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FUN(D) RAISING
in
12 Easy Steps
How
to set up a large fundraiser. . .
Fund Raising Summary
1) Decide on a program / event that will fit your
community and surrounding area, -something
people want, and will pay for
2) Get your club excited about the project
-(Will it be FUN to do)
3) Form a Planning Committee (3 is adequate)
4) Read and understand the Rotary Insurance policy
and assess the Risk Management of your event.
5) Decide on an appropriate venue with adequate
parking
6) Develop a preliminary budget
Fund Raising Summary
7) Secure Sponsors
8) Ensure good PR & Marketing Practices
9) Decide to do the program
10) Create sub-committees and job descriptions
11) Ensure good PR & Marketing Practices
-Know the rules of using the Rotary logo
12) Create a team!!!
Planning Details:
After Completing Steps 1 – 5
of the Fund Raising Summary
Follow the Next Steps
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Sponsors provide key support and
help to brand the event. They are a
bridge to the community.
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Sponsors:
- Provide Money
- Donate time or product
- Provide inventory or prizes
- Advertise the event
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Sponsors:
-“Know them and do not abuse them”
Sponsor Levels:
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Title Sponsor
Gold,
Silver,
Bronze,
Friend,
Specific Item
Sponsor Marketing Practices
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Make a list of sponsors (suppliers) with contact
names and numbers
Use the same person every time
For potential sponsors, draft a letter explaining
event
Deliver it by hand if possible
Make appointments to review/explain the program
(Be ready- some may invite you in)
Know your product and why you are doing it
Marketing Letter Contents
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Brief and concise
Describe the event
Show where the profits will go
Describe benefits to sponsor and to community
Show who is involved
Indicate how many people you expect and how
they are related to the sponsor
Show the advertising potential /media coverage
Extend an invitation (not necessarily free)
Note tourism and economic benefits (information
available at your Provincial Tourism Dept)
What to Expect from Sponsors:
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Value of donations will be relative to the company size
community and economic benefits
Purchases for prizes or auctions should be at cost. (If it
is cost plus; you are paying for their advertising)
Check all the sponsor products to ensure quality
- Buy volume (look at everything they sell)
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Recommend all products have the sponsor's name on
them - Ask them if they have anything else to throw in (If appropriate)
Ask the sponsor to check with his/her supplier for
possible additional donations
Budget
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Develop a preliminary budget
-List everything you need
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Use a budget that compares (Budget vs Actual)
Estimate all revenue with a “full house”
-Ticket sales
-50/50 ($5 ea; 3 for $10; 10 for $20)
- Bar and food
- Prize draws
- Inventory sales
- Major lottery
Budget
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Estimate cost to produce revenue:
- Printing-advertising-Signage
- Bar, food supplies
- Decorations
- Share percentage (other groups)
- Special equipment
- Paid labor
- Inventory-prizes
- Sound-MC-entertainment
- First aid- portable defibrillator
- Transportation
Next Steps
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Review the budget with updated sponsor information
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Decide to do the program
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Create sub-committees and job descriptions
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Involve all club members, -make sure to match
assigned jobs to member interests and abilities
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Involve other community groups if possible
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Determine if you have enough volunteers
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Create Promotional Material and get it out
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Get Media Coverage
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Create a team!!!
Recommendations:
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Allow plenty of lead time
Hold frequent, regular meetings to ensure effective
planning and to quickly catch problems
Create a binder with timelines, budget, and description
Regularly review the budget ensuring costs are in check
and potential revenue increases are acted on
Consider a major lottery in conjunction with the event
Post the event on the District Website
Think of other “free” things you can do
e.g.“extra holes for fishing”
Ask for advise
Good PR Practices
• Sponsor signs- "We are a proud sponsor of the event"
-to hang in their window before, during and after event.
• Ensure media coverage at the event
• Have media coverage at all donations of money gained
from the event
• use portable road signs (rental is usually inexpensive for
the coverage received)
• Check if sponsors will allow use of their marquees
• Use the club website and facebook
• Always talk about sponsors at the event
Good PR Practices
• Use the Rotary logo on everything
• Use the Rotary logo on material donations (eg. we
donated 12 TV's to the kidney dialysis unit-- they all have
the Rotary logo on them (Donated by the RC of ____ )
• Place a media ad to thank all sponsors and volunteers
other than the club. Don't forget to thank the spouses or
partners!!
• Use local information TV channels
• Use TV channel "upcoming events" - usually free
(CKY in Winnipeg has that)
Good PR Practices
• Annual Tourism brochures are free for events
(we advertise our ice fishing derby in Travel
Manitoba's "Things to do " brochure. They
distribute this all over North America)
• Some Government websites allow free information
and links as well
• Link to and from sponsor websites
Fund Raiser Suggestions
-District Website (www.clubrunner.ca/5550)
has a list of fund raiser ideas under “District Documents”
on the left-hand side of the first page.
-Other Ideas:
 Champagne dinner
 Air Show
 Monster Trucks
 Manpower Auction
 Spring Dance
 Scotia Bank & Other Financial Institutions