Throwing a successful corporate fundraising event is serious business. The payoff is worth the work involved—Your supporters are left with amazing memories of your cause and your event. But how do you execute every detail of the event and also have time available to work with generous donors?

Here’s our secret to creating astonishing results for fundraising events that far surpass your goals: Never let your audience see all the behind-the-scenes work involved. Like the Wizard in The Wizard of Oz, rely on your event production company to weave magic from behind the curtain. When you leave the event production to us, you can relax and put the fun back into fundraising.

Get started by answering the following questions to lay the groundwork for your stellar event:

1. What is the monetary goal? Quantify the definition of success for your organization by determining exactly how much money you’ll want to raise. Check in with departments inside your organization to find the bottom line for fulfilling their present needs. Armed with this information, you’ll have a solid idea of the number of guests to invite.

2. What additional fundraising goals are needed to ensure evergreen support of your cause? Strategize additional goals needed to facilitate meeting your monetary goal, such as:

• Publicizing your cause to increase public awareness
• Attracting new donors into the fold
• Keeping existing donors aware of new challenges to your cause
• Re-establishing ties with past donors

3. How do you create an event that attracts donors interested in your cause? Determine the demographics of your major donors, where they live, and what time of year they may be more inclined to attend. Which venue will hold the numbers of attendees you need in order to meet your fundraising goals?

Brainstorm with your team to develop the theme for your event, the central attraction. Here are just a few tried-and-true ideas that can stand on their own or can be used in any combination to heighten the appeal of your event:

• Silent auctions—Include incentive items that echo your cause and go high-tech by using mobile bidding software. Try including items signed by or donated by celebrities interested in your cause. Ask current donors to include auction items to publicize their support for your cause.

• Charity galas—An exquisite evening filled with wining, dining, and entertaining is a perfect way to treat major donors. Your lavish event sets the stage for your opportunity to mix and mingle with local philanthropists in person, sharing updates and rallying support for your organization with a backdrop of fun.

• Concerts and Staged Events—When supporters of your cause have the chance to see a live performance as the center attraction, they will jump on board. Call upon local talent to take center stage as your featured performers. They are more cost effective than celebrity rock stars and will spread the word to their fans to increase the awareness of your cause and the potential for new donations.

• Awards presentations—The anticipation of colleagues receiving well-deserved honors, and a keynote speaker of renown extolling the virtues of your worthy cause, attracts generous donations. The icing on the cake is the publicity your speaker draws: Local media will be thrilled to take your press release and run with it.

• Out-of-the-ordinary events—Think outside the box, present a fun was to attract donors to your cause, or hop on a hot new party trend, and you’ll attract a crowd that can’t wait to attend. Host a murder mystery night, feature outdoor cinema or improv stage players, invite magicians to serve up intrigue, create a theme borrowed from the pages of literature, throw a costume gala complete with prizes offered by sponsors, add mobile trivia games that include off-the-wall questions about your organization, and much more. The list is endless.

Need some ideas? Take the recent Valley Children’s Hospital Harvest Ball that we produced. This elegant outdoor gala under the stars attracted over 900 of the Central Valley’s most highly regarded philanthropists. We transformed the lawn into a fantasy of lights, sound, and color, setting the stage for exquisite food, wine, and a prosperous silent auction. The net proceeds topped over $1,000,000—It’s no wonder Valley Children’s Hospital continues to turn to us to create the perfect experience.

The Marjaree Mason Top Ten Professional Women & Leading Business Awards event brings some 1,500 attendees together under one roof to raise awareness of domestic violence and pays tribute to ten local professional women that made strides in this arena. For this important mission, corporate and media sponsors are sure to jump on board. MSI Media Solutions guides the event into a smooth landing—with perfect lighting, crisp sound, and crystal clear audio visuals— so that speakers and honorees easily take their places, front-and-center.

From the time you first share ideas of your fundraising event vision with us, we go into action to transform your vision into reality. Our set design staff is on it, offering the largest inventory of set rentals available in Central California, complete with the cutting-edge sound, lighting, and AV technology to support it. Our day-of staff works like a well-oiled machine to deliver on time and get everything in place, without any need for overseeing from you.

Check out our online gallery for more ideas. Join the fun at your upcoming fundraising events instead of feeling frazzled and overwhelmed. Take advantage of the opportunity to mix and mingle with cherished donors. Contact our team to make a difference in the hearts and minds of your guests: (559) 346-1020.