Posts tagged strategy

Your Nonprofit’s Linchpin: Special Events

January 25, 2010 Leave a Comment Written by admin

Pascha’s Eye

I’ve had a lot of time to reflect recently. It’s been so cold and wet that it makes it hard to ride Pascha and Olive. One way to keep them moving is to lunge them. As long as I stay aware that I have 1200+ pounds twirling around me on a rope I can let my mind focus on other things.

A lot has been happening in the last few weeks. Of course much of my focus and I’m sure yours is on Haiti and the growing number of special events occurring to bring aid.

At the same time I’ve been immersing myself in the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival, this year as a spectator. And, the Slifka Center at Yale University produced my client/friend’s play The Green Book in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr.

What I’ve come to realize is that these disparate events are the linchpins to the nonprofit enterprise.

Seth Godin describes linchpins as the essential building blocks of great organizations in his latest book entitled Linchpin: Are Your Indispensable?. Of course he is describing the indispensable people who get the job done.

I suggest you can view special events through the same lens. They are the essential building blocks of your organization. They are the foundation and building blocks to community outreach and fundraising.

We will continue down the path of discussing the power of special events as this blog develops. I hope you join me in the discussion.

Nonprofit Event Planning
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A Year End Reflection on Special Events

December 28, 2009 Leave a Comment Written by admin

I’m often asked if it is smart to hold special events during challenging times.

My response – Absolutely!

Special events bring attention to your mission and help generate publicity for your nonprofit. They are an excellent  fundraising tool, as they encourage donors and sponsors. And, special events are great for engaging your leadership and volunteers.

Special events have been the mainstay of successful fundraising since the Civil War. The Ladies Soldier’s Aid Society of Kalamazoo raised $9,618 for wounded and sick soldiers at a four-day special event at the Kalamazoo Sanitary Fair in 1864. (Orosz, 1997)

The first known American Red Cross fundraiser was a play produced by six children in Waterford, Pennsylvania in 1884 to aid flood victims. The organization’s fundraising focus changed virtually overnight in 1917 when President Woodrow Wilson created the Red Cross War Council. A series of special events including bazaars, block dances and “Kick the Kaiser” parties raised $115 million.

Birthday ball for the president

During the Great Depression, the Georgia Warm Springs Foundation, started raising money with an annual “President’s Birthday Ball.” The balls were held every January on Roosevelt’s birthday. The balls were so successful that in 1938 they were merged into the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis, later renamed the March of Dimes. (March of Dimes website)

As 2009 closes and we look towards 2010, I offer these “Special Events” Resolutions to you and your organizations:

  • We will host at least two special events in 2010
  • The events will be integrated into our development plan.
  • We will start our planning early with brainstorming sessions that engage our board members.
  • We will invite new people to the table and think “Outside the Box.”
  • We will stay true to our mission and focused on our goals when we plan special events.

My best to you and your family for a healthy, creative 2010.

Nonprofit Event Planning
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The Rule of One – Planning Al Gore Event

December 15, 2009 Leave a Comment Written by admin
A Full House at the Eizenstat Memorial Lecture featuring Al Gore. Photo Credit Chris Savas

A Full House at the Ahavath Achim Eizenstat Family Memorial Lecture featuring Al Gore. Photo Credit Chris Savas

The key to a successful event is planning. One of the first steps is goal-setting.

Goals establish the scope of an event and help the event team set priorities and stay focused. They are the basis for benchmarking progress along the way.

“Remember the Rule of One – You can only have one top priority. You need to be specific about what your number one priority is and what goals go along with that. You can have secondary or auxiliary goals as well, but only one main focus.” – Jeff Shuck, Event 360, Inc.

Non-profit events focus on raising money or awareness. Once you establish your primary goal, be sure it is SMART: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timely.

Metrics help you measure your outcomes. And, each goal has its own set. Possible money metrics include, total funds raised, ROI, or an increase in revenue from the last special event.

Raising awareness metrics include the number of new participants and/or volunteers, media impressions or increased name recognition.

Once the goal is set it should guide your budget, timeline, promotions and sponsorships.

The focus of  the Eizenstat Family Memorial Lecture featuring Al Gore was to increase awareness.

Was the event successful? Absolutely!

“This year’s Eizenstat Family Memorial Lecture raised the bar even higher for future AA events. We plan to reach those heights and beyond.”  – Ahavath Achim Synagogue President

I hope this post helps guide your focus and leads to success in your next special event.

Nonprofit Event Planning
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Lessons from Al Gore

November 9, 2009 2 Comments Written by admin

“If you don’t know where you’re going, it doesn’t matter which way you go!”

Honorable Al Gore addresses 21st Eizenstat Family Memorial Lecture. Photo credit Chris Savas

Honorable Al Gore addresses 21st Eizenstat Family Memorial Lecture. Photo credit Chris Savas

What sage advise from the Cheshire cat in Alice in Wonderland.

There is an old African proverb that says, “if you want to go quickly go alone; if you want to go far, go together.”

We have to go far, quickly. – Al Gore

My next post describes the planning and execution of the 21st Annual Eizenstat Family Memorial Lecture featuring The Honorable Al Gore. More than 3000 people joined us for this extraordinary evening.

The success was the result of planning, planning & more planning to figure out which way we were going.

So, please join me so we can figure out how to go far, quickly — together.

Nonprofit Event Planning
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