Fundraising Events for Nonprofits

Fundraising events are a tried and true way to raise awareness and support for your nonprofit with the primary goal of raising money for your mission. Events give donors, (and potential donors) and community members the chance to actively engage with your nonprofit. And active engagement is always a good thing for your nonprofit! Successful events allow you to tell your nonprofit’s story, reiterate your mission, and discuss ways that people can get involved with it.

But fundraising events can be heavy lifts for small, often under-resourced teams, which makes adequate preparation and planning a must for hosting a successful fundraising event. That’s why our team put together this awesome Event Planning Checklist that you can download for free on the Resilia Nonprofit Platform. With your event checklist in hand, you’ll find the types of fundraising events to consider hosting for your nonprofit below.

Free Nonprofit Event Planning Checklist

Types of Fundraising Events for Nonprofits

• Virtual Nonprofit Fundraising Events - A virtual fundraising event is a nonprofit event that is held online or has an online component with the intent of soliciting funds or other donations.

• Hybrid Nonprofit Fundraising Events - Hybrid fundraising events include both an in-person and virtual element, combining offline and online experiences.

• Nonprofit Galas - Galas are social events that typically offer food, drinks, and entertainment for guests who purchase tickets or a table to attend the event. Nonprofits raise money through ticket sales. 

• Live or Online Auctions - An auction is an event at which goods are sold to the highest bidder.  Nonprofits hosting an auction often seek donated items from local businesses and sell them to the highest bidder.

• Silent Auctions - Silent auctions follow the same concept as an auction, but instead of an auctioneer announcing and describing each item for sale, items are laid out for attendees to survey and make bids on “silently” by writing their bid on a bid sheet.

• Nonprofit Donor Appreciation Events - Donor appreciation events are completely free to the donors attending and nonprofits do not sell tickets or solicit donations. It is a great way to elevate your donors, create meaningful connections with your supporters, and build relationships.