Questions to Ask Before & After Your Fundraising Event

Fundraising events are a great way for your organization to raise money, especially if they are part of an overall fundraising strategy. There are several types of events that will raise significant funds and bring positive attention to your organization and campaign.

In order to confidently determine which type of fundraising event is best for your organization, we would need to have a conversation with your team (click here to chat with Cogeo). However, you can also use this guide created by Classy to drive your decision making:

View fullsize

chart created by Classy

While it’s difficult to create a checklist that satisfies each event type listed in this graph, Cogeo has put together a list of questions to ask throughout the preparation phase and evaluation phase to help guide your event planning process and hopefully make your fundraising event a success.

STRATEGIC PLANNING & GOAL SETTING

Timeframe

This will vary based on the type of event you choose to host.

• Decision-making structure — Who is responsible for each of the following aspects of your event?

  • Donors  — Strategize and solicit donations from donor prospects.

  • Guests — Strategize and secure the appropriate audience, guests, and/or bidders.

  • Marketing/PR — Strategize and implement appropriate publicity initiatives

  • Décor — Plan, prepare, secure, set-up and take-down of appropriate décor for the selected site.

  • Food & Beverage — Plan, prepare and/or secure appropriate food, beverages, and serving.

  • Entertainment — Select and secure appropriate entertainment for the event.

EVENT PREPARATION PHASE

Tailor this phase based on the number of weeks you have to prepare for the event.

Event

• What is the timing of the event?

• How will the “personality” be conveyed?

Event Responsibilities

• What is the structure and expectation of communication?

• How will the volunteers be properly informed, prepared and trained to carry out their tasks?

Location

• What are the overall pros and cons of the location?

Fundraising

• What are the strategic budget goals?

• What are the overall development initiatives?

  • In-person

  • Online

  • Prior to the event

  • At the event

  • Post event

Marketing & PR

• How will the event be marketed? Which channels (i.e. social media, email) will be leveraged?

• What materials are necessary?

Food & Beverage

• What will the beverage/food service be?

• What is the budget for food and beverage?

Entertainment

• What is the planned entertainment (if any) for the event? 

• What is the budget for the entertainment?

Timing

• What are the specific timelines for each of the following?:

  • Delegating & completing event planning responsibilities

  • Securing location

  • Fundraising (pre-event)

  • Marketing & PR

  • Securing food & beverage

  • Securing entertainment

Recognition & Stewardship

• How will donors be recognized and thanked post-event? 

• How will volunteers be recognized and thanked post-event? 

• Which databases will be updated to properly steward donors and volunteers post-event? 

EVENT EXECUTION PHASE

This will vary based on the type of event that you execute.

EVENT EVALUATION PHASE

Immediately after the event

Event

• Did people enjoy the event?

• Did it meet attendance/audience goals?

• Was the timing/flow of event appropriate?

• Was the “personality” conveyed appropriately?

  • If not, why not and in what ways?

• What went well? / What should be changed?

Event Responsibilities

• What worked well/should be changed within each role?

• Were volunteers properly informed, prepared and trained to carry out their tasks?

• Have any new leaders emerged? (Look to next year and year after that)

Location

• Overall pros and cons of the site.

• What were the challenges/benefits of the facility, equipment, and staff?

• Will it work again? If not, what are the options?

Funds Raised

• Were the strategic budget goals met?

• Were the expenses more than budgeted?

  • If so, what and why?

• Are all outstanding bills paid?

• Create and analyze all event reports.  

• Compare event reports to prior years.

• Compare event reports to event goals.

Marketing & PR

• Were publicity strategic goals met?

  • If not, why not?

• Are there current records of all publicity materials?

• Has the post-event press release been completed and distributed?

Food & Beverage

• Was it enough/too much?

• How was quality?

• Did the food and beverage stay within budget?

  • If not, why not?

  • What, if anything, needs to be changed?

Entertainment

• Did the entertainment enhance the event? 

• Was it within the budget? 

  • If not, why not? 

• Did the lighting and sound systems work as planned?

  • If not, why not?

  • What, if anything, should be changed about the entertainment?

Timing

• Were strategic timelines met?

  • If not, why not?

• What, if anything, should be changed and why?

Recognition & Stewardship

• Have all donors been appropriately recognized and thanked? 

• Have all volunteers been appropriately recognized and thanked? 

• Have all databases been updated to properly steward donors and volunteers? 

KEY EVENT CHECKLIST

• Branding consistency

  • Graphics

  • Correspondence

  • Entertainment

  • Décor

  • Event Program/Materials

  • Prizes/Gifts

  • Speakers

  • Donations/Packages

  • Titles

  • Event Item/Activity

  • Identification of Participants