There’s something special about a well-planned fundraiser. Everyone enjoys a night out, and they enjoy it even more when they know that their money is going to a good cause. But if you want people to attend your event, then you need an idea.
People won’t take time out of their busy schedules to attend an event if it doesn’t have serious planning behind it. You want your event to stand out. But what are people looking for in their fundraisers?
Fortunately, at the Overland Park Convention Center, we’ve hosted a number of successful charitable events, so we have the nonprofit fundraiser event ideas for you.
As important as a detailed event plan may be, you can’t have a successful event without the right venue.
You want a location that communicates the right atmosphere to your guests. Some people might not realize just how important a venue is to organizing the perfect nonprofit fundraiser event. Even if you have all the right guests, catering, decorations, and music, a subpar venue can drag down the legitimacy of your event.
You want a location that communicates class, fun, and excitement. If you’re struggling to find the right event venue, then you should consider the Overland Park Convention Center.
All You Need to Know About OPCC
If you’re unfamiliar with the Overland Park Convention Center, then you may be wondering what makes us so special. We prioritize the client experience every step of the way. Event planners have a lot of choices in venues, and we want to reward the fine people who choose to work with us.
Some truly great publications have chosen to shout out our work, and we couldn’t be more flattered. In fact, EXHIBITOR Magazine, an industry-leading publication, even called us the best small convention center in North America.
That’s a big claim, and we do our best to live up to it in every way we can.
Types of Fundraisers
As you begin formulating your nonprofit fundraiser event ideas, it might be beneficial to hear about some events that we’ve hosted over the years.
We’ve hosted a myriad of luncheons and banquets. We’ve also hosted several banquets for political parties on both sides of the aisle. Every year, we partner with Toys for Tots to collect toys for underprivileged children in the area.
As you can see, we host a variety of events for all kinds of different organizations, so let us know what you’re picturing, and we can make it a reality.
Beginning the Brainstorming
Planning the perfect event can be overwhelming and confusing, but it doesn’t have to be. But where do you start with nonprofit fundraiser event ideas?
Before you begin perfecting your event, you need to decide what that event will be in the first place! And to do that, ask yourself some questions about the charity or organization you’re planning the event for.
You want to be sure that the tone of your event matches the tone of your charity. For instance, if your nonprofit works with kids, you may want to choose an event where children would be welcome! Your event should remind people why they work with your nonprofit organization.
The Guest is King
In this same vein, try to put yourself in the shoes of a guest who might attend your event. Ask yourself about the demographics of your nonprofits’ donors.
Nonprofit event ideas should always take the guest into consideration—after all, they’re the reason you’re planning this event in the first place.
If your attendees are primarily elderly, then an event where everyone will be on their feet may not be the best choice. But maybe your nonprofit skews toward a younger crowd, and in that case, a ballroom dance could be the perfect choice! No two events will be quite the same, but that’s what makes event planning so fun!
Giving Back at a Gala
Still not sure what kind of event you’re looking for? That’s okay—let’s take a look at a couple of example event ideas. Maybe you’ll find some inspiration for your own nonprofit event. One of the most common fundraising events that we host are galas.
Galas are a perfect way to attract donors. Most people don’t have a consistent reason to dress up in their best clothes and hit the town, so guests will be excited to attend an event like this one.
With the right amount of care and attention to detail, your gala can really stand out, and your guests will notice the difference.
Where to Hold a Gala
A gala really benefits from a luxurious venue. Guests will feel uncomfortable if they’ve dressed up in extravagant clothing only to realize that their surroundings don’t quite match. If there was ever an occasion to go all out on décor, then a gala is it!
The Overland Park Convention Center has multiple gorgeous event spaces, but our ballroom may just be the perfect choice for an event of this kind. Not only does it have the space to fit your guests, but the design is perfect for a fancy dinner event.
You can also decide to split up the space into four smaller sections if the room is a little too large for you.
A Hunger for Change
Another classic choice for a nonprofit event is a banquet. Food is a great way to incentivize people to come to an event, and the best part is, you can host a banquet at any time of the day.
If you have a donor group of all different ages, you may not want to hold a dinner that starts too late. Instead, why not hold a breakfast or lunch banquet? You can put together a nice meal or buffet and get people excited about your cause.
The perfect nonprofit event ideas help you reach out to as many potential donors as possible. With the help of our audiovisual services, you can show a presentation while your guests eat. It’s the perfect way to inform your attendees about your cause.
Menu Options
Of course, you can’t have a banquet without food, and our culinary team is top-of-the-line. But don’t just take our word for it. Our head chef has worked with Michelin Star chefs and even beat Bobby Flay on his own show! He also cooked for the president at the White House.
We only hire the best of the best at Overland Park Convention Center. And you don’t have to worry about any picky eaters, either.
We have a variety of different menu options to choose from, so no matter what style of food you’re looking for, you can find something delicious that meets your preferences.
Continuous Support
Now that we’ve discussed some nonprofit fundraiser event ideas, you need to get planning. As you’re planning an event, you could benefit from having a staff of qualified professionals behind you. You’ll be amazed at the resources at your disposal when you decide to host your event at OPCC.
This doesn’t just include a host of amenities, but a trained team as well. You probably have some ideas for your nonprofit event, but no one can host a large event alone!
Our team is filled with trained culinary specialists, AV technicians, and experienced staff. No matter what kind of assistance you need, we have the professionals to help.
Resources and Amenities
Speaking of amenities, let’s take a closer look at the resources available to our event organizers at OPCC. Above all, our team at OPCC is committed to offering an exclusive, cutting-edge experience for our guests.
Innovation and inclusivity are at the center of everything we do. For example, we’re proud to offer state-of-the-art sensory rooms for any guests who may become over-stimulated over the course of your event.
We’ve also worked to offer sustainable options for our more environmentally conscious guests. If you need something to perfect your event, then let us know, and we’ll see what we can do.
We can also help you promote your event on our website and social for no additional cost!
Looking for more information?
Do you want to learn more about the Overland Park Convention Center? Then we have the resource you need. Every month, we update our custom blog, which is filled with exclusive information about our services and how we work to keep OPCC great.
We have a variety of different topics and blogs, so if you’re looking for something specific, you should have no trouble finding it. And if by some chance you can’t find the information you’re looking for, then stay tuned, because there’s a good chance we’ll add something about it soon.
Reach Out to OPCC Today
No matter what nonprofit fundraiser event ideas you have, OPCC can help. If you’re not sure where to get started, then you may benefit from our event planning tool.
This intuitive tool was custom-made for our site, and we worked to make it as fast and convenient as possible. All you’ll need to do is answer some questions about the specifics of your event, and we can send you a preliminary estimate.
We hope you’ll consider scheduling an event with our team at OPCC. You won’t regret it.
