3 Fun Ways to Increase Donations at Your Charity Event

If you’re running a fundraiser event, chances are you will be raising most of the funds through ticket sales. But it doesn’t have to stop there – there are many ways you can get your guests to open their wallets on the night too! Have a read of our 3 fun ways to increase donations at your charity event.

1. Games
Depending on the type of your event, games might be a great way for you to increase the funds raised for your cause. More often than not, people are likely to pay money in the name of competition – even if they’ve already paid for their event ticket. The best fundraising games involve guests either paying to participate, or paying when they lose. Here are some examples:
• Toss the coin: Have your guests toss gold coins towards a prize (sourced through donation). The person who gets their coin closest wins the prize – and you collect all the coins!
• Word ban: Place a ban on commonly used or topical words, and punish anyone who gets caught saying those words by asking them for a nominated donation. For example, if your event is a gala dinner – forbid guests from saying ‘wine’.

2. Silent Auctions
Silent auctions are a fantastic way to increase donations on the night – particularly when the pieces being auctioned are of value to guests. If you plan on running a silent auction, make sure you start collecting donated goods as early as possible. The best way to do this is by reaching out to your own network and that of your team members. It is a good idea to develop an email or phone call template that your team can adapt and send to their family and friends.

It can take some time to source auctionable donated goods – but it’s usually worth it! Studies show that people are willing to spend up to 42% more money on goods that support charitable causes.

3. Incorporate Donations Into Your Main Event
If you are running an interactive fundraiser event, one way to increase the funds raised on the night is by incorporating donations into your main event. How this looks will depend on your actual event, but here are a few ideas:
• For trivia, bingo or quiz events, charge people a ‘fee’ for if they are caught cheating.
• For trivia nights, encourage players to ‘buy’ extra help, such as the opportunity to call a friend.
• For theatre, music or dinner events, create a VIP package that guests can buy on the night. The package might include higher levels of service, better seats, or a free glass of (donated) champagne.

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