Nonprofit events are a highly customizable way to engage with existing supporters and forge relationships with new people who care about your cause. Whether you’re hosting a peer-to-peer fundraiser, live auction, or gala, you’ll need to create a memorable experience for your supporters.

Events are a significant tool to this end since they can easily be tailored to an organization’s needs, preferences, and budget. Let’s explore the basics along with useful ideas to make your next nonprofit event the most successful one yet.

What are nonprofit events?

Nonprofit events are in-person or virtual activities hosted by nonprofits in order to connect with existing and potential supporters. To run a successful event, you’ll need a robust volunteer team, a strong event plan in place, and essential elements like a venue and catering if you’re hosting it in-person. Plus, you’ll need to put a creative fundraising idea into action.

Let’s dive into just a few of the benefits of nonprofit events:

• Drive revenue. Fundraising events are particularly fruitful in this regard since they are often built around one-time activities specially tailored to generate revenue. Plus, once your event is over, people will be more inclined to become repeat donors if they had a memorable experience at your event and have positive associations with your organization. You can also pair fundraising events with other revenue-generating activities such as concession stands or challenge gifts.
• Raise awareness around your cause. Events are the perfect opportunities to show supporters why they should care about your cause. People like to understand what they’re supporting when they attend a fundraiser, so this is a wonderful opportunity to share your expertise in an impactful way.
• Build connections with supporters. Events help build meaningful connections with donors and potential donors by providing them with an enjoyable experience and more knowledge about your cause. Beyond donors, it’s just as important to create positive experiences for your volunteers so that they continue to support your organization in significant ways in the future.

What are examples of nonprofit events?

Events can be held successfully in several different formats depending on your organization’s goals. Nonprofits can host in-person events, virtual events, and hybrid events. One of the benefits of living in the age of the Internet is that nearly any event idea can be adapted to fit in-person or virtual formats.

Each kind of event has its advantages and disadvantages, so decide what makes the most sense for your nonprofit. In-person events can be costly if not carefully planned, and can also limit potential attendees to people that live in proximity to where the event is being held. The regional focus may not be a drawback if a nonprofit only serves the local community, but it could be limiting for a large-scale nonprofit.

In-person events, however, provide a face-to-face element that helps people stay engaged at the event and allows them to build meaningful connections with others.

With virtual events, you’ll have the extra challenge of keeping supporters engaged since they won’t physically be together and can easily get distracted. However, virtual events allow your organization to connect with potential supporters who care about your cause across the world. They can also facilitate building community if you make sure that these tools are in place ahead of time while you are planning your nonprofit event.

Let’s explore a few ideas for nonprofit events, all of which can be adapted to your nonprofit’s specific needs, and can be hosted in-person, virtually, or as a hybrid event.

Gala

Galas are formal events that often feature special performances, a live or silent auction, and the opportunity to socialize with others. Since galas can be expensive, your organization can look for corporate sponsors that will provide financial support in exchange for marketing at your event.

Galas can be hosted virtually with some thoughtful planning, such as asking supporters to dress up and even sending catering to their homes, to ensure that guests enjoy the experience and feel as engaged as they would with an in-person event.

Auction

Auctions are a wonderful way to engage your supporters in a fun and interactive way. Guests can bid on special items or packages that have been donated or that your nonprofit has procured at a low cost. Your organization will benefit from all of the proceeds and your guests will be able to enjoy the items or experiences they’ve won s. Auctions can be easily hosted online with the support of a reliable auction software and live streaming service.

Walkathon

Walkathons can help you actively engage participants in your efforts. By adding a peer-to-peer element, you can encourage participants to collect donations from people in their personal network, and to receive pledges for reaching walking goals.

You can either host a designated event where everyone walks together, or host your walkathon virtually by encouraging people to walk on their own or with friends to hit their goals. Consider offering supporters prizes and incentives for raising the most amount of funds. For this, you’ll need an event registration platform with peer-to-peer fundraising functionality!

