CASH NOW! is a book which was published in 1994 as a fundraising manual describing 29 fundraising events and how to carry them out successfully. This section is a series of excerpt from the Introduction section of the book. It is reproduced with the approval of the authors.

Some basics...
Fundraising is hard work but must also be fun if it is to be successful. Always remember that your success in putting on any event depends on your volunteers and on your participants all enjoying what they are doing. Not having a good time will have a detrimental impact both on volunteer effort and funds raised.

It is the responsibility of the fundraising chairperson and committee to set the tone of the event and that tone must be one of fun, excitement, and enjoyment. You want both the volunteers and participants to come back in subsequent years and bring their friends. Additionally, volunteers are much easier to motivate when they are having a good time.

It is very important to realize that your event cannot be looked at in isolation. You must accept the premise that events evolve over time. The perceived value of any event to a participant grows from year to year. Therefore, it follows that any event you choose to run should be viewed as a long-term commitment, not a one-shot affair. You are looking to build on your previous successes, year after year, which is why your event must be a positive experience for all concerned. Everyone, participants and volunteers alike, must want to come back again and again. Remember, there is no such thing as a poor fundraising event, only poor planning.

The menu to the right will show you a series of pages outlining ideas on these critical areas.