Feel like walking on water might be easier to learn than starting a fundraiser for your nonprofit organization? You’re not alone.
Hosting a successful fundraiser means capturing attendees’ giving spirit while maximizing the money you raise.
No wonder you’re overwhelmed — it’s a lot to tackle alone.
If there’s anyone who understands the struggles of creating an event from scratch, it’s us. At Eventbrite, we’ve been ‘event-ing’ since 2006. From creating an event invitation to crafting post-event email surveys, we’ve helped nonprofits worldwide start successful (and profitable) fundraisers the right way.
In this article, we’ll show you how to start a fundraiser in 12 steps and share the ‘pro tips’ we’ve learned during our many years of experience.
How to start a fundraiser in 12 steps
Step 1: Know the ‘why’ behind your fundraiser
Step 2: Have a clear understanding of your target audience
Step 3: Analyze current event trends (and use them to your advantage)
Step 5: Choose what type of fundraiser you’ll host
Step 6: Determine your unique value proposition
Step 7: Organize your fundraising event
Step 8: Reach out to your network and potential sponsors
Step 9: Invest in the right fundraising software
Step 10: Create a fundraising marketing campaign
Step 11: Set up donation tickets
Step 12: Write post-event emails
How to start a fundraiser for charity
A successful charity fundraiser needs an innovative idea, but it starts with thorough research and fundraiser planning. These steps will outline exactly what you need to start a fundraiser, reach the financial goals for your next fundraising event, and remove the headache of managing the event logistics.
Step 1: Know the ‘why’ behind your fundraiser
Understanding the ‘why’ behind your fundraiser will help you develop a strategic fundraising plan. Your ‘why’ should guide your decision-making in all stages of the process, from determining which type of fundraiser to organize to identifying which major donors to target.
When questioning how to start a charity fundraiser, consider the following:
- How much money do you want to raise?
- Are you looking to raise online donations and meet a financial goal, or does your fundraising project have other goals?
- Is raising public awareness for the cause a priority for this event?
- How many people are you looking to influence?
💡Pro tip: Remember that donation amounts are higher in groups. Therefore, if you’re setting a significant fundraising goal, organize a fundraising activity where social status and group dynamics come into play, such as a charity gala or silent auction.
Step 2: Have a clear understanding of your target audience
The next step is to develop a clear understanding of your target audience because for your fundraiser to succeed, you need to get it in front of the right people at the right time.
Do this by assessing details on who your potential attendees will be, such as:
- Age
- Income
- Interests
- Location
💡Pro tip: Take note from Out Professionals, who recently hosted a private ‘Courageous Women of the Met Museum’ tour hosted by a Harvard professor. As they know their target audience is higher income earners interested in preserving, learning, and appreciating art and culture, they designed their event to appeal to this type of attendee.
Step 3: Analyze current event trends (and use them to your advantage)
The key to fundraising success is developing a process based on current industry trends and data. For instance, 79% of nonprofits expect to use artificial intelligence (AI) in the next three years.
To optimize the work of your fundraising team, consider how you can incorporate a growing trend like AI into your workflow.
This might look like investing in fundraising software to help streamline the planning process or utilizing generative AI like ChatGPT to create compelling copy for your social media posts to target previous donors.
💡Pro tip: To make life easier, invest in event management software, like Eventbrite, that offers AI tools that help streamline mundane event tasks. For instance, Duck Club uses Eventbrite’s AI writing and email marketing tools to reduce the time they spend creating email campaigns and event ads — with Eventbrite’s help, they now experience a 60% open rate.
Step 4: Create a budget
Whether you’re starting from scratch or relying on last year’s budget, you need a rough budget in place in the early stages so you know how much money you have to work with.
A budget will give you perspective on what type of event is the best investment for your money. Remember, your main focus should be on reaching your fundraising goal, and the best way to do that is to try to keep your costs as low as possible and your profit margin sky-high.
Some things to consider when creating your fundraising event budget include:
- Venue costs
- Catering expenses
- Marketing and promotional materials
- Entertainment or guest speaker fees
- Staffing and volunteer expenses
- Equipment and utility costs
💡Pro tip: To guarantee a strong ROI for your fundraiser, use an event budget template to estimate your anticipated costs and compare them against the total sales revenue of your last event. If the projected expenses exceed the previous revenue by more than 10%, a more cost-effective fundraising idea, like a virtual event, may be worth considering.
