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Why Nonprofit Boards Are Afraid of Sponsorships (And How to Change That)

by A.J. Steinberg, CFRE of Queen Bee Fundraising When it comes to sponsorships, many nonprofit professionals find themselves facing an all-too-common challenge: their board members don’t want to help. Despite their passion for the mission and willingness to support fundraising efforts in other ways, board members often shy away from sponsorships. Why? It’s not that they don’t care. It’s that they’re afraid. Let’s break down what’s behind this fear—and, more importantly, how to overcome it. 1. They Think Sponsorship Is Just Another Form of Begging One of the biggest misconceptions about sponsorship is that it’s just another donation ask. Board members who are uncomfortable asking for donations assume that approaching a business for sponsorship is the same thing. The Fix: Educate your board on the difference between sponsorships and donations. Unlike charitable giving, sponsorships are a business transaction—a marketing opportunity for companies to align with a cause their audience cares about. Sponsorship is an exchange of value, and your organization has assets that companies want: visibility, credibility, and access to a target audience. 2. They Don’t Know Who to Approach Board members often say, “I don’t know anyone who would be interested in sponsoring.” This is rarely true. Board members are well-connected in their industries and communities, but they may not see their contacts as sponsorship prospects. The Fix: Make it easy for them. Instead of asking, “Do you know any potential sponsors?” ask targeted questions: A little prompting goes a long way in helping board members make the right connections. 3. They Fear Rejection Nobody likes hearing “no,” and many board members worry that asking for sponsorships will put them in an uncomfortable position—especially if they’re reaching out to professional contacts or friends. The Fix: Reframe rejection as part of the process. Sponsorship is sales, and in sales, every “no” is a step closer to a “yes.” Encourage your board members to think of sponsorship outreach as relationship-building, not a one-time request. If a company says no this year, they might say yes next year if you nurture the relationship properly.als simple and accessible—something they can glance at quickly before reaching out to a potential sponsor. 4. They Don’t Feel Confident in the Sponsorship Offer If board members don’t fully understand the sponsorship opportunities or don’t see the value, they won’t feel comfortable pitching it to others. The Fix: Give them the tools they need. Create a simple, clear sponsorship deck that outlines: Better yet, offer a quick board training session on sponsorships to boost their confidence. 5. They Think Sponsorships Are Staff’s Job, Not Theirs Some board members assume that sponsorship outreach falls solely under the responsibility of staff. The Fix: Make sponsorships a shared goal. Set clear expectations that board members play a role in opening doors to potential sponsors. They don’t have to handle the full pitch—just make introductions so staff can take it from there. Recognizing their role as connectors, rather than salespeople, makes sponsorship outreach feel more manageable.​ Empowering Your Board to Take Action The key to overcoming board resistance to sponsorships is education, support, and reframing the ask. With the right approach, your board can move from fear to confidence—and, ultimately, become champions for your sponsorship efforts. What challenges have you faced in getting board members involved in sponsorships? Let’s discuss in the comments! Want to know more about event coaching? Book a call with me today and I will explain how we can work together to train your staff to plan winning events.

Unlocking Sponsorship Success: How to Get Your Board Engaged in Sponsorship Prospecting and Solicitation

