Beyond The Box – New Ideas to Improve Your Fundraiser

Since I have started posting to this site I have discussed ways to improve your event from how to better understand your audience to organizing a green(er) fundraiser. This article addresses recurring subjects that people seem to always have questions about. The content changes, but the need for new ideas does not. Below are some fresh takes that have sparked my interest from around the biz. They may be creations of mine, or borrowed from some pals in the industry (thanks for sharing with me, y’all).  This point of view will come from the notion that you have already or are considering using technology for your silent auction. If this is not the case – start there.
The first thing that comes to mind is a pledge or fund-a-need competition. This starts as the traditional sequestering of donations for a specific fund, be it sponsoring a child or getting new dishes down at the soup kitchen etc, etc. But, when adding the element of a competition, the audience becomes more lively and engaged. Although the ever so common tear-jerking video is a great place to start – follow that up with a competition to get the big money in the room really flowing. With pledge technology from IML Worldwide, it is a super easy and fun way to get your donors to outspend each other.

Then, there are some (new) trends:  NASCAR themed racing, or other gaming systems, where two or more attendees are pitted against each other in a gaming environment onsite. The attendees pay to play and get the chance to hold bragging rights over their friends and colleagues.  The folks over at GamePlan Entertainment have some nice offerings.
Online poker tournaments have also started popping up as a creative way to elicit funds for your organization. Contestants pay (donate) a fee to the cause and have the opportunity to battle it out online against other players. Again, bragging rights for winners – big money for the charity. This is an offsite game, but a nice way to get the donations coming in prior to the event. Then, winners can gloat in person the night of. Are we seeing a trend here with competitive donating? I think so…
Recently, I encountered a unique 5k run that was zombie themed. You could participate as a zombie, a slayer, or a survivor. The roles of each being what they sound like. There was an entry fee to participate and the attendees had a great day of fun and festivities. While the zombie theme might not be for everyone, I appreciated the creativity and playfulness of this event.
Lastly, I would like to highlight some new trends in social media and RFIDs that allow for a real time, real world uploads of your ‘likes’ to the digital realm. Or, better yet, I’ll let Sam Smith tell you about it over on his blog. Thanks for the cool story, Sam.
This list is small in a big world of events and meetings, but anything you do to set yourself apart is going to make a big impact on your audience. So keep the ideas coming and try to never settle for the same old thing.