Timing of Your Campaign 

Hints 

Every event is different and unique.   Use this guide to get an idea for the timing of the items that could be critical to a successful fundraising campaign and event. 

The Committee Members will be responsible for sending letters to business, requesting support in the form of gift cards, cash or in-kind prizes. 

The best time to host an event for school students is a Friday afternoon.   Be sure to collect donations every Friday until the day of the event and event the Monday before the event. 

When seeking cash or prizes, be sure to ask major retailers about discontinued items that can be purchased at a significant discount. 

Offer prizes throughout the campaign to encourage significant collections and turn-ins every week. 

We suggest about 60 to 90 days from the time you put together your committee until the actual fundraiser activity. 

Schools - School students will require a different approach than other groups.    

1.      More than 90 days out - Create your event committee, decide on the event, and which students will participate.  Register an event license through FundMonkey.   Identify local business that could help with your event 

Have all permissions, approvals and event schedule approved by the Superintendents, Principals and City managers.  

2.      90 days out - Send out letters to business requesting cash and in-kind donations.   Look for prize opportunities.   Follow up by phone as soon as possible.  Don't be afraid to ask! 

3.      60 Days out - follow up on letters, and collect the gift cards, prizes, free tickets - confirm food and beverage donations 

4.      30 Days out - Hold kickoff event for students.  It may be best to hold your kickoff on a Friday.  Have all prizes collected and on display during kickoff event. Hand out collection envelopes with marketing materials and goal information. 

5.      3 weeks out - 2 weeks out, and 1 week out - Have Friday prize contests and collect money on Fridays.    You may also have a final collection on the Monday before the event.  This schedule will give your participants four weekends to talk with family, friends and neighbors about event pledges and donations.  

6.      Zero Day - Hold your event.  This day and the day before will require the majority of your volunteer help.     

Professional Groups - Other fundraising groups may use a similar schedule.  The only difference is the lack of school students.  Your kickoff may only consist of an e-mail or an after work meeting to pass out fundraising materials and pledge codes.    

30 to 60 days out - If you are hosting an open event, you will want to be focusing on participant registration. 

Using the FundMonkey web page and the secure online transaction server, it may be possible to seek donations and pledges using only e-mail and the Internet. 

People are naturally competitive, if you've raised prizes, be sure to communicate the prize opportunities to your participants.