Fundraising Success

Does your nonprofit hold fundraising events that WOW your audience?

Do your events seem tired or boring?

Are you raising the most money you can from your special events?

Do your volunteers understand why you hold events?

You can create special events that raise funds and inspire your audience.

Create Standout Events that Exceed Expectations.

This course will equip you to take your fundraising events to the next level, refresh an old experience, learn tips and ideas on how you can maximize your fundraising events potential. Learn how to you make your event standout from the crowd and exceed expectations.

This course provides you with tools and resources to use again and again when designing and executing your events. Whether you are creating a new event or breathing life into an established event, this course teaches you to create the right event for the right people. You can create events that raise more money.

Fundraising professionals, event planners and nonprofit staff will learn from the comfortable discussion style with over 3 hours of video lectures with Trace Kingham and Louanne Saraga Walters. You’ll become part of the discussion as you determine how to produce standout events that exceed expectations.

What's inside

Learning objectives

Create standout events that exceed expectations
Raise more money for your nonprofit through special events
Thoroughly examine their fundraising events
Create an event business plan
Define your event's purpose
Develop tactics to enhance the experience for your event guests
Learn how to maximize volunteer efforts to exceed your event's goals
Define and understand the target market for your event

Build a unique experience that focuses on your guests
Set appropriate sponsorship levels
Implement an auction that raises more money
Plan for contingencies before and during your events
Define and measure event success
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Create standout events that exceed expectations
Raise more money for your nonprofit through special events
Thoroughly examine their fundraising events
Create an event business plan
Define your event's purpose
Develop tactics to enhance the experience for your event guests
Learn how to maximize volunteer efforts to exceed your event's goals
Define and understand the target market for your event
Build a unique experience that focuses on your guests
Set appropriate sponsorship levels
Implement an auction that raises more money
Plan for contingencies before and during your events
Define and measure event success
Show more
Show less

Syllabus

Take your fundraising events to the next level, refresh an old experience, learn tips and ideas on how you can maximize your fundraising events potential. Learn how to you make your event Standout fro

A brief look at what we will cover in this course and how we structured the course. This lecture also includes a printable outline for the course in the resources section.

NOTE: As of June, 2018 this course is no longer offered under CFRE CE.

In this lecture we review the importance of organizing your planning process and how event objectives are more than just raising funds. Understanding Event Fundraising Basics will set your event for success.

Because the first step to planning your event is identifying the purpose of your upcoming fundraising event, in this lecture we will review the types of event purposes, how tactics shape the event experience and help you to define metrics to measure success.

In this lecture we will review the importance of understanding your target market and how it impacts the event fundraising business plan.

In this lecture, we will review the types of marketing platforms you should consider when planning your fundraising event. We will discuss how your target market impacts the choices you make when marketing your upcoming event.

In this lecture we will share how you can raise more funds by building an experience that is unique, about the guests and offer a three-dimensional experience that will help you raise more funds.

No matter whom you have help, it’s important that each individual supporting your event understand the fundraising event’s purpose. This simple communication skill will instantly take your event to the next level.

We use this lecture to show you that when planning your upcoming fundraising event, it’s important to infuse the experience with your brand from invitation, arrival and exit. Throughout your event plan, you control the experience and it will have a lasting impact on the outcomes

In this lecture, we will review sponsorship fundamentals for fundraising events. Formulas, amenities and after event reporting are all key elements that need to be included in your upcoming fundraising event plan.

We use this lecture to cover the fundamentals of managing your volunteers, from fundraising, committees and how volunteers shape the event experience.

In this lecture, we discuss the pros and cons of auctions at fundraising events. You'll learn about auction myths and truths to implementing live and silent auctions into your next fundraising event.

In this lecture, you will learn how to incorporate a call to action into your upcoming fundraising event and ways in which you can make this call to action relate to the event purpose.

This lecture will help you understand the importance of having a plan, following the plan and organizing your plan in a way that is easy for anyone on your team to follow and manage. The Event Blueprint is a tool that contains all your pertinent event information and is an easy tool to communicate with key stakeholders.

