When it comes to fundraising, nonprofit committees often turn to selling a product or event. However, brick fundraisers offer a unique twist that pays lasting tribute to supporters.
To maximize your fundraising potential, promote the campaign on social media, send out press releases to local radio stations, and create a flyer or brochure. You can also use a fundraising thermometer to show your progress towards the goal!
1. Create a Brick Wall
The term brick wall can refer to a literal wall built from bricks or a metaphorical barrier that seems impossible to overcome. Regardless of how it’s used, brick walls are a great way to raise money for your organization or cause. Creating a brick wall requires many steps, including digging a foundation and laying the first course of bricks. This process can be overwhelming for a beginner, but with patience and practice, anyone can build their own brick wall.
To start, dig a trench that’s the width and depth of your wall. This will create a solid base for your brick wall and prevent it from collapsing. It’s also important to make sure that the trench is perfectly level before laying your bricks. Next, drive wooden stakes into the ground to find out how high to build your wall. Make sure that they are two to four feet apart and aligned with the row of bricks you plan on building.
Lay the first course of bricks on a bed of mortar. Make sure that the first brick is flush with the stake line and check with a spirit level that it’s straight. After laying the first course, wait for 45-60 minutes to ensure that the mortar is slightly set. This will allow you to finish the first layer without making any mistakes.
After the first course is set, begin laying the second row. Use the same process as the first, but be careful to account for the thickness of the mortar in between each brick.
Continue laying bricks until you reach the desired height of your brick wall. At this point, you can add finishing touches such as soldier courses to create a different pattern for the top of your wall or use a different topping method.
When you’re ready to collect donations, set up a table with envelopes that correspond with each dollar amount your supporters can donate. As people stop by your brick wall, they can select an envelope and write their donation amount on the front of it. To make your brick fundraiser even more special, consider partnering with Polar Engraving, a leading company in creating personalized engraved bricks that can be used to build a lasting tribute for your supporters.
2. Host a Gala
A gala is a great way to thank your supporters for their generosity while also raising money for your nonprofit. While it can be hard to decide what type of fundraiser to host, there are some key strategies that every organization should consider when creating a gala that will be both memorable and successful.
First, you must determine the goal of your gala to help guide your planning. This will help you establish the scale of your event, the types and levels of donors you should target, and how to manage costs. Once you have a clear idea of what you want the event to accomplish, you can begin to establish your budget.
Your fundraising gala should provide attendees with a fun and enjoyable experience, as well as give them the opportunity to learn more about your mission. This will help your guests become more invested in your work, as well as encourage them to continue supporting you long after the gala is over.
To ensure that your fundraiser is successful, you must have a strong team in place. This team should include both volunteers and staff members. Recruiting volunteers early will give you time to train them before the big day. It is also a good idea to promote your event in advance, using social media and email, to reach as many potential attendees as possible.
One of the best ways to increase your donor base at a gala is to host a bring-a-friend program. By requiring guests to purchase tickets in pairs, you can encourage your supporters to bring friends and expand their networks while boosting your fundraising efforts.
You should also make your event as entertaining as possible to attract and retain donors. This can be accomplished by providing a variety of different activities for your audience to engage with. For example, you could offer a live band, hold a photo booth, have different games, and have speakers speak about your cause.
Additionally, you should consider adding a raffle component to your gala to create more excitement for the event. This can be done by offering various prizes, such as gift cards or tickets to local attractions and events. You can even take your raffle online and host a virtual fundraising gala to increase engagement with your event and attract a wider audience.
3. Host a Sip-and-Paint Event
Sip-and-Paint events are a fun and unique way to bring people together. These painting parties combine a professionally-led art class with the opportunity to enjoy drinks. The event is ideal for birthdays, bachelor and bachelorette parties, and other celebrations. It’s also a great team-building activity for work. The best part about a paint and sip party is that it’s easy to host in person or online.
If you decide to hold the event in your community, consider renting a space that will allow you to seat multiple people. You can find affordable venues at local churches, community centers, or libraries. Ensure that there is enough space for everyone to move around comfortably and see the instructor clearly. You can also encourage participants to bring their own beverages to the event to save money.
Choose a theme for the paint and sip event that will resonate with your audience. Choosing a theme will help you plan for the event and make sure that all your guests will be comfortable. For example, you can host a wine and paint event that is themed for spring or fall. This will help your attendees to get excited about the event and increase their attendance.
It’s important to be clear about what your expectations are for the event. You can do this by creating a simple invitation that includes all the relevant information. Make sure that you include the painting instructions and any other information that your guests may need to prepare for the event. You should also provide your guests with a list of supplies that they will need to bring to the paint and sip event.
If you want to make your virtual paint and sip event more interactive, you can incorporate ice breakers or questions that will help your guests get to know each other. You can also add breaks to the painting session so that your guests can stretch, refill their drinks, and chat with one another. This will keep the energy of the event high and increase your chances of raising more funds.
4. Run a 5K
5K races are incredibly popular, and they’re a great way to raise money for your cause. A 5K is 3.1 miles, so it’s a manageable distance for even novice runners to complete. This makes it a perfect fundraiser for everyone from super-fit Uncle Mike to postpartum you trying to get back into exercise. It’s also a competitive goal for seasoned runners, who can work to finish at the top of their age group or improve on past performance.
If you have a major donor that would love to see their name on the race results, host an in-kind donation drive. This can include items like t-shirts, food, drinks, and more. In-kind donations are typically given on a one or two-day basis, so they’re a good choice for quick fundraising events.
Host a virtual 5K to give your supporters the opportunity to participate in the event on their own time. Give them a window of time in which they can run or walk the distance, and ask them to report their results to you via email. Once they’ve completed the event, send them a virtual medal they can share on social media and a t-shirt branded to your organization. If you have a lot of supporters in the same area, consider partnering with local artists to host a virtual art class.
