Understand the method.
A fundraising event is a party or gathering intended to raise money for an organization. Typically, revenue comes in through ticket sales, and in some cases, corporate sponsorships. Although events are notorious for being expensive, time consuming and not terribly cost-effective, they don’t have to be that way. Here are some ideas for simple fundraising events that don’t require a lot of money or energy.
Hold a house party.
House parties are a tried and true method of fundraising. A house party is a small event hosted at the home of someone close to your organization. The host invites friends and contacts whom he or she believes might be interested in donating to your program. After mingling and refreshments, the president or director of your organization makes a short presentation about your group. Guests have an opportunity to ask questions, then, the host invites them to make a donation. Some tips on house parties:
- A house party does not have to be fancy. It can be a dinner party or a cocktail party. It can have 20 guests or 6. Refreshments can be catered, or as simple as coffee and cake.
- Make sure that the host of the party directly asks guests to donate.
- Have staff and board members on hand to mingle and answer questions.
- If appropriate, consider asking a program participant to attend. It can be very powerful and compelling for donors to meet and speak with someone who has received your organization’s services.
Make a booth.
If you go to the manager of a store, like Walmart, you can ask to make a booth in front of the store. This can be very successful.