Fund raising events have always been a favorite way to bring in money for worthy causes. No matter how big or how small these events’ fund raising goals may be, their success depends on certain factors. Here are a few important pointers that will help you carry out a rewarding and profitable activity.

Pick Fund Raising Events Aligned with your Cause

Your fund raiser will have a better chance at success if it is consistent with your organization’s mission and vision. Remember that your activity is not only a way to raise immediate funds; it is also way to obtain long range support for your cause. In the long run, public awareness of what you are working for will enable you to get funding more easily in the future.

Set Your Fund Raising Target

When you plan a fund raising event, one of the first things you have to settle as a group is your target. This means you should know exactly what you need to get done with the money you will raise and you have to know exactly how much you need.

Know Your Market

Some nonprofits have an annual income of more than 20 million dollars per year and raise hundreds of thousands with one affair. For the ordinary neighborhood organization even 10 thousand could be difficult to raise in a single event. It all depends on who your market is and how much time you have to prepare for the event.

Pick an Event that will Work for You

Several activities have gained popularity as sure money makers for charities. The good news is that some of these activities can actually be managed by nonprofits that specialize in fund raising for other non profits. Here are a few events you might want to consider for your own organization:

• Golf Tournaments for Charity. Golf tournaments are fund raising vehicles that should be used to raise amounts in excess of 5 thousand dollars because they take a lot of effort. Golf tournaments rarely make money from registration fees; they actually rake in the big bucks from sponsorships so getting these is crucial to making the event work for you. There are tournament directors and sports organizations that can help you through the process of hosting a golf tournament and they can make it possible for you to raise 10 thousand or 100 thousand – depending on the sponsors and players you can get.

• Gala Dinners for a Cause. A gala dinner can be a successful fund raising event for a wide range of target amounts. If you have a large, well-funded organization with some bigwigs as trustees, a high-end black-tie affair should pose no problems for you. This event can provide income through ticket sales for a gourmet dinner catered by a celebrity chef. Over and above that, the dinner can have an art or jewelry auction and a call for pledges.

A smaller nonprofit may find it more practical to settle for a simple buffet with a silent auction and dancing with a live band. This too can be a successful affair if it is what people in the organizations decide to fully support.

• Movie Night for Charity. One of the ways to make money for your cause is to host a movie night. If you know of a coming movie that everyone thinks is a must-see, find a theater that will work with you on this. Some theaters will book a special showing for you and give you flyers which your invited guests present to the ticket booth for a cash credit that goes to you. The main bulk of the work this activity entails is getting the word out about your movie date; the rest is done by the theater.

Non-profits can use many different fund raising events to obtain money needed for the projects and services that they want to implement for charity. To become successful, these events first of all need to fit the organization because it is the enthusiastic support from everyone concerned that makes an event a sure winner.