What happens if an Act of God changes the course of your event? Do you have a plan? In this lecture, we will discuss the importance of contingency plans and what elements of your fundraising event need a “back-up.”

In this lecture, you will learn how to incorporate disruption into your annual fundraising event plan, types of disruption and how it can improve outcomes as well as exceed expectations for your next event

In this lecture, we discuss the importance of measuring success for all of your fundraising event initiatives. We cover how metrics tie back to the event purpose and how they shape the event experience in the future.

In this lecture we will discuss the “big picture” thinking when it comes to you upcoming fundraising events. We'll help you answer: When is it time to make a drastic change or end your event? For non-profit organizations, fundraising events are a big investment and when that investment is being returned in a way that supports the organization, when is it time to call it quits?

When your event is over, it’s not time to rest and move on to the next event. Actually, it’s the most overlooked time that can help you maximize results. In this lecture, we will discuss how follow-up with guests after an event is critical and ways in which you should incorporate post-event communications into your event marketing plan.

In this lecture, we uncover “low-hanging fruit” and additional revenue streams to improve the performance of your next fundraising event.

In this lecture, we will explore the role of a planner to help with your next upcoming fundraising event. What type of experience you should look for in a planner and the difference between a planner and a fundraiser

This lecture explores the Fun and Raising when it comes to Event Fundraisers. It’s about the energy you put into your event and the outcomes you experience when you use all the fundamentals outlined in this lecture series.

This lecture reviews the topics covered in this class and all of the resources we have provided.

Traffic lights

Read about what's good

what should give you pause

and possible dealbreakers

Provides tools and resources that can be used repeatedly when designing and executing events, making it a practical resource for ongoing event planning needs

Explores the importance of understanding your target market and how it impacts the event fundraising business plan, which is crucial for tailoring events to the right audience

Examines sponsorship fundamentals for fundraising events, including formulas, amenities, and after-event reporting, which are key elements for successful event planning

Covers volunteer management and motivating tactics to help raise more money, which is essential for maximizing the impact of volunteer efforts at fundraising events

Reviews the types of marketing platforms to consider when planning a fundraising event, discussing how the target market impacts marketing choices

Requires learners to understand the importance of contingency plans and what elements of your fundraising event need a “back-up,” which may require additional planning

Reviews summary

Fundraising event planning success

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Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Fundraising Success: Standout Events that Exceed Expectation with these activities:

Review Event Planning Basics

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Reinforce foundational knowledge of event planning to better understand advanced fundraising event strategies.

Browse courses on Event Planning

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Review basic event planning checklists and timelines.
Familiarize yourself with common event roles and responsibilities.
Research different types of events and their logistical requirements.

Read 'The Art of the Event: Complete Planning and Design for the Modern Host'

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Gain insights into event design and planning to create more engaging and impactful fundraising events.

View Alter Ego: A Novel on Amazon

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Read the book, focusing on chapters related to event design and guest experience.
Take notes on key concepts and ideas that can be applied to fundraising events.
Brainstorm ways to incorporate the book's principles into your event planning process.

Read 'Event Planning: The Ultimate Guide To Successful Meetings, Corporate Events, Fundraising Galas, Conferences, Conventions, Incentives and Other Special Events'

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Gain insights into event design and planning to create more engaging and impactful fundraising events.

View Alter Ego: A Novel on Amazon

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Read the book, focusing on chapters related to event design and guest experience.
Take notes on key concepts and ideas that can be applied to fundraising events.
Brainstorm ways to incorporate the book's principles into your event planning process.

Four other activities

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Show all seven activities

Volunteer at a Local Nonprofit Event

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Gain practical experience in event execution and observe successful fundraising strategies firsthand.

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Identify a local nonprofit organization hosting a fundraising event.
Contact the organization and offer your volunteer services.
Participate in event setup, execution, and breakdown.
Observe how the organization engages with guests and raises funds.

Develop an Event Business Plan Template

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Solidify understanding of event planning by creating a reusable template for future fundraising events.

