When you're thinking about a venue for an auction event, I'm sure that you didn't envision standing inside a hangar, looking out towards... the runway. Yes, I did say "runway".
An unusual venue - like a plane hangar - can be a fun place to have a benefit auction. During one benefit auction I attended, one of the favorite spots for the guests to gather was actually near the open hanger doors where they stood enjoying the view.
One of the stories in the August 2009 issue of Small Market Meetings was Planes, Trains, and Automobiles: Transportation Museums are on a Roll. The article discussed the many types of events held in transportation museums.
I haven't conducted fundraising auctions in a transportation museum yet, but I have a lot of experience conducting fundraising auctions in transportation facilities. This article covers a charity auction held in an executive airplane hangar.
An unusual venue can make a guest do a double-take when considering whether to attend your auction fundraiser.
"Oh neat," they'll think, "The party will be held in ____."
If it comes down to attending your function versus another event, they might very well opt for yours based on the unique auction venue. They might be more interested in a place they don't get to see everyday.
Airplane hangars are definitely worth considering if you're hosting a very large event. For example, in Kissimmee, FL there is a 10,000 sq. ft. hangar that can accommodate 1,500 people seated or 2,000 for receptions.
That said, auction committees should take some precautions when booking a nontraditional space. Every venue will have its challenges. You'll want to tour the site and think about flow, and food stations, and silent auction tables, and all those things good Auction Chairs consider when they are sorting through an auction gala's festivities in their mind's eye.
* At this locale, the wide open space allowed the auction procurement and decor committees to have great flexibility in adjusting the facility to meet their needs. One big hangar = lots of space for 200 guests.
* On the flip side, a super-slick, bright white concrete floor can be slippery to high heels, and - vice versa - heels or other shoe soles made of the wrong material can be unkind to a super-clean, high-tech floor.
P.P.S. The article featured places like the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, KY, the Virginia Museum of Transportation in Roanoke, VA, and the Pima Air and Space Museum in Tucson, AZ.
Author Bio:
Award-winning fundraising auctioneer Sherry Truhlar, CMP, BAS runs Red Apple Auctions, a firm specializing in teaching non-profits the techniques proven to grow auction profitability. She offers a number of FREE auction ideas on her website, including the popular Auction Item Guide, a meaty compilation of best-selling auction items. Sign-up for the Guide at Red Apple Auctions.
Article Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Unusual-Fundraising-Auction-Venue---Airplane-Hangars&id=3900062
Saturday, July 2, 2011
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
High School Fundraisers - 6 Fun Ideas
Whether you are a parent of a teen or a teen yourself, you know the importance of having funding for extracurricular activities. Youth groups, sports teams, bands and other high school activities all need to raise money. Fundraisers can be fun if you know how to put a new twist on typical fundraisers.
Successful fundraising is just a few steps away if you follow these ideas.
1. Baked Potato Dinner. A lot of groups do pancake breakfasts or spaghetti dinners, but serving baked potatoes and all of the fixings is a great way to raise money. Potatoes are relatively inexpensive and can be baked in bulk. You can buy cheese, bacon bits, sour cream, broccoli, butter and chili in bulk packages. Find somewhere to hold the dinner, like the school cafeteria, where there is enough room for everyone. The students can sell tickets ahead of time and also at the door.
2. Picnic Basket Auction. This idea works well at another event, like a back to school night or school carnival. It can also be done independently. Provide a picnic basket for each student and then have them decorate and fill it with food with a budget of $10. Each picnic basket is raffled off in a silent auction.
3. Singing or Musical Telegrams. These are perfect for a high school band or chorus and work well around Valentine's Day or Mother's Day. Students can sell telegrams at school and participants fill out the recipient's name, their address (or room number if the telegrams are to students) and then have the students deliver the telegrams on a specific date. Search online for lyrics for a singing telegram, or have band members play a piece of appropriate music.
4. Growing Kit. Buy seeds in bulk for fast growing flowers and then purchase some clay pots from a surplus garden store. Have a meeting with the teen group where you all fill the pots with potting soil, attach the seeds to the outside and then wrap up the pot with cellophane and ribbon. Sell the pots at a flat rate around school and in the community. This fundraiser works well in the spring and before Mother's Day.
5. Candy selling with a twist. Instead of selling the standard bars of candy why not make some candy from scratch and sell it at a premium price? People enjoy homemade candy more than commercially made bars. You can distribute recipes to the group, or if the high school club is small, you can organize a candy making party. The pieces can sell for higher amounts that regular candy and you can keep most of the profits.
