From galas to golf tournaments, fun runs to fashion shows, and auctions to art exhibits, recurring fundraisers play a big part in any nonprofit’s fundraising efforts—and planning ahead is key to a successful and budget-friendly function.
Events like these help your nonprofit create a consistent revenue stream, strengthen your relationship with the community, establish traditions that people look forward to, and expand your network. Below, we’ve outlined 3 key steps to effectively plan and market your recurring events with fewer recurring headaches!
Review Last Year’s Results
One of the first things to do when planning a recurring fundraising event is to analyze last year’s results.
- How many people attended (fun fact: 81% of U.S. donors attend nonprofit fundraising events)?
- What and how much were your expenses?
- How much did you raise?
- What worked and what could be improved?
- What feedback did you receive from attendees, volunteers, and staff?
Develop a Marketing Plan
When you create the marketing plan for your recurring fundraiser, include the following components:
- The primary objective, e.g., raise funds, increase awareness, or engage donors
- Clear, measurable goals like revenue raised, expenses, number of attendees and volunteers, and how many people engaged with your event promotions
- Event theme and consistent messaging that aligns with your mission
- Budget, including costs of advertising, promotional materials, rental space if needed, any outsourced services like custom photography, and the cost of paying your in-house team to work the event
- The most effective marketing channels for your event, such as email, social media, direct mail, press releases, etc.
- Any potential partners or sponsors who can help you promote the event and resources to help them help you, such as talking points and a social media kit with graphics
- Print materials like tickets, flyers, posters, signs, banners, print ads, programs, maps, etc.
- If needed, set up a landing page on your website where people can sign up and/or buy tickets, post event updates and agendas, speaker bios, and more
- List of staff, vendors, and volunteers who will be involved and what they’ll be doing, as well as contact information for each one
- Metrics to track for upcoming events, such as website traffic, social media engagement, number of attendees, etc.
- Contingency plans for potential challenges, like backups for the venue, technology, etc.
Get the Most Bang for Your Buck
While it’s unlikely that you can host a recurring fundraiser without spending a dime, there are ways to cut back on costs:
- Invest in reusable materials. Exclude details that date the event on banners, signs, decor, etc. so they can be used again.
- Use durable, high-quality materials for longevity.
- Store materials properly to keep them in good condition.
- Build strong relationships with vendors. Negotiate long-term contracts to save money, negotiate discounts on materials and services, and consider partnerships or in-kind donations.
