THE COMMUNITY TABLE
THE COMMUNITY TABLE
Effective Fundraising through Events
SUSAN COLE URANO
Swallow Press
Ohio University Press
ATHENS
Swallow Press
An imprint of Ohio University Press, Athens, Ohio 45701
© 2018 by Ohio University Press
All rights reserved
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Printed in the United States of America Swallow Press / Ohio University Press books are printed on acid-free paper
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Page ii: A team of volunteers served guests at Bounty on the Bricks in Athens, Ohio.
Page x: Bounty on the Bricks featured entertainment by a number of musicians, including this accordion player.
Both photographs courtesy of Dan Kubus
Paperback ISBN: 978-0-8040-1180-8
Electronic ISBN: 978-0-8040-4076-1
Library of Congress Control Number: 2018954509
This book was made possible in part through generous funding from the Athens County Foundation.
Dedicated to all the people I know who do the work of strengthening our communities and nonprofits
CONTENTS
CHAPTER ONE: Ask the Right People: Teamwork
CHAPTER TWO: The More the Merrier: Volunteers
CHAPTER THREE: Great Ideas: Event Concepts
CHAPTER FOUR: Raising Money: Financial Goals
CHAPTER FIVE: Invite Them and They Will Come: Marketing
CHAPTER SIX: Cover the Basics: Sponsors
CHAPTER SEVEN: Don’t Dance Alone: Partnerships
CHAPTER EIGHT: What’s the Plan? Logistics
CHAPTER NINE: The Key to a Donor’s Heart: Food and Beverages
CHAPTER TEN: Keep Them Dancing: Entertainment
CHAPTER ELEVEN: Tell Your Story: Communication
CHAPTER TWELVE: Make More Money: Adding Value
CHAPTER THIRTEEN: Now What? Share Your Results and Remember Lessons Learned
CHAPTER FOURTEEN: Why We Do This: The Big Picture
PREFACE
THIS BOOK is a guide to planning a successful fundraising event in your community. Some of the ideas come from an event, Bounty on the Bricks, held in my community and originally sponsored by the Athens County Foundation. I also share suggestions from my experience planning other events and from fundraisers I’ve attended. I hope that you will find something of use in these pages that will help to raise money for organizations and causes you care about.
When my friend Cheryl suggested putting on a locally sourced meal for four hundred guests on the main street of our town, I knew immediately that it would work! The fundraising event that developed from her idea would provide money to benefit hungry people in our community. One board member reacted to the idea by saying, “I knew this was a project that fit the foundation’s mission.” The energy, vision, and skills that Cheryl and her team brought to planning the event had the additional benefit of dramatically raising the visibility of the Athens County Foundation in the community while raising funds to support the local food pantries and the regional foodbank.
The Athens County Foundation (ACF) is a nonprofit that serves people and organizations in Athens County. It was founded in 1980 by Claire O. Ping, the first lady of Ohio University, as a way to preserve wealth within the community and support its citizens. The foundation’s assets generate income for grants and community-leadership work. ACF provides a vehicle for the county’s citizens to invest in their community while maintaining a connection to where their money is deployed. It brings people “to the table” to help solve some of our area’s toughest problems.
Money is only one of the foundation’s resources. Our community leadership activities provide a way for citizens to become involved in important issues such as those concerning health, town-gown collaboration, the area farmer’s market, and facilities planning for public education. This fundraiser aligned perfectly with our initiative: to feed hungry people.
One of the best things about working for a community foundation is you never know what gift will walk through the door.
