Event fundraising made simple

When it comes to supporting a cause you believe in, there can be nothing more effective than an event to achieve your fundraising goals. 

A difficult start to 2020 has seen a lot of local charities go without the much-needed donation revenue they usually raise through events like gala dinners, fun runs, and donation drives. 

Coming out of this global pandemic, it will be more important than ever to nail the fundraising aspect of your event. Here are Keito’s top tried and tested donation generating methods that make it super easy for attendees to dig deep and support their communities. 

Put proceeds from the ticket price to the fundraising total

If your event costs you $50 per person to run, a small additional charge of $10 per ticket that goes directly to the supported cause will see your guests donating before they even arrive. Or you could manage the ticketing of your event through a platform like Humanitix, which automatically donates their share of the ticket price to local and global education initiatives.

Seek sponsorship from local businesses

By creating a sponsorship proposal and sending it out to local companies and businesses, you can both lower the cost of the event and spread your message further through sponsor platforms. There is a range of sponsorship levels that you can create to support your events, such as naming rights sponsorship or in-kind sponsorship. The key is to make sure you create a win-win situation for everyone involved. 

Keep it simple with a raffle

Simple and effective, a raffle is an age-old fundraising method that can be adapted to any event. Whether you place a raffle booklet on the table at your charity dinner or ask some volunteers from your charity partner to walk around selling tickets, raffle tickets are quick to sell and easily recognisable as an opportunity to donate. Plus, by asking any sponsors to donate a raffle prize, you can keep the raffle cost-effective and interesting.

Host a silent auction

Silent auctions can be an awesome fundraising strategy to employ because people love to get competitive and outbid each other. If you’ve never hosted a silent auction before, don’t worry! There are some great online platforms available that make bidding from your phone as easy as pressing a button. Keito Events has lots of experience in managing and running successful silent auctions too. 

 Get cracking with a live auction

Whereas silent auctions get things going digitally, there’s nothing quite like a live auction to whip up the crowd’s excitement and get people raising some serious money. If you’ve got some high-value items or money can’t buy experiences up for grabs, we suggest you seek the help of a local auctioneer to crack some jokes and make things that much more exciting and professional.

Set up a wine wall

Ask anyone and we’ll bet you they agree that giving money to charity is that much easier when there’s a nice bottle of wine at the other end. Reach out to some local wineries and ask them if they’d be happy to sponsor your event with a wine wall. Then all you have to do is wrap up the wine bottles and for $20 a go, your guests can pick out a mystery bottle to take home and enjoy. To make your wine wall even more interesting, see if you can add an extra fancy bottle, like a Penfolds Grange- that way people will keep revisiting the wall until they hear the top prize has been picked. 

Sell some merchandise

Whether you go for something traditional like t-shirts or more unusual like a centrepiece arrangement, selling merchandise can make all the difference in reaching your fundraising targets. In our experience, guests love being able to take home a reminder of the event and the causes they supported. 

Cash in on some fun activities 

Make sure you clean up all the loose coins in your guests’ pockets by asking for a small donation in exchange for a turn in the photo booth or a drink from the cocktail bar. Guests won’t think twice about parting with a gold coin if it means they get to do something fun. Keito can help you brainstorm several activities that will suit your event and ensure that your night is a fundraising success!

Fundraising can be overwhelming, but this is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the possibilities. If you’re not sure how to get the most out of your charity event, get in touch with Keito Events today for a free consultation. 

Keito has years of experience in fundraising events, having managed notable events such as the ANZ Community Ball, the Make a Wish Ball, the Mid Winter Ball and a yearly roster of fundraisers for the Advertiser Foundation.

We can be contacted at events@keito.com.au or on 0466 395 689.