6. Group yard sale. This one requires a bit of organization, but it's well worth it. Have all the members bring clothes, toys and household items the week before the sale. One group of students can organize the items and price them, while the other can canvas the neighborhoods with signs. The day of the yard sale you can sell muffins in the morning and chili toward the afternoon as an additional form of fundraising.
Author Bio:
Jamie Jefferson writes for Momscape.com and Susies-Coupons, where you can find the latest office supply coupons, including any current offers for $30 off $150 coupons.
Article Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?High-School-Fundraisers---6-Fun-Ideas&id=1915300
Successful fundraising is just a few steps away if you follow these ideas.
1. Baked Potato Dinner. A lot of groups do pancake breakfasts or spaghetti dinners, but serving baked potatoes and all of the fixings is a great way to raise money. Potatoes are relatively inexpensive and can be baked in bulk. You can buy cheese, bacon bits, sour cream, broccoli, butter and chili in bulk packages. Find somewhere to hold the dinner, like the school cafeteria, where there is enough room for everyone. The students can sell tickets ahead of time and also at the door.
2. Picnic Basket Auction. This idea works well at another event, like a back to school night or school carnival. It can also be done independently. Provide a picnic basket for each student and then have them decorate and fill it with food with a budget of $10. Each picnic basket is raffled off in a silent auction.
3. Singing or Musical Telegrams. These are perfect for a high school band or chorus and work well around Valentine's Day or Mother's Day. Students can sell telegrams at school and participants fill out the recipient's name, their address (or room number if the telegrams are to students) and then have the students deliver the telegrams on a specific date. Search online for lyrics for a singing telegram, or have band members play a piece of appropriate music.
4. Growing Kit. Buy seeds in bulk for fast growing flowers and then purchase some clay pots from a surplus garden store. Have a meeting with the teen group where you all fill the pots with potting soil, attach the seeds to the outside and then wrap up the pot with cellophane and ribbon. Sell the pots at a flat rate around school and in the community. This fundraiser works well in the spring and before Mother's Day.
5. Candy selling with a twist. Instead of selling the standard bars of candy why not make some candy from scratch and sell it at a premium price? People enjoy homemade candy more than commercially made bars. You can distribute recipes to the group, or if the high school club is small, you can organize a candy making party. The pieces can sell for higher amounts that regular candy and you can keep most of the profits.
6. Group yard sale. This one requires a bit of organization, but it's well worth it. Have all the members bring clothes, toys and household items the week before the sale. One group of students can organize the items and price them, while the other can canvas the neighborhoods with signs. The day of the yard sale you can sell muffins in the morning and chili toward the afternoon as an additional form of fundraising.
Author Bio:
Jamie Jefferson writes for Momscape.com and Susies-Coupons, where you can find the latest office supply coupons, including any current offers for $30 off $150 coupons.
Article Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?High-School-Fundraisers---6-Fun-Ideas&id=1915300
Monday, April 11, 2011
7 Reasons NOT to Have a Church Youth Group Bake Sale
Many church youth groups plan bake sales to support their programs, summer camp or mission trips. Everyone likes cookies and cupcakes, so why not have a bake sale? While a bake sale might sound like a good idea, here are 7 reasons why it may not be the best idea.
1. Bake Sale Item Prices - Bake sale items are typically priced quite low. After all, you can only charge so much for a little zippy bag of cookies. Prices generally range from 50 cents to $10 for a cake. So unless they give an extra donation, each person who makes a purchase is contributing a very small amount.
2. Impossible Volume - Considering the low price point of items, your church youth group would have to do a lot of baking to come up with enough items to generate a good income at the end of the day. With baked goods it's just not possible.
3. Potential Funds Raised -Unless you only need to raise $100 or less your group is not likely to reach it's goal with a bake sale. Why would you spend so much effort on something that produces so little results?
4. Too Much Work - Anyone who's ever baked items for a sale (and I have) knows how much work it is. It may take all afternoon to bake a few dozen cookies and cupcakes. At best your hard work will fetch the organization $10-20. Was it really worth it?
5. Perishable Foods - Baked goods need to be sold the day of the sale. If bad weather, a low crowd or something else thwarts the bake sale, you can't save them for later.
6. Too Many Fundraisers -Because bake sales generate such a low amount of income for the group, it becomes just one more fundraiser people are asked to participate in. After awhile even people who support your group will get tired of being asked.
