From the moment you decide to raise money, so much thought, planning and organizing goes into planning a successful fundraiser. We see so many groups jump in to the event too quickly and make the same mistakes. Halenda’s has been helping organizations, communities and sports groups plan successful fundraisers since 2014. We have helped raised over 2 million dollars with our quality and affordable product.
In order to have a successful fundraiser we suggest considering these 10 things;
How Much Time Do You Have Available for Fundraising?
Though you may want to commit 40 hours a week to fundraising for your cause, it is not always realistic. School, work and family engagements should be considered when planning out your calendar. How much time can you commit to daily, weekly or monthly? Be realistic. Make sure you give yourself time to breathe. You should also make sure to schedule time for mistakes. Mistakes happen and if you schedule yourself too tightly, it can be disastrous. Organize your schedule so that you have a buffer week between tasks so that if things go wrong, you can make a Plan B.
When Should You Start Fundraising?
Once you answer the question of how much time you can give to your cause, you should ask yourself when you need to begin. If you are fundraising to raise money for an event, your deadlines may be decided for you. If you are fundraising to raise awareness or money for research your deadline may not be as clear. Make sure you give yourself ample time to plan and fundraise. A one day fundraiser may bring in a few hundred dollars so consider how much time you will need to reach your end goal.
How Long Should I Fundraise For?
Consider this; you want to raise $2000 by November. You have a team of 20 people who will be assisting you. You will be able to begin fundraising by mid September. How long should you fundraise for? Well if you can plan to fundraise for two weekends in October with four teams of 5 at 4 locations, you should be able to exceed your goal. This gives you the ability to add a week if necessary before November to make sure you reach your goal.
Are There Any Events Or Holidays that You Should Consider?
Once you have decided your timeline for fundraising you should check the local calendar to see if there are any events or holidays that could help your fundraiser. Is there a local BBQ happening? Is a long weekend coming up? In a perfect world, people would flock to where ever you set up your signs to raise money for a great cause. In reality, going to where people are is the best way to be successful. Take a look at community boards and join local Facebook groups to mark down any possibilities. Once you begin planning your event you may find a few great gathering where your product or service will champion.
What Resources are Available to You?
Everyone has something to offer. What can you offer your team? If you are reading this, chances are you are organizing an event which means you are ambitious and you have a cause that you are passionate about. What else do you bring the table? Are you a killer scheduler? Do you have connections to any vendors? Are you a tech whiz? Take a hard look and decide what your role is.
Who Can Help on Your Team?
There is no I in ‘team’. Now that you have decided what your role in this fundraiser is, it’s time to assemble your rock star team! Who can help and what can they bring to the table. Find out who is willing to help and find out what connections or skills they would like to offer. Your event may start to take shape once you begin these conversations.
What Resources are Available to Your Team?
After you talk to your ensemble, compile a list of your team. Take a look and see what resources are available to make your fundraiser take shape. Perhaps your team has canopies, tables and a marketer volunteering. All the makings for great summer pepperoni sale! Set up a table and a canopy for your team at a local festival and sell a few boxes of high-protein snacks to those hungry beer drinking music lovers.
Who is Your Audience?
As your fundraiser begins taking shape consider who your audience might be. Maybe you have a few ideas; a yard sale, pepperoni fundraiser or possibly a bottle drive. Who would be the audience of each and which audience do you think would respond best to your cause? A pepperoni fundraiser appeals to sports tournaments, meat-eaters and of course, beer drinkers.
Where Will You Fundraise?
So now you have a few great ideas to consider. Where can these fundraisers take place? Is there a realistic spot to throw a successful fundraiser? Perhaps you were thinking that your local beer festival would allow you set up a table and sell. Give them a call or send them an email to find out if it is a possibility. Send out a few emails and see who gets back to you. Deadlines for every event are different and sometimes fees for participation may be higher than you anticipated. Sometimes you may be able to negotiate a great deal in exchange for providing volunteers to the event. You will never know unless you ask!
How Will the Fundraiser Operate?
The stars are beginning to align and your fundraiser is taking shape. Before you put down the deposits and spend your hard earned money, take a moment to consider the operational logistics of your fundraiser. Do you have enough time or people to execute your plan? If you have walked through the last nine considerations, you should have a good idea of the ins and outs of your future endeavor.
Now Make This Happen!
So you have a plan, great! Lock it in! Say yes to the location, send out the schedules to your teams and purchase that pepperoni! If you still need a few more ideas, check out our past blog for a few easy fundraising ideas. Above all, be confident about your cause and your abilities to pull of one successful fundraiser!
