Events

Convio, Inc., the leading provider of on-demand constituent relationship management software and services to nonprofit organizations, today announced that ConvioTeamRaiser, a tool for organization-hosted event fundraising, powers five of the top ten fundraising events nationwide, as ranked by The Run Walk Ride Fundraising Council’s 2008 industry study. Convio clients generated 60 percent of all monies raised by the top ten events in The Run Walk Ride Thirty. Additionally, Convio clients using the TeamRaiser as part of their special fundraising events raised more than $1 billion in 2008 — an 11 percent increase from 2007 — outpacing the 7.6 percent average growth of the top 30 programs in the study.

As nonprofit organizations continue to face increased competition and economic stress, leveraging technology and special event strategies for fundraising and awareness can prove valuable in helping organizations successfully achieve their goals and more effectively move people to support their mission. Convio and Event 360, Inc., with support from the Run Walk Ride Council, compiled five best practices that nonprofits can implement to increase fundraising growth and event participation based on joint research into some of the nation’s most successful charity fundraising events.

In her article, “How to Make the Most of Your Special Events,” Joanne Fritz, guide for the Nonprofit Charitable Orgs. site on About.com, talks about the fact that special events aren’t, for the most part, barn-burner fundraisers for nonprofit organizations. So, she says, it’s important to have other goals and benefits in mind when planning events. According to the article, “special events create other fundraising possibilities through ‘ancillary’ methods of raising funds.” Among those methods: * In-kind contributions such as donations of food, the venue or entertainment. In-kind contributions are easier to get from a business without a prior relationship and might be a

For nonprofits, the average online auction nets nearly $16,000 in merchandise bids alone. Significantly less time and labor are required to put on a virtual auction than a live event, and integrating online events into your fundraising plan can be a great way to whip up excitement around your mission — attracting the attention of potential supporters as well as providing extra enticement to current donors. The online auction makes it possible for nonprofits to reach out to supporters who might not be able to attend gala balls and other live events, while having the added benefit of “bringing together” constituents from across

One of our favorite resources about special-events fundraising is “Black Tie Optional: A Complete Special Events Resource for Nonprofit Organizations” by Harry Freedman and Karen Feldman. If your organization does special events or, more importantly, is thinking about doing special events, you really should own a copy. Among the really tasty bits in the book is a whole chapter dedicated to choosing the right kind of event for your organization, which includes page after page of sample events complete with descriptions, planning time, people needs and costs. It includes everything from pancake breakfasts to telethons to food festivals to cruises, and it is not

When the Arby’s Foundation first approached Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Bluegrass, based in Lexington, Ky., about becoming a part of the Arby’s Charity Tour, the organization was skeptical and worried that the event would be too much work for not enough profit, and said, “No thanks.”

Organizations from local schools to national nonprofits are using auctions, both live and online, to raise needed funds and fill the gap left by shrinking budgets and dwindling funding sources. If you’re one of them, here are a few tips to help you succeed with your next benefit auction. 1. Create a plan. Ideally, planning should start 11 months in advance of the event to make sure there’s enough time to secure a venue, recruit volunteers, procure items and organize and publicize the event. You’ll also want to put a budget together at this time. Expenses can include invitations and catalog publication,

Founded in 1949, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is the world’s largest voluntary health organization dedicated to curing leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma, and to improving the quality of life of patients and their families.

FS Advisor -- April 4, 2006 Online auctions are becoming more popular and a preferred solution for nonprofit organizations looking to build their donor bases, engage donors, increase the frequency of giving and connect donors to a social giving network that transcends geography. This, according to Jon Carson, CEO of cMarket, Cambridge, Mass.-based provider of charitable online auction services, in his session Sunday at the 43rd AFP International Conference on Fundraising in Atlanta. Online auctions are successful because donors contribute more via the Web, and they cost less to run than their traditional counterparts. Auctions via the Web offer “a dynamic, interactive environment for

So the race is run, and the party’s over. Your walkathon, golf tournament, masquerade ball or dance-off raised thousands of dollars and introduced hundreds of people to your organization.

Now what? Sure, it’s time to start planning next year’s event. But even more importantly, many fundraising pros agree, it’s time to start thinking about how you’re going to get the people who gave at the event to keep on giving.