With the holiday season in full effect your organization may be thinking about new ways to host fundraisers. The New Year is a great time to jumpstart your organizations fundraising efforts by hosting a number of fundraising events such as; galas, fun runs, tastings, auctions and much more. Also, by developing a new campaign for your organization it can help generate excitement for what’s to come in the New Year!
Galas/Dinners:
Hosting a New Year’s Gala or dinner can be a great way to start the New Year in style. People love the opportunity to get dressed up and enjoy a night out with friends, family and loved ones. Also, it is a great way to raise money for a cause while also enjoying an exciting evening. Galas can generate funds in a number of different ways whilst also focusing on the mission and goal of your campaign. Everything from the venue used for hosting the gala/dinner to the theme of the event, each aspect can impact the price in which you choose to sell tickets. Above all, your goal is to give your attendees a night to remember. With the right strategy and plan in place, nonprofits of all sizes have the ability to execute a successful gala. Here are some great fundraising gala tips (https://www.dipjar.com/blog/fundraising-gala-tips)!
Fitness Activities:
Activities such as Fun Runs, walk-a-thons or sporting events are great ways for your organization to bring in new donors or to have existing donors participate in activities geared towards raising money for a cause. With the coming of the New Year also comes the start of self-improvement month. According to a survey published by INC. (https://www.inc.com/peter-economy/10-top-new-years-resolutions-for-success-happiness-in-2019.html) 65% of people set a resolution to exercise more during the year of 2019. According to this statistic, people are more likely to take part in an activity that helps promote their own personal goals.
Food & Wine Tasting:
Tastings are a great way to gather a smaller or more interested group of people together for an evening of tasting fun. Whether you decide to host the event for both Food and wine or just one option, you can achieve raising funds by charging a specific amount for ticket prices, having a raffle, holding an auction as well as being open for donations at the event.
The overall success of a well-executed tasting requires much planning in advance. It is usually best to start planning your tasting event at least a few months prior to the event date. During this time you will make decisions on where to host the event, the volunteers or coordinators involved, the amount of wine or food needed for the event, time to solicit the event, and to complete an assortment of other tasks that may be taken on. Taking the time to properly plan your tasting can make for an enjoyable evening for all to experience. Here are some more tips on “How to Hold a Wine Tasting Fundraiser” (https://charity.lovetoknow.com/fundraising-ideas/how-hold-wine-tasting-fundraiser).
Live or Silent Auctions:
Hosting a live or silent auction is another great way to ring in the New Year for your organization. Live or silent auctions can be a way for your organization to get the community involved with an event. By hosting such an event you can ask different business owners as well as attendees and volunteers to donate their time or products to be a part of the auction. Obtaining different businesses to help sponsor the event can also help your organization to fund the auction all while focusing on bringing in donations to your organization. “A live auction should be as fun and exciting for your supporters as it is profitable for your nonprofit (Josh Meyer, DOM for One Cause, https://idealistconsulting.com/blog/live-auctions-6-tips-make-your-event-successful).”
Developing a successful campaign can be a difficult and sometimes daunting task. The overall success of your campaign depends on the efforts taken by your organization. There are many different reasons as to why a campaign can fail. So, by taking the proper steps when developing a campaign one can greatly increase its overall success. Typically the most successful fundraisers use several different methods to raise money while hosting events. This allows for a reduced probability of any one source failing, and it will give your potential donors more than one way they can support your cause.
For more info on how to develop a successful campaign check out: The Craft of a Successful Campaign