Spring is in full swing, and with it, a peak time for fundraising events like annual galas, golf tournaments and live auctions. Have you brainstormed ways to keep your events new and exciting? It's tempting to think "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." Fact is, fresh ideas are the antidote to donor fatigue, no matter how successful your events have been in the past. Bringing something new to the table can supercharge attendance and revenue for almost all nonprofits.

Planning a charity event for the first time can be totally overwhelming. With countless things to coordinate, numerous people to please and the pressure to justify the event by raising enough money - all while staying within budget - can make even the savviest event planner apprehensive.  

By Sylia Obagi Director of Operations, Annenberg Foundation Posted at HuffingtonPost.com Most nonprofit leaders don't think of income generation as their top priority. Their purposes to serve, they reason. Raising money is secondary. This kind of thinking is one of the biggest mistakes a nonprofit can make. Without a strong fundraising culture, nonprofits often lurch from one financial crisis to another. Many fail to thrive. In spite of good ideas and sometimes great potential, some simply die.

Winspire Winnie participates in Nonprofit Jeopardy By Vicki Blaze on Yahoo Voices TV game shows have been a huge success for many years, dating back to the 1970's and 80's with The Price is Right, Jeopardy, and Family Feud. More recent crazes include Do You Want To Be A Millionaire, Deal or No Deal, and Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader. All of these game shows have a few things in common - contestants, a host, prizes, challenges, anticipation, and humor. A game show event makes a great fundraiser or simply a school spirit event. Here are some tips to plan an evening where people can laugh out loud with their friends, family, teachers, and principal.