5 Tips To Maximize Your Pledge Drive At Your Fundraising Event

Posted by Ben Crook on 17 February 2017

Hitting a target at a fundraising event is never easy, and sometimes your guests need a little push. However, there is a method to the madness. With the right presentation coupled with the right technology, targets are made far more attainable and even over achievable!

This past January we partnered with Charity: Water to provide their fundraising technology on the night of their annual gala. They achieved an astonishing amount of donations, exceeding their fundraising goal of the night. The energy an effective pledge drive can give to a room is infectious, and can very often add real value as a fun and engaging event feature, not only from a monetary perspective. See for yourself in this incredibly heart-warming video.

Considering running a pledge drive at your next fundraising event? Here are 5 tips to maximize your pledge drive at your fundraising event.

Display a goal to the crowd and challenge them
Having a fundraising goal is the first step to measuring your success; so let your guests know your fundraising aspirations. On the night, make the announcement a priority, and ensure its displayed on a totalizer screen. As long as its fair and displayed effectively, your guests will be motivated to hit it!

Have an MC to drive it
Technology is your best friend, but a human touch remains important. Effectively communicating the information to the room is vital and helps create momentum. Having an MC at your event to lead the pledge drive and who works toward achieving the fundraising goal has proven to be incredibly successful. The goal is not just to hit the target, but to get as much audience participation as possible. An engaging MC will certainly help increase the number of pledges made.

Harry Santa-Olalla, Givergy’s President East Coast orchestrating the pledge drive at the Boston Ballet gala.

Make clear concise announcements
Your guests are in for a good time, and you’ve invested time and money into a night of fun and entertainment. However, your fundraising goal must remain at the center of the attention. How? Make an announcement at the beginning of the night, and at key moments of the evening such as before dinner. More importantly, have a set portion of the evening dedicated to the pledge drive.

Display total amount of pledges
Aim to get as many people taking part as possible by utilizing Givergy’s various pledge drive sequences. These sequences can identify the percentage of the audience that have pledged, and the number of pledges made per table. Healthy competition is fun and will get results if presented in a tasteful way. Many small donations can lead to a lot of money raised, so make the pledge drive all-inclusive! These stats give the MC great figures to work from to motivate the crowd. Have the total amount raised so far constantly shown, with a thermometer to show the progress of the night. There is no better feeling for you the organizer and the guests to fill that thermometer up!

Create competition between tables
With a system showing pledge stats not only as a total but also per table, you will be able to elevate the participation within the room. The goal is to get as close to 100% participation in the pledge drive as possible. This allows those not able to give large donations to take part and creates further encouragement. Additionally, it conveys a sense of team work and competition towards one common goal. No matter how large or small the donations, challenge the tables to work as a team to get maximum participation.

Ben Crook

Chief Operating Officer

Ben is at the forefront of every project in Givergy, listing and actioning constant improvements across the business. With over a decade of experience in the charity and events sector he brings a deep understanding of what the fundraising industry needs to operate effectively and efficiently.