Advocacy Toolkit

Fundraising

Important Things to Remember

Plan backwards - While planning, work backwards to make sure you are thinking through all of the steps you’ll need for a successful event. For example, if you are holding a catered fundraising dinner, think through when you'll want to set up the space where dinner will be, when you'll need to order the food, when and how you're going to pay for the food, when you're going to follow up with the speaker to ensure she's coming, when you're going to meet the caterer, when you're going to choose a caterer, when you’ll develop a budget for how much you can spend on a caterer and on decorations, who you're going to have as a speaker, etc.

Soliciting donations - It's amazing how much can be donated if you know the right people, if you are creative in your solicitations, and if you are thorough and persistent in your search for donations - ask around for contacts and suggestions of people/businesses who might be able to donate food, drinks, material, event space, sound equipment and sound help, flowers, balloons, photocopying, access to phones, prizes, etc. This may be a time-consuming process if you are seeking several different types of donations. It will be very helpful to designate tasks and distribute calling lists early on in the planning stages.

Publicly recognizing your business and major donors - These could be listed on the back of the event's program, verbally listed before or after the event, or written on posters near the event's entrance. Make sure to include every business and major donor who made significant contributions to the event

Consider having an ad book - This can be distributed as part of the event's program. Ad solicitations may occur at the same time as donation solicitations. You offer a free full-page ad to donors who give above a certain amount.  Use  the opportunity to give facts and statistics about the health and human rights issue that the fundraiser is being held for, contact information for your local chapter and the national PHR office, action alerts, and other ways in which a person interested in the issue can become active.

Buy a box of thank-you notes - Always remember to thank everyone who helped you make the fundraiser a success. You might thank the individuals publicly at the event, include their names in a "special thanks" section on the event program, and/or send personal notes after the event.

Have fun! You will expend a fair amount of time and energy to make this event a success. Be sure to enjoy the event when it all comes together after several months of planning.