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Research standard components of an event business plan.
Outline key sections, including objectives, target market, marketing strategy, and budget.
Develop a fillable template with prompts and examples for each section.
Test the template by applying it to a past or hypothetical event.

Create a Presentation on Sponsorship Levels

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Deepen understanding of sponsorship strategies by creating a presentation to educate others.

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Research best practices for setting sponsorship levels and benefits.
Design a presentation outlining different sponsorship tiers and their corresponding value.
Include examples of successful sponsorship packages from other nonprofits.
Practice delivering the presentation to a colleague or friend.

Design a Post-Event Survey

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Improve future events by creating a survey to gather feedback from attendees.

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Identify key areas to evaluate, such as guest experience, event logistics, and fundraising effectiveness.
Develop survey questions using a mix of multiple-choice, rating scales, and open-ended questions.
Pilot test the survey with a small group to ensure clarity and effectiveness.
Create a plan for distributing and analyzing the survey results.

Career center

Learners who complete Fundraising Success: Standout Events that Exceed Expectation will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Event Planner

As an Event Planner specializing in fundraising events, your primary goal is to create memorable and impactful experiences that inspire donors to support your organization. This course equips you with the knowledge and tools to create events that stand out and exceed fundraising goals. The course’s lessons about identifying event purpose and building unique guest experiences are invaluable. An Event Planner will find useful guidance in sponsorship levels, volunteer management, and auction implementation, directly translating to enhanced event success. The course may be useful for learning how to plan for contingencies.

See salaries and explore the career path for Event Planner

Auction Coordinator

An Auction Coordinator is responsible for planning and executing auctions, often as part of fundraising events. This course offers key insights into implementing auctions that raise more money. The course directly addresses auction myths and truths, providing a solid foundation for success. Learning about amazing items to sell and incorporating a call to action will allow the Auction Coordinator to maximize fundraising potential. The curriculum about contingency planning may be useful to Auction Coordinators.

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Nonprofit Development Director

The Nonprofit Development Director is responsible for overseeing all fundraising activities, including special events. This course provides a framework for maximizing the impact of events as a fundraising tool. The course helps a Nonprofit Development Director create standout events that exceed expectations by teaching how to define event purpose, build unique guest experiences, and set appropriate sponsorship levels. Also, the techniques for volunteer management and auction implementation are directly applicable to event success. The course may be useful in creating an event business plan.

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Volunteer Coordinator

A Volunteer Coordinator recruits, trains, and manages volunteers to support an organization's mission, and fundraising events often rely heavily on volunteer support. This course provides key strategies for Volunteer Coordinators to maximize volunteer efforts. The course will be helpful for understanding the importance of communicating the fundraising event's purpose to volunteers and in motivating them to exceed event goals. The focus on building event experience strategies and understanding volunteer management tactics is directly applicable to improving volunteer engagement and effectiveness. This course may be useful to build a unique experience that focuses on guests.

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Fundraising Coordinator

A Fundraising Coordinator plays a vital role in helping organizations achieve their financial goals by planning and executing fundraising initiatives. This course equips you with the skills necessary to excel as a Fundraising Coordinator by teaching you how to create standout events that exceed expectations and raise more money for nonprofits. The course's focus on event business plans, target market definition, and experience enhancement tactics can help you develop comprehensive and successful fundraising strategies. Knowing how to maximize volunteer efforts, as taught in this course, can enable a Fundraising Coordinator to engage the community effectively. This course may be useful in defining and measuring event success.

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Annual Giving Officer

An Annual Giving Officer focuses on securing donations from individuals on a yearly basis, and fundraising events can be a key part of this strategy. This course may be useful in equipping you with the tools to create standout events that exceed expectations and drive increased annual giving. The focus on defining event purpose, enhancing guest experiences, and implementing effective auction strategies will be invaluable to an Annual Giving Officer. You will also learn tactics to maximize volunteer efforts to exceed event goals. The course may be useful for setting appropriate sponsorship levels.

