STEP-BY-STEP EVENT GUIDE
Here’s a helpful list of steps to consider when planning your
fundraiser. Some of these steps may not apply to you, but hopefully they
will provide the inspiration you need to make your fundraiser a success.
Brainstorm ideas
What sort of event you would like to hold? Get creative! Check out our
list of fun ideas online.
Check the resources available online
In your Participant Centre there are many helpful resources and
templates, including letters, promotional materials and tips, to get you
started and help you along the way.
From an event committee
Recruit enthusiastic friends and family to help. Make a list of tasks
and responsibilities that need to get done (e.g. selling tickets or
overseeing the décor) and then divvy them up. Schedule regular meetings
to check on everyone’s progress along the way and make sure you are on
top of everything that still needs to be done.
Set the budget
It’s helpful to know what your costs are going to be. Determining your
budget will help you to decide what type of venue you can have, what
your ticket price should be, and might impact other elements of your
event. See a sample event budget. Keep in mind, according to Canada
Revenue Agency guidelines donations that require tax receipts cannot to
be used to cover event expenses.
Raising revenue
Here are some ideas to help you raise additional funds at your event:
 Silent auction
 Live auction
 Ticket sales
 A percentage of food and beverage sales
 Pledge-based activity
 Donations
 Sell an item (e.g. t-shirt or bracelets)

Ask your employer if they will match your fundraising efforts find out if your employer provides matching gifts.
Decide who is coming
Who do you want to attend your event? Keep that in mind when choosing a
venue, soliciting sponsorships, designing your promotional materials and
promoting your event as well as when considering prizes your attendees
would likely bid on in a silent auction.
Set the date
Schedule your event for a day that provides you with enough time to plan
and promote it. Also try to make sure your event is not competing with
another event happening in your community.
Secure a venue/location
When considering locations for your event, check out what the venue
offers and if its meets your needs, e.g. kitchen, washrooms,
audio/visual equipment, shaded rest area with seating, parking,
wheelchair accessibility and play area for children.
Save the date cards
Once you know the date, time and location of the event, you may want to
send out save-the-date cards by email or snail mail to your potential
guests letting them know to mark their calendars.
Soliciting sponsors
You may want to approach companies to sponsor your fundraiser to help
off-set the costs of the event. There are a couple of options for
sponsorship to support your event:
 The company can make a cash donation in exchange for promotional
benefits (e.g. logo on signage or an event invitation).
 The company could donate their goods and/or services (e.g. catering
or printing services), in exchange for promotional benefits.
In both cases, you can create sponsorship levels to recognize their
contributions and deliver promotional benefits that are in line with
their support. It is helpful to know what benefits you can offer before
approaching sponsors.
Event logistics
Get organized and make a plan. Create a chart that outlines key times,
tasks and responsibilities to help you to keep track of the necessary
‘to-dos’ through the day. Here is a sample chart to get you started.
Tax receipts
The Canadian Cancer Society is a registered charity and therefore is
eligible to issue tax receipts. Please visit our FAQ for more
information about tax receipting for your event.