7. Divides Your Efforts - Because your church youth group is spending time on the bake sale, it is taking time away from fundraisers that could be more profitable. Why not focus all of your efforts on one or two fundraisers that will produce much more results?
Instead of wasting time with a bake sale, find a fundraiser that is the best match for your church youth group. An effective fundraiser is appealing to a wide majority of your supporters, brings in the most amount of money compared to the effort and doesn't cost more than is appropriate.
There are a variety of great fundraising ideas... bake sales are just not one of them!
Author Bio:
Sandra Sims is dedicated to helping non profits raise more funds to support their causes. She publishes http://StepbyStepFundraising.com which provides information about a variety of fundraising options. Visit the website to find out more about silent auctions and other fundraisers.
Article Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?7-Reasons-NOT-to-Have-a-Church-Youth-Group-Bake-Sale&id=529788
1. Bake Sale Item Prices - Bake sale items are typically priced quite low. After all, you can only charge so much for a little zippy bag of cookies. Prices generally range from 50 cents to $10 for a cake. So unless they give an extra donation, each person who makes a purchase is contributing a very small amount.
2. Impossible Volume - Considering the low price point of items, your church youth group would have to do a lot of baking to come up with enough items to generate a good income at the end of the day. With baked goods it's just not possible.
3. Potential Funds Raised -Unless you only need to raise $100 or less your group is not likely to reach it's goal with a bake sale. Why would you spend so much effort on something that produces so little results?
4. Too Much Work - Anyone who's ever baked items for a sale (and I have) knows how much work it is. It may take all afternoon to bake a few dozen cookies and cupcakes. At best your hard work will fetch the organization $10-20. Was it really worth it?
5. Perishable Foods - Baked goods need to be sold the day of the sale. If bad weather, a low crowd or something else thwarts the bake sale, you can't save them for later.
6. Too Many Fundraisers -Because bake sales generate such a low amount of income for the group, it becomes just one more fundraiser people are asked to participate in. After awhile even people who support your group will get tired of being asked.
7. Divides Your Efforts - Because your church youth group is spending time on the bake sale, it is taking time away from fundraisers that could be more profitable. Why not focus all of your efforts on one or two fundraisers that will produce much more results?
Instead of wasting time with a bake sale, find a fundraiser that is the best match for your church youth group. An effective fundraiser is appealing to a wide majority of your supporters, brings in the most amount of money compared to the effort and doesn't cost more than is appropriate.
There are a variety of great fundraising ideas... bake sales are just not one of them!
Author Bio:
Sandra Sims is dedicated to helping non profits raise more funds to support their causes. She publishes http://StepbyStepFundraising.com which provides information about a variety of fundraising options. Visit the website to find out more about silent auctions and other fundraisers.
Article Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?7-Reasons-NOT-to-Have-a-Church-Youth-Group-Bake-Sale&id=529788
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Corporate Matching Gifts and Grants Can Double Your Nonprofit Fundraising Dollars
Matching gifts are a great way for your volunteers and supporters to help your nonprofit organization. If they work for a company that has a matching gift program, their cash donation may be eligible to be matched by their employer.
Most large corporations encourage volunteerism and charitable giving and are willing to match, dollar for dollar, the amount of money that their employees donate to nonprofit organizations and charities. Some employers will even match employee contributions to a greater degree.
There is paperwork involved and the employee who wants to make the donation must get the process started. The human resources department of the corporation will have the information for the employee. Every business will have its own policy on matching gifts. Sometimes these are also called "cash grants" or "matching grants."
The employer may have stipulations such as the minimum donation to be matched is $25.00 and the maximum is $1000.00 per employee each year or other limits. It is up to the employer. The employer can match dollar per dollar or any amount they specify. They may also specify what kind of nonprofit organization is eligible for matching gifts. For example, a well-known media corporation, gives matching funds to schools and arts and culture organizations provided they are nonprofits and recognized as tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
The human resources department will give the employee a form to submit to the nonprofit organization when the employee makes the monetary donation. An officer of the nonprofit will then verify that they are a nonprofit organization and the amount donated and then send the form to the employer. The employer will then send a matching amount of money to the nonprofit organization. Some larger corporations use a third party in this process to handle all the transactions. It can often be done securely online as well.
Along with matching monetary donations, some corporations will match volunteer hours with a cash amount. For example, a well-known coffee house will donate $10 for every qualified volunteer hour worked by their employees.