Concert

Concerts are a tried-and-true fundraising event. People enjoy hearing good music, whether you’re able to book a local school’s orchestra or ask volunteers with musical talents to lend a hand. It’s easy to encourage people to invite their friends to this event and potentially draw in more supporters who wouldn’t have been familiar with your organization otherwise.

Webinar

Webinars and virtual conferences are a great opportunity to engage with the topics that your supporters care about in an engaging way. In addition to providing insights from experts during this event, you can offer viewers the opportunity to chat with each other and ask questions while they attend. This event is simple to plan and has low overhead costs.

Nonprofit events are a crucial way to build relationships with new and existing supporters, and to keep them actively engaged with your organization. After your event, keep up the momentum by thanking your audience for attending, and by offering them additional ways to get involved with your mission.

Other Resources to Explore

Nonprofit Basics – Learn more nonprofit management essentials by exploring other expert resources.

Event Registration Tools – Get more registrants for your upcoming events when you use the right signup software. Check out our top recommendations here!

9 Volunteer Thank You Letter Samples to Show Appreciation – Engaging your supporters extends beyond the event itself. Take advantage of these volunteer thank you letter templates to show your appreciation to your volunteers for their work.

Nonprofit Marketing: A Guide for Amplifying Your Mission – If you want to learn more about how to promote your event and fine-tune your nonprofit’s marketing strategy, take a look at this guide.

Thousands of children are adopted into loving families each year. Adoption provides numerous benefits for the child and the parent adopting. It gives children a sense of family, provides opportunities they may not have had otherwise, and offers parents the chance to experience raising a child.

Unfortunately, adoption isn’t always accessible to every family due to the high costs associated with the adoption process. Private adoption, for example, can cost between $30,000 and $60,000. So, how can adopting parents offset these expenses? One way families can afford this costly process is by organizing adoption fundraisers.

Let’s get started by discussing what adoption fundraising is.

What is adoption fundraising?

Adoption fundraisers are special fundraisers that help families that adopt a child cover the costs and fees associated with the adoption process.

Concerns about adoption fees are one of the main reasons prospective adoptive parents shy away from adopting. Raising some or all of the funds they need to pay for home inspections, court and legal fees, counseling for the child and their birth parents, social work services, and medical needs help families feel like adopting is attainable.

How can parents organize an adoption fundraising event?

There are a few different ways that adoptive parents can raise the money they need to adopt a child into their family. Parents can either start an adoption fundraiser or work with a nonprofit organization. Here’s how the process will look depending on which route they take:

• Individual. By working individually, parents have more agency during the fundraiser. They are guaranteed all the profits of the fundraiser and can complete it according to their timeline. One downside, however, is that parents will need to cover all the upfront costs of the fundraiser themselves. Fundraising individually can be stressful and requires parents to determine how to make progress on their own.
• Partnering with a nonprofit. Another popular option for adoption fundraising is working with a nonprofit dedicated to helping prospective adoptive parents fundraise. Nonprofits can help parents cover more costs, have a built-in network of supporters interested in supporting prospective adoptive parents, and have much more fundraising experience and expertise. On the flip side, they may also need to keep a percentage of the proceeds and could have a predetermined set of fundraising ideas they use, limiting which fundraising approach parents use.

Both fundraising approaches have their advantages, so choose the option that makes the most sense for your situation. Remember that while fundraising can be difficult, it can also have a significant impact by allowing you to complete the adoption process.

What are some adoption fundraising ideas?

