Tips From The Experts

To some of us philanthropy means attending a charity event, but to those Chairs who dedicate up to eighteen months to plan and execute such an event, philanthropy is more about the passion for their charity and how their efforts will impact the community that organization serves.

In the unprecedented recession we’re in right now, chairing an event can be a scary proposition no matter how passionate one may be. The good news is that a difficult economy can create new fundraising opportunities by revamping tired formats, forcing Chairs to try something new and innovative. It’s comforting to remember that goodwill can be as important a long-term goal as raising money is in the short-term.

Questions to consider:

• What is the organization’s true charter and goals?

• Are the fundraisers the right ones for these times?

• Are the financial expectations realistic?

Keep these basics in mind:

• With past donors, make it personal.

• Large donors: know how they have donated in the past.

• Small donors: this is the lifeblood of most non-profit organizations. Make sure these individuals are also thanked.

Admission:

• Encourage the purchase of full tables rather than individual tickets. A modest discount for a table of 8-10 may entice guests to gather friends to attend.

• Encourage young professionals to attend. If applicable, set a younger age ticket price. The added benefit is the introduction of a new audience to your organization, which is the basis for long-term commitment.

Auction:

• Ask committee members to donate a bottle of wine for a “cellar starter.”

• Suggest a few committee member(s) band together to host an in-home dinner or cocktail party.

Fund-In-Need:

• If a live auction is planned, adding a Fund-In-Need section to address a specific issue (designated funds) can create a sense of camaraderie and generate incremental dollars. Tip: Make sure you get someone to commit to the top level to ensure momentum.

Tweak the budget: Decide what is a need-to-have versus nice-to-have.

• Don’t be afraid to ask vendors to reduce pricing, while still maintaining their quality. Vendors understand these are tough times and they want to keep their staff working.

• Get another set of eyes to look at budgetary issues to ensure you’re on the right path. Sometimes it’s difficult to look at the forest when you’re down in the trees.

• Reduce variable costs

Staffing:

• Can volunteers and interns do the work without compromising quality?

• Online ticket sales: Encourage guests to RSVP, and pay for their tickets online thereby reducing the human capital to process the payment, etc.

• Electronic invitations: use only for more casual events.

As tough as it seems, Chairs need to persevere. Setting a positive tone and attainable goals for the committee(s) will ensure they have a meaningful experience. By staying focused on the bottom line, remembering that goodwill is an important goal, and keeping a committee engaged will bolster any charitable event no matter how difficult the times may be.

Ways to express appreciation:

• Share the stories of how funds are used or have been used from previous events.
• Try to acknowledge donors by name when in person.
• Write personal notes on patron letters thanking them for their past support.
• If possible, hand-deliver invitations.
• Send a hand-written note on behalf of your organization.

Foundations: The number of family foundations has escalated exponentially since 2000. Foundations must distribute 5% of their assets annually. For example: Almost 1,500 cultural and arts organizations in the San Francisco Bay Area received $145 million in 2005 while $95 million was distributed to human services organizations in the same year. Tip: Do your research to assess a foundation’s charter to ensure your goals align with theirs. [Note: the IRS prohibits a donor-advised fund, such as a family foundation, to receive any goods and services in exchange for the donation. Thus, a Foundation cannot buy seats for a fundraiser, but rather must make a straight donation.  If an individual involved with the Foundation wishes to attend, they must purchase their tickets separately].

[Photo from :)Rafal via Flickr]