Event Update

After being summoned on official presidential business, Chris Watson of Changing Our World, Inc., disappointedly informed me that he will not be able to speak at the FLiP-on-Tap on Tuesday, March 4th.  We’ll miss Chris and hope to see him at a future FLiP event. 

But don’t worry FLiPs, we won’t leave you in the lurch!

We’ve invited the Director of Global Social Engagement at Liquidnet, Brian Walsh, to speak about making the transition from a FLiP to holding a leadership position in philanthropy. 

Join us as on the second floor of Turtle Bay (987 Second Avenue, between 52nd & 53rd Streets) from 6-8PM. Mingle with your fellow FLiPs, exchange ideas and hear Brian’s take on what it’s like to take your career to the next level.  RSVPing is not required but in an attempt to get an idea on how many FLiPs will be in attendance, please either RSVP through our Facebook group or send me an email.

I hope to see you on Tuesday at Turtle Bay!

Party with a Purpose

With over $430,000 raised for several nonprofits including Ashoka, Oceana, City Year and Generation Engage, GOOD Magazine seems to have had a pretty great year. In celebration of its one year anniversary GOOD Magazine, the magazine for “those who give a damn,” launched a series of parties across the country.

Lucky for me, one of those parties occurred in Washington this past weekend.

Special Events: Holy Grail of Awareness and Fundraising, or Quixotic Quest for the Impossible?

For many people on both sides of the grantmaking/grant-getting divide, planning a special event has a “common-sense” appeal. I mean, who wouldn’t want to throw a fun party where everyone has a great time, your organization gets tons of press, and more money is raised in four hours than from an entire quarter’s worth of direct mail?

Unfortunately the special events landscape is not as carefree as it may sometimes seem. The road toward planning, executing, and capitalizing on an event of any kind is marred with potholes, mirages, and bands of roving thieves around every corner. Throughout the decision-making process, the most important thing to keep asking is - is this worth it?

Is the final result worth the time, effort, money (and even the sanity) of your organization?

Many events are worthwhile, but, more often than we’d like to admit to ourselves, the answer to the question above is no. If you are on the fence about planning an event for your nonprofit, take some extra time beforehand to make sure that the purpose of your event is crystal clear. What do you want to get out of your event? With events, the proof is in the planning.

Special Events: Do's and Don'ts

Back by popular demand…Changing Our World’s event planner extraordinaire, Bridget Baughn!  Bridget recently explored important questions for any nonprofit staff to consider before planning an event.  Today she shares the do’s and don’ts of fabulous fundraisers.

Don’t
•    Use balloons unless it is a children’s event or birthday party.
•    Serve chicken to guests who have paid good money for their meals.
•    Have over ten live auction items unless your whole event is a live auction.
•    Have auction items that your guests can get for free in their daily lives (through work or friends and family).
•    Comp so many VIPs or celebs that your organization is in the hole.
•    Have a cash bar if your guests have paid over $100 per ticket.
•    Expect your guests to stay past 11:00 pm on a week night.
•    Expect your guests to sit through an hour of speeches – it is painful and boring…no matter what the message is!
•    Automatically pay full price for services – ask to have them donated.  And remember – if you are a tax exempt organization, you do not pay tax!
•    Assume everyone that says they will help out is doing so for free.
•    Forget the focus of the event.
•    Forget to send thank you letters and notes after the event!

Do
•    Sell sponsorships.
•    Get items and services donated.
•    Plan out a detailed budget.
•    Get your Save the Dates out as soon as possible!
•    Have a well-planned theme that is carried throughout the event in a classy way.
•    Communicate with your Board members and get them involved!
•    Have goody bags or goody items that are meaningful to the organization and make sense with the mission.
•    Remind guests why they are there – through short but compelling power point presentations, videos, or live testimonials.
•    Have a photographer or videographer to capture special moments for your files and for possible media opportunities.
•    Have a detailed “run of show”.
•    Make your event look seamless.
•    Get volunteers.
•    Double-check all invoices.
•    Try to collect on outstanding pledges as soon as possible.
•    Make sure your guests have a great time while having no idea how hard it was to plan!

Hey FLiPs, did we miss anything? What are some do's and don'ts that you've learned?

Timing is Everything: When Should Your Non-Profit Hold an Event?

Many times, over the course of a nonprofit’s life, a Board member or donor will come up with the great idea to hold a fundraising event for the organization.  While it is the thought that counts, some serious consideration should take place before diving head first into a full-blown event.  Events can cost a non-profit more than it raises, and the organization can be left in the hole with donors who think they have contributed to the cause, when they were actually just paying for filet mignon and goody bags.  How can a nonprofit avoid such pitfalls?

Some questions to consider:

What is the goal of your event? Is your goal to raise money or to raise the number of “friends” for the organization?  In other words: do you want to hold a fundraiser or friendraiser?  Although friendraisers do not raise much money, or maybe none at all, they can be important because they bring visibility to the organization, expand the donor base, highlight a particular issue of importance, or highlight a message – such as thanking volunteers or donors.  You can also use friendraisers to cultivate Board members.  All friendraisers can be turned into fundraisers, but this should be done carefully based on the particular situation and audience.

Working the Room: Eight Secrets to Success

You spot him across the room and you know you just have to talk to him.  Yet you’re paralyzed with fear and worse, can’t think of anything of value to say.  Palms sweaty you take a deep breath, collect yourself and begin to make your way towards him.  But when you look up, he’s already gone!  Rife with disappointment, you contemplate another missed opportunity.

Yes…conferences can be stressful affairs, particularly for young professionals, inexperienced at networking.  However, they can also be extremely valuable; not just for networking, but also for business development, learning new subject matters, participating in discussions with engaged individuals from various sectors and industries, and perhaps even making new friends.  Below, FLiP offers eight tips for a successful and stress-free conference experience.  And – dare I say it? – you might even have a good time.

October: Special Events

I want to thank all of our new readers and subscribers for joining FLiP. Although the site is still very young, our network has really blasted forward this past month. But watch out, because that’s nothing compared to what’s coming.

One feature we have been trying out is the poll on the right side of the page. I love this poll, because the results are not at all what I expected. We asked, “How long have you been working in Philanthropy?” and nearly 150 readers have responded. Just over 41% of respondents said that they have been in the sector more than five years, while around 54% have been in the sector for less than five years.

When we coined the phrase, “Future Leaders in Philanthropy,” we were hoping to interest many different demographics of readers. Our goal has always been to create a community in the philanthropic sector, and as we add software to further that community, we think it’s important that FLiPs who have been in the sector be able to share their experiences with those who are less experienced. In my opinion the results of our poll point towards a successful launch to a broad group of fundraisers and grant-makers.