Should Your Nonprofit Host a Fundraising Event or a Party?
By Guest Blogger and Fundraising Expert |
Would you rather be invited to a fundraising event or the best party in town?
Clearly this is a no-brainer! Too many nonprofit organizations are shooting themselves in the foot because they treat their social gatherings as events, not parties. And this shows up in their marketing and promotions for their events, as well as during the occasion itself.
When I speak before large groups, I like to ask my audiences whether they would rather go to a fundraising event or to a fabulous party. When I do, everyone laughs – or winces – depending on how well their events are going and how much fun – or not fun- they all are.
Lots of benefits will accrue to organizations who can pull off “the best party in town” rather than just another “event.”
Let’s just look at some of them. If you are staging a fabulous party what will happen?
People will have fun and they will tell others about it.
Community BUZZZZ will flow – because this is something folks will talk about! The word will go out in the community that you are a dynamic organization that can put your cause on the map.
You will gain a great reputation and more people will know about your cause. You’ll put more friends and donors on your bandwagon of making your community a better place.
Why not be known as the folks who stage fantastic parties on behalf of your cause? Who says that charity work has to be dreary and full of self sacrifice? There is too little fun to be had in the world anyway.
People are desperate to have a good time and it doesn’t come easily to many people. Be the organization who happily brings friends and supporters into your cause –welcoming everyone to have fun while you change the world for the better.
Even better – next year when you have your party, more people will come. It will be easy to market.
When you go out to get sponsors for your event, it will be easier because they have already heard of your cause and your organization.
And even, when you are out enlisting new board members, it just might be easier because they already think positively about your organization. Let’s hear it for parties!
Want to put what Gail is talking about to work for your organization? Learn how during our webinar on February 26: Turning Your Fundraising Event into the Best Party in Town.
[...] went to the strangest charity party last week. The venue was weird (a bank), the charity was weirdly targeted, the various associated [...]
Kivi:
I am surprised you published this guest article. It seems contrary to your usual useful fare.
Frankly, I am not sure what I find more offensive…Gail’s assertion that “Lots of benefits will accrue to organizations who can pull off the best party in town…,” or her belief that non profits should strive to be known as the “folks who stage fantastic parties.”
The disconnect here between the mission of the organization and what your guest is suggesting reminds me of Marie-Antoinette who said, “Let them eat cake.” It appears that throwing parties and making them “fabulous” is on the same par with ensuring the budget balances, people are fed, homes are built, medicine is distributed, and children are educated. But perhaps she’s right. In these tough economic times, maybe “there is too little fun to be had in the world anyway” and we should focus on entertaining people to the point where our events become all the rage.
The Philadelphia Foundation, which funds charities in Pennsylvania, was able to save $100,000 last year by CANCELLING its 90th anniversary celebration and by publishing its annual report online only. Shame on them! They deprived the good donors of Pennsylvania of a good time.
Frankly, I want to see my donor dollars go directly to the mission of the organization. And I am less likely to give to an organization who follows here slogan: “Let’s hear it for parties!”
– David Kinard, PCM
David – I don’t think Gail is saying that you have to spend lavishly to throw a fabulous party at the expense of the mission. If you are going to hold fundraising events, shouldn’t they be something your donors enjoy attending, rather than stuffy or low-energy affairs they attend out of duty rather than because they actually want to be there? Gail is about focusing on the guests and making them feel like a part of the organization. You can energize people about the mission and encourage them to give without boring them to death or spending lots of money. You can do it inexpensively in a way that is actually fun and pleasurable for your donors. That’s what “parties with a purpose” is all about.
Hi David, thanks for your thoughtful take on my post. Yes the world is crashing around us but if we can’t find a way to stay optimistic, then we are lost. I am CERTAINLY not in favor of spending lavishly OR directing donor dollars into events rather than the mission. However, we are in the social business, like it or not – through all our many events – donor thank you events, board member socials, lunches, dinners, cultivation events, volunteer appreication events.
My point is that we need to focus on our guests and make sure they are comfortable and having a decent time. I have seen important donors clinging to the wall, obviously uncomfortable, while the staff is focusing on the food, the program, or the decor.
I say it is time for us to put our attention in the right place – on our wonderful guests, and make sure they are having a good experience. They are just so often overlooked when they are the real reason we are staging the get-together.