Corporate matching gifts are often overlooked by smaller nonprofit organizations as a way to receive cash donations. However, it is definitely a fund-raising method that should be a part of any non-profit's fundraising strategy.
Author Bio:
Article by Amy Passmore of DIYFundraising.com
Are you looking for ideas on how to raise money for your school, charity or nonprofit organization? Visit http://www.diyfundraising.com and the DIYFundraising WorldVillage Blog for more great tips and resources from an experienced fundraiser.
Article Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Corporate-Matching-Gifts-and-Grants-Can-Double-Your-Nonprofit-Fundraising-Dollars&id=1628989
Most large corporations encourage volunteerism and charitable giving and are willing to match, dollar for dollar, the amount of money that their employees donate to nonprofit organizations and charities. Some employers will even match employee contributions to a greater degree.
There is paperwork involved and the employee who wants to make the donation must get the process started. The human resources department of the corporation will have the information for the employee. Every business will have its own policy on matching gifts. Sometimes these are also called "cash grants" or "matching grants."
The employer may have stipulations such as the minimum donation to be matched is $25.00 and the maximum is $1000.00 per employee each year or other limits. It is up to the employer. The employer can match dollar per dollar or any amount they specify. They may also specify what kind of nonprofit organization is eligible for matching gifts. For example, a well-known media corporation, gives matching funds to schools and arts and culture organizations provided they are nonprofits and recognized as tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
The human resources department will give the employee a form to submit to the nonprofit organization when the employee makes the monetary donation. An officer of the nonprofit will then verify that they are a nonprofit organization and the amount donated and then send the form to the employer. The employer will then send a matching amount of money to the nonprofit organization. Some larger corporations use a third party in this process to handle all the transactions. It can often be done securely online as well.
Along with matching monetary donations, some corporations will match volunteer hours with a cash amount. For example, a well-known coffee house will donate $10 for every qualified volunteer hour worked by their employees.
Corporate matching gifts are often overlooked by smaller nonprofit organizations as a way to receive cash donations. However, it is definitely a fund-raising method that should be a part of any non-profit's fundraising strategy.
Author Bio:
Article by Amy Passmore of DIYFundraising.com
Are you looking for ideas on how to raise money for your school, charity or nonprofit organization? Visit http://www.diyfundraising.com and the DIYFundraising WorldVillage Blog for more great tips and resources from an experienced fundraiser.
Article Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Corporate-Matching-Gifts-and-Grants-Can-Double-Your-Nonprofit-Fundraising-Dollars&id=1628989
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Make the Most of Your Student Fundraising Efforts
Students at the average school in the United States will spend eight to nine months out of the year going to school. During that time, the chances of them doing some sort of fundraiser are extremely high with many schools hosting two or three major fund raising events each year. And that doesn't include the smaller student fundraisers that are done for clubs or individual classes.
So with such a large time commitment being made to raising money for students, one would hope to make that process as educational and worthwhile as possible. All of which leads parents, teachers, and students to the question - "How can I make the most of my student fundraising efforts?"
The answer is that if you feel like there could be more accomplished while you raise money, you should probably begin with searching for new fundraising ideas that are different from what you've done in the past. This will help alleviate the old 'if you always do what you've always done' routine.
The great thing about getting more out of raising money is that it's really not very hard to do. In fact, there is a whole category of student fund raisers that can elevate your programs to a whole new level. In fact, these so called earth friendly fundraisers seem tailor made for making school fundraising a much more educational experience.
By focusing on offering green products, you get the terrific opportunity to tie your money raising efforts in with the lesson plans from the classroom about reducing our impact on the planet. Some of these ideas even include selling items made from recycled materials which is a fantastic way to integrate your student fundraiser with the push to start a recycling club.
Other ways to put an educational twist on raising money include selling flower bulbs or trees to pay for a school garden and selling reusable shopping bags to teach about reducing plastic waste.
Author Bio:
For a number of eco friendly student fundraising programs be sure and check out Go Green Fundraising. They are the leaders in offering fun, easy, and high profit green school fundraisers.
Article Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Make-the-Most-of-Your-Student-Fundraising-Efforts&id=3940337
So with such a large time commitment being made to raising money for students, one would hope to make that process as educational and worthwhile as possible. All of which leads parents, teachers, and students to the question - "How can I make the most of my student fundraising efforts?"
The answer is that if you feel like there could be more accomplished while you raise money, you should probably begin with searching for new fundraising ideas that are different from what you've done in the past. This will help alleviate the old 'if you always do what you've always done' routine.
