Fundraising events are an important part of your nonprofit’s annual calendar. They’re wonderful occasions to celebrate your community and supporters while raising money for your cause. How can you take fundraising events to the next level? By using technology to improve upon existing strategies! Take a load of stress off your shoulders by leveraging new innovations to make your events run more smoothly than ever.

With fall fundraising season around the corner, it's important nonprofits put themselves in attendees' shoes and focus on improving the guest experience. Smoothing out the experience at your event, from start to finish, ensures not only this year's success but long-term sustainability.

Organizing a profitable fundraising event is all about best use of time. To take your event to the next level, focus your time and energy on the most time-efficient money-makers:

Which type of fundraising event makes the most money in the shortest amount of time? Is it golf tournaments, galas, 5K run/walks, raffles?

The planning stage of most successful fundraising events began 6 months to 1 year or more in advance. With hundreds of details to manage leading up to the big day, it's no wonder missed opportunities and mistakes end up costing so many charities thousands of dollars in revenue each year. The more organized you are, the greater return on your investment.

Recently we hosted a webinar with fundraising software provider Greater Giving all about practical tips to describe, display, promote and sell auction packages more effectively. Today we are sharing part I of a lively Q&A session with charity auction organizers around the country.

In a previous webinar, we shared the "10 deadly sins," or costly mistakes, seen most often at charity auctions. Number 3 on our list: Putting out the wrong items for your audience. To get high returns on your fundraising event, you want auction items that have wide appeal, generate excitement, and are perceived as highly valuable among your donors.

What's the best way to arrange seating in a live auction? As always, it's imperative to think like a pro when planning a fundraising event.

At fundraising events, it's smart to focus your efforts on the live auction. They haul in the majority of your funds and are the evening's entertainment highlight to boot. That said, employing a variety of revenue enhancers - mini fundraising opportunities and games - keep your agenda exciting, entertain guests and add tens of thousands of dollars to your bottom line.

Why do fundraising events need good, clean sound? Your ability to raise money depends on it. As competition between charities grows, donor dollars are getting stretched thinner and thinner. To stand out, your auction must entertain the crowd and keep guests engaged the entire time.