For many nonprofit organizations, events are an important way to raise funds, gather close donors, and educate the community in a unique way. Current limitations for in-person gatherings present a challenge for organizations that were planning to hold events.

For many nonprofit organizations, events are an important way to raise funds, gather close donors, and educate the community in a unique way. Current limitations for in-person gatherings present a challenge for organizations that were planning to hold events, particularly this spring and summer. An Assess-Decide-Communicate-Execute framework offers a process to clarify your event objectives and develop a plan to achieve them in this distanced period.

First, resist the urge to jump straight into the logistics. Many organizations fall into one of two buckets: 1) immediately canceling all upcoming events as they can’t see how a successful convening could happen virtually, and they are tempted to impulsively send out cancellations before making a plan or 2) transitioning all of their events to a virtual format as they want to make it happen in any way possible.

Before sending out a cancellation notice or purchasing new virtual event software, nonprofits should take advantage of this moment to review and assess the purpose and performance of their key events. This helps clarify the best event strategy to achieve your objectives this year, and to identify opportunities to enhance these high-capacity activities well into the future.

Take this short survey to help your organization determine the best alternative avenue for engagement.

STEP 1: ASSESS

Before you make any decisions, recall what the event was intended to achieve. Were you raising funds for a certain cause? Celebrating donors at a certain level? Educating the public? Or a combination? Taking the time to understand what goals your event was aiming to achieve, and where you were in the planning stage, will inform and elevate your transition plans moving forward. Conduct an event audit to determine:

The purpose and impact of the event

What planning has already taken place

How timing considerations will make the decision for you

STEP 2: DECIDE

“To cancel or not to cancel?” is not the question. Your organization has options, and it is not best practice to go the route of wholesale cancellation of event fundraising plans. Your team may choose to postpone or make your event virtual. You can also redistribute staff efforts to build alternative strategies that advance the goals you identified in the assessment. Translate the insights from the event audit into action: develop an engaging strategy or program that achieves your original event objectives.

STEP 3: COMMUNICATE

Regardless of how you decide to move forward, stakeholders are interested in hearing from the nonprofits they support. Developing a tiered communications plan that prioritizes event volunteers, sponsors, and major prospective donors can support the messaging of your ultimate decision. Though the logistics of your plan is important, incorporating impact-oriented updates about how your organization or cause is faring and how supporters can help will be strategic during this time.

A few best practices to keep in mind:

STEP 4: EXECUTE

For an event planning team, this step may feel familiar. Develop the appropriate working group, action steps, and timeline to make the event a success. Though your plans have changed, you may not need to start from square one. Find ways to creatively repurpose the plans and speaking points you have already developed. This step should also include your follow-up communication and donor cultivation plan to maximize the success of your event.

A few best practices to keep in mind:

What Can You Do Today?

The first step to initiate this 4-point plan is to meet with your staff and leadership to brainstorm ideas and solutions to obstacles. It is also useful to look at what like-minded organizations have already done. How can you set yourselves apart from the pack and create something that stands out? These are the key questions that will help initiate a thorough plan of action.

CCS Fundraising is a strategic fundraising consulting firm that partners with nonprofits for transformational change. Members of the CCS team are highly experienced and knowledgeable across sectors, disciplines, and regions. With offices throughout the United States and the world, our unique, customized approach provides each client with an embedded team member for the duration of the engagement. To access our full suite of perspectives, publications, and reports, visit our insights page. To learn more about CCS Fundraising’s suite of services, click here.