Securing The Gift - Book Notes - Benefit Event Enhancements

Front 1

BENEFIT EVENT ENHANCEMENTS

Determining the Type of Event: based on needs, goals and character of your organization.

Creativity is key (i.e., homes or galleries, instead of hotels) - provides a new twist on old theme.

Back 1

List of traditional events:

Anniversary Corporate Tribute dinners

Auctions Sporting Events

Festivals Privately hosted parties

'a-thons' Donor Recognition

Gallery openings Theatrical events

Fashion shows Awards presentations

Campaign kickoff Cultivation events

Front 2

Factors to include on deciding best event for your org:

• mission of org
  
• constituency
• type of donors
• geographic location
  
• size & nature of support

Ask the following questions:

• What is the purpose of the organization?
  
• Where is org located?
  
• Whom does the organization serve?
  

Back 2

Questions continued:

• Who are the organization's current donors? (Review demographics like age, income,participation)
  
• What are the interest of the organization's constituency? (No golf for NARAL)
  
• Whom are you trying to attract? (new donors, younger donors, etc...)
  
• What are the financial resources of potential attendees?
  

Front 3

PLANNING THE EVENT:

• Set the date
• Select the site
• Budget
• Time Line
• Leadership
• Committees
• Sponsorships
• Lists
• Printed Materials
• Program of the evening
• Public Relations

Back 3

SET DATE & SITE:

-Make arrangements six months or more in advance

-Schedule event away from major effort, like annual campaign

-Consider staffing

Front 4

Budget:

-Develop expense and revenues budget (this can determine size and scope of event)

-Track expenses; try to get in-kind gifts to offset costs. If fall behind, try to bring in leadership to help.

-Must determine how many individual sales and at what levels, are needed to break even.

Back 4

TIMELINE:

-Should list all activities leading up to the event as well as post-event activities.

-Sample Gala timeline with 7-month lead, see Greenfield page #507

Front 5

LEADERSHIP:

-Leaders with social prominence or corporate ties are ideal to seek either as honorees or chairs. They often have more friends, contacts and networks.

Leadership and Board members should participate in:

• List Development (provide contacts/lists to invite)
  
• Lending name to materials (help build committee to promote)
• Financial Support (chairs/members should contribute at significant level)
• Recruiting Committee members
• Time Commitment (need their time to raise $)

Back 5

COMMITTEES & SPONSORSHIPS

Builds prestige, $, and outreach to new people.

Locate Corporate Sponsors through:

• Organizational relationships - board, committee may have links; also current vendors
  
• Ties to org's mission
• Ties to constituency (Corps want to reach clients)

Corporations also like:

• Visibility
• Connection to the community
• Benefit to employees

Front 6

Printed materials - everything should reflect particular theme or design

Program - Opportunity to promote org, but the program shouldn't be longer than 30 minutes.

Public Relations - strategy should be employed early to promote the organization to a variety of audiences including media.

Back 6

EVENT MANAGEMENT

Need designated managers to manage leadership, budgets/revenue, form volunteer assignments, and stick to a timeline

RECOGNIZING PARTICIPANTS:

This could include the name in the program, gifts, hand-written thank yous and shout outs in the program itself by leadership.

Must also send 'donor receipts' for gifts above $250.

Front 7

RECORD KEEPING:

Need impeccable record keeping for acknowledgements and future events (especially).

Records also evaluate event. For example, its helpful to know if you raised 60% of projected revenue only one month before event. Key issue to address in future events.

Back 7

ACCOUNTABILITY:

Need good managers to make sure all vendors fulfill contracts -- and review carefully BEFORE signing.

TROUBLESHOOTING:

Anticipate any problems or plan for issues/problems - Lead Manager is responsible.

Front 8

EVENT DAY:

Create checklist for manager as well as volunteers (Greenfield page #514)

Conduct a 'walk through' with volunteers previous to event

REMEMBER: EVENTS ARE 'PUBLIC RELATIONS' AND 'CULTIVATION' ACTIVITIES

Back 8

POST-EVENT ACTIVITIES

• Thank yous
• Collection of Pledges
• Event Assesment (group review with key folks)
• Cultivation (follow-up on any new leads)
• Record Keeping (complete database & event books for future events)
• Planning for next year

Special Events (time consuming and labor intensive) can be positive experience for org. It can:

• Provide Recognition
• Increase donor base
• Provide more funding
• Public relations tool