The great thing about getting more out of raising money is that it's really not very hard to do. In fact, there is a whole category of student fund raisers that can elevate your programs to a whole new level. In fact, these so called earth friendly fundraisers seem tailor made for making school fundraising a much more educational experience.
By focusing on offering green products, you get the terrific opportunity to tie your money raising efforts in with the lesson plans from the classroom about reducing our impact on the planet. Some of these ideas even include selling items made from recycled materials which is a fantastic way to integrate your student fundraiser with the push to start a recycling club.
Other ways to put an educational twist on raising money include selling flower bulbs or trees to pay for a school garden and selling reusable shopping bags to teach about reducing plastic waste.
Author Bio:
For a number of eco friendly student fundraising programs be sure and check out Go Green Fundraising. They are the leaders in offering fun, easy, and high profit green school fundraisers.
Article Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Make-the-Most-of-Your-Student-Fundraising-Efforts&id=3940337
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Back-End Premiums in Direct Mail Fundraising Letters - Think Twice Before Offering
You should literally think twice before offering your direct mail donors a back-end premium. And neither of these thoughts has anything to do with net revenue.
Yes, your goal with offering a back-end premium is to boost net revenue. When your mailing is over, and you have subtracted the cost of the premium and the cost of fullfillment from your gross revenue, you certainly want the net revenue that remains to be higher than it would be without offering the premium.
But offering a book or DVD or other incentive affects more than just your short-term bottom line. So, before you drop that fundraising letter in the mail, offering that tantalizing "free" incentive in return for a gift, ask yourself these two questions.
Q1. Will this premium help me avoid my duty as a fundraiser?
Premiums work because they are attractive to donors. Donors want them, and like to receive them at no cost (other than the "cost" of a donation). If you dangle a sufficiently attractive gift in front of donors, they will respond. But you are in the philanthropic sector, not the retail sector. You are a fundraiser, not a used car salesman. Sorry, salesperson. Your duty as a direct mail fundraiser is to attract charitable contributions, not to hawk trinkets.
Q2. Will this premium strengthen the connection the donor has with my charity?
Books written by your founder, DVDs that showcase your success, and beautiful calendars that your donors actually hang in their kitchens are all effective at increasing your donor's affinity with your organization. These and other back-end premiums strengthen the bond you have with your donors. Return-address labels, decals and other cheap gimmicks don't.
Stephen Hitchcock and his colleagues at Mal Warwick & Associates discovered long ago that back-end premiums generally work best at upgrading gifts from current donors, particularly if the premium is tied to donor recognition (a plaque, perhaps).
Author Bio:
Alan Sharpe publishes Direct Mail Fundraising Today, the free, weekly email newsletter that helps non-profit organizations raise funds, build relationships and retain loyal donors. Alan is the author of Breakthrough Fundraising Letters and 25 handbooks on direct mail fundraising. Alan is also a speaker and workshop leader who delivers public seminars and teleseminars on direct mail fundraising. Sign up for Alan's newsletter at www.RaiserSharpe.com
© 2008 Alan Sharpe.
Article Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Back-End-Premiums-in-Direct-Mail-Fundraising-Letters---Think-Twice-Before-Offering&id=1400035
Yes, your goal with offering a back-end premium is to boost net revenue. When your mailing is over, and you have subtracted the cost of the premium and the cost of fullfillment from your gross revenue, you certainly want the net revenue that remains to be higher than it would be without offering the premium.
But offering a book or DVD or other incentive affects more than just your short-term bottom line. So, before you drop that fundraising letter in the mail, offering that tantalizing "free" incentive in return for a gift, ask yourself these two questions.
Q1. Will this premium help me avoid my duty as a fundraiser?
Premiums work because they are attractive to donors. Donors want them, and like to receive them at no cost (other than the "cost" of a donation). If you dangle a sufficiently attractive gift in front of donors, they will respond. But you are in the philanthropic sector, not the retail sector. You are a fundraiser, not a used car salesman. Sorry, salesperson. Your duty as a direct mail fundraiser is to attract charitable contributions, not to hawk trinkets.
Q2. Will this premium strengthen the connection the donor has with my charity?
Books written by your founder, DVDs that showcase your success, and beautiful calendars that your donors actually hang in their kitchens are all effective at increasing your donor's affinity with your organization. These and other back-end premiums strengthen the bond you have with your donors. Return-address labels, decals and other cheap gimmicks don't.
