Friend Raisers or Fund Raisers

Special Event Fundraising There are many types of Special Events Gala Dinners Silent and Live Auctions Carnivals Raffles Alumni Homecoming

Special Event Fundraising Important to know your audience Tailor event to your audience Does event fit with your over all fundraising plan?

Fund Raiser or Friend Raiser Decide what the event is to achieve Friend Raisers are cultivation tools Fund Raisers are money makers

Special Events are labor intensive Volunteers Staff Faculty Donors Attendees

Special Event Fundraising Volunteers and Donors can give Time Talent Treasure

Dinner Auction

Special Event Fundraising Dinner Auction Set Date Choose venue On campus or off Accessibility Set up of event Parking for guests

Special Event Fundraising Dinner Auction Chair persons in place Auctioneer hired

Special Event Fundraising Dinner Auction People Volunteers Staff Faculty Donors Attendees

Special Event Fundraising Volunteers Recruit Volunteers New volunteers and returning Assign Committee Heads Give Job Descriptions Time Commitment Event Timeline

Special Event Fundraising Committees Food Entertainment Decorations Printing Silent and Live Auction Item Procurement Table Captains Set Up Take Down

Special Event Fundraising Staff What is expected of staff What should staff expect from volunteers Time Commitment Experience

Special Event Fundraising Faculty Donors Volunteers Attendees

Special Event Fundraising Donors Underwriting and Sponsorship Individual and Corporate Advertising/Program Book In-Kind Donations Silent and Live Auction Items

Special Event Fundraising Attendees Underwriters/Sponsors As part of their packages Invitees Current Parents Alumni Alumni Parents Friends Vendors Special Guests

Special Event Fundraising Event Time Line Begin Silent and Live Auction Solicitation Begin early Set deadline for items to be turned in Send Save the Date Hold Kick Off Party Send Invitations Program to Printer

Special Event Fundraising The Event Approaches Send out Program Book to all those attending Or put Program Book online If sit down dinner – assign tables Print all necessary materials Signage Closing times for auction Bid Sheets Live Auction Bid Cards

Special Event Fundraising The day of or day before event Set up Silent Auction This takes time Quality over Quantity Display is Important Easy to read Bid Sheets with each item Display Live Auction Items

Special Event Fundraising The night of the event Pre-register guests for easy checkout This cuts waiting time at closing of evening Go over live auction items with auctioneer Don’t have too many items If doing “Fund an Item” discuss with auctioneer Go over flow of evening with M.C. Thank all for coming Introduce special guests Acknowledge chairpersons Announce times of auction closings Announce Check Out and Item Pick Up Procedure

Special Event Fundraising After the event Thank Chairpersons Hold Wrap Up Meeting Thank all Volunteers Thank all Donors

Special Event Fundraising Every event is different Venues vary depending on audience Don’t forget friend raising events Evaluate events Is event too labor intensive Did event achieve purpose Avoid burn out of staff and volunteers