by A.J. Steinberg, CFRE of Queen Bee Fundraising Most nonprofit boards understand the importance of fundraising, yet when it comes to sponsorships, many board members hesitate to step up. They may feel they lack the right connections, worry about making an “ask,” or simply see sponsorship as something best left to staff. The reality? Board members are uniquely positioned to help identify and secure sponsors. They have networks, credibility, and influence—powerful assets in sponsorship development. The key is equipping them with the right mindset, tools, and strategies to turn their passive support into active engagement. 1. Reframe the Role: From “Asking” to “Opening Doors” One of the biggest barriers to board involvement in sponsorship is fear of solicitation. Many board members associate sponsorship with “asking for money” rather than building partnerships. Solution: Reframe sponsorship as an opportunity for businesses to align with a cause, gain exposure, and support the community. Encourage board members to focus on making introductions rather than making the ask. A simple, “I’d love for you to meet our team and hear about this opportunity” is often all that’s needed to get the ball rolling. 2. Activate Their Networks with a Simple Exercise Board members may not realize how many potential sponsors are within their personal and professional circles. A structured exercise can help them see the connections they already have. Exercise: At your next board meeting, ask members to jot down: Chances are, you’ll uncover multiple warm leads without much effort. 3. Provide Easy-to-Use Sponsorship Tools Many board members hesitate to reach out because they don’t feel prepared to talk about sponsorship opportunities. Give them the confidence they need with: Keep these materials simple and accessible—something they can glance at quickly before reaching out to a potential sponsor. 4. Celebrate Small Wins and Build Momentum Many board members hesitate to reach out because they don’t feel prepared to talk about sponsorship Recognizing and celebrating board members’ sponsorship efforts—big or small—helps build confidence and engagement. Did someone make an introduction? Secure a meeting? Even if it doesn’t lead to immediate sponsorship, acknowledge their effort. At each board meeting, share a quick sponsorship update and shout out members who have taken action. Seeing progress motivates others to get involved. 5. Set Clear Expectations (and Lead by Example!) Engaging the board in sponsorship isn’t a one-time request—it should be built into the board’s responsibilities. When board members see sponsorship engagement as part of their role—not just an optional task—they’re more likely to contribute.​ The Bottom Line Board members don’t have to be sponsorship experts, but they do need to be engaged. By shifting their mindset from fundraising to relationship-building, equipping them with the right tools, and creating a culture of action, you can turn your board into a powerful sponsorship development team. Are your board members actively involved in sponsorship prospecting? If not, what challenges are you facing? Let’s discuss in the comments! Want to know more about event coaching? Book a call with me today and I will explain how we can work together to train your staff to plan winning events.

The DNA of a Successful Nonprofit Sponsorship

by A.J. Steinberg, CFRE of Queen Bee Fundraising Successful nonprofit sponsorship strategies can be game-changers—when done right. However, many organizations struggle to secure the right partners, rely on outdated tiered packages, or treat sponsorships like philanthropy rather than a business deal. The key to long-term success is using a strategic approach that benefits both parties The truth is, sponsorships thrive when both parties see real value. So, what makes a sponsorship truly successful? It comes down to five key elements: 1. Audience Alignment: Are You Speaking to the Right People? Sponsors don’t support nonprofits out of generosity alone. They do it because your audience overlaps with theirs. If your event, program, or initiative reaches their ideal customer base, you have something valuable to offer. Ask yourself: Do you understand your audience demographics, behaviors, and interests? Can you show potential sponsors how your audience aligns with their business goals? 2. Meaningful Engagement: Going Beyond Logos A sponsorship isn’t just a transaction; it’s a partnership. Slapping a sponsor’s logo on a banner isn’t enough. The best sponsorships create opportunities for real engagement—whether that’s through interactive activations, storytelling, or direct involvement in your mission. Ask yourself: How can a sponsor engage with your audience in a way that feels natural, impactful, and mutually beneficial? 3. Value-Driven Assets: What Are You Actually Offering? Sponsorships fail when nonprofits don’t know what they’re selling. If you’re only offering visibility, you’re leaving money on the table. The best sponsorships package a mix of assets—brand exposure, thought leadership, employee engagement, content marketing opportunities, and more. Ask yourself: Have you assessed all your organization’s assets? Are you offering benefits that truly matter to sponsors? 4. ROI Matters: Proving the Impact Sponsors expect a return on their investment, whether it’s brand awareness, customer engagement, or social impact. If you’re not measuring success and reporting back, they won’t renew. Ask yourself: Do you have a plan to track and communicate sponsorship impact? Can you provide data that proves the partnership was worth it? 5. Relationship Building: It’s a Marathon, Not a Sprint The biggest mistake nonprofits make? Treating sponsorships as one-time deals. Sponsors are more likely to invest again if you nurture the relationship year-round, rather than only reaching out when you need funding. Ask yourself: Are you maintaining sponsor relationships outside of renewal season? How are you keeping them engaged in your mission? Sponsorship success isn’t about luck—it’s about strategy. If your nonprofit can align audiences, create meaningful engagement, deliver valuable assets, prove ROI, and build lasting relationships, you’ll turn sponsorships into long-term partnerships that fuel your mission. What’s been your biggest challenge in securing sponsorships? ​Want to know more about event coaching? Book a call with me today and I will explain how we can work together to train your staff to plan winning events.​

Is Your Board Ruining Your Event?

