How to Fundraise
Fundraising Committee:
Having a person or a committee who is responsible for developing ideas, planning and carrying out the plan for the fundraisers is key to having successful events.
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Direct Ask
The most successful form of fundraising is a direct ask for donations from the candidate in a phone call, email, or even a letter in the mail. Asking people you know directly if they will donate to your campaign is either free or of minimal expense. Make a list of people you know; they do not have to be in the area you are running for. Ask your family, people you went to school with, people you worked with and people in various social clubs with you over the years. Letters and emails are lower pressure forms of communication, but a phone call can be a real asset. Allow for people to donate small amounts monthly. It adds up!
In-Person Events
Your first step is getting a budget together. Venues for an event can be a significant portion of the budget. Venues that are government run (i.e. through the parks departments) tend to be the lowest cost options. In general, an outdoor park for 80 people will cost about $150-200. An indoor venue for 150 people will cost about $1200 plus deposit. Other low cost options include HOA, condo or apartment complexes that have clubhouses. If alcohol will be sold, it will require an additional fee, security, and an ABC day license($75). All food should be prepared by someone with a food handler certificate. Licensed caterers are usually a safer route for keeping everyone healthy. Food costs are a minimum of $20 per person when catered. Disposable tableware and linens are options to keep costs low. Rentals are approximately $1.50 per person for tableware and $12 per table for linens. If using rented tableware, a kitchen is recommended for clean up. Drinks in bulk from Costco are usually the most cost effective way to purchase beverages. Insurance is usually required and should be purchased for any in-person event. This is approximately $200 per event. Decoration costs should be kept as low as possible. Flowers from the farmers' market can be supplemented with garden flowers as a low budget way to make an event more festive. Lighting also is a good way to create a nice atmosphere without spending too much money. Fairy lights are about $10/40 ft strand. The key to an event is finding a theme that is fun and makes people want to come.
Sponsorships are a good way to make additional money from events. Include extra tickets, social media recognition, table naming, and program mentions. To process sales, use ActBlue, PayPal, or other payment taking platforms to collect money as well as report information. Name, address, job title, and employer must be noted for all donors as well as in-kind donations. Setting up the fundraising platform prior to events is key to getting money when you get RSVPs. For promotion, see social media and traditional media sections.
Online Events
This can be a cooking lesson, painting or crafting class, conversation with someone notable or a yoga/pilates class. This should be approximately 1 hour. Ticket price should be between $10-$20 as overhead should be minimal. You will want to have a script for the entire event to avoid lulls in conversation. You will need one person controlling the camera spotlight, one person filming, and lighting set up. A phone with a tripod can be used as the primary camera, but if any close ups are needed, a person controlling the camera is needed. Tripods for phones are pretty inexpensive.
Offering sponsorships is a good way to add on donations. You can promote sponsors throughout the online event, either with signage or recognizing them verbally. Adding in an auction by using a donation link in the chat is also a potential way to get additional donations. However, delivery could be a problem if people are logging in from a distant location. For promotion, see social media and traditional media sections.
Merchandise
This tends to be more promotional items than fundraising. If any money is raised, the margins would be low.
Donations In Kind
If any person or business is willing to donate actual items like gift cards, art, or wine baskets, these can be used for silent auctions at events or through an online auction. This can be a win/win for a business. They are able to donate to your campaign and also potentially add new customers/advertise their business.
RESOURCE: The National Democratic Training Committee offers a free online class entitled, How to Build a Strategic Campaign Fundraising Plan. To register for the class, follow this link.
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