Reboot Your Fundraising Event by going virtual (Chronicle of Philanthropy)

Galas, athletic events, auctions and other events are a lifeline for nonprofits. Yet they’ve come to a halt as the coronavirus spreads. To cope, many charities are taking events online and creating virtual events to engage supporters. This webinar is worth 1.25 CFRE credits.

What does it take to create a successful virtual event? How can you create community and hit your revenue goals during this crisis?

• an arts organization that moved its annual gala online in just three days
• a company that helps charities raise money through online events
• a small nonprofit that brings in more than a third of its annual revenue from events including peer-to-peer campaigns

Elizabeth Racheva, chief philanthropy officer at Washington Performing Arts, will explain how the organization transformed its annual gala into a live virtual event in 72 hours with impressive results. Racheva will share advice on how to adapt your in-person plans to minimize financial losses and make the most of an online format. She’ll share tips for creating a dynamic virtual program to keep participants engaged and giving ― including simple ways to optimize an online auction.

Roy Tuscany, founder of the High Fives Foundation, which raises more than a third of its annual revenue from events, will explain how to forge partnerships with companies to boost awareness of events and stretch your budget online. He’ll also offer tips for refreshing events to keep people participating and measuring success. 

Plus, you’ll learn from Megan Fett, account manager at Classy, an online fundraising service that helps thousands of nonprofits raise money online. Fett will share examples from groups that pivoted from in-person to virtual events during the pandemic. She’ll explain how to use digital tools and strategies to maximize results, including creating an easy online registration process that gathers useful data about supporters. She’ll also share dos and don’ts for virtual events, key steps to take when organizing a peer-to-peer campaign and provide a sample toolkit you can adapt to help volunteer fundraisers raise money easily.

What will you learn?

• How to transform an in-person event into a virtual gathering 
• Creative ways to engage supporters online, inspire greater giving, and stay within budget
• How to forge partnerships with companies to defray expenses and boost revenue

PRESENTERS

ELIZABETH RACHEVA, Chief Philanthropy Officer, Washington Performing Arts

MEGAN FETT, Senior Customer Success Manager, Classy

ROY TUSCANY, Founder, High Fives Foundation

HOST: LISA SCHOHL, Editor, Online Learning, Chronicle of Philanthropy