How to engage your board without letting them derail your event goals.  You’ve got the venue locked in, a killer theme, and a list of donors and sponsors ready to support your cause. Everything’s on track for your fundraising event… until your board steps in with their ideas. Sound familiar? If you’ve ever found yourself in this situation, you’re not alone. While board members are essential to the success of your nonprofit, their involvement in event planning can sometimes cause more harm than good. But here’s the thing — it doesn’t have to be that way. Let’s talk about how to engage your board in a way that supports your event goals instead of derailing them. Understanding the Problem Board members come with a wealth of knowledge, experience, and (hopefully) passion for your mission. But when it comes to fundraising events, their enthusiasm can sometimes manifest as unsolicited ideas, overstepping boundaries, or pushing for personal agendas. Suddenly, your carefully crafted event turns into a hodgepodge of random suggestions that don’t align with your original vision. Common board pitfalls include: The result? An event that feels disjointed, misses its fundraising targets, and leaves your team frustrated and burnt out. Setting Boundaries and Expectations The key to avoiding these issues is setting clear boundaries from the start. Your board needs to know their role in the event and understand where their input is welcome and where it’s not. Here’s how to do it: Giving Your Board a Purpose One of the best ways to engage your board is to give them a sense of purpose. People want to feel useful, and if you don’t assign them tasks, they’ll find ways to insert themselves into the process — often where they aren’t needed. Consider assigning board members specific roles like: When board members feel like they’re contributing in meaningful ways, they’re less likely to interfere in areas that aren’t their responsibility. Handling Conflicting Ideas It’s inevitable that board members will bring ideas to the table — and not all of them will align with your vision. The key is to listen respectfully while keeping the event’s goals in focus. Here’s a handy phrase to keep in your back pocket: “Thank you for your suggestion! Let’s bring that to the event committee and see how it aligns with our goals.” This response shows that you value their input but also reinforces that decisions are made collectively with the event’s success in mind. Celebrating Their Contributions Lastly, don’t forget to recognize your board’s efforts. Acknowledge their contributions during the event and in post-event communications. When they feel appreciated, they’re more likely to stay engaged in the right ways for future events. Final Thoughts Your board can be one of your biggest assets when it comes to fundraising events — but only if you manage their involvement wisely. By setting clear expectations, giving them meaningful tasks, and handling conflicting ideas with grace, you can turn potential derailments into valuable contributions. Remember, the goal is to keep everyone rowing in the same direction. With the right approach, your board will become champions of your event, helping you hit (or exceed!) your fundraising targets while keeping your sanity intact.

Is Your Big Event Being Piloted by a Newbie?

