Holding special events, with fun activities, is a popular kind of school fundraising. While their primary focus is to raise money for schools, their success may be limited based on the amount of work you put into them – money wise and time wise.
Careful planning in advance can increase the chances of a successful school fundraising event. With that said, you should create a plan for every event you’re going to hold. Here are some components which must be included:
1. Purpose – Events have many purposes other than fundraising. For example, you can hold an event to simply acquire publicity for your school, or to bolster teamwork and community bonding. You should identify the main purpose of your event first because you’ll then know what needs to be done to achieve your central goal.
2. Monetary goal – How much money do you need to raise? Ensure you know the numbers, the gross target and the net target. The gross target includes the monies raised plus the costs of running the campaign. So ultimately, you’re goaling for the net amount – aka. the money that’s left after all expenses have been deducted. Once you know that figure, then gear all your efforts toward that.
3. Budget – Your budget should include all the things you need to pay for to ensure the event goes off without a hitch. Things like food, entertainment, giveaways, security, space rental, transportation, utilities, and so on. Also dedicate a miscellaneous amount in your budget for unforeseen costs, too.
4. Host committee – The host committee will be seen as the ‘face’ or leaders of the charity drive. They can consist of politicians, independent donors, entrepreneurs or local celebrities who contribute a substantial amount of money to your fundraising event. In addition to their monetary contribution, host committee members help garner publicity and encourage other leaders to support your event.
5. Target audience – Knowing who the specific audience you’re trying to attract to your charity drive is essential. Such as parents of special needs children, families of young cancer survivors or businesses who want to support young entrepreneurs. You need not worry about your target audience if you’re hosting a general fundraiser.
6. Venue and set-up – The location is an integral part of any event plan because it can make or break the success of your event. If you’re seeking the attendance of people in a particular location, then the event venue must be close or easily accessible to them. Dress code, entertainment and food are also part of the venue and setup checklist.
7. Marketing – Reaching your target audience in order to convince them that your event and school are worthy of their financial support isn’t easy, but it is essential. Mail invitations, send direct emails, promote through your social media accounts or reach out to your fundraising networks. If your budget allows it, or if you can gain the support of the local media, run a print advertisement, radio spot or local TV commercial. And don’t forget to have those on your host committee spread the word, too!
As you can see, having a detailed plan to get people to pledge money for your cause is important. Not only will it help you facilitate all the parts of your fundraising event easily, but give it every chance of success. Ensure you include the other members of your fundraising team to develop an effective event plan; after all, the success of your fundraising event will depend on all your combined efforts.
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