Many organizations count on one major event and auction to raise funds for their cause each year. But what about the other 364 days in a year? If most of your revenue is generated from one or two big events, it might be time to think about new event fundraising ideas. Why?
Qtego is a great partner for your auction events, of course, but we’re also pros at ticketing, registration and other Guest Management services. Plus, we can handle a crowd from 20 people to 20,000.
The QTeam is always on the lookout for creative ways our clients can raise funds, so check out these event fundraising ideas to inspire your next event!
Freshen Up Your Event Fundraising Ideas
Races + Physical Challenges
For an incredibly casual event that can appeal to entire families, think about a walk, relay race, 5K run, scavenger hunt or obstacle course! These events are great ways to take advantage of mild weather, too.
In addition to individual registrations, seek out corporate sponsors to get teams of participants to attend. That table of people who bought tickets at your gala might like to dress down and team up for your organization too.
Enable pre-registrations and registrations using Qtego. Plus, consider giving shout-outs through Qtego to top fundraising teams and encouraging individual participants.
Golf Outings
One of the more season-specific event fundraising ideas, golf tournaments can be super successful on a beautiful day. Two popular formats are the fast-moving “scramble” and the more competitive “best ball.”
One big advantage of golf outings is the plethora of ways you can raise extra funds beyond the registration fee. Boost your golf charity event with a Par 3 or epic ball drop contest, use Instabuys to sell Mulligans, hold a golf-themed raffle and more!
Conferences
Go big with an all-day conference! If your audience is ready to fully engage, network and rally around your cause, a conference allows them to participate in a richer, deeper way through multiple sessions and speakers.
Conferences don’t have to be in conference rooms. Where would your audience like to spend an entire day? What would they enjoy learning about and doing? Think about who would make a great keynote speaker. And for fundraising, consider how much to charge per ticket and reach out to your existing sponsors to see if they would like to support the conference.
You might have a huge crowd! Be sure you have adequate chairs and space for every guest at every session. Qtego’s Guest Management features allow you to assign or track seats for attendees.
Extraordinary Auctions
Even if you already rely on an annual auction to be your biggest fundraiser of the year, you can still consider more specialized auctions to supplement your fundraising efforts. Just make sure it doesn’t overlap with your primary auction. (You don’t want to hit up auction item contributors too many times in a short period of time.)
People love a specialized auction!
Here are some ideas for auction types and items to put up for grabs:
Seminars + Panel Discussions
Target a specific audience to learn more about a topic related to your cause, whether it’s social justice, education, health equity or another issue. If your organization deals with highly technical data or a complex subject, a seminar or panel discussion gives your audience a chance to absorb information in a way that’s geared just for them.
Invite a subject matter expert to present or host a panel discussion in which audience members have an opportunity to ask questions of multiple thought leaders. Qtego’s Chat feature makes this so easy to execute.
Workshops + Classes
There is no replacement for getting face-to-face and hands-on when you want to learn something new — or teach something new. During a workshop, your audience can collaborate, ask questions and connect with one another.
Qtego makes it easy to assign seats or set up open seating for part or all of your event!
In the spirit of the topic, let’s workshop how this event type can come to life for different organizations:
- If your cause is around fighting heart disease, host a class on how to make heart-healthy meals featuring local chefs as instructors.
- If your mission is to encourage the development of professional artists in your community, host a workshop on marketing just for artists.
- And if your issue is social justice, invite guests to a workshop to learn how to become more effective advocates in your community.
Now it’s your turn! Contact us to workshop your idea.
Festivals
Music, art, food, beer, wine — there is a festival for every passion imaginable! Festivals are typically held during milder-weather months and spread across a large venue to give people ample room to experience the event and explore. Festivals can require a hefty budget to host, so consider partnering with an existing festival in your community that has a built-in audience.
Think creatively about how your organization’s mission can integrate into a festival atmosphere. But remember that the festival theme doesn’t have to be about your cause. Consider these:
- A beer festival raising money to renovate the local aquatic center
- A food festival supporting the zoo’s new exhibit
- A music festival that helps a children’s advocacy organization
Think about what your audience loves and make it happen!
Contact the QTeam to brainstorm. We love coming up with ideas that can work for you!
Make Your Fundraising Event Ideas Come Alive
Now that your creative juices are flowing, don’t lose that momentum. Ask teammates for their ideas, talk to the QTeam and let’s get planning! We have Guest Management features to support any event you can dream up.
Visit the Right-Sized Solutions page for more fundraising event ideas and inspiration.