Step 5: Choose what type of fundraiser you’ll host
There are three main types of fundraiser events: online, in-person, and hybrid. The type of event you choose should be based on location demands, as indicated through previous event data, budgetary constraints, and industry trends.
Online fundraiser ideas
Online or virtual fundraising events are cost-effective since you don’t need to hire a venue, and you have the scope to sell more tickets. They also allow you to reach potential donors, sponsors, and partners on an international scale, expanding the reach and impact of the event.
Some creative online fundraiser event ideas include:
- Online talent show
- Virtual cooking class
- Interactive escape room challenge
- Online masterclass series
💡Pro tip: You don’t have to lose a sense of community or an emotional connection just because your fundraiser is completely online. For example, the Animal Legal Defense Fund is hosting an online panel on Zoom to educate attendees about the future of farmed animal confinement and raise awareness.
In-person fundraiser ideas
Research indicates that people experience less empathy when they don’t have an emotional bond to an issue. In-person fundraisers are highly effective as they allow you to create an ‘atmosphere’ — attendees who feel the energy, passion, and emotion in the room are more likely to get on board with your mission and donate.
Here’s how to start a charity fundraiser that’s creative:
- Outdoor movie night
- Book fair
- Community 5k fun run
- Themed costume party night
- Wine or beer-tasting event
💡Pro tip: Link the theme of your event to an upcoming holiday or special occasion to ramp up interest and event registrations. For instance, North Adams Pride are hosting their fundraiser, ‘Northern Lights Ball,’ against the backdrop of a rare natural wonder to increase the event’s appeal.
Hybrid fundraiser ideas
Hybrid events offer the best of both worlds — in-person immersive experiences with virtual engagement and technical innovation, allowing you to sell more tickets than just an in-person event. For example, Daybreaker regularly hosts hybrid dance events and masterclasses to fundraise for charitable causes.
Daybreaker LIVE – Episode #1 from Daybreaker Buenos Aires on Vimeo.
Some creative hybrid fundraiser event ideas include:
- Hot yoga class with virtual participation
- Hybrid art exhibition or gallery
- Local food truck festival with virtual cooking demonstrations
- Silent auction with online bidding
- Garden concert with online streaming
💡Pro tip: You can use Facebook to set up live events to receive donations that allow attendees to donate at any point during the event.
Camp Dyketopia / Dyketopia Comedy / Littleton, CO
Step 6: Determine your unique value proposition
People are excited to support a cause, but they also want to have a great time. ‘Raising money’ isn’t a theme. Bring your cause to the forefront of attendees’ minds by incorporating it into the event’s theme and activities. For example, Downward Grog is hosting a ‘pug yoga and adoption event’ to raise money for Pug Nation Rescue of Los Angeles.
In 2024, attendees seek unique experiences, so it’s the perfect time to embrace innovation. In fact, our latest TRNDS report found that 41% of 21–35-year-olds enjoyed wearing costumes to events with their friends.
To inject creativity into your event, give it a crazy theme, like:
- ‘Underwater Circus’: A mermaid wonderland event
- ‘2001 Called; It Wants Its Dress Back’: A retro costume event
- ‘Superhero Slowdown’: An anti-hero event
💡Pro tip: Take a leaf out of the Public Works’s book and utilize the power of exclusivity and FOMO (fear of missing out). Their upcoming event, The Stud Fundraiser, uses strategic marketing to emphasize the venue’s ‘limited capacity’ and highlights that those who put off purchasing a ticket will miss out on a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
This approach allows Public Works to effectively promote their ‘early-bird ticket’ offer by encouraging attendees to ‘lock in their spot’ before it’s too late.
Step 7: Organize your fundraising event
When figuring out how to start a charity fundraiser for a large-scale event, we recommend giving yourself eight to 12 months for the planning process to allow time for unexpected challenges and secure a venue.
Some event logistics you’ll need to consider are:
- Equipment hire
- Event registrations
- Security and safety concerns
- Vendor coordination
- Ticket prices
- Venue hire
Finding the right space can take time. Even if you have a venue you’ve worked with in the past, it’s worth shopping around. A non-traditional space, such as a marketplace, can be inspiring, while some venues might be willing to offer a discount or donate the space to support a charitable cause.
💡Pro tip: If you’re looking for a comprehensive guide on what you must cover when organizing your event, download our free fundraiser checklist now.
Step 8: Reach out to your network and potential sponsors
Are you taking advantage of your community of supporters who might want to fundraise?
