Rotary International District 5170

1. Take a moment to define the purpose and objectives of the event. Is your primary goal to raise money? Or perhaps your goal is to publicize the work of your club in the community. Another goal might be to gain new members. Taking a little bit of time to stop and reflect on your goals will help you select the right event for your club.
2. Evaluate your volunteer resources. Do you have the number of volunteers necessary to do the job? Don't select an event that is too large for the number of volunteers you have available. Take a realistic look at your pool of volunteers. Do you have the caliber of volunteers needed to be successful? Also, does the entire club support the event? Special event fundraising requires a lot of volunteer support and won't be successful without the support of your entire club.
3. Evaluate your financial resources. What kind of money will you need in advance? Oftentimes you will need money upfront, before your ticket money comes in. Can your club afford to front the cost until the revenue comes in? Another very important factor to consider is whether your club can afford to sustain a loss. Fundraising special events carry an element of risk and aren't always successful. What is your gross/net ratio? Don't conduct an event that will net less than 50% of gross. This is not a good use of resources and could give your club unfavorable publicity. Donors don't like to see too much of their contribution spent on putting on the event and want to see most of their gift go directly to your project.
4. Lastly, define your special event's appeal to your community. Is it new and different? Will the event you have selected attract your target audience? Will it attract enough people to make it a financial success? Is there a market for the event outside the club, or will your club members be your primary ticket buyers?

Fundraising special events are a wonderful way to build awareness and raise money for our many humanitarian projects. If you take the time to do a little advance planning, you will be sure to select the perfect fundraising event for your club. Have fun!