Creative plans to support both the nonprofit sector and the event industry

UPDATE: Get our COVID-19 fundraising event toolkit HERE

View the Portland/Vancouver Metro Area Fundraising Event Calendar here.
To submit your fundraising event to this Community Calendar, please click here.

Everyone now knows that the COVID-19 lockdown on social engagement means a tough road for fundraising event season. But we know these are critical funds that keep doors open, keep missions in motion, keep services in place and keep people employed. So how can nonprofits continue fundraising if they have to cancel their event? And how can nonprofits support their small business partners that help them with fundraising events so that their employees get paid and their doors stay open?

Crisis is a time for creative solutions and collaboration. We’ve been asking a lot of people, “What creative solutions can we come up with together?” Here’s what we’ve learned.

If your event is cancelled, lots of organizations are transforming their live and silent auctions into online auctions and are taking their event virtual. This can often leave event professionals like photographers, caterers and florists without a role to play. But perhaps there are other creative ways to collaborate for a great result for everyone.

The deposit is down, the gig is booked—how can nonprofits use those partnerships to support their new format? How can event vendors get creative to support more fundraising for the nonprofit? Let’s look for the win-win together. If you have other creative solutions, please add them to the comments.

Florist

Repurpose centerpieces into a package that can be auctioned off in an online auction, or a delivery to some of your biggest sponsors and donors to thank them. It will keep the florist in business, create great donor cultivation and help beautify your donor’s dining table at home that may now have been converted into a home office.

Photographers

While photographing your guests may no longer be needed, have your photographer do studio shots of your auction packages to prepare them to go online. Also consider having your photographer shoot behind the scenes of your virtual event.

Auctioneers

This is the team you need now more than ever. Have your auctioneer host your online event, promote auction sales and conduct a virtual appeal. Additionally, engage their team of bid spotters and recorders to help key in donations, run your chat window and provide your on-air talent with a feed of names to recognize. They can make a great studio audience to cheer and help create some energy for your virtual event.

Caterers

If you cancel your event with a week or more lead time, you can avoid the hard costs of purchased food. So be sure to collaborate with your catering partner to make sure that you’re not purchasing the supplies for a dinner you’re not serving. Instead, think about all of the possibilities for using catering in other ways. You may not be serving a fancy dinner anymore but there are lots of ways that a catering team can support your fundraising.

Can they feed your team for the virtual feed in the studio?
Can they offer a pick-up window for families to get a meal for 4 to enjoy during the live feed?
Can they deliver meals to your donors’ homes for viewing parties?
Can they provide you food for a staff gathering when you’re all able to return to working together in the office?
Can they support a future event such as a board meeting, staff gathering or additional program?

AV Teams

You no longer need stage lights and projection screens, but perhaps their resources can provide you the technology for a virtual event. Can they provide you the studio, camera team and stream feed?
Your AV partner could also produce some videos to be shared during your virtual event.
And then you can use those same videos to send out after your virtual event.

Wine

You have a bunch of donated wine you were about to serve to guests at your event. Perhaps this is a chance to sell it in your online auction instead, or deliver it to your donors as a thank you.

Venue

Consider hosting a donor thank-you event, after this has all passed.
Host your virtual event from your venue.
Ask your venue for openings in their calendar in which you might be able to repurpose the venue rental for an all-staff meeting, board training, etc. While the venue will be booked with lots of rescheduled events, they’re likely to have holes in their schedule they’d love to fill.

Registration Techs

Did you rent computers and have techs coming to support your registration? They are experts in your data. They can help you convert your event into an online auction and can show up for a virtual auction to help you feed incoming gifts to your on-air talent for recognition.

What other creative ways can we partner together?

Kristin Steele