7 Tips for Successful Fundraising Galas

Alison Silcoff, head of Alison Silcoff Events and longtime mastermind of the Canadian Cancer Society's Daffodil Ball—a perennial Gala Award winner—offers her tips on the "never to be broken" rules for fundraising galas:

1. Make a respectable profit. Fundraising is a business, and there are acceptable guidelines for the ratio of expenses to gross revenue. More than 50 percent is unacceptable! We can all throw a fabulous party if all the money raised is used for the party! The Daffodil Ball expenses average 26.2 percent of the gross, and that includes every single expense, from postage stamps to the event producer’s fee.

2. Thank everyone. You can never thank people too much. We make a point of writing personalized thank-you letters to every single sponsor, donor, donor of goods or services, volunteer and supplier. During the evening, I make the rounds to thank top sponsors at their tables, as does the head of the Cancer Society (with a seating plan provided by me).

3. Fundraising is a service business. We treat our donors and sponsors like top clients. When they call or email, we jump! We are endlessly courteous and go out of our way to provide good service. For example, we may make and set out table name cards according the plan sent by a sponsor for his table. We try to seat people near those with whom they want to network. We are conscious of business and personal politics and seat people accordingly. We give a fashion advisory service for the wives!

4. Ensure all donor benefits are provided. We check and re-check to ensure that every name, logo and ad is in the program and on the website, spelled correctly. All social media benefits are similarly double-checked.

5. Keep it fun. Our guests go to many boring fundraising events each year. They are not in need of a free dinner! We strive to create "wow" moments in the decor, the entertainment and the cuisine.

6. Comp tickets cost money. A fundraising gala is not a free party for volunteers and staff, however wonderful. Every complimentary ticket has a cost and takes away a seat that could have been sold. So the charity has to understand that this is not the occasion to invite their staff and volunteers. Similarly, we are extremely careful with which donors and sponsors get comp tickets--only those who donate goods and services worth at least $15,000.

7. Handle volunteers with caution. They are essential and we tell them how grateful we are, but they have to be made to understand that they are there to work; this is not their party. We brief every volunteer (180 in total) in person and give them written instructions to look over well before the event.

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