by A.J. Steinberg, CFRE of Queen Bee Fundraising What if you got on a commercial flight and the captain came on the loudspeaker announcing “Ladies and gentleman, this is my first solo flight!”? You probably wouldn’t feel all that confident about his ability to get you safely to your destination. Likely you’d be feeling stressed. Definitely you’d wonder why this newbie was at the controls when so much was at stake. Now, let’s look at your next fundraising gala from that same perspective. Are you handing over the controls of your biggest and most valuable stewardship piece to a staff member who has no event training? I don’t make the comparison lightly between an inexperienced pilot and a staff person untrained at events. There is a lot at stake with your fundraising galas. You need to: And, did I mention you need to craft a stage program that turns guests into donors? It always surprises me how many organizations assign the complicated job of planning a gala to a staff member with little or no experience planning and running this type of event. A charity gala is one of the most complex types of events in the event planning world, and it isn’t fair to your staff to assume they will just “figure it out” as they move through the planning and execution of the event. I want you to think about who is in charge of your gala’s event planning? Organizations spend boatloads of money on sophisticated technologies created to help streamline event auctions, registration, and cashiering. These platforms are incredibly helpful for those specific tasks. However, none of this will matter if an event is badly conceived and is poorly executed. It is time for organizations to invest in their staff and their events. Now is time to give your event team the training they need to build better events and run the events with efficiency and grace. It is time for your organization to consider an Event Coach to work with your team to give them all the strategies and resources they need to succeed. I am telling you this because every organization deserves to have great events. It won’t cost more money in the budget and won’t take extra staff time. The secret to creating these engaging and profitable events is just knowing the steps to take to lead your event team and organization to success. ​Want to know more about event coaching? Book a call with me today and I will explain how we can work together to train your staff to plan winning events.​

Successful Fundraising Events

The Nonprofit MBA MEDIA RELEASE June 9, 2023  Keys to Running Successful Fundraising Events, Featuring AJ Steinberg on The Nonprofit MBA Podcast Conducting successful fundraising events requires thoughtful planning and execution. Some of the factors worth considering to reach your fundraising goals are: identifying well-defined goals, mainstreaming your board members into the process, recruiting a rockstar event committee, having a marketing plan, and more. Nonprofits that are more intentional about their fundraising efforts maximize their chances of success. In today’s podcast, AJ Steinberg from Queen Bee Fundraising and  Stephen Halasnik from Financing Solutions, a great provider of nonprofit lines of credit, discuss the keys to running a successful fundraising event.   Read an Executive Summary or Listen to the Podcast HERE:   Keys to Running a Successful Fundraising Event About AJ Steinberg: AJ Steinberg from Queen Bee Fundraising has over 20 years of experience as a nonprofit event producer and engagement strategist, A.J. Steinberg has worked on over 100 successful events and raised millions of dollars for organizations with her Los Angeles-based production company. In 2015 A.J. launched Queen Bee Fundraising to share the art of nonprofit event planning, sponsorship acquisition, and engagement strategies with organizations worldwide. She is a recognized topic expert and trainer and presents on subjects such as nonprofit event planning, event sponsorships, committee and volunteer leadership, generational giving, and guest engagement. About Stephen Halasnik: Stephen Halasnik, of The Nonprofit MBA Podcast and Financing Solutions co-founded Financing Solutions, the leading provider of lines of credit for nonprofits and church financing. The credit line program for nonprofits & churches is fast, easy, inexpensive, and costs nothing to set up, making it a great backup plan when cash flow is temporarily down. Mr. Halasnik is also the host of the popular, Nonprofit MBA Podcast. The podcast brings experts to discuss fundraising, nonprofit grants, executive director leadership, nonprofit boards, and other important topics. You can learn more about the nonprofit line of credit program here or call 862-207-4118. 

Clean Up Your Event Mailing List!