Sponsors help to promote nonprofit events and maybe even financially support the setup — especially when your budget barely covers the cost of the venue.
You need to do a little legwork to secure the most lucrative sponsors (who are also the best brand fit). Before you start writing a sponsorship pitch, it’s important to get clear on what you’re asking for and to find the best fit to sponsor yours.
💡Pro tip: Lean on your existing event network or community ties to seek out venues or performers who regularly collaborate with nonprofits and see if they offer discounted rates for fundraising events. From here, you can use a tool like Welcome.US to find a sponsor for your event.
Step 9: Invest in the right fundraising software
The most efficient way to start a fundraiser is to partner with an event management software that removes the ‘guesswork.’ Effective fundraising software will assist you in reaching your fundraising goals by helping you promote your event across different mediums, like social media and email. Using tools like these helps you reach your target audience with ease and create compelling event ads.
That’s why Eventbrite is such a great solution for nonprofits — it supports you throughout every stage of the event planning journey and marketing.
From turning past event data into easily digestible reports and guiding you through how to start a fundraiser on Instagram to promoting your event on Facebook and collecting donations through generated QR codes — Eventbrite has your back.
To learn how to start a charity fundraiser, look at event organizer Ladies Get Paid. They use Eventbrite’s Zoom integration to host their online events and promote their in-person events on our market platform.
💡Pro tip: Use Eventbrite to create unique tracking links to understand better where your ticket registrations come from and which marketing strategies lead to ticket sales.
Kickstart your fundraising event
Step 10: Create a fundraising marketing campaign
To sell out your fundraiser, you need a solid promotion strategy for every single marketing channel connected to your brand.
The essential elements of a modern, cost-effective marketing strategy are:
- Email marketing: Start an email campaign as soon as you plan to host a fundraiser. Reach out to past attendees first, corporate sponsors, and your existing donor base. If it’s a brand new event, share the announcement with your email list to generate excitement and send email newsletters with event updates.
- Social media advertising: Create a social media campaign on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. These social media posts allow you to target potential attendees based on their location, demographic information, and areas of interest.
- Search engine optimization (SEO): Search engines like Google or Bing can drive between five to 10% of ticket purchases or registrations. Using SEO through your website to achieve higher search ranking increases your odds of converting those browsers to buyers.
💡Pro tip: Don’t be afraid to be a bit different when it comes to your marketing strategy. Remember that in 2024, potential attendees are used to seeing the same ol’ promotional techniques all over their social feeds. Stand out by using a ‘refreshingly genuine’ voice.
Cut out the ‘hard sale’ language in your copy and edit together a shot reel of direct-to-camera promotional content that shows ‘you doing you’ — recommend your event to potential attendees like you would a friend, not a sales client.
Step 11: Set up donation tickets
Make it easy for people to donate to your fundraiser. With Eventbrite, you can set up ‘donation tickets’ to facilitate contributions from potential donors. These ticket types don’t have a set price or maximum limit, allowing attendees to donate any amount before your event even begins.
You can also use Eventbrite’s integrated checkout system on your social media channels, like Facebook and Instagram, so attendees don’t have to leave the app to purchase a ticket.
💡Pro tip: To maximize profits, use Eventbrite’s ‘add-on’ feature, which allows you to include additional offerings related to your event, like merchandise or VIP experience items, with a portion of sales contributing to the fundraiser.
Step 12: Write post-event emails
The work isn’t done just because you’ve thrown away the last napkin.
When you wake up the next day, don’t forget to follow up with your donors and volunteers with a thank you email. It’s a small gesture, but it means a lot to the people rallying around your cause.
Understand how to start a charity fundraiser with a successful post-event email:
- Addressing each attendee by their first name
- Referencing specific interactions or moments at the event
- Highlighting the difference that their individual contribution is going to make to your cause
- Expressing your gratitude for their help and attendance
💡Pro tip: Give special recognition to generous donors who contributed ‘mega gifts’ to your foundation. Sending out a heartfelt ‘thank you’ email can help maintain long-term relationships with major donors.
How to start a fundraiser (the right way)
Planning a fundraiser is a daunting process, but it’s a whole lot simpler when you have the right tools at your disposal.
With Eventbrite, you can collect donations, create a marketing campaign on social media channels like Facebook and Instagram, and track event registrations all from one place.
While we can’t guarantee there won’t be setbacks, we can assure you that with Eventbrite by your side, you’ll never have to navigate them alone.
