September 19, 2013

1. YWCA Special Events Fundraising: Maximizing Profits, Passion, and “Buzz” September 19, 2013

2. YWCA USA Fund Raising Training Series A series of 6 workshops designed to help local YWCAs build their fund development capacity: • Fund Raising 101 (June 28, 2013) • Developing Your Annual Fund Raising Plan (July 25) • Major Gifts (Aug. 22) • Fund Raising Events (Today) • Capital Campaigns (Oct. 24, 2 p.m. EDT) • Planned Giving/Endowment (Nov. 22, 2 p.m. EDT)

3. YWCA Annual Fund Components EVENTS ANNUAL FUND MAJOR GIFTS ONLINE, MAIL, OTHER Tie them all together with your Annual Fund Development Plan

4. Setting the Stage for Today’s Webinar YWCAs are very diverse, conduct wide variety of fundraising events Webinar Goal: Help you perfect and get the best ROI from your events Topics Today: • Building more benefits into your events—the big view • 4 metrics of event effectiveness • Classic YWCA events--examples • Strategies for increasing revenues, benefits • Strategies for Increasing “Buzz” • Strategies for securing, retaining, growing underwriting Post-Webinar, we’ll send you some helpful tools

5. Fundraising Event Truisms When fundraising events are well designed and executed, they can generate tremendous benefits for our YWCAs When they’re not, they can result in: • Significant Board/Staff burnout • Lost opportunity • Serious financial problems (And by the way, most of us have a love/hate relationship with our events…it’s ok!)

6. The Many Benefits of EventsWhen They’re Well-Designed • Raise significant funds to support YWCA Programs • Provide a forum for: • Showcasing the YWCA’s vital programs, effectiveness • Educating the community about critical issues • Building the YWCA’s constituency • Create “social capital”….the opportunity for people who share the same values to interact, build relationships • Demonstrate the YWCA’s strength, influence to government, private funders, community leaders • Create productive “buzz” about the YWCA

7. 4 Key Metrics of Event Effectiveness • Is the Event Appropriate? • Is it aligned with/enhance the YWCA’s mission? • A good match for your current, potential constituents? • Is it content-rich (does it inform, motivate, engage)? • Can the YWCA stake out a “niche”,make it a “Signature” event? 2. Is the Event Cost-Effective? • Is it “scalable”…what’s the plan for scaling-up? • Is it attractive to prospective underwriters? • What is the “ROI….return on investment” e.g. • Return per hour invested: Net Proceeds/Staff + Volunteer Hours (then take secondary benefits into account) • All costs underwritten • What are the risks….are they reasonable and manageable?

8. More Metrics……. • Does The Event Generate Important Secondary Benefits • Increased visibility, stature, gravitas? • New funding opportunities? • New relationships, partnerships? • Heightened connectivity with current, past donors and leaders? • Deepened understanding of critical community issues? • New or re-energized volunteer support, public policy support? • Connectivity to “next gen” population? 4. What About Feasibility? • Are volunteers sufficiently plentiful and enthusiastic? • Do you have staff (#, expertise) and financial resources to pull it off? • Is there a good potential “market”….not saturated? • Are you willing to make a long term commitment to grow the event?

9. Examples of Local YWCA Events • Women of Achievement Luncheons • Walk a Mile in Her Shoes • Soup Bowl Events • Auctions (general, purses, wine, special theme, etc.) • YWCA Anniversary Celebrations • Athletic Events (e.g. runs, golf tournaments) • Women Helping Women Lunches (Table Captain Model) • Holiday Gifts/Remembrances • Cause-Related Marketing Events

10. A Closer Look at 2 YWCA Events

12. Ideas For Increasing Donations, Benefits 1. Grow the # of Major Gift Attendees/Donors • Strategize recruitment of attendees with “major gift” capacity: • Recruit key table captains with access • Follow-up diligently with major gift prospects; make necessary accommodations • Provide priority seating, special “perks” • Create YWCA Board Alumnae tables • Offer speaking role e.g. introduction • Offer major gifts “carve-outs” e.g. • House a homeless family • Help a child become school ready • Provide safety to a victim of domestic violence • Create a “YWCA Wonder Woman” gift category

13. 2. Create Gift Opportunities at Events with “Admission” • On-site “tweet” opportunity • Make a compelling request for a donation • Raffle tickets • Raise a Paddle 3. Bump-Up the Size of Gifts • Develop a “matching gifts pool” • For gifts of a certain size • For increases over prior years • If goal is reached • Enable “Installment” gifts e.g. monthly/quarterly giving • Make giving fun • What you spend on Latte’s • What you’re worth “on the hoof” • Suggest a compelling add-on e.g. for a capital project, endowment, anniversary, increased need

14. 4. Employ Gift Retention Strategies • Request an “on-going” monthly gift i.e. until notified to stop • Provide special recognition, seating to those who participate X # of years • Make phone calls to past participants you haven’t yet heard from this year • Cultivate/nurture/steward Table Captains, key volunteers 5. Give Those Who Didn’t Attend a Chance to Donate • Provide “Table Captains” with envelopes/on-line giving link for those they invite who can’t attend. Credit TC’s with the gift. • Send a “We Missed You” to registrants who didn’t show • Send a post-event summary and “ask” to those who attended last year but not this year

15. Tips to Kick Up the “Buzz” • Pre-event Face Book campaign • Twitter—at the event---hit “trending” goal • VIP pre-event e.g. with speaker, at a special location • Swag/tchotchkes—scarf, balloon for visual impact, other • Secure donated pre-event billboards • Create role for local media reps; speaker interviews • Make special effort to recruit key elected officials, civic leaders… so they can see and buzz about the YWCA’s impact, power, reach • Send thank you and results to guests that very day

16. Tips to Secure/Retain/Grow Underwriting • Develop a “sponsorship committee” (year-round) • Identify companies that want access to our “market” • Recruit TCs/event volunteers from those companies • Recruit a senior rep from largest sponsors to your Board • Make a timely request (e.g. relative to their budget year) • Create benefit “packages”, re. support level e.g. • Industry “exclusivity” • Feature on website, marketing materials • Feature at the event • Introduce speaker • Create a partnership: bundle sponsorship with other engagements • Create post-event stewardship plan

17. A Few Random Tips • Always strive to stay ahead of the pack…. have the best event in it’s “class”….. don’t take your foot off the gas…keep it fresh.. be creative, authentic, clever. • Don’t discontinue an event until you’ve: • Considered options for improving it • Figured out how to replace the money • Be sure YWCA staff and loyal volunteers are integrally involved in the planning of the event….so it doesn’t get “co-opted” • Cause-related marketing events…. make sure that the “cause” benefits are at least equal to the “marketing” benefits… improve the ratio, where possible

18. Resources We’ll Send You • The PowerPoint from this webinar • A YWCA Event Evaluation/Enhancement template • Sample “Table Captain” job description • An example of a Sponsor Benefit Packet Send comments, questions, ideas to: ryder@ywca.org

19. Q & A