How to Plan a Non-Profit Fundraiser

For the first time ever, I planned my first non-profit fundraiser this year towards Sarcoma cancer awareness. There are a few tips and suggestions I have for you to keep in mind when you decide to plan a local fundraiser.

Start months in advance. Do not wait to come up with an idea last minute; it is very difficult to coordinate all aspects of an event in just a few months. Allow yourself plenty of time to come up with an idea and grow from there.

Work closely with your non-profit sponsor. Once you choose an organization for which to hold the fundraiser, work closely with a local contact or organizer. They will often have great tips and organization tools to help you plan your event.

Send out sponsor letters as soon as possible. Once you have a date, time and location of the type of fundraiser you will be holding, mail out letters requesting sponsorship funds to all local businesses. Do not be 'judgmental' in what types of businesses. Send letters to businesses that are close to the location of the event, but also send out letters to business in which you have connections. Those should be your first contacts, but beyond that, mails out letters all over the area. Make a list of the letter was mailed, and make sure to follow up for a response within two weeks.

Secure volunteers. You cannot do this on your own. Delegate, ask for help, and secure few key people to help with the major planning of the event. You will need many volunteers the day of the event, but you will also need people to help you with the event weeks, sometimes months, in advance.

Keep track of money. Keep a running list of funds raised, along with addresses, so that you can mail donation receipts. Keep track of your expenses such as postage, gas, supplies, that you spend along the way. Choose to donate those items, or reimburse yourself for those items from the funds money. You may also be able to get some of these supplies donated towards the event.

Send out a press release. Write up a professional press release and send it out to newspapers, weekly magazines, radio stations, and TV stations. The more promotions that you can receive without cost, the more successful your event will be. Work to find a media outlet that may even sponsor your event.

Use social media. Facebook, Twitter, Linked In, and set up a blog and/or website. Keep these actively running with updates on the event, ways people can sponsor, participate or volunteer. Put up facts about the organization you are supporting so that people can be more involved. Stay active and up to date.

Working efficiently, with the help of volunteers, towards these goals, can create a successful event. There are many more things that will add on along the way, but this is a general guideline to beginning planning of a non-profit event.