, let’s say you’re looking to host a silent auction. You’ve received special items from donors to auction off, such as concert tickets or high-end valuables. On top of the auction, you could also request free food and drink donations from local restaurants or businesses. As attendees purchase menu items throughout the auction, you’ll raise money from food and drink sales.
Similarly, if you’re hosting a ticketed dinner or gala, you could request sponsorships from businesses looking to give back to their community. In return, they’ll reap special advertising benefits to help grow their customer base— a win-win for everybody.
No matter the method you choose, it’s important to stay open to all possibilities for donations. You might leave a donation box at the entrance of your event so attendees can give extra if they feel like it. Or do a surprise raffle that piques the curiosity of guests who weren’t initially planning on spending as much.
Give Yourself Enough Lead Time
Back-and-forth communications with sponsors, vendors, and guests can take longer than you think, so you must allow enough lead time for your event. You don’t want to rush your outreach marketing only to not break even due to low ticket sales or donations.
We recommend planning at least 6-9 months in advance. This should give you plenty of time to secure the necessary resources for a successful event.
Secure the Right Venue
Akin to setting clear intentions, booking the right venue for your event is crucial. By “right,” we mean:
The right price for your budget
The right size for your guest list
The right accommodations for your planned activities
The right space for year-round weather or temperatures
The right event staff to help with setup and take down
And whatever else is important for your unique event
It’s not uncommon for businesses to book a venue only to show up on the day of their event and realize the space is smaller or laid out differently than expected. Or worse, there’s no venue coordinator around to help them deal with an unforeseen issue.
At Modern Moments, we pride ourselves on helping clients plan custom and enjoyable events. Our flexible indoor/outdoor spaces mean you can host year-round and our friendly event staff is here to help you set up tables and chairs, coordinate vendors, and clean up trash when the event is over. We also offer professional in-house event planning services to take some stress off your shoulders. This way, you can attend to your guests without fretting about decor or caterers.
Send Attendees Thank You Notes
After your event, we recommend sending thank you notes to your guestlist, including any sponsors who helped you raise money even if they weren't physically at the event.
It’s not just a gesture of gratitude; it’s also a way to remind your guests of the difference they made in supporting your cause or organization. Make sure to share how much money you raised and for which charity. Specific examples of how the charities will use the funds empower donors to continue positively impacting their communities. When people see the effects of their donations, they’ll be more inclined to donate again in the future.
That’s a tell-tale sign of any successful charity fundraising event!
RESERVE THE EAST VALLEY’S MOST AFFORDABLE EVENT VENUE.
Modern Moments is the ideal space for all kinds of charity fundraising events. Whether you’re looking to host a family-friendly daytime event like a company picnic or a swanky adults-only evening affair, our event planners will transform our beautiful, versatile spaces to your exact wishes. Better still, our competitive rates and open vendor policy mean you can worry less about overhead and more about raising funds for your charity!