Event Fundraising Blog

“Don’t drop the football.” That was one of the first things Jeff Shuck ever said to me. It was 2004 and I had just been hired as a Coach for the Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure. The other new hires and I were on-event at the Boston 3-Day for the Cure as part of our training.

We were discussing the importance of customer service when Shuck said those four words: “Don’t drop the football.” What he meant by that was if someone asks where the bathroom is, you don’t point and explain. You stop what you are doing and you walk them over to the bathroom. When someone asks you a question and you don’t know the answer, you never say, “I don’t know.” You say, “I’ll find out.” Those four words mean that no matter what your job title, every job is your job when a customer needs something and customer service is important.

The American Heart Association’s Jump Rope for Heart is a thriving national fundraising program that focuses on educating children about the dangers of heart disease and stroke while raising vital funds for cardiovascular and stroke research, and health education. Students raise money based on the length of time they or their team participates in the jump rope events, which are held and coordinated by individual schools. The school also receives a portion of the donated funds its participants raise to enhance its own physical education programs.

When you are compiling a target donor list, what factors do you consider? Age?  Income Bracket?  Education Level?  These are just a few of the key demographics that might top your list.  And, while they are important, a new study released at the Direct Marketing Association New York Nonprofit Conference has introduced a surprising new element into the mix.

You just wrapped up a successful nonprofit fundraising event, and you received a lot of positive feedback on how well your idea worked. Unfortunately, after all of your endorphins wear off, you are going to realize that, no matter how great this year's idea was, it just won't work two years in a row. Doing it all over again the same year after year is a sure-fire way to make your event boring, thereby making your event fundraising portfolio less profitable. Here are some simple tips for keeping a fresh element to your special events fundraising:

Do you know who participates in your events-where they live, their household income, what magazines they read, etc. What about the the people that participate and fundraise? More importantly, do you know why they fundraise?

Having a household name as a charity spokesperson can earn a nonprofit big dollars, big donors, and big press.