In a recent post the pitfalls and difficulties with special events were discussed...at length--and I'm sure I left some out.  I'm not against special events, it's just they can be a hard habit to break and organizations really should think carefully before undertaking one, especially one that is large and costly.  Sometimes, however, an event can be the right way to go when an organization's goal is to

• talk with individuals one-on-one
• celebrate achievements 
• create community

If any of these are true then it becomes a matter of choosing the right type of event to meet the goal and never forgetting the goal, because if the goal isn't weighed each time a decision is made then the planning can very quickly go off the tracks and into the weeds.

Talking with people individually is one of the best ways to keep them engaged with an organization and this goal should be pursued often.  A side benefit of this goal is that an organization can think small and still get wonderful results.  Typically when people think of events they focus on "going big"--lots of attendees, many silent auction items, an impressive location, pricey admission tickets--but that's rarely the right tactic when conversation is the goal.  For example, if a nonprofit wants to show appreciation for and share updates with people who have steadfastly contributed then perhaps a small gathering of 20 people over cookies at a board member's house would be best.  Why struggle to pick these important people out of the crowd at a larger event?  How likely is it the CEO or Board Chair will be able to talk to them all at an annual gala?

The guise for galas and awards is often the idea of celebrating achievements, and sometimes a big special event is truly justifiable, but usually the same goal can be met in much less labor intensive ways that won't cause staff and volunteers to feel burned out.  A good place to start when planning an event with this goal as well as the "create community" goal are two questions, the first of which is 

• "What is the least we could do and still meet our goal?

It may seem counterintuitive to think about the minimum, but rest assured the plans will grow so starting at a place of minimality is a hedge against the inevitably of growth.  This is also a helpful brainstorming question for a group of people planning an event.  The second question is

• "How does this event fit with our mission?"

Mission is the backbone of a nonprofit, but its role is rarely considered when planning events.  People often figure so long as the event is hosted by the organization that's good enough.  Picking an event that closely fits with and advances the mission can be a selling point to constituents and shows that the event isn't just happening for the sake of having a party, but has real meaning and value.  The answers to both of these questions could lead to great insight about the organization, new ideas for fun events, and/or the realization that an event isn't actually the best option at that time. 

Dream Big Fundraising would like to thank all the entrants for the inaugural contest/giveaway.  Winners were drawn randomly from the organizations who entered and I am very happy to announce that...


1st Prize ($250 credit towards services with Dream Big) is awarded to Arise for Social Justice of Springfield, MA!



2nd Prize ($150 credit towards services) is awarded to Community Music School of Springfield of Springfield, MA!

The lure of special events can be strong, especially if a board member is making the pitch.  Many people conceive of special events as party planning--and who doesn't love to plan a party?  There is actually a lot more involved in planning special events than meets the eye, particularly if the event is going to be successful at raising money.  Events where raising money isn't the primary goal, but rather are meant to build good will, name recognition, etc. can be a closer to the ideal of "party planning"; however, the amount of volunteer and staff time it takes to make the event a success might be better spent elsewhere.

Organizations often hop into benefit planning without considering the costs, which can lead to disappointment and frustration.  According to the Association of Fundraising Professionals, benefits typically raise $1 for every $0.50 spent.  Organizations should really weigh their options for how to spend their limited money--staff time, advertising, food costs, etc.--and make sure a benefit is a smart investment.  It can be hard to say "no" to a party, but sometimes that's the best option.  For example, if a grant proposal won't get written because the event is being planned is that the smartest choice?  For every dollar raised through grant writing an organization typically only spends $0.20, a pretty good return on investment.

In addition to considering the return on investment of a benefit, organizations need to think about who will do the work and what won't that person be doing while their focusing on the benefit.  If volunteers and staff will be drawn away from the organization's mission for extended periods to focus on the event then that factor should be carefully considered.  How will the people served by the organization and donors interpret that decision?  Maybe everyone will continue doing their normal tasks and add event planning to their workload, which could be a great short-term solution, but how will it impact staff and volunteer morale over the longer term?  For example, will volunteers be tired out by the close of the event and pull back from volunteering? 

Nonprofits also should carefully consider what their goals are for having the event.  Raising as much money as possible is a very different goal from showing appreciation to staff, volunteers, donors, and those served by the nonprofit.  If the goals aren't clear then making informed decisions about how to spend money will be impossible.  

Stay tuned for a post about the benefits of special events...  

Being a smaller nonprofit has its disadvantages, but there are also great advantages that stem directly from being small.  When donors are looking for an opportunity to give and don't want to feel like a cog or just another number they are frequently drawn to smaller groups where their monetary impact can be greater.  Unfortunately, many nonprofits do not take advantage of this strategic opportunity to gain loyal friends.  

Sometimes this opportunity is missed because being small is a double-edged sword: people can feel very connected to a small nonprofit, but staff (volunteer or paid) is stretched thin with no one tasked to say "thank you" to donors.  Organizations struggling with this situation should consider carefully whether their time would actually be better spent expressing their thanks than doing other tasks.  Elizabeth Boris director of the Center for Nonprofits and Philanthropy at the Urban Institute says charities should work to maintain donor relationships "since it’s much cheaper to retain existing donors than it is to continually find new ones."  Donors will take their money elsewhere, so don't take them for granted!  

Prioritizing appreciation of supporters is something at which small nonprofits can and should excel.  Below are some simple ideas to make sure you always keep your donors happy.

• Promptly (ideally within one week) send handwritten thank you notes for gifts: If the official receipt for tax purposes has to come a little later that's okay, but get the heartfelt note out ASAP while the donor is still glowing from their good deed

• Pick a donation level at which donors get a personal thank you call: In this day of digital communication a phone call is almost as vintage as a handwritten note, which will make the effort stand out
  
• Randomly pick donors to call, regardless of how much they gave: Every donation should be valued!
• Send your thank you letter in a beautiful card rather than on organizational stationary: While there's a place for the official-ness of stationary, there's also a place for the intimacy of a card and it conveys that the donor is special.  Think of this example from "real" life: Grandma doesn't send her birthday wishes on formal stationary, she sends them in a sappy greeting card with pictures of flowers, sunsets, and cute animals--and you feel one-of-a-kind every time!
• Don't send another request for a donation unless and until the donor receives a thank you: It's just tacky to do otherwise, right?
• Think of a unique and fun way to say "thank you": Letters of thanks can feel very stilted and distant, so truly express how thankful you are by thinking outside the box and using *gasp* adjectives and maybe even a little silliness (you know your constituency best)

These are all ideas that larger nonprofits are unlikely to have the time to do, so it's the perfect opportunity to make your organization stand out from the crowd.