By Scott Jones, CFRE, Senior Partner Raising Paddles You might not be aware of this, but tennis and golf are some of the most popular sports in the United States. It also happens they can be some of the best fundraising opportunities for nonprofits. That’s because tournament fundraisers are a great way to appeal to what [...]
Gala season is under way and one of the most popular features of the evening is the live auction. Making sure your live auction results in the best year ever takes work and premeditation. However, following the next 10 steps is your secret to success! Introducing: THE BEST PRACTICES WORKSHEET-10 Best Practices for a Successful [...]
Do you like Parties? I sure do. Parties are fun, and the more the merrier! But what makes a party fun? I usually make sure my “fun” friends are invited. Of course, I will invite everyone in that circle to attend as well, based on my party planning. I might even ask my other guest to [...]
Bueller? Bueller? Looking for your donors and there's no response? Where are our donors when we're looking for them. 6 Ways to Get New Donors 1) Relationship Mapping. Your current donors, board members, and volunteers are your best link to finding new donors. ... If each board member provides ten contacts to the developmental [...]
Anyone can throw a party. Only YOU can develop relationships with your guests that will help them realize the impact of their gift for your great cause. How do you engage auction guests, whip up your live auction, focus on your mission, keep it fresh, get those bid cards waving, and make sure your guests return year [...]
Anyone can throw party. Only YOU can develop relationships with your guests that will help them realize the impact of their gift for your great cause. How do you engage auction guests, whip up your live auction, focus on your mission, keep it fresh, get those bid cards waving, and make sure your guests return year after [...]
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 [...]
