Transcript What You Need to Know About Fund Raising

Presented by Bonnie Sirower, PDG
Rotary District 7490
What We Will Cover Today
 Are you ready to hold an event?
 Event possibilities
 Outlining event mechanics
 Leadership responsibilities
 Projecting expenses
 Creating time lines
 Reaching out to the public by mail, e-mail and online
 Evaluating your event
Why Have a Fund Raiser?
 It is the starting point for members of your
neighborhood to meet like-minded individuals, and
potential new members for your club.
 It takes some of the burden of financial support off of
your members and gains the support of a wider
audience.
 It provides the opportunity for good public relations,
both before and after the event.
The Cardinal Rules of Fund Raising
If you don’t ask, you don’t get…
Network with everyone –your
colleagues, your vendors, your
members, your community,
corporations in the community
Are you ready for an event?
 Are your Board/ members committed to the event?
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Your Board/Members should give or get or take credit for
45% of guests.
Where are the necessary sources of support – people who can
bring in new sources of money?
Do you have access to potential event leadership?
Do your leadership possibilities have the capacity to raise the
money necessary to meet your goal?
Is your Rotary club interested in participating in an event?
How will an event promote your organization?
Can your Rotary Club undertake the necessary start-up costs?
Do you have a stable donor base to support the event?
Are You Ready for an Event?
 Are your lists current and accurate?
 Can your organization justify the time and effort
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necessary?
What types of in-kind support can you garner?
Is an event the best use of staff time?
Are your financial expectations realistic?
You need a structure. Chairs are honoree specific. Is it
an anniversary year?
The best programs sell your mission.
Target Your Audience
 Who will be interested in helping you meet your goal?
 Who will be donating money?
 What are the interests of the people who make up your
club and your community?
 What are the demographics of the people who make
up your community?
What Type of Fundraiser
will you have?
 Auctions (Tricky trays, silent auction, service auction,
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bid on a bachelor, traditional auctions
Contests – “Idol” contest, tournaments
Galas – not quite in vogue right now, as they require
too much legwork
Beefsteaks
Athletic events such as runs, golf tournaments,
athletic contests of all types, “athons” of all types
Comedy night or Las Vegas nights
Non-event events
Set a Goal First….
 Be clear what the money will be used for.
Are you using it for a project? General funds?
 Do a preliminary poll first to see what might work
 Keep your organization on track and structure your
plans
 Involve as many people as possible right from the
beginning in brainstorming and coming up with ideas.
What Should You Expect?
 Special events are very cost-intensive and labor-
intensive.
 Many times, special events cost 50% of what you raise
 Special events are more often friend-raisers than fundraisers
 Special events do not materialize overnight like
Athena from the head of Zeus – they take time to
build.
Rally the Troops…
 Plan a job description for each volunteer piece you
need to make your plan work
 Set reasonable goals.
 Show proof that what you are doing works by making
sure that your event in some ways shows off what your
Rotary Club has accomplished.
 The rule of five fingers on a hand: Each chair for each
segment of the event should recruit five more
volunteers.
Your Time Frame…
 Don’t go into any event last-minute.
 Allow at least six to nine months for a large event
 Re-visit your backwards calendar each month to gauge
what still needs to be done and what has been
completed.
 Plan your work and work your plan.
Plan Your Work… Work Your Plan
 Create a backwards time schedule.
 What has to be done by the night/day of the event?
 What do you expect to see when you walk into the
room?
 How can you get to those expectations?
 When does each step have to be carried out?
 Who will carry out each step of the process.
Event Mechanics and Timing
 Preparation
 Design an event consistent with your organization's
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objectives
Establish goal in terms of size and net
Select site and develop theme or format as appropriate
Identify and secure leadership
Prepare expense budget
Prepare income projection
Prepare event timetable
Develop lists for personalized mailing(s)
Implementation
 Implementation
 Coordinate design and printing of event materials such as save-
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the-date, stationery
and invitations
Arrange for mailing of event letters and/or invitations
Arrange for production of other printed materials such as the
program, signage,
Place cards and name tags
Process and track responses; prepare regular financial reports
Communicate with leadership and volunteers - keep them
informed
Follow-up as necessary with potential participants
Implementation
 Prepare guest lists and seating plans
 Arrange catering, decoration, entertainment,
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audio/visual services, equipment,
photography and other professional services
Coordinate any public relations activities
Prepare and implement minute-by-minute schedule
for day of event
Identify who will make last minute decisions at event
Prepare and mail thank you notes and tax receipts
Post-Event Activities
 Post-Event Activity
 Collect outstanding pledges
 Evaluation meeting
 Begin cultivation of selected event participants
 Begin planning for the next event
Create a Budget
Things to consider
 Cost of renting the facility
 Cost of food
 Cost of decorations, balloons, etc.
 Cost of entertainment, singers
 Permit costs for raffles, etc.
 Cost for printing of journals, invitations, programs,
and tickets
 Cost for flowers, give-aways
Project Your Income and Expenses
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Basic Expenses
Site rental
Food and beverage per person and gratuity
Personnel and equipment
Printed Material
Graphic design and production of save-the-date cards,
event stationery, invitations,
program and/or journal, posters, banners and signage
 Preparation of mailing(s)
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List preparation, addressing and postage
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Project Your Income and Expenses
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Supplemental Services
Audio Visual Services
Decor
Entertainment
Photographer (Include estimated number of prints that will be ordered)
Publicist
Consultants
Video production
Other Costs
Office expenses (photocopy, fax, telephone, messengers, overnight mail, etc.)
Transportation and travel
Gifts and Awards
Any additional fees or expenses that are event related
Don’t Forget to Publicize…
 Public service announcements on the radio (2 month
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lead) or TV (3-month lead)
Magazines
Rotary District 7490 website
Flyers everywhere
Blogs
Tchotchkes – magnets, pins, etc. to remind people.
Save-the-Date cards
Articles in your local newspapers
Use Online Tools to your Advantage
 Online invitation
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www.e-vite.com
Online journals
www.EventJournal.com
Rotary District 7490 Website
Sending event info to all Rotarians in the District
ConstantContact.com at www.ConstantContact.com
Use Facebook cause pages, Linked-In, Twitter
www.firstgiving.com
And remember….
 Your event should be fun!
 Your event should be memorable!
 Your event should make people say, “I can’t wait until
next year
 Your event should provide satisfaction to each
volunteer and each attendee.