At HandsOn Network, we love to celebrate silly holidays. We are so excited for the May themes including National Bar-B-Que month, Strawberry Month, and Duckling Month! Why are we so excited? These May themes can be used at your next fundraising event, as well.

Fundraising is a great way to build up your nonprofit’s presence in the community. Although fundraising events can be very fun, they can also be a lot of work. The following tips will help you experience more fun than exhaustion when planning your next fundraising event.

1.      Develop your fundraising goals.

You should have well developed goals for your next fundraising event. Establish why you are having the event, where the money should go, and designate supporting roles.

You will most likely have a variety of goals, and therefore will need to develop multiple goals. Get your organization’s board members to help organize the fundraising goals. If possible, get your community’s support of the fundraising goals, as well.

2.      Write down your fundraising plan.

Organize your different fundraising events, to ensure that they will not overlap and happen all at once. Develop a written plan to state how much you need to raise, from where, and how you will do it. The plan can be changed, if need be, it is most important to have a visual idea.

Find the gaps where your organization will benefit the most from donations. Work with your organization’s accounting department when making this preliminary plan.

3.      Estimate how much your fundraising program will cost.

Brainstorm about the various costs that your event will take from staff to advertising. It is important to include these costs in your event budget. Be cost-efficient when making these decisions and cut costs when possible. It is most important to work toward your company’s mission when promoting your event.

4.      Develop a timeline for your fundraising plan.

Mark a blank calendar with certain deadlines for each fundraising event. The calendar will certainly change, but a brief overview of the year will help you feel less stressed about the upcoming events.

5.      Identify funding sources.

Have you considered all fundraising sources? You can tap into resources such as companies in the community, churches, the government, and designated grants. Do you need to tap into new audiences, or do you already have a dedicated following?

6.      Evaluate your fundraising plan throughout the year.

It is important to evaluate your plan frequently to better ensure success. Make a monthly plan for fundraising goals to ensure that your organization sticks to the goals. Assess the pros and cons to see what works and what does not work.

Fundraising is a necessary aspect of nonprofit business. Although it is necessary, save the hassle and make it organized to ensure success. Try one of May’s themes for your next event to make your event even more fun!

How did your organization start its fundraising plan? We would love to hear your suggestions below!