Ever hosted a Non-Event?
Working at a non-profit teaches you how to juggle 20 different tasks while standing on one foot on a ball and balancing a plate on your head. Your time can be stretched incredibly thin with all the tasks—but it is all worth it because of the powerful work you are doing in your community. That said, let's be realistic; there are 168 hours in a week and there are times that adding one more item to your to-do list simply isn't possible. We understand and we have a solution that allows you to fundraise for your organization with minimal planning effort.
Host a Non-Event
FundEasy's Non-Events provide you with a way to connect with your community and raise funds solely online. No fundraising dinner, no walk. Just a virtual event that allows people to raise money for a cause they believe in. This isn't online giving—it is a scheduled online event to raise funds in a certain time period. This eliminates the need for venue contracts, permits, seating charts, name tags, etc... All you need is a fun theme and a deadline, and your Non-Event is ready to go! Here are a few suggested themes to spark ideas:
Couch to 5K → Take a picture of yourself from your couch and set a goal to raise 5K for your organization.
Family Walk for a Cause → Encourage donors to take a 30-minute walk with their family and donate $30 to your organization at the end.
Dinner with Friends → Have a home-cooked meal with friends and donate the amount they would have spent at a restaurant to your organization.
#GivingTuesday → A global campaign dedicated to charitable donations held the Tuesday after Thanksgiving.
And remember to make it fun! Encourage fundraisers to take pictures and share how they are participating via social media. This helps spread the word and raise more money. Offer prizes for your top-3 fundraisers for a competitive incentive.
Setting up your Non-Event
Create a new FundEasy Event Participants register for your event from your website and receive their own FundEasy Page immediately to collect donations from their friends.
Spread the word Participants share their FundEasy Pages with hundreds of family and friends through Facebook, email, and more to raise money for your organization.
Collect Funds Every FundEasy Page collects online donations and deposits them directly into your bank account.
Be certain to set a deadline for your event. We suggest that you set a deadline about four to six weeks from the start date and make certain to broadcast that date. This gives you enough time to connect with your ministry partners and gives them enough time to share the Non-Event with their friends. Plus, people tend to respond to urgency. The deadline gives you that timeline for those pressure-prompted donors. Your ministry partners believe in your cause. Rather than host no event at all due to time or financial restrictions, consider giving them this Non-Event opportunity so they can be involved in your ministry. Contact us today to plan your first event Non-Event!
Andrea Trudden
This article was inspired by our customers and written to encourage your fundraising efforts. Although we work with ministries and events daily, our team members are not Event Consultants. We encourage you to consult with your event consultant, executive team, and/or affiliate organization before making any major changes to your events.