Almost all nonprofit organizations host fundraising events each year. Outside of activity-centered events – golf outings, fun runs -- which appeal only to a very specific audience, the struggle to come up with something new, engaging, and effective is ongoing. Certain elements are required to produce a nonprofit fundraiser that helps you to meet your fundraising and relationship-building goals.
Acts Of Kindness Cabaret (AOKC) has provided 75 benefit performance events that have helped over 55 different nonprofit organizations meet their fundraising and relationship-building goals. Our results speak for themselves.
One of the reasons AOKC performance events are so successful is that we have identified we understand the most important elements common to all successful fundraisers.
People remember stories long after hard facts. For this reason, it is very important to create an environment where stories are shared and people are invited to reflect on themselves and others. Storytelling has the power to mobilize audiences to give money, time, and talent to your organization. Put simply, Cabaret is an evening of storytelling. AOKC benefit performances provide nonprofit teams and donor bases with opportunities to share in the power of a story.
Make Your Event Memorable
The problem with many typical fundraising events is that they’re, ultimately, very forgettable. Why? They don’t provide a truly shared experience. A dinner means that, often, people who don’t know each other are sitting around a table trying to make conversation. A wine tasting provides a common activity but not much for folks to talk about. For the most part, those evenings are enjoyed or endured and then immediately forgotten.
You want your donor base to remember your event long after it has ended. Like that great movie, concert, or play, your event should stick with your audience, excite them enough to tell their friends about it, and invite those friends the next time. And when they talk about the event, they’ll also be talking about your organization!
An AOKC performance is a shared, transformative experience that audiences will talk about with their friends, making it all the more likely they’ll invite those friends next time.
“When [the] cabaret vocalists came into the room and the piano began to play, the room was transformed. For the next hour and a half, the audience laughed, cried, and enjoyed a thoughtful, sentimental, joyful and terrific performance. After all the excitement quieted down and we could calculate the financial success of the event, we were quite happy. Our members and guests were still talking about the evening throughout the following week. That is when you know you have had a successful event!” ~ Marla Schachtel, Lake Forest/Lake Bluff Senior Citizens Foundation
Take Advantage of Good Help
Especially for smaller nonprofit organizations, the planning, organization, and execution of a fundraising event can be a real burden. Trying to find balance between all of that work while still making sure you get butts in the seats can prove to be a Herculean task. If, say, an organization comes along that can lift much of the burden off your shoulders -- at almost no cost – say yes!
"It was a real pleasure to work with Acts Of Kindness Cabaret. Hilary and her team made everything easy for us, and we couldn't be happier with the results. Our guests were amazed by the remarkable performance and had nothing but positive feedback. We hope to make this event an annual occurrence!"
~ Karen Jones, Adoption Center of Illinois
Acts of Kindness Cabaret offers unique, engaging, and affordable modern Cabaret shows as fundraising events for Chicagoland’s incredible nonprofit community... almost entirely FREE of charge. Technical gear, setup, and personnel, and other services are all included! Contact us if you would like to partner with us for your next fundraising event. We’re here to help!