Advocacy Toolkit

Fundraising

What

First you must decide what type of fundraiser your group wants to hold. Determine what you want to accomplish through the activity and then brainstorm accordingly. Try to avoid fundraising that requires too much money or time up front and anything that has a high risk of losing money. Keep your event simple so that you can manage it.

Who

Audience - Who is the activity aimed at? Pick a target group: students, professors, organizations, etc. How many people do you expect to invite? Is it open to everyone? How are you going to target that particular audience?

Collaborators - Are there other organizations on your campus that would be interested in being involved?

Entertainment - You need to decide who or what is going to be the highlight of the event so that you can attract people. If you are holding a concert, pick a musician. If you are coordinating a fundraising dinner, you need a speaker. If it is a talent show, who will perform? Consider speakers or performers well-known to your audience, and who might be willing to donate their time. 

Where and When

Deciding on a location and date is an important part of the process. Choose a place which is affordable, easily accessible, available and appropriate for the occasion. The date is also important. Be sure that not too many other events are taking place at the same time as yours. For example, holding an event too close to exams might not work. 

Organization

To make sure that everything occurs in an orderly manner, delegate as many tasks as possible. Each member or volunteer should take responsibility for at least one task. Set deadlines for each task to leave time for mishaps. Prepare for disasters—performers not showing up, lack of food, and bad weather. Think of measures that can be taken in these situations so that things still run smoothly. Always confirm everything (i.e. guest speakers, room reservations, and supplies). Get permits for food and merchandise sales where necessary.

Money

Create a budget for your event and stick to it. Make a list of all the items that you need to purchase and how much you will need per item. Mark those things that could be donated. Total all costs and subtract donations (confirm each donation before finalizing it on the budget plan). Search for alternatives to reduce the cost of high-priced items.

Costs

• Publicity - You will need to advertise your event. Advertising includes flyers, posters, brochures, and newsletters. Set aside an overall printing budget, including photocopying costs. Try to find a printer who is willing to donate the printing costs or at least give you a discount.
• Location - Renting a hall, room, etc. If you plan to hold the event at a public place (i.e., a park), ask permission. Keep in mind the estimated attendance when booking a place, including those who may buy tickets on the day of the event.
• Food - Food is a must at all events. If you are holding a dinner, include the price of dinner in the ticket. Search for a caterer who is willing to donate food for your event. At a concert you might want to sell snacks and beverages. Again, find vendors willing to donate food or provide a discount.
• Speaker, musician, etc. - The cost for the speaker should include travel, lodging and meals, unless they are willing to come for free.
• Security - Depending on the event, you might need security.
  
• Equipment and decorations - Reserve and confirm audiovisual equipment such as microphones, VCR, projectors, and all other necessary equipment. Don't forget tables and chairs.
• Miscellaneous - Send thank you notes to people who helped organize the event, speakers, performers and donators of supplies for the event.

Earnings

There are two main ways to raise the funds:

• Tickets - How much are you going to charge for the event? Will you charge the same rate for everyone or will there be a discounted student rate? When deciding the ticket price, keep in mind the total cost of the event. Try to charge enough so that you are making a profit that makes the time and energy spent on the event worthwhile. Be careful of overcharging because you want to make sure many people can attend. Decide whether you will sell tickets at the event, or only beforehand.
• Selling merchandise - T-shirts, pins, and posters can be sold at your event. Remember that selling merchandise requires initial funds to purchase the products, especially if you are designing the products yourself. You can also invite a vendor, who will give you a percentage of their profit for inviting them to the event. Set reasonable goals. It is better to run out of merchandise than to have leftovers