Blog: Hosting Charity Events

​How to Host a Charity Event in 5 Steps

Raising money for a worthy cause can be a difficult feat. To encourage donations to a charity, you need to make people feel connected to an organization, which can help your non-profit to reach its goals.
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To inject a substantial sum of money into a cause, you should consider launching a fun-filled fundraiser that will make people dig deeper. To raise the maximum amount possible, learn how to host a successful charity event in five steps.

Step One: Set a Fundraising Goal

It is important to set a fundraising goal before planning the event, as it will determine the price of tickets and the activities you will incorporate, such as:

• A live auction
• Silent auction
• Crowdfunding

It is also crucial to remember the event shouldn’t only be held to monetize a cause, as it should raise awareness for the charity and should serve as a networking opportunity.

Step Two: Establish an Event Budget

It is imperative you spend a fraction of the amount of money you plan to generate from the fundraising event. To do so, you must establish an event budget and not go a dime over it. To ensure you don’t spend more cash than necessary, you must leave some wiggle room in your budget for an unexpected fee or service.

Step Three: Identify Your Target Audience

It is wise to consider your target audience before you start the planning process. For example, if you are hosting an event for business owners and hard-working professionals, a black-tie affair might be apt.

However, if you are organizing a fundraising event that welcomes the local community, you should make it a little more fun and informal. For example, if you are launching a school fundraiser, you could offer market stalls, raffles and a blow up obstacle course, which will cater to both young and old.

Step Four: Market the Event
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If you want to secure as many donations as possible, you’ll need to aggressively market the fundraiser to your target audience. To boost its awareness, you’ll need to produce offline and online ads to convince people that your event and charity are worth both their time and money.

There are numerous ways you can promote a charity event, as you could:

• Mail invitations
• Post flyers in mailboxes
• Publish social media promotions
• Encourage word of mouth
• Send email newsletters

The more people that attend your event, the more money you could generate.

Step Five: Refine Your Sales Strategy

You also must introduce a sales strategy to make as much cash as possible before, during and after a fundraiser. You should introduce different ticket price options, which should offer different perks. For example, you could charge an additional fee to enter a VIP area or receive complimentary food and drink.

You also should have staff in place to accept spontaneous donations during the event. Plus, you could hand out flyers encouraging your guests to donate money to the cause at a later date.

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