Julie Bowditch is the advancement officer for community fundraising at UMass Medical School in Worcester. Reach her at julie.bowditch@umassmed.edu.
October 14, 2019
10 Things
10 Things I know about ... Running a successful fundraiser
By Julie Bowditch
10) Form a strong committee. As with most endeavors, being surrounded by the right people is key. Find volunteers with energy, a diverse skill set, and the ability to commit to the planning and execution of the event.
9) Choose the perfect venue. Every event has different needs. How many guests are you expecting? Is the parking sufficient? Are there enough bathrooms? Is accessibility prohibitive? What outside vendors will be required? Ask these questions before determining where to host the event.
8) Set goals. It is important to know what your resources are and what you expect the event to net. Create a realistic budget and set manageable but optimistic fundraising goals. Break down your goals into categories such as ticket sales, sponsorships and auction revenues.
7) Are you not entertained? How will you keep your guests captivated? Will there be a special speaker or celebrity? Are you planning music, dancing, comedy or another form of theatrics?
6) Get the right people in the room. Anyone can fill a room, but having the most engaged guests/attendees present will set you up for the most successful outcome. Spend some time contemplating this as you form your initial guest list and reach out personally or even offer to comp the tickets of the top tier of potential or past donors.
5) Every auction is not created equal. There are many interesting and unique ways to run a raffle or live/silent auction, but there can be plenty of pitfalls, too. Bidder fatigue can occur when you oversaturate; package smaller items together if needed. Know your audience. Be sure the auction is a central focus of the event both in the space layout and in your timeline.
4) Sponsorship should be your highest ROI. Event sponsors, when solicited appropriately, will cover all of your event costs and then some.
3) Promote, promote, promote! The kiss of death on any event are the words “I didn’t even know that was happening!” Ouch. Utilize email, social media, strategically placed flyers (depending on the event), and send out a press release. Ensure your messaging and graphics are concise, dynamic and consistent across all media sources.
2) Thank your supporters. This is probably the step most often overlooked; yet, one of the most valuable. A person who feels appreciated will always do more than what is expected.
1) Love your cause. The most vital piece of any fundraising effort is to be passionate about what it benefits. If the charity your event supports does not have a mission lighting your soul on fire, you will have a very difficult time convincing anyone else they should contribute.
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