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Community Engagement Coordinator

A Community Engagement Coordinator builds relationships between an organization and the community it serves, often involving participation in or promotion of fundraising events. This course helps develop and execute standout events that foster community involvement and generate support. The focus on understanding the target market, building unique guest experiences, and maximizing volunteer efforts will be helpful to a Community Engagement Coordinator. This course can help to create events that are both engaging and impactful. This course may be useful for implementing an auction to raise money.

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Marketing Manager

A Marketing Manager is responsible for promoting events and initiatives, including fundraising events for nonprofit organizations. This course provides insights into crafting compelling marketing strategies that resonate with target audiences. The focus on defining a clear and concise marketing strategy, understanding the target market, and building event experience strategies is crucial. With this course, a Marketing Manager can develop campaigns that enhance guest experiences and drive attendance. The course may be useful for learning about sponsorship.

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Social Media Manager

A Social Media Manager is responsible for promoting events and initiatives, including fundraising events for nonprofit organizations. This course provides insights into crafting compelling content strategies that resonate with target audiences. The focus on defining a clear and concise marketing strategy, understanding the target market, and building event experience strategies is crucial. With this course, a Social Media Manager can develop campaigns that enhance guest experiences and drive attendance. The course may be useful for learning about sponsorship.

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Public Relations Specialist

A Public Relations Specialist manages the communication between an organization and the public, including promoting fundraising events and highlighting their impact. This course equips a Public Relations Specialist with strategies to create standout events that generate positive media coverage and engage the community. The focus on building event experience strategies, understanding the target market, and defining event success metrics is valuable. A Public Relations Specialist understands the importance of crafting compelling narratives and maximizing event visibility, which the course can enable. This course may be useful for implementing an auction that raises more money.

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Program Manager

A Program Manager at a nonprofit might oversee the organization's various initiatives, including fundraising events, ensuring they align with the overall mission. This course may equip you to enhance fundraising events by learning to create standout events that exceed expectations. The focus on defining event purpose, maximizing volunteer efforts, and measuring event success will be valuable. As Program Manager, this course teaches you how to ensure that fundraising events contribute effectively to the organization's goals. The course may be useful for defining and understanding the target market for an event.

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Corporate Social Responsibility Manager

The Corporate Social Responsibility Manager oversees a company's philanthropic efforts including partnerships with nonprofits, often involving sponsorships of fundraising events. This course might be useful for a Corporate Social Responsibility Manager as they learn about setting appropriate sponsorship levels and benefits. The course may also help in understanding how to create an event business plan, which will allow you to better partner with nonprofit organizations. Learning how to measure event success equips the Corporate Social Responsibility Manager to assess the impact of their philanthropic investments. This course may be useful for identifying the purpose of an event.

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Grant Writer

The Grant Writer is responsible for securing funding from foundations and other grant-making organizations. While not directly involved in event planning, a Grant Writer needs to understand the organization's fundraising strategy, including the role of special events. This course may equip the Grant Writer with a better understanding of event fundraising, enabling them to write more compelling grant proposals that showcase the organization's diverse funding streams. The focus on defining and measuring event success will be helpful in demonstrating the impact of fundraising events to potential funders. This course may be useful for learning how to implement an auction.

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Chief Executive Officer

The Chief Executive Officer provides overall leadership and strategic direction for a nonprofit organization, including fundraising efforts. This course may equip the CEO to better understand the potential of fundraising events and how to maximize their impact. The focus on defining event purpose, measuring success, and planning for contingencies provides a valuable framework for strategic decision-making. The CEO will also be able to lead their team more effectively. The course may be useful for maximizing volunteer efforts.

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Account Manager

An Account Manager at a company that sponsors fundraising events needs to understand the nonprofit's goals and how the sponsorship contributes to both organizations' objectives. This course may be useful in understanding how to set sponsor levels and benefits, which will contribute to creating stronger partnerships. The course may also help in understanding how to define and measure event success, which enables the Account Manager to assess the effectiveness of the sponsorship. This course may be helpful for motivating volunteers.

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