Planning a Concert for a fundraiser

Things you need to do in order to have a successful concert as a fundraising event. For simplicity purposes I will discuss this as a Church group but it could be for any type of organization, just adjust your contacts to reflect your audience.

If you are a non-profit you can PSA's on the radio as well as television.

If you have a church youth group that you want to have a fundraising concert for you could also check with a Christian radio station and see if they would like to co-sponsor the event with you. Or perhaps the Interfaith Council would like to join in on the fun & funds!

Don't forget to contact your Interfaith Council and get their mailing lists and have them put it in their bulletins and to have them mention it at church. Also ask to set up ticket sales at the churches after services--get a volunteer for each service.

Got posters? Get them up places where the kids hang out. Make sure you ask the musical group to send you a promo kit. If they don't have one see what you can print off the net.

See if your local radio station would like to do a pair of ticket give away once a day for the last week, or the week before. It will get you plenty of advertising for 14 tickets.

See if one of the musicians (or all of them) will do a phone interview with the radio station. Have the station play some things from their CD.

Are you going to have a program? Sell advertising space in it. See if you can get a printer to donate it. Make sure the band sends you jpeg files so you can upload pictures.

Got the hotel booked for the musicians? Get your confirmation number. Who will be picking them up? Meals? Arrange for a nice gift at the hotel for them.

Know their lighting needs. Do they come with a lighting guy? Sound guy? What special requests do they have for the stage? Do they use pyrotechnics? What permits are needed? Is there a place for them to change? A place to take a break? Plenty of water? Or soda? Snacks or sandwiches? What happens on stage during their break?

You need ushers--and flashlights. And chairs if you don't have a standard auditorium. Arrnge for the musicians to have an opportunity to sell their CDs. Usually there would be a table at the back where after people have heard them they can make a purchase. You'll need a volunteer there too. And, everywhere you sell tickets, and their CD's, you'll need to have plenty of change.

Don't forget to get volunteers for clean up after--and remember to do something special for all those who volunteered. (Maybe all volunteers get a CD?) One of the cheaper things for volunteers is to buy them all t-shirts that match and that they will wear to identify themselves as a volunteer. You could have them printed up quickly to say 'YOU'VE GOT TO LOVE A VOLUNTEER'.