Stephen Hitchcock and his colleagues at Mal Warwick & Associates discovered long ago that back-end premiums generally work best at upgrading gifts from current donors, particularly if the premium is tied to donor recognition (a plaque, perhaps).
Author Bio:
Alan Sharpe publishes Direct Mail Fundraising Today, the free, weekly email newsletter that helps non-profit organizations raise funds, build relationships and retain loyal donors. Alan is the author of Breakthrough Fundraising Letters and 25 handbooks on direct mail fundraising. Alan is also a speaker and workshop leader who delivers public seminars and teleseminars on direct mail fundraising. Sign up for Alan's newsletter at www.RaiserSharpe.com
© 2008 Alan Sharpe.
Article Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Back-End-Premiums-in-Direct-Mail-Fundraising-Letters---Think-Twice-Before-Offering&id=1400035
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Special Events Fundraising - Estimate Bigger Budget, Smaller Income When Planning
Special events are a great way to raise money. And a great way to lose money, too. So if you lack experience planning and hosting special events, or if your non-profit organization does not have a particularly high profile in your community, you should plan on your budget being big and your income being small. In other words, you should overestimate your costs and underestimate your income.
Special events are notorious for going over budget. Things get overlooked in the planning. Fees, taxes, service charges and other hidden expenses must be paid that were not accounted for. And then there is the simple, sheer cost of putting on the event: printing, postage, hall rental, lighting, sound, catering and more. Budget for more than you'll spend and you'll stay out of trouble.
If your special event is new, if it has never been tested to see how effective it is at raising net income, you should be conservative when predicting your income. You are excited about your event. And so are your volunteers. But will your guests and participants be just as excited? And if they are, will their excitement show up on your bottom line? In other words, will your motivated and passionate guests show their appreciation with their wallets?
Most special events that are repeated year after year take many years to prove themselves. You need many years of publicity, participation and word-of-mouth advertising before your event will attract the donors (and their donations) needed to raise a significant portion of your annual gift income. You also need to host the same event many times before you learn how to reduce your costs without reducing your income.
Regardless of how much you raise, special events create awareness of your organization and your cause, and they give you an opportunity to recognize your donors and volunteers and show appreciation. They do all these things even if you lose money. But if your goal is to raise money and not just raise awareness, then pessimisms is the way to go. Overestimate your expenses, and underestimate your income, and you can't go wrong.
Author Bio:
Alan Sharpe publishes Gifted Fundraiser, the free weekly email newsletter that helps non-profit organizations raise money through direct mail, special events, online fundraising, major gifts, capital campaigns, planned giving, grant proposals and more. Sign up today for your free subscription at http://www.giftedfundraiser.com
© 2008 Alan Sharpe.
Article Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Special-Events-Fundraising---Estimate-Bigger-Budget,-Smaller-Income-When-Planning&id=1189312
Special events are notorious for going over budget. Things get overlooked in the planning. Fees, taxes, service charges and other hidden expenses must be paid that were not accounted for. And then there is the simple, sheer cost of putting on the event: printing, postage, hall rental, lighting, sound, catering and more. Budget for more than you'll spend and you'll stay out of trouble.
If your special event is new, if it has never been tested to see how effective it is at raising net income, you should be conservative when predicting your income. You are excited about your event. And so are your volunteers. But will your guests and participants be just as excited? And if they are, will their excitement show up on your bottom line? In other words, will your motivated and passionate guests show their appreciation with their wallets?
Most special events that are repeated year after year take many years to prove themselves. You need many years of publicity, participation and word-of-mouth advertising before your event will attract the donors (and their donations) needed to raise a significant portion of your annual gift income. You also need to host the same event many times before you learn how to reduce your costs without reducing your income.
Regardless of how much you raise, special events create awareness of your organization and your cause, and they give you an opportunity to recognize your donors and volunteers and show appreciation. They do all these things even if you lose money. But if your goal is to raise money and not just raise awareness, then pessimisms is the way to go. Overestimate your expenses, and underestimate your income, and you can't go wrong.
Author Bio:
Alan Sharpe publishes Gifted Fundraiser, the free weekly email newsletter that helps non-profit organizations raise money through direct mail, special events, online fundraising, major gifts, capital campaigns, planned giving, grant proposals and more. Sign up today for your free subscription at http://www.giftedfundraiser.com
© 2008 Alan Sharpe.
Article Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Special-Events-Fundraising---Estimate-Bigger-Budget,-Smaller-Income-When-Planning&id=1189312
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