How To Ensure Pledge Drive Success At Your Non-profit Spring Fundraising Gala

Posted by Ben Crook on 12 April 2018

A fundraising gala is undoubtedly one of biggest dates in the calendar for any non-profit, often raising substantial amounts of money, and helping fund their cause enormously. As we start to come out of the cold winter months, and move closer to the crisp season of spring, time is already ticking to start planning your spring fundraising gala.

At Givergy, we have supported over 5,000 events of all shapes and sizes all over the globe, so whether its your first event and you want to get a piece of the fundraising pie, or you’re an experienced Fundraising Event Manager, an injection of fresh ideas and new visions could be the catalyst to make your next event bigger and better than ever. One of the most effective ways to do this is to implement a pledge drive that gets everyone in the room to participate and engage with your amazing cause. To help you on your quest to fundraising success, we would like to share some tips and tricks to help you implement a successful pledge drive at your next non-profit fundraising event.

Technology to increase participation

Its no secret that the key to a successful pledge drive is to increase guest participation; quite simply, the more people who pledge, the more you will raise. The real challenge lies in capturing interest and getting people to dig deep and donate. Paper pledge drives are quickly becoming a thing of the past, and technology driven alternatives are taking the main stage and flourishing in the spotlight. Consider taking the plunge and moving towards pledge technology, whether through tablets or smartphones, it will certainly lift the mood, spark interest, and introduce a competitive atmosphere that’s bound to increase engagement in the room and help raise you more.

Find an effective MC to drive

Technology driven pledge drives can be your best friend on the night, but its still important to maintain a human touch and keep things grounded. The impact that an effective MC or Auctioneer can have on your pledge drive when steering it to success can never be under or overestimated. An engaging MC who understands the demographic of the room, as well as the psychology of giving can enormously help you on your mission towards surpassing your fundraising targets. Their goal is to get as many people in the room to pledge as possible, more often than not, the money is in the room, it just takes a charismatic push in the right direction to get them to part with their cash!

Create a competitive atmosphere

Using a system capable of displaying cumulative pledge stats is great but going beyond that and showing donations per individual table is a proven method that will go a long way to elevate participation. Start by having your MC challenge tables to hit 100% participation and offer an incentive for them to be the first to do so (a bottle of champagne usually goes down well!). Not only does this convey a sense of teamwork and collaboration towards a common goal, but also encourages donations no matter how large or small. Remember that guest participation is the goal and keeping that in mind will help you reach your goals far easier than hoping for larger donations from individuals.

Make clear announcements

You’ve put blood, sweat, and tears into the intricate planning of your event, but its not yet time to sit back for a night of fun and entertainment. Its important that you remember the importance of the fundraising element of the event, if you want to raise significant funds for your cause, it must remain at the forefront of the entire event. How? Make an announcement at the beginning of the night and at key moments throughout. The most successful pledge drives have a set portion of the evening dedicated to fundraising, where the MC can really engage with the room and have the opportunity to work their magic!

Want to learn more about how an MC can help you raise more? Check out this next blog!

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.