Non-profit organizations do a lot of good, but they can’t do anything without funding. Raising money is essential for these groups. While grants often make up part of their budgets, the largest share of their operating funds come from individual donations.

There are plenty of great ways to raise funds, but one of the most effective is throwing a fundraising gala. A gala isn’t simply a fundraiser, it is a chance for a community to come out together and embrace a common cause.

Your fundraising gala ideas need to include both of those functions at the core: a community gathering and a fundraising event. We will take a look at how to choose your goals and plan out a gala and show how choosing a great venue like the Lumber Exchange Event Center can help your big event succeed.

Start with the Goal Before Planning Your Fundraising Gala

Without goals, you cannot tell if your gala fundraiser has been a success or justify the expense of putting on another similar event next year. So when planning your event, you need to set several goals.

Some goals you should outline before getting into the ins and outs of any nonprofit fundraising event are:

• Fundraising Objective: How much money are you looking to make from donations at this event?
• Attendance Goals: How many people do you want to attend in general?
• Specific Demographic Attendance Goals: Identify your target audience and key donor groups. Set goals around attracting attendance from people in those groups specifically.

Budget and Revenue Streams

Part of setting fundraising event goals is determining a budget for the event so that you can gauge how much money you need to pull in to cover your expenditures and still hit your internal goal.

Identifying the revenue streams through which you will hit your financial goals is an absolute necessity. Your chosen fundraising methods will determine what your charity event looks like. Here is a list of some of the most common money-making strategies you will see at successful galas.

• Ticket sales
• Corporate sponsorships
• Direct donations
• Silent auction
• Live auction
• Raffles
• Direct appeal

Your fundraising gala ideas may include some or all of these options as well as others that you may think up that tie directly to your organization. The key is to offer guests plenty of options, making it easy and appealing for them to donate.

Choose a Charity Gala Venue that Will Work for You

There is a lot that goes into choosing a perfect venue for a fundraiser. For example, you need to consider the capacity of a room. Can it fit enough people to match your attendance goal with room to spare?

Other considerations for a fundraising gala venue rely on the activities you have planned for your guests. Does the venue have AV equipment and the ability to provide power for a DJ or live band? Is there on-site catering and bar service for a full dinner, food stations, or a cocktail hour-style event?

If you will be throwing a silent auction gala, is there room in the venue to display the items that your guests will bid on? Can event sponsors set up branded tables and information stations to help explain how your organization matches their values as a company?

These are just some of the questions you need to ask when choosing your venue. You also need to think about stage sightlines, accessibility (both in the sense of being easy to travel to and ADA compliance), load-in/load-out times, available seating styles and arrangements, and more.

If that feels overwhelming, check to see if the venue provides event planning assistance. The Lumber Exchange Event Center has lists of proven vendors, full dining and bar service, several different event spaces that can be secured together or individually, and experienced event planning staff to help you dot every “i” and cross every “t.”

Tips to Make Your Gala Event Planning Go Smoothly

When you are first considering how to plan a fundraising gala, it can be very overwhelming. Here are a few tips to help you organize your ideas to get a clear idea of what you can do to create an unforgettable night for the people involved in your cause.

Build the Gala Around a Clear Guest Journey

You’ve got to plan out how you want your guests to engage with your fundraising gala program. How will they move around the room, what do they need to see, when do they need to be seated, and so on. Here is a sample outline of a gala that you can use as a basic template:

• Arrival and registration.
• Cocktail reception/networking.
• Silent auction or early fundraising activity.
• Dinner.
• Mission-focused storytelling.
• Main fundraising appeal or auction.
• Entertainment and social time.
• Checkout/departure.

You can adjust the activities on this list however you’d like. The most important thing you can do as you plan your event is give your guests plenty of time to mingle and connect while keeping the purpose of your gala front and center.

Design Your Program Around the Mission, Not Just the Night’s Entertainment

It can be very tempting to put all your focus on the entertainment you have brought in for your nonprofit fundraising event, especially if that entertainment is a big name locally or nationally. You need to resist that urge. Keep your cause front and center. The entertainment is there in support of your organization, not the other way around.

Additionally, you should be sure that any speakers keep their remarks to the point. Don’t bore people, but do what you can to tell them how their money will help, why you need it, and how they can donate.

Plan Sponsorships and Auctions Early

Whether you are doing a live auction fundraiser or a silent auction, you need to get the word out quickly to secure donated items. The same goes for corporate sponsorships. The earlier you start reaching out to potential sponsors, the better.

These two things go hand-in-hand in many cases, since your sponsors may have items they are willing to auction off. A local jewelry store may provide a necklace, another store may provide gift cards, you may even be able to secure plane tickets or a cruise — but only if you ask and only if you make sure your potential sponsors have time to respond before your event.

Another reason this is important for your charity event planning is that your sponsors lend your advertisements a level of credibility. Someone who is unfamiliar with your organization may see that your event has the backing of a familiar name and decide to buy a ticket. But that can only happen if that sponsorship is secured before your advertisements are finalized and sent out into the world.

Food, Drinks, and Timing Matter

When you are throwing a fundraising dinner, you need to be sure that the dinner does not interfere with the fundraising. Coordinate your dinner service with your speakers so that staff is not distracting everyone by trying to bus tables while speakers are on stage making the case for your cause.

If you are doing an event where people can register ahead of time, give them a place to note in detail any special dietary considerations. Making it easy for your guests to get what they need at your charity dinner will only help you when it comes time to ask for donations.

How to Judge the Success of Your Fundraising Gala

This is pretty simple. Did you meet your financial goals? Did you get the kind of attendance you wanted? Did you gain donors while getting new donations from previous contributors? Were your fundraising event sponsors satisfied and interested in continuing your relationship? Answer these questions, and you will know how successful your night was.

Why Downtown Minneapolis is a Great Gala Destination

Downtown Minneapolis is one of the Twin Cities’ most accessible event destinations. Buses, Light Rail, ride shares, park-and-rides, and numerous parking ramps all make downtown easy to get to.

And downtown has venue spaces like the Lumber Exchange Event Center that offer the versatility and experience needed for a successful gala. Whether you are throwing a donor appreciation event or a first-time-ever live auction to benefit your organization, the atmosphere of the city and the beauty of the venues downtown are second-to-none.

Power Your Year with a Great Gala

A fundraising gala is one of the best ways to raise money for any nonprofit. But to throw a successful gala, you need to plan ahead, secure your sponsorships, and reserve a great venue.

Let the Lumber Exchange Event Center show you how we can contribute to your organization’s success with our gorgeous spaces and unbeatable location in Downtown Minneapolis. From planning assistance to catering, we can provide what you need for an incredible and lucrative night on the town.