This is a presentation I gave in June, 2015 to nonprofit professionals in Maryland about holding a fundraiser for your nonprofit. Do you really need to hold that huge Gala? Let's examine your capacity and feasibility factors.

1. Special EventsSpecial Events
Make them truly “Special!”Make them truly “Special!”
Ayda Sanver, MBA, CFRE
Ayda Sanver Consulting, LLC
Aydasanver.com
Author, “Tag, You’re IT- Now
Raise Some Money” on
Amazon.com
2015 Master’s Series

2. Agenda
 Objectives
 Goals
 Feasibility
 Capacity
 Action Items
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Objectives-
1. Share ideas with each other!
2. Have FUN! Be Interactive!!
3. Walk away with real ideas
you can implement today!

4. • To raise funds – that “Big Gala” idea.
• To educate prospects and cultivate them to
become donors. Include your clients, have them
tell their story of success.
• To gain visibility – collect names and other
information.
• To report back to current donors- small
gatherings can do big things!
• Doing some vs. all of these depends on several
factors: Capacity and Feasibility.
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Possible Goals

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Feasibility and Capacity
• Feasibility factors:
1) Your donor “persona” – do they enjoy events? If so,
what kinds of events? Dinners? Walks? Runs?
2) The size of your list – expect 3% to 8% to attend a
large scale event
3) Your budget
• Capacity factors:
1) Capabilities of staff
2) Your volunteer base
3) Your Board of Directors

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Feasibility Factors
1. Create “donor persona(s):”
a) Average age
b) Interests or hobbies
c) Income bracket/spending
capacity
d) New or recurring
e) What else can you add to this

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Feasibility Factors
2. List size DOES matter!
a) Number of emails in your list
b) Number of mailing addresses
c) Number of Website visitors
d) Social media followers

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Feasibility Factors
3. Your Budget-
a) How much can you spend up front?
b) Can you find early “title sponsors?”
c) Are you willing to lose $ on 1st
event?
d) DON’T rely on ticket sales alone.

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Feasibility Factors
3. More about your budget -
“The devil is in the details.”
a) Venue rental- find free space?
b) Donated food/beverage?
c) Printing expenses? In-house or
vendor? Barter name on event?
d) Outside help? Budget for a “planner?”
e) What else???

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Capacity Factors
1. Capabilities of Staff-
a) Event planning skills
b) Time – this is labor intensive
c) Budgeting and negotiation skills
d) Ability to reach out to major donors

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Capacity Factors
2. Your Volunteer Base-
a) To help obtain sponsors or auction items-
part of a “Host Committee”
b) To relieve staff of smaller tasks so they
can focus on bigger tasks
c) Your “small army” eager to help
d) Need many hands day of event
e) Meet periodically to celebrate wins and
praise them, keep them motivated to
help!

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Capacity Factors
3. Your Board of Directors-
a) Board President must be “on board” with
event concept and motivate members
b) Members must be involved- give them
specific tasks they are comfortable with,
like making calls or sending emails
c) Mandatory event attendance
d) Ability to reach out to friends for donations
and sponsorships

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Action Items
1. Determine the “why”
2. Create a timeline – start early!
3. List needed resources
4. Assemble a ‘team’
5. Assign duties and put on timeline with
deadlines for each person/action
6. Build-up with “Save the Date” hype
7. Repeat announcements across many
channels, with increased frequency as
date approaches.

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THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME!!!
Feel free to contact me with follow-up questions, anytime!
Ayda Sanver, MBA, CFRE
Ayda Sanver Consulting, LLC
ayda@aydasanver.com
www.aydasanver.com
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Author – “Tag, You’re IT – Now Raise
Some Money” on Amazon.com