One of the most intimidating things about planning a charity gala or fundraising event is facing the task of cleaning up your invitation mailing list. This is the nonprofit equivalent of cleaning out your garage – you know you must do it, but you put it off for as long as possible! When is the best time to start organizing and purging your invitation mailing list? The answer is TODAY!  The beauty of taking the time to dig deep and clean out incorrect addresses, deceased donors, and duplicate names is that from this point on you will have a clean invitation mailing list that gets your invitations into the hands of prospective guests and alleviates the cost of returned undelivered mail. * Note – your event mailing list should be kept separate from your organization’s general mailing list. Contacts given to you by honorees and committee members, for the specific purpose of inviting friends and colleagues to an event, cannot be automatically added to your main list. If one of those contacts purchases a ticket, places a tribute ad, or donates then it is appropriate to roll them into your general mailing list. Here are the 5 steps to get you on your way to cleaning up your invitation mailing list. 1. Don’t Do It Yourself Your Board and event committee are key to efficiently cleaning up your existing event mailing list. The most efficient way to share the responsibility for editing this list is to send all board and committee members an email with a link to your mailing list spreadsheet and ask them for their assistance with removing and adding names and addresses.  However, it is important that you retain control over the integrity of the list. When sending the spreadsheet make sure that it is “read-only” for the recipients. Have each person send you the contacts they feel should be deleted or updated directly. This will ensure that no well-meaning committee or Board member accidentally messes up the spreadsheet which will make your task even more difficult. It is also important to have a date in the title of your spreadsheet so you can easily find the most recent version of the event mailing list.  2. Start by Eyeballing the List This step may feel intimidating to those helping you as many event mailing lists contain over a thousand contact names, so be clear at the start as to what you are trying to accomplish and give your team a list of details to look for. You will need the group to make a couple of passes reviewing the mailing list to get all the kinks out of it. For the first review, your team should just do a quick scan to see if any names jump out at them that need to be edited out or deleted. Have them email you a list of the changes so you have a record of which edits are being requested by each Board and committee member. For the next review of the mailing list, have them look more closely to ensure they didn’t overlook any obvious typos and name spelling edits. At this point, it is your job to delete duplicate names in your event mailing list. This can easily be done on spreadsheets by highlighting the first name and last name columns and then clicking Home > Conditional Formatting > Highlight Cells Rules > Duplicate Values. 3. Look for the “3 Ds” When reviewing the event mailing list look for the following issues: Deceased, Divorced, and Doesn’t Live Here. 4. Don’t Forget New Donors & Last Year’s Guests Each year your organization will obtain new supporters and donors, so don’t forget to add those newbies to your event mailing list if they are good candidates for attending the event. If you are hosting a free or low-priced fundraising event, then you can include all your new supporters in the event mailing list. This is especially true if you are only sending digital invitations as you can send an unlimited number of invitations without incurring extra printing fees.  If you are hosting a gala, you will want to be more discerning about which new donor names are being added to the event mailing list as you will be mailing printed invitations and each invitation incurs printing and mailing costs. For charity galas and other high-end events, determine what is the lowest donation level that will qualify a new donor to be included, and then add all your new supporters at that level and higher to the gala mailing list. 5. Consider this a Stewardship Opportunity While it is time-consuming and sometimes frustrating to comb through an old event mailing list, you should consider the silver lining to the situation! Each contact on that list that needs updating is a perfect opportunity to reach out and connect with a supporter.  ____________________________________ Want to learn the strategies used by professional event planners to create engaging and profitable events? Sign up for our newsletter and get your organization on track for successful events and sponsorships. About A.J. Steinberg, CFRE, of Queen Bee Fundraising: With over 20 years of experience as a nonprofit event producer and engagement strategist, A.J. Steinberg has worked on over 100 successful events and raised millions of dollars for organizations with her Los Angeles-based production company. She is a recognized topic expert and trainer and presents on subjects such as nonprofit event planning, event sponsorships, committee and volunteer leadership, generational giving, and guest engagement. Website: www.QueenBeeFundraising.com LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/ajsteinbergproductions   Twitter:  https://twitter.com/QueenBeeMalibu Facebook: www.facebook.com/queenbeefundraising

