We’ve all seen or been involved in dull, dutiful fundraising efforts. Everyone involved has good intentions, but there’s no spark or enticement for anyone to donate. Even if your chosen endeavor is serious, that doesn’t mean that you can’t make your fundraiser entertaining and fun. Here are a few tips to get everyone excited about raising money for a good cause.

Make It a Party!

Whether your fundraiser is a one-day event or spread out over a few days or weeks, a kickoff party is an excellent tool to both raise interest in your cause and get things started on a fun note. It doesn’t have to be an elaborate event either; it could be something as simple as offering cupcakes and coffee or having some enjoyable activities like a board game contest or bingo available. Make sure you involve your committee—someone might come up with an idea that wouldn’t have occurred to you on your own.

Smooth Management

No matter how casual or involved your fundraiser is, careful planning is essential to its success. Managing a fundraiser can be tricky and you may find yourself running into some common problems, like people flaking out on responsibilities or communication breakdowns causing delays or problems. Having a written plan and making it available to everyone involved–and also the willingness to change the plan as needed to accommodate issues as they arise–can ensure that everybody’s on the same page and knows their roles. Anyone that’s been involved with a fundraiser can tell stories about chairpeople who took the fun out of everything by insisting that everything go their way. Don’t be that chairperson!

Know Your Potential Donors

Of course, different causes will appeal to different people, and tailoring your fundraiser activities to those who are most likely to be interested in your cause is key. An endeavor for an organization that involves young adults, for example, might have you setting up something like a 5K run, which can be more appealing and fun to that group than a bake sale. If you’re taking over an existing fundraiser, don’t be afraid to ask what worked before, then take it to the next level.

A successful fundraiser not only benefits terrific causes and organizations but can be a memorable and very fun event. With some planning and imagination, your fundraiser will turn into something that people will not only support but enjoy.

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