Before I provide you with some tips for how to highlight all the wonderful things your organization is doing, allow me to introduce myself!

Hi! I'm Lisa Clark and I help nonprofits and fundraisers like YOU raise money through events so you can meet your annual revenue goals! I'm also the host of a free Facebook Group, Raising with Lisa Clark, a free group for fundraisers, NPOs, development team members, volunteers, and supporters. I included a link below so you can request to join right away!

Link to Join Facebook Group:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/112148672944584/ 

Like I said, are you having a tough time figuring out how to make your programs and services a part of your annual fundraising event? When you host your fundraiser, are you scrambling to include them last minute? Is it an afterthought? Does your program staff even want to participate in the event cause they just don’t know what to do once they’re there? Are you too busy trying to sell silent and live auction items that you don’t allocate an appropriate amount of time to make sure your guests walk away knowing exactly what your programs and services are all about?

Before I get into how to make your programs and services a integral part of your event, I want to make sure you’ve picked up my FREE mini checklist on how to create a pipeline of new donors for your next big fundraiser. If you haven’t already grabbed it, the link will be provided below. My FREE checklist is about hosting mini events so check it out.

Now, what I really want to talk about are some special ways you can highlight all the good work you do, day in and day out! I want to tell you a story. Back in 2013, I interviewed 3 foundations and asked them what made them attend a fundraising event of an organization they supported? What events had they actually attended and what was special about the event? One foundation Executive Director mentioned how every year she would attend an event as she was invited by one of her best girlfriends. She went as a favor. She would have a great time. But, sadly, she couldn’t even tell you what the mission of the organization was or what their core services were. That’s not good! Her biggest tip to me was to make sure I hosted an event where every guest walked away knowing exactly what our programs and services are all about.

This advice stuck with me.

So, I decided to partner with our Programs team to create a special event. Here’s what we did:

1. We played a game that allowed guests to learn stats and interesting facts about our organization. In fact, we designated an entire room to playing different types of games that were aimed at teaching attendees about our work,
2. We involved senior program leaders in fundraising efforts. I assigned five of them the duty of meeting 3 to 5 guests and asking them very specific questions and sharing details about our programs and services (if appropriate) and then debriefed with said staff to get their answers. I would then enter this data in our CRM. I made my program staff mini spies. Sort of….
3. We had a youth give a testimonial and talk about going through one of our programs. It was super meaningful!!!! We worked with the youth to create a well thought out speech and had them practice with program staff. It was wonderful and a very proud moment for the youth. It also taught them public speaking skills.
4. Next, we created a program highlights video played to super touching music like “Somewhere over the Rainbow.” You know, that Hawaiian guy’s version. Soooo goood!
5. We also included Fund A Need in our live auction. This was one great way to show our guests the need and the program that would be supported.
6. Volunteer and Board/Supporter Award. I’ve had the opportunity to give both an award to volunteers and an award to a large supporter. For the volunteer award, we had staff nominate volunteers for the award. We created a nomination form and staff could fill it out and nominate their choice volunteer. They had to answer specific questions about why they believed their volunteer should win the award. Staff loved it. Volunteers loved it, too. Nominating a volunteer, I’m not going to lie, is easier than nominating a board member or large supporter. Most board members or large supporters don’t want the recognition. They’re private and want their donations to be private as well. How we got around this is we honored our largest long-term donor. It wasn’t an individual but instead a foundation. This is sometimes easier to do. Giving an award allows you to talk about the reasons the foundation got involved in the organization and this tactic allows you to talk about them and talk about your programs/services. It’s a win-win!

Well, that’s the list and to make it easy for you, I’ve numbered the list below. llllllllll

1. Games. A Trivia game allows attendees the opportunity to do something fun and learn about your organization at the same time.
2. Assign Program staff to mingle with 3 to 5 donors and provide staff with 3 to 5 questions to ask the donors they are assigned to. Then, host a debrief and collect the answers and update your donor tracking system or customer relationship management system so when you meet with the donor again, you have some talking points or bits of information about them which deepens the relationships and connection
3. Testimonials: Provide the opportunity for someone who has benefitted from your programs/services to do a short speech about the program they participated in and how it changed their life.
4. Highlight Video: Make a short video or slideshow played to a song that represents your organization nicely. The video and/or slideshow should be highlights of your programs/services in action. It should include volunteers and staff as well.
5. Fund a Need. Include Fund A Need in your live auction. It offers a way to describe what your organization does and associates it with a need!
6. Volunteer Service Award for work in Programs and Services
7. Donor or Board Member Award: Someone who has generously donated year after year in time and service and financial support.

As I mentioned earlier here’s my FREE Checklist on How to Create A Pipeline of New Donors for Your Next Big Fundraiser? Click the link to get the instantly downloadable checklist that's easily implementable (is that a word?)!

https://risingwithlisaclark.lpages.co/donorchecklist/ 

Connect On Social Media 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/raisingwithlisaclark 
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/raisingwithclark 
Check Out My Website: http://risingwithlisaclark.com