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In my fundraising model, a fundraising event is the penultimate means of generating year-round support for a cause. It is the gathering place for people who may (or may not yet) have a vested interest in the goal your organization is trying to achieve. I firmly believe in the principle of bringing your supporters together in one place rather than trying to meet each of them in their own places.
A fundraising event provides you with the one thing that most organizations lack - a tool to sell yourself and your organization. Without the event, imagine how difficult it might be to get all of the prospective supporters to partner with you.
Planning one event gave me an avenue to showcase what I was all about. It gave me the chance to reach out to the people in our organization's network, in order to tap them for funds. In my book, I provide 7 criteria for choosing a fundraising event that is going to help you tap into the resources you need to further your organization's mandate.
That's what has to be done if you want to fundraise successfully year after year.
Here is what a well-chosen event can do:
" Provides excellent exposure - If you can combine media attention with your event, you can reach an even wider audience. Even so, an event that meets the 7 criteria stated in my book can do wonders for reaching more people. This is fundamental fundraising.
" Keeps people talking - You don't want your event to be forgettable. You want to generate the kind of buzz that has people asking you when next year's event is going to be held. This is some of the most valuable advice when building an ongoing and ever-growing base of fundraising support. You need to continually build your base; eventually some will leave through attrition, yet you still need to fundraise effectively.
" Gives people a sense of belonging - A well chosen (and well run) fundraising event provides something that most people long for - a sense of belonging. Humans inherently want to believe that they are a part of something that might extend beyond their typical borders.
" Provide residual fundraising opportunities - When you host an event it gives you a chance to reach out to the support base in a more personal manner. While this can benefit you at the fundraising event itself, it can often lead to individual support outside of the event day. In my fundraising strategy I was able to continue reaping the benefits of personal relationships with supporters long after the success of my fundraising event.
Fundraising event selection is critical in the overall success of your campaign. By choosing the right event, you not only increase your chance of reaching your fundraising targets, but you build the potential for ongoing support and profile building - which is essential for the continued success of your organization or group.