7 Steps to Charity Gala Success

Charity galas are an important piece of the fundraising puzzle, but many organizations question if the ROI is worth the time and resources spent on producing these events. When you add in the extra stress and staff burnout, there is a single question that arises. “Are charity galas worth it?” The answer is an unequivocal YES! Truly successful live events go far beyond just raising money. They engage volunteers and board members. They introduce your mission and program to guests who have previously never known about your organization. And, most importantly, they are an excellent stewardship opportunity. Here are the seven steps used by professional event producers to create engaging and profitable fundraising events.   Step 1: Identify Well-Defined Goals for Your Charity Gala Too often organizations will be laser-focused on the amount of money they hope to raise at a charity gala, and they lose sight of the other opportunities presented to them by live events. When planning an event, there are five goals to consider.  The five goals of all fundraising events should be: Don’t get stuck on just focusing on the money you hope to raise. Take the time to identify how you will achieve each of the other goals as well. Don’t forget to write down each of the goals and share them with your event committee and Board. Step 2: Get Your Board Excited and Enthused to Participate One of the biggest roadblocks to a successful event is what I call “Grumpy Board Syndrome”. This happens when: It is up to you to change your Board from grumpy to enthused! It is up to you to give them confidence that this event will be different.  Keep the Board in the loop during your planning of the event. Let them know the five goals you have identified for the charity gala. Share with them your guest engagement strategies and timeline for a fast-paced, streamlined stage program. Let them know how you are going to open hearts and wallets during the event. Your enthusiasm and confidence in the event are key to getting your Board to participate in the planning, outreach, and ticket sales. Step 3: Recruit a Rockstar Event Committee Recruiting and managing a charity gala committee can seem like a lot of work, but a rockstar event committee can help with the workload and will help ensure your charity gala’s success. An event committee should consist of loyal supporters of your organization as well as any friends they feel would be an asset to the group. The best committees have between six and twelve members, and committee meetings should follow a fixed agenda that has bullet points for discussion.  Committees work best when the members have both an affinity for the organization and the “assets” they can bring to the event. These assets include connections for soliciting auction items and sponsorships, as well as the ability to help sell tickets to the gala. Committees also function best when there is a committee chair, or two co-chairs, who lead the meetings and can help focus the group on the decisions and tasks at hand.  Step 4: Attract and Engage Gala Sponsors Sponsorships are key to the financial success of any charity gala or fundraising event. Sponsorships can provide funds well in advance of the date of the event and help ease the pinch of the cash outlay that galas require for the venue, catering, and other costs. Sponsorships also help fill seats at your gala as sponsorships usually include one or two tables of tickets. To learn more about how to get sponsors for your fundraising events, read Queen Bee Fundraising’s blog  Success with Event Sponsorships. It is important to stay in touch with sponsors in the months and weeks prior to your event. This is part of the sponsor stewardship that is integral to forming a relationship with the sponsor company and ensuring they feel their participation in your event was a good investment. This stewardship is key to getting that sponsor to sign on to sponsor again in the future. Step 5: Create a Marketing Plan to Promote Your Charity Gala     An event is an excellent opportunity to get exposure for your organization and your sponsors through email blasts, social media posts, and newspaper coverage. To ensure you maximize your marketing efforts, it is important to have a plan in place as to how you will schedule this outreach.  A marketing plan details each of the different avenues and target dates for the promotion of your event. This schedule helps you allocate your resources so you can have a consistent presence on social media and through emails and allows you to create your posts and emails in advance and schedule the dates they go live.  A marketing plan is also an excellent way to show sponsor prospects the extent of exposure their sponsorship will receive through your marketing efforts. Step 6: Have an Engagement Strategy  The sequencing and pacing of events are key to opening guests’ hearts and wallets. Unfortunately, few organizations spend much time on the planning of these elements which are so important to maximizing the event’s impact and engagement. Your charity gala should be paced to build a sense of community among your guests from the moment they arrive at the venue. Have volunteers and staff greet guests stationed at registration to thank guests for attending. Make sure you instruct your registration team to warmly welcome guests as they check-in.  Your Board is also an integral part of your charity gala’s engagement strategy. Let them know in advance that they will be goodwill ambassadors for your organization during the event and assign them specific guests and sponsors to greet.  Encourage them to introduce themselves to as many guests as possible and thank each one for attending and for their support. The most impactful portion of a gala is the stage program. This is the part of the event when you have a chance to introduce guests to your organization’s mission and

