Fundraising Ideas
One of the things we enjoy most is helping you to find funding for your nonprofit. We thought we would throw out a couple of ideas to tickle your motivation. Just think, put one of these into place and in a couple weeks you could have some great funds. Below are several ideas that you could easily implement that may bring more donations to your 501c3 work.
Fundraising Dinner
1. Either you or someone that you know hosts a dinner. This dinner itself could be presented to a restaurant owner (you may know one or just find one you would like to cater your dinner) and ask them to donate to your organization a catered meal. You will provide them with tax deductible receipts for the cost. Explain that you are hosting the dinner to raise funds for your organization and its causes. With a little work the catering will all be taken care of by the donation of a restaurant. (You could buy the catering or have someone that cooks well volunteer the meal, but a donation is a donation whether from a friend or restaurant.) You might want to have several restaurants go in on the meal, one for appetizers, one for main course, and one for dessert.
2. Think of some people who may own businesses or just need a little marketing themselves and ask them for a donation of an item that you can do a silent auction of. It could be a dinner at a restaurant for two, and actual item that a business makes, paintings, gadgets, etc. The advantage to the donor is the advertising they receive plus the help they will give you. You might present them with a certificate of appreciation.
Here is some ideas we have used before:
- A sailboat owner could donate a day of sailing for two (they might even throw in a dinner)
- Restaurant owner could donate a dinner for two up to a certain amount
- A travel agent could donate a weekend getaway for two
- Retail store could donate retail goods or a gift certificate
- Pet store could donate free boarding or grooming (even pet supplies)
- Fast Food owners could donate food coupons
Just think of what people would like to buy or use and find people who could donate those items. The sky is the limit. (Get with us on the forms that need to be filled out to do a donation auction like this.)
4. You might want to find a band or music group that would donate an evening to do a benefit concert or have them play at the dinner for atmosphere or dancing.
5. Invite friends, family, business associates, dignitaries, or just influential people that would like a nice evening out, great food, and benefit your foundation. I can help you come up with nice invitations that will also tell a little about your Nonprofit organization.
6. This can be as small or as large of a gathering that you would like. If you have the food and people you might ask a local restaurant or organization with a lot of space (church, rotary club, hotel, apartment or condo clubhouse) for a donation of space for your function. Party stores could donate decorations or you could make them yourself. If at a home for a more intimate gathering, decorations and items for the auction could be minimal.
7. You will ask those that you invite for a suggested donation to attend and an RSVP. Events like this can get $50 per couple up to $5000 per couple.
8. The more you can get donated the more your organization is going to benefit monetarily from the function. If you were going to charge $1000 a couple you could pay a caterer good money to put on a stellar event, but again the idea is to get more in donations and auctions that you spend.
9. Find time during the event to give a brief presentation of what your organization is doing to better the world.
(Have commitment cards ready that people can fill out for ongoing donations through their checking account or credit card.)
A dinner event with an auction can turn out tremendous results. Read the note below:
Example
We set up a nonprofit for a resident of Minneapolis named Claude Woolsey who swore that he would never ask a soul for a contribution to the Woolsey Foundation. But we finally convinced him to send $25,000 from his foundation to Joe Montana, who agreed to speak at a fundraising dinner at the Hyatt hosted by the Woolsey Foundation. At $100 per plate, they filled the Grand Ballroom ($5,000 contributors got to display their products in the auditorium, and attend a Montana schmooze cocktail party before the dinner.) They all had a great time, including Master of Ceremonies Woolsey, and the foundation netted over $200,000 after all the bills were paid.
Nonprofit Benefit Concert
During the winter ,people are dying to find something to do that is not the norm. A benefit concert for your organization could be just the ticket.
1. Find a band or music group (maybe a 4 piece string group) that would like to get some great exposure to donate an evening concert to your organization (they can receive a tax deduction for their time).
2. Book the band and find a large home or venue in which you can hold your event. Even a clubhouse will work great.
3. Invite friends, family, business associates, dignitaries, or just influential people that would like a nice evening out, and benefit your foundation. I can help you come up with nice invitations that will also tell a little about your organization.
4. You may want to find donated finger foods to serve before the concert or at intermission to the guests.
5. Find time during the event to give a brief presentation of what your organization is doing to better the world.
Again the sky is the limit so you might want to do a silent auction or even a sit down dinner before the concert.
(Have commitment cards ready that people can fill out for ongoing donations through their checking account or credit card.)
Example
We did a benefit concert for a Leukemia Foundation in a donated apartment clubhouse. Some food was donated and some we made. We invited 200+ people. We asked for donation at the door. That evening we raised about $40,000 for the foundation.
Car Wash Day
Washing cars is an easy way to put funds in the kitty, and summer is the perfect weather to hold a fundraiser for your organization.
