Planning Events, Fundraisers and Drives
Fundraising
Students often are interested in supporting local organizations by helping to plan events, conducting fundraisers to benefit favorite causes, and providing necessary resources through supply drives for food, toys, toiletries, and other items. Sometimes a group of students in a residence hall or fraternity/sorority will get together to lead a drive or event.
Website Resources
Fundraiser Tips
- Look to your club/group's interests and skills to assess the type of fundraising that will best suit your needs.
- Keep in communication with the site receiving the fundraising, while keeping it a give/take relationship so both parties are able to gain something invaluable from the experience.
- Decide how much money you have to work with and how this money will best be applied.
- Set up specific times and dates and stick to them.
- Set up a target amount (either monetary or with supplies)
- Look to other resources (clubs, organizations) for possible aid.
- Make sure to time it right in which you're not flooding potential donors with too much at once, and you're not stepping on the toes of other events going on that may be in competition with your own.
- Knowing the strengths and weaknesses of members, assign tasks accordingly and check up on the progress of said tasks.
- Plan ahead to avoid procrastination and incomplete tasks. You can always add to this list but it's great to get started as early as possible with manageable tasks.
- Make deadlines and stick with them.
- Stay in communication with everyone involved, including those absent.
- Do not try to do everything yourself. You'll go crazy and seclude others who want to help from helping. Delegate tasks.
- Stay motivated by setting small goals within the timeframe of accomplishing the larger goal.
- Always thank those involved, either by informal or formal acknowledgement in some way to show appreciation. This is invaluable for the future events and is a common courtesy.
Words of Wisdom from Students
"I have had a lot of success with first trying to decide how much money I think the project requires. Then I think of all the campus clubs and departments that I feel align with my project or event. Then I let them know what I am working on, how it aligns with their goals, what other groups I am asking for funding from, give them other options for supporting my project, and give them an idea of how much the event costs." - Leda Glastonbury '12
Planning Events and Drives
Come on in to the Center for Civic Engagement for assistance planning an event or a drive. We'll add other resources to this page soon.
Please note that many of our community partners need help with fundraising events on a one-time basis. You can see who needs help now at the Civic Engagement Opportunity Blog.