Planning a virtual fundraising event, especially if it’s your first one, can seem pretty daunting. We all live busy lives, and as a result, fundraising might not be your top priority – especially if you factor in the work involved in actually setting up and hosting your own event.
But even if your time and resources are limited, fundraising events might not be as complicated and time-consuming as you think. All you have to do is make sure you’ve covered all the key components. Whether your fundraiser is big or small, we’ve put together a step-by-step plan you can follow inspired by our brilliant Fundraising Everywhere speakers to ensure that your fundraising event is a success.
Step 1: Outline the purpose of your fundraiser
Ask yourself, ‘what is the purpose of this fundraising event?’
Perhaps you’re hoping to raise money at the event, but the main focus is to spread the word about the work your charity does or reach out to a new audience? Are you targeting a large group of people who don’t know much about your chosen cause or a smaller group of regular supporters and donors?
It’s vital that you make it clear to everyone involved what you’re raising money for and why. This will help your fundraising donors to know the impact their participation or donation will have, as well as making them connect to your cause on a personal level as well.
Step 2: Set a fundraising goal
Once you’ve outlined the purpose of your fundraising event, you need to decide how much money you plan on raising. For example, if the sole purpose of your fundraiser is to generate donations, everything will be geared towards raising a specific sum of money.
The amount of money you choose should be what you hope to to raise after expenses of the event are deducted. Of course, your goal doesn’t necessarily have to revolve around how much money you can raise, but, if you are thinking of having a set figure to work towards make sure it’s a realistic amount to aim for.
Step 3: Create a budget
Most charities and non-profit organisations have tight budgets to start with, so making your own budget for your event is crucial.
Budgeting is a good way to ensure that you won’t overspend when it comes to organising the elements of your fundraiser. Think about how money will influence the activities you’re hosting. For example, the cost associated with big events can increase gradually as the number of attendees goes up. This could then affect how much you charge for attendance.
Alternatively, hosting a virtual event can help to control and minimise the costs of food, space, and materials, as well as ensuring the safety of attendees during the pandemic. Whatever your plans are, be sure to leave a little wiggle room in your budget for any unforeseen costs.
Step 4: Plan everything up in advance
Both you and your event staff should plan and set everything up well in advance. This includes all the particulars of the fundraising event, so make sure you have the following questions covered:
- What streaming/video hosting service will you use?
- Are there any video clips or graphics that need to be prepared?
- Will there be any virtual entertainment you need to arrange?
- Do some attendees need special privileges on the day?
- What’s the itinerary of the event?
Make sure you give yourself plenty of time to get set up, and don’t be afraid to ask for external support if you need it.
Step 5: Spread the word
Making people aware of your fundraiser is vital to its success, as without any guests or attendees you’re not going to meet your target goal. There are plenty of ways in which you can tell people about your fundraiser, but one of the best and most cost-effective ways is to use social media.
Platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter can make people in the community aware of your event quickly, and at no additional cost to you. If you do have a bit of budget for advertising, paid adverts on these social platforms are often much more effective at drawing attention to an event than traditional media.
Having a good marketing strategy will not only help you get attendees, but it can also convince supporters that your charity and fundraising event is worthy of their time and money. Get the word out early about your fundraiser and then follow-up to find out who is planning on attending.
Need support with your fundraising efforts?
It can take a lot of money, skill and finesse to plan a successful fundraising event, so if you’re looking for external support with your fundraising efforts, Fundraising Everywhere are here to help.
Through virtual conferences, monthly webinars and virtual support, we connect you directly to the proven methods, people, and new ideas that are guaranteed to help you raise more money. This means you can learn wherever you are, in your own time, and at an affordable price. If you’re interested in finding out how we can support you, get in touch with us today.