Every successful fundraiser has a plan. While small fundraisers may be able to get by without having any professionals on staff, once an event or campaign gets beyond a certain size, the complexity of the fundraiser can increase exponentially.
When the plan for the fundraiser is in the first stages of development, one of the first questions that needs to be asked is “Can our group handle this event on our own, or do we need to hire a fundraising consultant?” Frequently, the answer is going to be to hire the consultant.
Once you have a fundraising professional on staff, more detailed parts of the plan can be developed. You are going to have to come up with a detailed budget of the event and a projected income. The professional is really going to earn his or her keep at this stage. Their experience will show you where you can do things cheaper and because they are likely not personally invested in the cause, they will have a more realistic expectation of the projected donations than you might. In addition, they can help you in the development of different strategies than you may have originally considered to raise your operating capital.
About SmartRaise:
SmartRaise is an easy-to-use and completely free online tool that is the perfect complement (or replacement) for the traditional fundraiser. In a matter of your minutes, your group can have its own personalized fundraising website where supporters can log on, learn about your cause, and earn you cash with every purchase they make at over 300 popular online stores.
Click Here to learn more about SmartRaise or sign up.
