Events can be a great way for women’s organisations to secure unrestricted income, raise their profile and attract potential future supporters, however organising them can take time and resources so careful planning and project management is essential.
Why run an event?
The primary purpose of a fundraising event will be to raise money or attract potential donors who will support your organisation in future, however, you may want to consider if your event could serve an additional purpose, this could include:
- Attracting volunteers, patrons or trustees
- Launching a new campaign or project
- Raising your profile and / or attracting media coverage
- Enlisting new members or supporters
Make sure that you know from the beginning what you want your event to achieve and keep this in mind throughout your planning.
Who can run an event?
You might want to organise an event yourself or encourage your members and supporters to run their own event and donate any profit to you. There are also organisations like FSI who organise large fundraising events that small charities can participate in.
What kind of event?
From baked bean baths to celebrity gala dinners there are all sorts of events that you could use to raise money for your organisation, you will find plenty of tried and tested ideas online or you may want to get creative and think up something unique! Some common fundraising events include:
- Open days, fetes or jumble sales
- Challenge events (skydiving, mountain climbing, wilderness hiking)
- Sponsored walks or runs (these can be exclusively for your charity or part of a larger ‘open’ event like the London marathon)
- Formal dinners or balls
- Auctions and raffles
- Coffee mornings
- Bingo or quiz nights
What will it cost?
Running events can be a big financial risk, it is important to be aware of how much your event is likely to cost your organisation and how much profit you can realistically expect to make. Having a clear plan and keeping control of your budget will help minimise financial risks. Some financial considerations to bear in mind:
- Have a clear budget and ensure that it includes all potential costs including hidden costs like staff time
- Know how much money you are aiming to make
- Think cost effective, minimise your costs as much as possible and consider potential sponsors or suppliers who can give gifts in kind
- Calculate your break even point and be prepared to pull or postpone an event if it going to lose, rather than make, money
Key considerations- Be clear about your target audience, choose a suitable event and market appropriately
- Know what staff, volunteers and resources you will need for the event to run smoothly
- Consider combining different fundraising opportunities for example if you are organising a ball think about running a raffle during dinner
- Make sure you have sufficient insurance and have completed the necessary risk assessments
- Check for any relevant codes, rules and regulations relating to the event e.g. food hygiene or gambling
- Don’t forget to thank everyone who has supported the event, this includes donors, participants, supporters, volunteers and staff
- Follow up – if an event is a success consider making it a regular fixture or running another, similar event
- Keep good records of any attendees, these are all potential future supporters who already have an interest in your organisation
Case study
Heba women’s project run an annual fundraising walk, this case study and publicity flier show how they prepared, organised and ran their 2011 event including their key learnings from the experience.
Further resources and training