The high upfront costs associated with adoption can be a barrier to entry for many families interested in adopting. But, a strong fundraising event can help families offset these expenses, making adoption more accessible. Fundraising ideas like these can provide parents with a path to adoption:

• Item donation drive. For this unique and easy fundraising idea, parents can ask community members to donate used clothing, shoes, and other items. Then, they can partner with a company that will send them a check in return for these donated items. It’s a convenient and direct method of fundraising that can be an ongoing project.
• Yard sale. This is a classic and for good reason! Consider asking friends and family to bring their unused items to your home so you can bolster sales and have some helping hands. Be sure to choose a sunny weekend, and advertise your yard sale to the neighborhood.
• Auction or raffle. These fundraisers can draw a lot of attention because people enjoy participating. To avoid high costs at the fundraiser’s start, look for ways to get your auction or raffle items at a low cost. If you can obtain the items for free, that’s even better. Because this limits how much parents spend, their overall return on investment will increase.

Parents should choose fundraising ideas they have the budget and capacity to complete. Since the goal is to raise money, it’s essential to carefully select practical and profitable ideas to avoid wasting precious time and energy. This idea holds true, especially when parents are fundraising individually.

While adopting can come with hefty upfront costs, adoption fundraisers can help offset those costs and provide prospective parents with a path forward. Parents can choose to fundraise on their own or with a nonprofit organization, depending on their preferences. Nonprofits often have more tried-and-true frameworks in place but may also require a percentage of the proceeds.

Fundraising individually allows prospective adoptive parents freedom but can require a lot of energy. Thankfully, there are plenty of effective fundraisers parents can undertake from item donation drives to auctions. At the end of the day, remember to express thanks to volunteers, donors, and anyone else who supported your journey.

Other Resources to Explore

Nonprofit Basics – Read more essentials about nonprofit management by exploring these resources.

Nonprofit Marketing: A Guide for Amplifying Your Mission – Explore ways to leverage nonprofit marketing to build awareness for an organization’s mission.

Nonprofit Newsletter Template for Nonprofit Marketers – Learn more about the basics of nonprofit newsletters and how to make them shine.

When you think of advocacy, you probably think of national-level movements demanding large-scale societal change. However, much important advocacy work starts at the grassroots level, in individual communities. Major change can be enacted by small groups working locally to reach out to decision makers and rally together around a cause.

What Is Grassroots Advocacy?

On a large scale, the term “advocacy” refers to speaking up on behalf of another group who is directly affected by an issue. Grassroots advocacy is advocacy work that takes place in local communities. Your community might mobilize to advocate for a local initiative, or your work might involve contacting elected officials to share your perspective on a more wide-reaching issue.

In community advocacy campaigns, individuals communicate with local policymakers to influence change. These campaigns are a powerful way to build connections, enact meaningful local change, and have a voice in creating the community you want to be a part of.

Leaders of grassroots advocacy initiatives bring information about an issue to their communities, educating and growing a network of engaged individuals who are interested in advocating for a cause. With an organized campaign effort, this network can reach policymakers and push for change.

Benefits of Grassroots Advocacy

Grassroots advocacy provides a way for organizations to make tangible improvements in the community. Benefits of advocacy include:

• Creating a positive impact at a local level. It can be overwhelming to consider all of the societal changes you wish to see. Grassroots advocacy offers an accessible way to make a noticeable impact in your local community. These efforts can also expand into a broader advocacy campaign that pushes for wider-reaching change.
• Forging connections in your community. Grassroots advocacy campaigns unite people who share similar visions for the future of their community. Working together for a common goal offers a meaningful way to connect with other community members.

Helping your community advocate for itself in the future. Once you have a network of engaged local advocates, your community will be better equipped to push future advocacy efforts forward.

Change doesn’t happen overnight, but advocacy work can lay the groundwork to make a lasting difference, first in your local community and potentially on a larger scale in the future.

