Purple Finch Events

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What an amazing day- albeit chilly at times! Thank you so much Lighthouse Credit Union and Emily Moore for allowing us to be part of such a tremendously successful inaugural event! It was inspiring to watch your guests learn about such important organizations in our community and how they generously supported their causes was because of the light you shined on each of them. I love a lighthouse pun! #eventfundraising #greatpartnerships

Thoughtful engagement in events can create a ripple effect throughout your organization’s culture. Come hear how you can get involved with incredible organizations throughout our state and the mission they’re sharing!

I love the work we get to do every day!

Continuing to look at events as a traditional fundraising ecosystem, your speaking program is one of the best opportunities to help increase fundraising dollars during your event.  Here are some things to consider when building your program, selecting your speakers, and mapping out the theatrics of the ask. 1. Consider a single theme to weave throughout all remarks. Simplify your message and ensure it's heard and seen multiple times throughout the evening. 2. Review all speaker's remarks for redundancy. If you have more than one speaker during your program, make sure each person says something unique and mission-driven. Everyone has a superpower when they're at the podium. Figure out the best message for them to share, and make it personal. 3. Get copies of each person's remarks and their timing. You need to understand the breadth of your program so your guests are on a consistent journey throughout your event. You don't want to overload them with information too early in the evening or add too many layers too close to your fund-a-need moment. Knowing how long your speakers intend to talk and exactly what they're going to say helps craft the smoothest run-of-show. 4. Plant the seeds. Understanding your guest's experience from the moment they arrive at registration helps create opportunities to share your mission, offers ways to fundraise and support your organization, and leads them into the main program with an understanding of who you are, what you do, and what you're asking of them. Drive your event by driving your mission. Photo by Pixel Perfect Weddings #eventplanning #eventfundraising #purplefinchevents #fundraisinggalas

Our final format of fundraising events, let's talk about the largest event type and the one that can reach the most diverse group of potential donors: the community-wide celebration. The community around your organization is such a crucial portion of the overall success of your organization. Gather your greater community to share your mission and offer ways for them to learn about and participate alongside your organization. This helps build strong bonds with your current donors, creates new relationships with potential volunteers, and creates a legacy plan for the future of philanthropy through the introduction of your cause to the younger individuals attending.  a. Consider the format and structure of a community-wide event. A block party, concert series, or a community event added to an existing road race or golf tournament are all great ways to unite people. b. The timing of these events is almost always on the weekends and usually mornings into early afternoons, except for concerts or movie series.  c. Corporate sponsors are oftentimes very interested in supporting community-wide events due to the scale and scope of the guests attending. They also can potentially offer you volunteers as part of their sponsorship. These events usually require a heavy lift from your volunteers. d. Don't forget the youth guests! Create activities or a space just for them to enjoy and learn about the mission in a way that speaks to them. e. Smaller fundraising enhancements such as raffles and silent auction items are great ways to make soft asks at these events. #eventplanning #fundraisingevent #communityengagement #purplefinchevents

Donors are the people who keep your mission moving forward every day. Gathering them to celebrate their giving and how they have helped your organization allows peers to see the power of philanthropy and how it directly affects your cause. Donor appreciation dinner: a. This event allows you to take a deeper dive into the work you're doing as your audience is already committed to your organization. You can share future fundraising needs, potential capital campaign ideas, and start a conversation with your donor base to discover their investment interests in your cause. b. Appreciation dinners offer the opportunity to move donors down the pipeline to more significant levels of giving because they're a part of the organization's family and get to see the behind-the-scenes workings and philosophies of the leadership team. c. These events usually last 2-3 hours, they tend to be in a cocktail format with smaller tables, and there can be a fundraising element to the program. This is a great format if you have a case of support that's not yet fully funded, or you are launching a new need for support and you're sharing that with your most trusted partners. #eventplanning #eventfundraising #fundraisingevents #donorengagement #purplefinchevents

Almost everyone has a pipeline of new and potential donors whom they wish they could spend more quality time with to move them toward a meaningful solicitation conversation. Larger-scale events don't allow for enough one-on-one time with each guest to understand their interest in your organization and how you can further connect them to your cause. Cultivation dinners can help create these smaller, more intimate moments with donors to create more robust relationships and to make sure the right people are excited to be a part of your mission. Cultivation dinners: a. Cultivation dinners are a great way to gather like-interested donors in small groups to share a deeper level of mission and your organization's needs. b. They bring people together to network and learn from one another. This can also help develop volunteers, committee members, and even future board members. c. These events can be hosted at your facility or a donor or board member's house and usually have 10-25 guests in attendance and last 2-3 hours. d. There can be a soft ask at the end of the conversation, but this is usually an information-sharing event. #eventplanning #eventfundraising #purplefinchevent #cultivationdinners #stewardship

On the other end of the formality spectrum of fundraising events: golf tournaments, 5k road races, and other sporting activities bring together a different group of donors and offer lots of sponsorship opportunities, ways to engage guests in your mission, and raise lots of fundraising dollars. Golf tournament/5k road race/other sporting activities: a. Offers peer-to-peer fundraising and a variety of corporate engagement opportunities. b. Weekend day timing also allows for donors’ families and friends to participate and become better connected with the organization's mission. c. Ample smaller fundraising enhancement possibilities include raffles, 50/50, and more! d. Provides wonderful volunteer opportunities for your team and for your sponsors. #eventplanning #eventfundraising #fundraising #purplefinchevents

Every donor has unique reasons for giving and their preferred way of giving at an event. Before you begin analyzing your donor base to match them with your current event schedule, it's important to review all event fundraiser formats to explore the various ways you can present fundraising opportunities. Let's break down all of the ways you can engage your donors within the event landscape. Once you understand your event opportunities, you can best align your unique donors and their interests to maximize each fundraising and mission-driving moment. Annual fundraising gala a. Provides opportunities for development officers and committee or board members to engage individually with guests to help share mission drivers, especially during cocktail hour. This is also an opportunity for guests to engage in fundraising enhancements that build event excitement. b. A full-course dinner allows organizations to spend uninterrupted time making key connections between the mission and a variety of donors while also providing larger fundraising opportunities such as fund-a-need and live auctions. #purplefinchevents #eventfundraising #donorrelations #fundraising #eventplanning