This article was written by Brad Wayland, the Co-Owner & Chief Strategy Officer at BlueCotton, a site with high-quality, easy-to-design custom t-shirts.
So, you want to run a nonprofit fundraiser? That’s a pretty overwhelming task. You don’t want to find yourself unprepared! Follow this checklist, and you won’t be.
Running a fundraising event can seem like a herculean task. While I’m not going to try to pretend it’s easy, it’s also not as difficult as some people make it out to be. At the end of the day, your level of success depends entirely on how prepared you are going in.
I’ve put together a new GUIDE that’s packed with science-backed nonprofit fundraising methods, resources, strategies, and killer marketing methods.
You should check it out if you want to get more donations and you want to fast-track the entire process.
We can help with that – follow this checklist, and you’ll have everything you need to run a successful online fundraiser.
Set Up The Campaign
- Identify your fundraiser’s cause/main purpose.
- Set your end goals (items sold/money raised/etc.)
- Come up with a unique idea that fits your cause
- Develop a strategic plan for mobile/social marketing
- Get buy-in from other people within your organization
- Use a tracking system/metrics to measure success
- Research your target audience and whether or not they’re interested
- Consider legal implications (ie. liability)
Set Up The Marketing
Note: Not all entries in this section are 100% essential
- You’ll need a professional-looking, mobile-friendly website, which includes…
- Information on the fundraiser
- Information on your organization
- A way to donate
- Alternative ways one could contribute to the campaign
- A blog for updates on your fundraiser/discussion of your cause
- A calendar of upcoming events, complete with a map
- You should consider launching a social marketing campaign, which could include presence on any or all of the following networks…
- YouTube
- Snapchat
- Tumblr
- You’ll get a great ROI out of a digital newsletter campaign that’s sent to your email list.
- Remember to use effective branding (logos, hashtags, mission statement, etc.)
- Don’t forget to make life easier with marketing tools (ie. Hootsuite)
- Overall, a content strategy/marketing strategy will simplify the process
- Creating an editorial calendar will make sure you stay on track.
- You can also develop plans for print media, social outreach, video advertising, etc.
Get Together Needed Resources
- Volunteers
- Nonprofit employees
- Budget
- Equipment (ie. print materials, office supplies)
- Required professionals, including…
- PR professionals to manage the fundraiser as it runs
- Social marketing experts
- Graphic designers
- Web designers
- A/V professionals
- Required software, such as…
- Customer Relationship Management
- Social Monitoring Tools
Set Up The Venue
- Conduct due diligence: past reviews, other events at the same venue, etc.
- Assess the location – convenient for attendees?
- Consider amenities – appropriate for your event?
- Is the venue cost-effective?
Organizing The Event
- Develop a system for live updates (ie. Twitter)
- Look into event security
- Invite influential guests
- Gather supplies such as
- Food/Water
- First Aid
- A/V Equipment
- Make sure you have a clear schedule
I’ve put together a new GUIDE that’s packed with science-backed nonprofit fundraising methods, resources, strategies, and killer marketing methods.
You should check it out if you want to get more donations and you want to fast-track the entire process.
Follow-Up After The Fundraiser
- Send emails thanking the guests for their contributions
- Provide information on future fundraisers, should any be planned
- Communicate with donors, volunteers, and other interested parties via social media
About the Author
Brad Wayland is the Co-Owner & Chief Strategy Officer at BlueCotton, a site with high-quality, easy-to-design custom t-shirts.
