Successful fundraising events can make a huge difference in many non-profit organizations, but pulling together all of the resources required for an event can be quite daunting. You need human resources to design and execute the fundraiser, a venue that enhances the event, quality vendors to participate, and, of course, people to attend! How do organizers plan and carry out a successful fundraiser that benefits the organization, the partner vendors, and the people who attend? Who is involved? Board members? Staff? Volunteers? How can you recruit the right vendors and create mutually beneficial relationships? How do you engage attendees before after and during the event?
Whitney Anderson
The Gateway for Cancer Research held a fundraising event, Gateway to Wellness, at Catalyst Ranch earlier this year. The event gave busy professionals new ideas and resources to incorporate healthy habits into their day-to-day lives with a short program and a variety of local vendors from the Health and Wellness industry. Over 200 people attended and Gateway was able to raise awareness and funds for cancer research. The evening was highly successful especially considering it was its first fundraiser of its kind for Gateway. Many of you in the non-profit sector are probably wondering, what made the Gateway event so successful? We spoke to Whitney Anderson, who is a member of the Associate Board of the Gateway for Cancer Research, and she generously offered some great insights and tips on how to achieve fundraising success.
Q: Hi Whitney! Will you please tell us about the Gateway for Cancer Research?
A: The Gateway for Cancer Research is a Chicago-based non-profit organization that funds Phase I and Phase II human clinical trials that help cancer patients feel better, live longer, or be cured TODAY. Ninety-nine cents of every dollar raised funds patient-centered research, with the goal of improving cancer treatment outcomes while restoring patients’ quality of life. Since its inception more than twenty years ago, Gateway has funded more than 120 innovative cancer research clinical trials.
Q: You are a member of the Associate Board with the Gateway for Cancer Research. Will you tell us about your board and some of your successes?
A: The Associate Board was convened in January 2013 to spread Gateway’s important mission among young professionals in the Chicago area, and beyond. In April 2014, the Gateway Associate Board hosted its first signature event at Catalyst Ranch – Gateway to Wellness. The event was intended to promote a healthy, balanced lifestyle and introduce attendees to local products and services that invigorate a healthy body, mind, and spirit. Gateway to Wellness was an interactive evening filled with healthy food, drinks, and fun. Most importantly, the event raised $19,200 to support Gateway’s mission and fund cancer research. This success would not have been possible without support from our amazing partners and sponsors and the wonderful team at Catalyst Ranch.
Q: Within the organization of Gateway and the Associate Board, what steps did you take to ensure success? Who was involved in planning and executing the fundraiser?
A: Planning and execution for Gateway to Wellness was truly a group effort, and it would not have been possible without active support from each of its members. The group divided tasks according to each member’s interests and areas of expertise. We worked very closely with Gateway staff, who supported the Associate Board every step of the way. We enlisted our personal and professional networks to recruit event sponsors, partners and attendees. Our success depended on – and can be credited to – the willingness of each member to get involved and work together to achieve a common goal.
Q: How did you engage event attendees before, during, and after the live event?
A: As part of our planning, the Associate Board developed a comprehensive communications plan, which consisted of traditional and social media elements and organized outreach to our personal and professional networks. We reached attendees and potential attendees in the places we frequent as young professionals ourselves – through Facebook, Twitter, local news publications, email, etc.
The night of the event was about allowing our guests to discover new local foods, products, and activities, but it was also about introducing them to Gateway. We wanted people to enjoy a fun evening out, while also learning about the urgent and important mission of the organization they were supporting. To achieve this balance, we organized a brief program, which occurred in the second half of the event when we felt we would have the most captive audience. We had a couple brief speakers and shared a short video to drive home Gateway’s mission and the value of its work.
Since this was our first event as an Associate Board, feedback from our guests was important to us. We collected contact information from everyone who attended, and following the event we circulated a brief survey to collect thoughts, feedback and considerations for our next event.
Q: How did you find your partners and vendors for this event?
A: Each Associate Board member played a role in identifying and securing partners and vendors for the event. It was a combination of leveraging existing connections and forming new relationships. We enlisted networks to identify connections we could transform into mutually beneficial partnerships. We each approached the business we frequent so we could share with others the products and services that we have come to love.
Q: How did you nurture the vendor relationships?
A: Our goal was to foster mutually beneficial partnerships. As much as we appreciated support from our partners, we wanted them to appreciate the opportunity to showcase their great products and services to a group of potential new customers. We built partner promotions into our event communications plan, which allowed us to preview some of the great products and services that our guests could try at the event. We worked closely with our partners before and during the event to ensure they had what they needed for the event to be as successful for them as it was for us.
Just as it was important for us to collect feedback from event attendees, it was equally as important to collect feedback from our partners. Following the event, we also conducted a brief partner-specific survey to collect feedback for our next event.
Q: Where there ideas that you will rework or new ideas you’ll incorporate next year? Also, is this a one-time event experience or will this become a repeat event format?
A: Our hope is that Gateway to Wellness will become an annual event. The event was a huge success, and we also had some great key learnings. We hope each year will be better than the last.
To learn more about the Gateway for Cancer Research and future fundraising events, click here!
Have a few fundraising tips of your own? Please share in the comments section below!
