Fundraisers are an important way that nonprofits build sustainability and make a name for themselves within their region. Not only do fundraising events bring in resources for your organization, but they bring together members of your community, reinforce donors’ experience of your nonprofit as a positive force for good, and ensure your continued success.

So as you’re planning your next fundraiser, how can you ensure that people will actually show up, ready to have fun, and ready to support a great cause? 

Today we’re sharing some top ideas for getting the word out there, not only to your current base of loyal donors, but also to new people who may not have been exposed to your organization. 

Tip #1: Make Sure Your Donors Know About the Event

This might seem like common sense, but it’s important to go out of your way to make sure that your current donor base knows about the upcoming event! There are several ways to spread the word, but here are some top ideas: 

Email your donor base more than once. People are so busy these days, and emails get lost in the fray. Plan to email your donor base more than once in the months and weeks leading up to your big event. It’s okay if you repeat information; chances are good that they may not have seen your first or second email, or that they’ve forgotten about it. Give your donors plenty of lead time to do any kind of planning they may need before the big event (like hiring a babysitter, finding a date, etc.)

Send a snail mail invitation. Some nonprofits still have a list of donors who prefer to receive snail mail. Remember the feeling of receiving a beautiful invitation in the mail? You can give your donors that experience by crafting and sending out lovely paper invitations to your event.

Pick up the phone. Make sure your top donors are aware of the event and have the date saved in their calendar by simply picking up the phone and speaking with them one-to-one. A personal phone call means a lot, and it’s not something they’ll soon forget.

Tip #2: Encourage Your Donors to Invite Someone New

This is a great way to bring new people into your fold! When you reach out to your current donor base, throw in some kind of incentive for them to bring along a friend (or two… or three!) who doesn’t yet know about your organization. 

You could offer them the chance to bring a friend for free, offer extra raffle tickets to anyone who brings someone new, or even simply ask them to please tell their friends and help you introduce new people to your cause. 

Tip #3: Help Your Volunteers and Board Members Spread the Word

Your volunteers and board members are important members of the community who are deeply invested in the work you do, and therefore, they will be some of your very best advocates! Make it easy on your volunteers and board members to spread the word by arming them with things they can share with others: 

If you make flyers or postcards for your event, make sure that you hand them out to your volunteers and board members so they can hand them out. You could even host a friendly contest among them to see who can bring in the most new people. Try and think of a fun prize that could go out to the winner, perhaps a gift card to a local restaurant, a small plaque recognizing their efforts, or something else small but meaningful.

Create social media posts for them. People are much more likely to post on social media when the heavy lifting is done for them! So, put together some images and text that they can easily copy/paste to Facebook or Instagram to help spread the word.

Ask them to send personalized emails. If you write up a template email for your volunteers and board members to share with their friends, they are much more likely to take a few minutes to personally email people in their circle.

Tip #4: Share on Your Website and Social Media Channels

While personal outreach is a big deal (and probably the most effective way to make sure that people will come to your event), sharing online is a great way to spread the word, too! 

Make sure that you prominently feature news of your fundraiser event on your nonprofit website. Ideally, you’ll have great images and eye-catching text right there on the homepage of the site so anyone who visits will learn right away about your fundraiser.

On social media, plan to post a couple times a week leading up to your event. Use every tool you have! Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and TikTok are great — make sure to use the stories and the reels features as well as regular posting. People use social media in different ways, so covering all your bases will help ensure that different demographics will learn about your event.

Tip #5: Use Philantopia Travel Packages to Excite People!

You can kick off the excitement of your fundraising event weeks in advance by launching an online sweepstakes or raffle with a Philantopia travel auction package! Here’s how: 

Step 1: Select a Philantopia Travel Auction Package

Need a little help? Our team of experts is always available to help you figure out which trips might be the best fit for your donor demographic. Contact us here. 

Some of our best-selling trips include: 

• Sipping Bordeaux France Package
• Hermosa Inn Luxury Boutique Hideaway
• Santa Fe Cooking, Art, and Culture Travel Package
• Napa Valley Wine Tour Package in Calistoga
• And many more!

Step 2: Launch an Online Sweepstakes or Raffle

…And tell your donors about it! Using the beautiful images and enticing text provided by Philantopia, setting up an online fundraiser will be a total cinch. Announce it to your donors, and tell them that you’ll draw the winner at your live upcoming event. 

Step 3: Announce the Winner at Your Event

Continue to sell tickets to your sweepstakes or raffle throughout the duration of your event, and then at the end of the night, draw your winner! People will be excited by the opportunity to win something. 

Philantopia Travel Packages are Perfect for Your Next Fundraiser

Nonprofits love working with Philantopia because we make it so easy to select, market, and sell great travel auction packages that help your nonprofit raise meaningful funds. We are committed to making your job easier so you can raise more money!

Get started today by perusing our extensive list of once-in-a-lifetime travel experiences, or connecting with one of our experienced team members today.