Linda Pawlowski 2011 Successful Community Fundraising Events WELCOMEWELCOME

Answers please …  What are your organisation’s objectives?  What type of events do you need?  Who will you invite to these events?  What are your different event objectives?  What else is happening?  What will your success look like?  Who do you need involved?  How will you publicise the events?

Differentiate between  In-house events  Arm’s length events  Community fundraising events and between  Different income streams (donations, raised funds, earned income)

Project Outline  Choose one event and run through a project outline for it (bullets)

Strategy - Risks Accident or Injury Theft or Sabotage Problems Relating to Alcohol No Shows etc. Liability Are necessary contracts in place If you are selling alcohol you will need a Liquor Licence

Strategy – Risks - Health & Safety  Remember that Health & Safety at Work Act covers ALL activities that take place in the public domain  Conduct a risk assessment for each and every one of your activities  If you are using a commercial fair make sure that every ride has its MOT and that you obtain a Safety Certificate for the whole fairground

 Liability  Always take out Public Liability Insurance  Consider cancellation and all risk cover  VAT  On the whole small or medium scale events will be unlikely to be liable for VAT but always check you are exempt  Charities may be able to claim back VAT so always use official purchase orders where possible  Public Entertainment Licences  If you are holding an event where singing or dancing is the main attraction you may require a Public Entertainment Licence  Bye-laws covering public places (make yourself aware) Strategy - Risks – Making it Legal

 Street Collection Permits  Register well in advance if you want to have a collection on public property  Establish the requirements of your local council and abide by them  Keep the paperwork and accounting clear so that you will be able to satisfy the post collection return properly  Look out for new regulations  Lottery Registration  5 Types Small Lotteries Private Lotteries Society Lotteries Local Authority Lotteries National Lotteries Strategy - Risks – Making it Legal Cont.

Strategy – Risks - Health & Safety  Remember that Health & Safety at Work Act covers ALL activities that take place in the public domain  Conduct a risk assessment for each and every one of your activities  If you are using a commercial fair make sure that every ride has its MOT and that you obtain a Safety Certificate for the whole fairground

Joe Saxton, Nfp 2008 Planning – Marketing & Communications

What’s the message?

 Who do you need to target in your marketing and communications plan?  Understand your audiences – what is the pull for them? Activity

Planning - Budget – Key Points  Use a simple accounting system  Estimate your expenses carefully, allowing a wide margin for problems Best Case/Worst Case  Make sure that basic expenditure can be met  Obtain sponsorship and donations early on  Ask for quotes as far as possible  Discuss major expenditure with your committee  Negotiate over everything  If you need a bank account open it at least two weeks before you need it

Planning - Budget  Tracking Your Actual Expenses

Planning - Event schedule

Implementation  Finalise plans & prepare for implementation  Consider how you will communicate with key audiences  Consider how you will motivate the people involved in the project  Design and implement monitoring and evaluation

Implementation Briefings  Verbal – meeting or written  All staff and key individuals with a responsibility  Overview of objectives for event  Addresses, contact names and numbers  Event timings  Notes about special guests  Q&As

Ongoing Project Activity  Review  Measure success  Learning  Follow up with key audience  Stewardship

Ongoing Activity - Stewardship Stewardship is the process whereby an organisation cares for and protects its philanthropic support – its gifts and those who give them – in a way that responds to donors’ expectations and respects the act of giving.

Ongoing Activity-Stewardship  Maximising the impact of your event  Who has been involved?  Thank and be creative to plan ahead  Advise on how donations are being spent  Advise of problems or delays  Tell them about the successes  Invite them to see their achievements