1. Approach the owner of an automatic car wash and ask him to donate some hours on a Saturday or Sunday that you can do the fundraiser. Work out a deal with him that each car wash is a very low amount. Then send out invitations, invite friends, neighbors, co-workers, church members, etc. Have them give a suggested donation of $25 or more to your organization for their car wash. Their car gets washed and your organization makes money.
Many radio stations will do a Public Service Announcement about a fundraiser like this for free if you contact them far enough in advance.
Evening at the Diner
Many cities have 50’s style diners now that serve up food just like they did back then. These are popular hangouts for the 40-60 year old crowd especially if there is a car show involved. They can also be a great fund raising atmosphere.
1. Many of these diners or similar establishments will entertain you doing a fundraiser at their place. You just need to tell them what your organization does and that you want to make it worthwhile for them also. You want to find a night or weekend afternoon that is a slower one for their establishment and promote that night bringing in a full house several times over. You want to find friends and maybe even important people in the community to shadow their wait staff that night and “wait” on tables serving those that come to eat. You want a percentage of the check amounts to be donated to your organization. (The tips stay with the regular wait staff.)
2. Send out invitations and invite everyone you know and the community to come and dine on the appointed day or evening that you have set up. Let them know that a portion of the money made that night and any extra they want to give is going to your organization.
3. People will come and dine ordering off the menu just like they usually would. They will be waited on by the regular wait staff and celebrities, and yourself. At the end of the night you and the owner of the establishment will tally all the tickets and they will write you a check to your organization for the agreed upon percentage.
4. You will want to have a container that people can put extra donations in that go straight to your organization. You will also want to emphasis that the patrons tip just as they always do because you do not want the regular staff to be penalized because of the event.
5. You might come up with a small auction that people can silently bid on, or maybe you would want it to be a moderated auction.
6. This would be a great event to do an old car show at in the parking lot. You could charge the car owners a suggested donation to be in the show and give a trophy at the end to the best one.
These are just a few ideas to get your mind to thinking about how easy it might be to find some serious funds for your organization. There are many people who would love to help fund your organization giving you the ability to make a bigger impact on what passion you have behind your organization. Keep me posted, and let me know how I can help.
Things to Remember
1. Make it worth the while of the people donating items for auctions, their restaurant, food, or other items. They may want to help your organization, but they also want the advertising and promotion. Make sure you encourage them to use their business card with anything they donate and mention their name and business name when awarding the prizes.
2. Large and small non-profits raise funds in many different manners. These are a few creative ways to begin getting a donor base and some organization recognition. Many of the people that come to these events could become loyal supporters of your organization.
3. For auctions there are some forms and procedures that CDP requires so you will want to get with me so that I can help you make sure these forms and procedures are followed.
4. Remember, the idea is not to spend a lot of money putting the event on and hoping you will recover that with donations. Instead trade some of your time (and ask friends to do the same) for donations of items and services that you need for your event. A couple weeks of hard work finding the venues, items, food, etc to make your event possible without any money out of your pocket is well worth it. Like one of the examples above, if you do it right just weeks down the road your organization could have several hundred thousand dollars in funding.
5. An organization’s logo, web site, brochures, and other items that make your organization look professional make a big difference, so put the time and energy into those items. There are those,  (Ocean Grand does some of this), that would design these items for a small donation to their organization.
6. Remember, I am committed to help you make your nonprofit organization a success. I have worked with Nonprofits for many years as a Philanthropic Development Officer because I have a passion to see nonprofit organizations thrive. We are coming to the day and age that every family should have a foundation for their own personal philanthropic giving. We are also beginning to see many corporations adopt a 501c3 plan (like a 401K but on the charity side of things) for each employee. The corporation matches each employee’s charitable giving. I really want to be involved in seeing your organization become ridiculously successful, so let me know how I can help.
Success Story
A charity conducted an event where they picked up a golf pro in a rented helicopter and flew him to the fifth hole of a nearby golf course that was closed on Monday, but open to them by prior arrangement. Meeting him on the tee of the fifth hole and having agreed to donate $5,000 each to that Foundation, were four players. What excitement as the helicopter descended. What a photo opportunity for memory lane, and what a joyous experience it was for the grandchildren and friends that were there.
The one hole finished, the helicopter took him to another golf course where three holes in succession were peopled with four contributors each. He played 18 holes at 7 golf courses that day. The Foundation paid the helicopter $10,000, paid the golf pro $50,000 (a good payday, don’t you think?) and netted $300,000 for the Foundation that day.
Other fundraising ideas:
- Fund-Raising dinners and galas
- Walkathons, bikeathons, and running and swimming events
- Craft Festivals
- Rummage Sales
- Theater Benefits
- Golf Tournaments
- Tennis Events
- Game Days
- Bingo and Casino Nights
- Wine Tasting Parties
- Auctions
- SkyDive for a Cause
- Spaghetti Dinner ( I know groups who raised $20K in one night by coupling with Silent Auction)
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