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Charity Galas: What Do Donors Want?
By Malini Sekhar, Associate
October 2010

Do celebrity appearances draw more people for charity events?

How much can you charge for event tickets, especially in this economy?

Wouldn’t it be nice to know what donors think about questions like this so you can plan a fundraising event more cost-effectively? Well now you can find out!

CharityHappenings.org, which sells charity event tickets and serves as an online social hub for younger philanthropists across the nation, has released a new survey that sheds light on what charity event-goers want so that nonprofit organizations can make the best use of their existing resources.

The “2010 Charity Event Market Research Report,” featured in the Chronicle of Philanthropy, includes the feedback of 850 respondents who regularly attend charity events in 30 states.

Some helpful insights from the report are:

  • Celebrity appearances are less effective than you think, especially if the celebrity is not on the ‘A’ or ‘B’ list.
  • Ticket prices should be set based on the demographics of leading attendees; the event’s goals; and the kind of food, beverages and entertainment that will be offered – but it’s better to ask for more than less.
  • Almost half (46.9%) of event-goers want 75% of ticket proceeds to go towards the actual cause of your nonprofit organization. Another 32.8% would be willing to accept 50% of proceeds donated to your charity.
  • Keep program speeches brief and find creative and compelling ways to demonstrate the organization’s mission and results at the event.

In addition to these helpful event-planning tips, the report offers specific recommendations on the most effective event communication methods, event themes and food options.

Click here to download the full report for free. You will be asked to enter your contact information before you can get a pdf of the report via email. It’s worth it.

Schultz & Williams is a national consulting firm based in Philadelphia; providing management, fundraising and marketing consulting for nonprofit organizations, along with full-service direct marketing, database and creative/production services.