Sparking Joy: Fundraising & Lessons learned
With the 2nd annual Spark After Dark in Thinkery’s rear view mirror, I’m reflecting on what we have learned over the last two years. When we brought the annual marquis fundraising event back to the museum, we didn’t know what to expect. Would guests come? Would they like it? Would they give? Almost just as important as these questions were my thoughts on the impact on the staff – my teammates. My newbie listening tour yielded many learnings, one of which included a deep disdain for the organization’s annual gala. It was taxing, it felt off-brand, and disconnected to the everyday joy at Thinkery. We were clear on one thing: the return to the big red box would save the organization money. We were less clear on if it would raise critical funds or if our staff would experience the same level of burnout.
What we know so far:
- Yes, we saved money, and our net profit was higher.
- Yes, we raised money, and in fact, surpassed our goal by $75,000.
- No, the level of burnout is not the same, staff are more engaged, but we’ve work to do to make life easier for them.
Four take-aways that are working for us:
1. Stewardship first, fundraising always. Rather than Spark After Dark being a ticketed event, donors who give starting at the $500 annually are invited to attend the event and bring a guest. This allows us to focus on impact and saying thank you and layer in fundraising components for those inspired to give during the event. It’s not a perfect model by any means, but it feels important.
2. If the gala isn’t mission aligned, then it’s likely not staff aligned. This is a hard one, especially if your organization is like Thinkery in that the gala is your only fundraising opportunity. If you can conduct a financial risk analysis and test whether your organization is financially stable enough to try a different approach, then why not ask your staff how they would reimagine an event? Chances are your donors might welcome a change in their giving experience.
3. The secret sauce is an energized host committee. What if you had a host committee that functioned like an extension of the events team? A host committee that willingly took on the labor-intensive task of managing a silent auction - they exist, friend! It may take two years to craft the right balance of worker bees, donors, charismatic wranglers, but don’t give up, because this group of volunteers could be one of your greatest assets. Hot tip: approach your first host committee co-chair within six months of your event wrapping up. They’ll still be jazzed from last year’s and ready to serve.
4. There is always space for a community-centric approach to fundraising. Maybe it is in the way you story tell. Maybe it is how accessible you make ticket pricing. Maybe it is how you select your vendors. Maybe it is how you strategically introduce community partners to donor prospects. As a non-profit, your bottom line should always be community-driven and fundraising events can’t be any different.
