9 Fundraising Event Mistakes You Don’t Want to Make

Planning and hosting a fundraising event is no small feat; you need to know you’re putting your valuable time and effort in the right places. We’ve seen a few common mistakes nonprofits make when planning their events that can negatively impact their results. 

To help ensure you’re not making those same missteps, we’re sharing the top nine mistakes we’ve noticed nonprofits make and the easy solutions to overcoming them. Discover strategies and tools that will help you save time, boost giving, and support your fundraising event goals

Mistake 1: Not communicating enough before the event

Solution: Build trust and excitement while motivating donations with frequent, multichannel messaging.

Mistake 2: Not utilizing ticketing or registration 

Solution: Track who’s attending (or not) and simplify guest management for any type of event with required ticketing or registration. 

Mistake 3: Neglecting non-attendees at in-person events 

Solution: Increase reach outside your immediate community by adding virtual elements and options to your in-person fundraising event. 

When moving to mobile bidding, nonprofits see an average 30% increase in the amount raised when compared to paper-based auctions.⁴ 

Mistake 4: Not including your volunteers 

Solution: Volunteers are a valuable event resource for setting up, spreading the word, and executing a successful event. Use volunteers at in-person donation stations to help donors text-to-donate, post on social, and live stream behind the scenes. Volunteer table captains will help bring new supporters to your event in person or virtually. 

Did you know? 53% of people will volunteer for a nonprofit after engaging with them on social media.⁵ 

Mistake 5: Forgetting to share the impact on the mission during the event 

Solution: Use an outline to ensure you share each of your presentation’s talking points. Include a clear call to give with impact metrics, stories, and videos of how the money raised will be used.

Mistake 6: Only asking once for donations 

Solution: For in-person events, build to a main ask, but make several “smaller” asks throughout the event. Have your text-to-donate information and QR code leading to your form throughout to make it easy for donors to give. In virtual events, make several asks throughout. 

Did you know? $107 is the average text-to-donate gift.⁴ 

Mistake 7: Offering only one way to give 

Solution: Offer an online donation page for when guests register, buy tickets, or can’t attend, and promote your text-to-donate details to enable mobile giving. Don’t forget to add QR codes on your tables for diverse giving methods. 

Mistake 8: Not recognizing donors during the event 

Solution: Create friendly competition and social persuasion for more giving by shouting out donors in real time from your donor wall. Recognizing donors at all levels helps everyone who gives feel special and valued. 

Mistake 9: Neglecting to follow up after your event 

Solution: Send reminders to guests to fulfill donation pledges. Then, be sure to send prompt thank yous, tax receipts, fundraising progress, and pertinent updates via email and text message. 

Want to dive even deeper into event planning mistakes and how to avoid them?

Check out this webinar: Common Event Mistakes: How to avoid them at your next fundraising event. 

Sources: 

1. 367 Social Media Statistics You Should Know in 2021, Social Pilot. 

2. Campaign Monitor, 2021. 

3. “ROI Showdown: SMS Marketing vs. Email Marketing.” Campaign Monitor. Jan, 2019. 

4. GiveSmart internal data 

5. “General Social Giving Statistics: The Ultimate List Of Charitable Giving Statistics For 2018.” Nonprofits Source.