Events

Get out of the office! Leave the safety of your cubicle, and join the vibrant world of business networking. This remains a largely untapped gold mine for development and special-event professionals from nonprofit organizations. Business networking provides an open-ended opportunity to cultivate your own connections to facilitate success with your events.

When Room to Read set itself the challenge of recruiting a younger supporter base, it knew it needed something really cool to inspire the younger generation to take on a fundraising challenge for the charity. Barclays’ MoonTrekker event has helped do just that. In the last three years, the event has raised more than $2 million Hong Kong Dollars for the charity, helping fund 26 projects across Southeast Asia and Sri Lanka.

Giving Tuesday 2013 was even more successful than in 2012, raising 90 percent more in 2013 than in 2012. So, want to know what Giving Tuesday did so well in 2013 and how you can use the lessons learned from the event to better your own online campaign? Here are five lessons from this year: 1. Create campaign ambassadors. 2. Develop tool kits for fans to grab and use. 3. Prioritize logo and image sharing. 4. Create a comprehensive learning center. 5. Take part in Google Hangouts.

The biggest difference maker in securing successful corporate support is finding the proper match in values between the company and the nonprofit, and nothing can bring two entities together more effectively than personal experience. That’s what made Boston-based Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI) and telecommunications solutions provider Granite Telecommunications such a perfect match.

Here are some golden nuggets of advice that were relevant throughout 2013. Hopefully, you find them interesting and helpful as you gear up for a successful 2014! Are you ready to pursue institutional donors? Will a fundraising event be successful for your organization? If an even is right for your organization, will the amount of time and energy it takes be worth the effort? Creativity is critical to continued success.

It’s mid-December and Giving Tuesday has come and gone. It’s been reported by Blackbaud, #GivingTuesday and many other news sources that significantly more money was raised this year compared with 2012. While most of our clients sat it out and put all their efforts into other year-end giving campaigns, the groups that did participate in Giving Tuesday felt it was a success. Still the question should be asked: Is it worth it?

Here are 10 rules to help you make the most of your special event. 1. Ask if your organization is really ready for events. 2. Set goals. 3. Don't lose sight of your mission and message. 4. Know your audience. 5. Plan for efficiency. 6. Divide and conquer. 7. Don't plan an event on Super Bowl Sunday. 8. Consider the weather. 9. Rely on sponsors and in-kind donations. 10. Let sponsors, volunteers and participants how grateful you are.

What motivates your personal charitable philosophy? Have you ever received the help of time, talent or treasure from any charity? Do you need a season of giving to stimulate you? As the saying goes, to whom much is given, much is expected. Why not surprise yourself and a charity by giving your time, talent or resources this holiday season? I promise you that you will receive the greatest gift in the world when a child smiles with joy because of your efforts.

The beauty of the upcoming holidays should never be about what new material item we can acquire and eventually throw away. It should be about your personal joy of giving to others.

Nonprofits across the country have pledged to participate in #GivingTuesday on Dec. 3 — but signing up to participate in the online giving campaign is just the first step. Being truly successful on #GivingTuesday takes proper planning, outreach, logistics and follow-up. Luckily, you don’t have to reinvent the wheel.

Knight Foundation created an easy-to-use resource called the Giving Day Playbook full of ideas we hope you’ll borrow. It was written for the many community foundations around the country that have launched Giving Days or geographically based online fundraising campaigns.