Fun Ways To Fundraise

Brenda Goodell Assistant Vice President, Event Fundraising

Creating exciting events to support the Jimmy Fund

Today’s Agenda

• Discover Your Event Interests

• Event Planning and Logistics

• Marketing Your Event

• Fundraising Tips for Your Event

Huge variety of events• Auctions• Beauty & Fashion• Community• Plated Dinner• Extreme Sports• Family -Themed

• Foodie• Kid-Themed• Bike Rides• Work or School• Performance• Sports

Discover Your Event Interests

Discover Your Event InterestsHow do you enjoy spending your time?• Sports (Lacrosse, Soccer, etc.)• Eating or drinking wine• Bowling• Playing golf

• What networks can you easily access in order to make this event happen?• How much money do you want to raise?• How many participants (people, tickets, tables etc.) will that require?• What time of year? Where would your event be?• How big will your event need to be?• How much of your time will be involved in planning?• Who will help you?

Discover Your Event InterestsNow that you know your interests, consider these questions:

The TeamRole 1: Fundraiser• Craft the fundraising message• Focus on raising money and

engaging donors• Ask, “Will this raise more money?”• Acknowledge gifts and steward

donors post event

Role 2: Logistics• Manage the timeline• Contact vendors• On site lead for all volunteers• Set up/break down

Event Planning and Logistics

The TeamRole 3: Marketing• Create a marketing plan• Develop materials like invitations,

posters, social media posts, etc.• Engage local/national media• Get people to the event!

Role 4: Finances• Create and manage a budget• Keep track of spending with

receipts• Secure incoming gifts: cash,

checks, auction items, etc.• Submit proceeds and paperwork

Event Planning and Logistics

Choosing the right event date:• Plan ahead! Leave plenty of time to

market your event• Research other events in the same

time frame, either similar or different• Be sure to check for conflicts, such as

school vacation, holiday’s, etc.

Event Planning and Logistics

Venue: Indoor & Outdoor• Rain venue or rain date• Permits needed in some instances• Insurance requirements• Reserve time for set up, break down• Trash removal• Parking and Security• Restrooms

Event Planning and Logistics

Food and BeverageIf you will be offering food and beverage:• Sales of items is often prohibited • If allowed, it must come from the venue • Vendors must have health permits• Understand all gratuities, fees, labor costs

and cancellation policies upfront• Alcohol requires special permitting

Event Planning and Logistics

• Use a task sheet to track activity• Include:

• Who is responsible• What are they responsible for• When should it be done

• Refer to task sheet frequently• Sort by date and person

Keep Track of it All

Event Planning and Logistics

Determine your target audienceWho do you want to attract?• Age• Gender• Income level• Interests: boating, hiking, skiing, • Connection to the cancer cause

Marketing Your Event

• Venue• Time of day• Cost to participate• Tone of event: décor, food, music,

entertainment, etc.

• Look and feel of marketing materials: graphic design, size of font, etc.

• Where your target audience is located and how to best reach them

Understand the target audience and let that inform your decisions about:

Marketing Your Event Determine your target audience

• Use your contacts … all of them!

• Ask others to use their contacts

• Make it easy for people to advertise

your event … they can be your

ambassadors!

Create Your Invite List

Marketing Your Event

• Invitations• Email invites• Social Media posts• Calendar listings,

both online and paper

• Press releases in television, radio and newspaper,

• Posters, point-of-sale, slim jims, etc.

• Create a street team

Spread the Word

Marketing Your Event

• Every contact is an opportunity to fundraise

• Every webpage, social media post or email update should provide an opportunity to “make a gift”

• Offer “make a gift” option even for a declined RSVP

Start Raising Money

Fundraising Tips

• Ticket sales, participation fees, etc.• Establish fundraising minimum• Sponsorship• In-kind giving• Onsite giving, canister collections, etc.• Auctions: silent or live• Opportunity drawings• Online giving via social media, web and mobile

Revenue StreamsFundraising Tips

Generate additional online gifts:• Your Special Events liaison will set up the

blank page for you• Easy to customize, add pictures• Email center for easy publicity• Pull your own gift reports for follow-up,

thank you notes

Setting Up a MyJimmyFundEvent.org Page

Fundraising Tips

Setting Up a MyJimmyFundEvent.org PageFundraising Tips

Personalized URL

Create your own tag lineAdd your photos

Clear call to action

Add event details, your story, contact info

Setting Up a MyJimmyFundEvent.org PageFundraising Tips

Setting Up a MyJimmyFundEvent.org PageFundraising Tips

• Press releases to national and local media … always include a link to “make a gift”!

• Include celebrities in press releases and photos if possible

• Update social media with a link to a giving page• Send thank you letters with photos to sponsors

and participants

Post-Event Stewardship

Fundraising Tips

Wrap-Up: Let’s Build an Event Together!

• What do you like to do? Make this your theme• How much will you raise? Make this your goal• How many people must participate? • When and where will your event take place?• How much time will you need to plan?• How will you get the word out? • Who will give to the event?• Who will help you?• How will you thank people?

Consider these questions:

Questions?