Many times “free” tickets to your gala are included in sponsorship packages. While some sponsors may attend your event and participate in the fundraising program we often hear from sponsors, “we’ve already made our donation through sponsorship.” While there are similarities in special event fundraising and sponsorship, they are not the same. Raising Paddles [...]
I just finished an event and like to reflect afterwards on the "wins" and "hurdles". When I arrived that evening, I noticed they had such wonderful volunteers that were passionate about supporting the event by giving their time that evening. So.....what was the hurdle? The volunteers didn't know what to do. They had the [...]
Very often I am asked to present and speak about the importance of the mission appeal. I do this often enough I felt encouraged to create a resource document to share with fundraising professionals to refer to when planning their special ask. So instead of an article style submission this month, I decided to [...]
One of the conundrums of a fundraising event is the sequencing of fundraising elements to maximize success. We have often consulted to avoid competing fundraising, as it can inhibit donations and bids unintentionally. For example, many fundraisers have a silent auction, and want to keep it open all night to give your donors as [...]
By: Erin Williams, Fundraising Auctioneer & Consultant Our Raising Paddles team is hard at work helping nonprofit clients prepare for a great fall season of fundraising! As you are planning your fall fundraising gala, ask yourself, or better yet reach out to a few key donors to learn ways to improve their donor experience. [...]
Is There a Secret Sauce for a Successful Fund A Need (FAN)? You bet there is..... Why are some FANs more successful than others? Why do some small groups have more successful FANs than large groups? How do you conduct a FAN that makes people want to raise their paddle? Well, we're glad you asked. [...]
8 Mission Video Storytelling Tips By: Scott Jones As the famous saying goes, stories make the world go round. They help non-profits build personal connections, based on empathy, trust, and compassion with their supporters through the act of storytelling. People process visuals 60,000 times better than text, which makes storytelling quite important these days. Therefore, [...]
By: Dan Campbell, Fundraising Auctioneer You are a special events coordinator…. or at least that is one of your MANY hats, and you are looking at a gala timeline that appears to last through next Tuesday……will our audience embrace what we have planned? Today’s audience is less patient with long programs, and we seem [...]
By: Erin Williams, Fundraising Auctioneer Last month we announced a new Client Success Manager, Olivia Newbill. She will be a great support and resource to all of our clients. We are excited to have her on the Raising Paddles team! This means I've transitioned to a full-time Fundraising Auctioneer and Consultant. I am thrilled [...]
By: Shannon Eason, Fundraising Auctioneer While Spring is wrapping up, Summer is quickly approaching. With in-person events now in full swing, we hope you're planning those fun summer fundraisers. If you haven't done one, you might be missing the boat. Check these out and see how fundraising can be "Summer Fun"! "Mudder Runs" or [...]