5 Grassroots Advocacy Strategies

Advocacy needs to be strategically planned and organized to be effective. To plan an effective grassroots campaign, implement these five strategies:

• Craft a compelling message. What is your campaign working to accomplish? Being able to clearly articulate your goals and methods is essential to building support for your work.
• Gather support online. Share informational materials about your campaign, and offer ways for people to get involved by leveraging your organization’s website and social media.
• Canvass your community. Since your grassroots campaign is focusing on your local community, directly reaching out to members of your neighborhood or town is an effective way to build your network. Talk to community members about your campaign and explain how they can support your work.
• Launch peer-to-peer campaigns. Involve your advocacy network in fundraising to gather widespread support for your campaign.
• Host events. Events are a great way for all the people involved in your campaign to meet one another and continue to build connections. Your event might include a group outreach effort, with attendees contacting local decision makers. Events can also double as fundraising opportunities.

When your organization is equipped with the right strategies and resources, you’ll be able to empower your community through grassroots advocacy.

Other Resources to Explore

Nonprofit Basics – Learn more nonprofit management essentials by exploring other expert resources.

Community Advocacy: The Complete Guide to Mobilize Change – Dive deeper into the essentials and benefits of community or grassroots advocacy.

Advocacy Software: 14 Top Platforms to Mobilize Supporters – Discover how specialized software can advance your organization’s grassroots advocacy efforts.

Product fundraisers are a common way for schools and smaller organizations to raise the money they need to run smoothly. This type of fundraiser allows schools and organizations to raise money and provide their supporters with a tangible item, such as a candy bar or popcorn, in exchange for the donation they make. 

Selling candy bars, in particular, is an effective school fundraising idea, because students love chocolate. Students can sell candy bars at any time—at sports games, after-school programs, in between classes, or even during lunch! 

What is a candy bar fundraiser?

A candy bar fundraiser is a fundraising campaign where a school or organization sells candy bars to the community to raise money. It is a popular choice for sports teams, schools, and even churches due to its convenience. 

Candy bars can be bought in bulk at a low price from a product fundraising partner, then sold by students or volunteers. These fundraisers are a great way to keep your investment costs low and your profit high. 

How do you start a candy bar fundraiser?

Product fundraisers are perfect fundraisers for schools because they are fairly easy to organize and promote student involvement. Whether you start it online, in person, or using a hybrid format, the main objective is to sell a product in return for a donation. 

Follow these steps to launch your next candy bar fundraiser: 

• Research and choose a product fundraising partner. The product fundraiser partner you choose will provide the chocolate bars to your organization in bulk at a wholesale price, and they’ll allow you to create a custom web store for online sales. Choose a partner that fits your organization’s budget and preferences.
• Decide who will sell the candy bars. Will it be students, sports team members, or even volunteers? 
• Start selling to your community! Be sure to provide your students or volunteers with advice and support throughout the fundraiser. 

Students or volunteers can sell door-to-door, at events, or online by sharing your fundraising page. Run the campaign for a few weeks, then collect the money you’ve raised and thank your volunteers. 

Candy bar fundraiser tips

When it comes to having a successful fundraiser, planning is not the only element involved. You also want to think about additional factors that can help strengthen the potential of your current efforts.  

Consider the following options to maximize the effectiveness of your next candy bar fundraiser: 

• Run a candy fundraiser alongside another easy fundraiser, or sell candy bars at other fundraising events.
• Promote your fundraiser both online and using promotional flyers sent home with students or posted throughout the community.
• Choose a product fundraising partner that offers a variety of flavors.

Tailor your product fundraiser to your organization’s unique needs and goals using these tips, and you’ll be set up for success!

Other Resources to Explore

Nonprofit Basics – Learn more nonprofit management essentials by exploring other expert resources.

110+ Incredible School Fundraising Ideas – Choose your next school fundraiser from a variety of ideas. 

Unique (And Easy!) Fundraising Ideas – Look over hundreds of fundraising ideas to choose what your next fundraiser will be.

While marketing is typically associated with for-profit companies, nonprofits have just as much to gain from having a strong marketing strategy. After all, spreading the word about your cause is essentially marketing your nonprofit as a thought leader and service provider in your community. Marketing also attracts prospective donors and opens the door to developing a relationship with them. 