5 Questions to Ask Your Fundraising Event Planner

Many nonprofits realize the benefits of hiring an experienced event planner to help them plan and execute their fundraising events. They know that the money they invest in a professional planner will reduce their staff’s stress and help to ensure a well-run guest experience.  There are a lot of event planners out there vying for your organization’s business. Many nonprofits are wondering how to find the best fundraising event planner to suit their particular needs. The first thing to know is that there are three types of event planners – social event planners, corporate event and meeting planners, and fundraising event planners. Social event planners specialize in weddings, bar mitzvahs, and other important life events which we celebrate. Corporate event and meeting planners typically focus on meetings and conferences that require meeting rooms, multiple meals and snack services, and often hotel accommodations.  Nonprofit organizations should use a specialized fundraising event planner. This type of professional is proficient at producing galas and fundraisers, and is experienced with tasks such as: To find the person or company that best fits your organization’s needs, start by asking these five questions. Question 1: What other organizations have you worked with? Getting references from the fundraising event planner’s past clients is the first step towards determining if they will work well with your organization. Always ask for a list of three-to-five past clients that you can call or email to find out specifics about the planners’ quality of work. Create a survey of questions to send to the past clients to make it easy for them to respond to your inquiries. You can use Google Forms, which makes it easy to create surveys and allows you to customize questions to be answered with a rating scale or a short answer.  For rating scale questions, with 1 being dissatisfied and 5 being very satisfied, ask the past clients to rate their satisfaction with the fundraising event planner’s: For questions that require a short answer, ask questions such as: Question 2: How will you share the workload with our staff? Let’s face it, putting on a successful fundraising event is a lot of work! There are committees to manage, invitations to design, auctions to pull together, guest lists to finesse, and volunteers to deal with. Nonprofit organizations vary in staff size and resources, and this means their requirements for an event planner vary as well. If you are a small organization with a very small, or one-person, development department then you will need more hands-on help from your planner to fill in the staffing gaps. You will need an experienced professional who can take a big chunk of the workload off your shoulders and keep you on track with deadlines.  Tasks that can be handled by a professional planner include: Larger organizations that have adequate staff to handle some of the extra workload may want to manage some of these jobs in-house which allows their staff to have more control. Question 3: Will you manage our event committee? Working with a committee can be a lot of work, and often fundraising event planners will step in and help you organize committee meetings and work with committee members. Whether or not you want the event planner to participate and manage your committee is up to you and your organization. Why would an organization forgo their planner’s help to manage their event committee?  It is because some nonprofits want to use the committee experience to strengthen bonds with their committee members.  An event committee generally consists of a nonprofit’s loyal supporters and the time spent attending meetings and working together is an exceptional stewardship opportunity. Volunteer committee members find it is a great way to reinforce their affinity for your organization and your mission. However, if your organization lacks an experienced leader for managing committee meetings and committee members, then it is best to let your fundraising event planner step in and lend a helping hand. They can assist you by creating meeting agendas, leading the meetings, and taking notes which can be distributed to the group afterwards. Even if an event planner is leading committee meetings, there should always be a staff or board member present. They will monitor the meeting and ensure that all decisions made by the committee are in agreement with the organization’s rules and bylaws. Question 4: How can you help keep us within our budget? Some organizations obsess over their event budget. They spend hours crunching numbers and updating estimated costs vs. real costs, and then crunch the numbers all over again when any line item changes. This may make them feel like they have control over their budget, but it is an illusion. An event budget is no more than an educated guess, and it is a constant work during your event planning. The budget keeps track of how much each event element is expected to cost and then is updated as the real costs become known.  Though an event budget number is a moving target, organizations need a budget in order to get a general idea of how much the total event will cost them. Budget estimates help nonprofits set their sponsorship levels and ticket pricing, and set their expectations for how much money needs to be raised in order to meet their net financial goal. When interviewing prospective fundraising event planners you should ask where in the budget they feel you should invest money and where you can cut corners.  Some fundraising event planners are excellent at negotiating better pricing for their clients. This could be lower corkage fees, reduced pricing for AV, or better pricing from a florist. Other planners will look towards creating underwriting opportunities that will defray costs for line items such as valet, printing, and wine. In rare cases there are planners who have event vendors extend a 10% discount to their nonprofit client in lieu of pocketing the industry’s typical referral fee themselves. If you find a planner who does this as their policy,

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