Fundraiser Planning Made Easy

Planning a fundraiser will likely never be a simple task, but there are ways to make the job much easier. The list of tasks that need to be completed will definitely not be a short one, but with a little help and a few tools, you will find yourself checking things off of your list quicker than you expected. The first thing you want to get done is determine which tasks have top priority.

Obviously finding a venue to hold the fundraiser, finding a caterer to provide food for the fundraiser, and hiring staff to attend to the guests are all high priority duties to be completed, but much more must be done. Three tips in particular can help you to make your fundraiser planning process much easier.

1. Choose a venue that can be set up early. If it is at all possible, find a venue that either is not used often or that can be set up early. Or ask the venue you are going to use if they have some sort of storage, so you can bring in supplies ahead of time.

This way you can get as much set up as possible before the fundraising event rolls around. At the very minimum you may be able to get your supplies there and organized, so it will at least be easier to set up on the day of the event.

2. Hire a catering service that will handle everything. While some event planners will hire a catering service that handles the main course and then hire another service to cater the cocktail portion, it may be better to hire one service to do both. One advantage of having one catering company handle everything is limiting miscommunications. The event will seem much more put together when you hire the same company.

This way the food and decorating that goes along with the food preparation will be tied in together. Also, the manager of the company will have a better handle on the timing of each portion of the fundraising event when handing both the cocktail hour and the main course. Things will likely go much smoother this way.

3. Communicate with caterers and other important players with conferencing. Aside from the caterers, there will be a number of other important players involved in planning your fundraising event. Who those people are is not really what is important. What is important is planning a conference calling meeting with these individuals to be sure every detail has been attended to.

Conference calling is easy and downloading a conference calling program is even easier. You will have no trouble finding a free conference calling program online, and it will not take that long to download either. Simply schedule the conference call and download the conferencing program in advance, and then use it to finalize all of your last minute fundraiser details with everyone involved.

Fundraising may be difficult work, but there is no doubt it is also very rewarding. Planning ahead, smart planning, and using conference calling can make the experience even more rewarding in the end.