That being said, optimizing your marketing campaign is essential to expand your organization’s reach, and you need a solid plan to do so. Using a nonprofit marketing plan provides a source of truth for your staff and eliminates the guesswork when it comes to executing campaigns. If you’re new to marketing and aren’t sure where to begin, we’ll walk you through the basics of crafting a winning nonprofit marketing plan. 

What is a nonprofit marketing plan?

According to Fifty & Fifty, a nonprofit marketing plan is a document that denotes your nonprofit’s marketing and outreach strategies. Your nonprofit marketing plan can encompass a specific campaign or general initiatives to promote your organization and its programs. Whenever you have an idea for a marketing campaign in mind, you should thoroughly plan it out with a nonprofit marketing plan. 

What makes nonprofit marketing different from for-profit marketing?

Essentially, marketing for all organizations has a common purpose: attracting attention to your products or services. The main difference for nonprofit marketing is that your marketing should be purely mission-oriented and focus on your charitable activities. A good way to integrate your purpose is by featuring your beneficiaries in your marketing materials and highlighting how the campaign will improve their quality of life. 

What are the components of a nonprofit marketing plan?

There are numerous sections that you should include in your nonprofit marketing plan, such as:

Goals

Answer the following questions that help guide your thinking for setting goals:

• What worked in past campaigns? What didn’t?
• What’s our budget?
• What programs/campaigns are we trying to market?
• Which channels do our target audiences prefer?
• How will we brand the campaign?
• Will we work with a nonprofit marketing firm?

Based on your answers to these questions, you can decide which key performance indicators (KPIs) you’ll use to gauge your performance. For instance, your KPIs might be to boost donations or signups for your fundraising event. Ensure you have the infrastructure to track this data so you can determine how successful you were.

Audience research debrief

Effective marketers must have a clear understanding of their target audience’s psyche. In order to analyze your audience’s motivation, priorities, and attitudes, consider conducting audience research. This involves gathering a focus group of people that has similar demographics or interests as your target audience and gauging their responses to your marketing materials. You might use a focus group to decide which branding is more appealing or which communication channel they prefer to use. 

If you conduct audience research, include your findings in your nonprofit marketing plan and how the data will impact your strategy. 

SWOT analysis

A SWOT, or strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats analysis, is a method of identifying growth opportunities and potential challenges for your nonprofit. Tailor your strategy to complement your strengths and improve upon your weaknesses. Furthermore, identify any marketing opportunities to pursue and threats to prepare for. Outline your findings in your nonprofit marketing plan and how they shape your strategy.

Marketing channels

One of the most important parts of your nonprofit marketing plan is where you delineate which channels you will use to spread your message. You can market your campaign via:

• Direct mail
• Email
• Social media
• Texts
• Online ads
• Search engine-optimized content
• Google Ad Grants
• Your website 
• Partnerships with related brands or nonprofits

Use your focus group to determine which marketing channels have the most potential for your audience. Then, leverage these channels to engage your supporters and gain more visibility. 

Projected timeline

Next, ensure that your nonprofit marketing plan has a calendar for your campaign rollout. Include which channels you’ll use at what time and the frequency of messaging. For example, you might choose to send email appeals out before posting your marketing content on social media. Include your intended dates and be as specific as possible (exact dates are preferable).  

Campaign reflection

Once the campaign has finished, your work isn’t done yet! Take time to reflect on your nonprofit marketing efforts and examine if you’ve achieved your goals. Make note of any successful tactics that you’d like to use in the future and which strategies missed the mark. Also, examine if you satisfied your goals by analyzing your KPI data. This will help you set new objectives for the future. 

Other Resources to Explore

Nonprofit Basics – Learn more about nonprofit management essentials by exploring other expert resources.

A Guide to Nonprofit Marketing – Learn more about the ins and outs of nonprofit marketing in this ultimate guide.

Nonprofit Marketing Agency: Share Your “Why” – Looking for help launching your marketing efforts? Check out this guide to nonprofit marketing agencies.