Planning a fundraising event for a charity or nonprofit organisation is an exciting project that can ultimately benefit your cause. It’s important to think through how you’ll communicate your mission with attendees and connect them with the cause that their donations will benefit. You also need to carefully select your sponsors, vendors, and venue so that their values align with yours and don’t undermine the ultimate goal of your event.

We’ve put together a guide that gives an overview of how to host a charity gala. Our tips and checklist will help you every step of the way.

Table of contents

What are the objectives of a gala?

How do you plan a charity gala?

How do you host a gala?

Charity gala planning checklist

How to organise an accessible black tie charity event

Ready to reach your fundraising goals?

What are the objectives of a gala?

A gala or charity event can have many of the same objectives as other events, such as spreading awareness about an organisation’s mission or generating new leads. In addition, most charity events are very focused on fundraising money for one or more organisations or charitable initiatives.

How do you plan a charity gala?

Much of your event planning expertise will be applicable when it comes to planning a charity event, but there are a few extra factors to keep in mind. In this section, we’ll discuss the finer points of putting together a gala.

Begin the planning process

You already know how throwing a charity gala involves a great deal of time, organisation, and details. Start your planning as early as possible so you’re not in a rush in the weeks leading up to your event date. Creating a planning committee to help plan the event and leverage the personal networks of important community figures. You’ll want to give those committee members a good amount of lead time to reach out to their contacts. Consider the tools you’ll need to help keep committee work organised, such as shared documents and spreadsheets.

Decide on a budget

If this isn’t your first event, you likely have an existing budget itemising what you’ve previously spent and the associated ROI. Consider creating two budgets — one for essentials and one for good-to-haves. This way, you can prioritise areas for spending if you find that costs have changed or are higher than you expected.

Also, estimate the potential revenue that your event will generate. Multiply the number of anticipated attendees by ticket price, and then subtract your projected spend from that number. You can include projected merch and add-on sales as well.

Use your theme to tell a story

When the objective of your event is to raise money, you need attendees to connect with the mission that their donations will be supporting. Think of your charity event as an opportunity to tell a story that will make a positive impression on your donors. Consider your theme or story when it comes to all aspects of your event, from the entertainment to the venue to the décor.

Choose the venue for your gala

Finding the right venue for your unique event will involve practical considerations such as the type of ambiance that you want to create. Your event space will need to be large enough to safely and comfortably house the vendors and attendees you are hosting. Take into account factors such as how accessible your venue is for attendees with various needs, whether the venue can provide the necessary power sources, or if there are enough restrooms to accommodate attendees. Consider whether or not the look and feel of the venue complement the story or theme you’ve chosen.

Organise refreshments

If you’re looking for large donations from your attendees, you want to make sure they’re well-fed and hydrated. Tailor your food and drink options to the theme of your event. Think about how much your attendees are paying for their event tickets and plan to serve food and beverages that will reflect the value of the ticket prices. 

Does a gala include dinner? A charity gala typically includes a plated dinner, so budget for more than just hors d’oeuvres.

Find trusted vendors

Be sure to find dependable vendors — especially important if your gala will include high-profile attendees or speakers such as politicians or celebrities. Ask your committee members for referrals of top-notch vendors in their network. And, ask if your venue has a list of trusted and preferred vendors. You can even do some old-fashioned internet sleuthing to look for reviews online from previous customers.

If you’re planning a charity gala for a nonprofit organisation, you’re likely working with a tight budget. Consider negotiating with potential vendors to get the best price. Ask if they have specific rates for nonprofit events, or offer the opportunity to be featured on promotional materials in return for a discounted rate.

Recruit volunteers

Aside from the volunteers on your planning committee, you’ll need other people to help you out on the event day. The types of volunteers you may require for your gala include:

• Greeters
• Registration/check-in attendants
• Coat check attendants
• Wait staff
• Bartenders
• Volunteers to man a donation table or booth

Some of these positions, like coat check staff, may be covered by your venue, and your caterer may be providing staff such as bartenders and wait staff, so check with them first. For large events, plan to have more volunteers than you actually need so aren’t short on people on the day of the event.

Organise entertainment or speakers for your charity gala

Select speakers and entertainment that fit the theme of your event, make sense for your budget, and draw attendees. Tap into your committee’s network to find entertainers that may be willing to donate their time for a good cause. Hosting a meet and greet or round table with well-known speakers that your VIP ticket holders can attend is an additional way to raise money.

Secure sponsorship

Finding the perfect sponsors for your charity gala is important, both for your budget and for the image of your event. Make a list of corporate organisations whose mission and values align with those of your event. Collate data about your audience demographics using tools such as Google Analytics so you can present that information to these potential sponsors.

Consider your ticket prices

Offering different tiers of tickets allows you to raise more money from attendees who are looking for a VIP experience. Eventbrite allows you to sell different ticket types to your potential attendees that come with different perks. You can also offer a donation ticket type that allows attendees to specify the price they’d like to pay rather than a price set by you.

Market your gala

If you put together an event committee, ensure that the members are sending personal invitations to the people in their network to start generating RSVPs, and buzz, for your event. Develop a solid marketing plan that involves email, social media, and event discovery websites. For more help with marketing your gala event, review our 10-step guide to fundraising for nonprofit events.

How to host a charity gala

Black tie charity events don’t have to be overwhelming to plan. This section covers how to prepare for a smooth gala.

Plan the event program

Plan the event minute-by-minute so everyone knows what to expect, especially speakers. Be sure to include progress announcements in the program that let your audience know how much progress you’ve made toward your fundraising goal. Make the necessity of attendee donations tangible by showing how many donations are needed to reach particular goals. This way, your donors know exactly how their money is making a difference.

Create an easy check-in process

A seamless check-in process ensures that your attendees are in a great mood at the beginning of the event and you are able to stick to your schedule. Consider using contactless check-in options with QR codes emailed directly to attendees, and create a seating plan so there’s no confusion about where attendees should go. For example, you can put the attendees’ table numbers on their name badges or on place cards that they can collect when they check in.

Host a raffle or auction

Give attendees the option to donate more funds to your cause by hosting a raffle or an auction. You can choose prizes or auction lots that are directly related to your cause — such as a training session with a professional athlete if you’re raising money for sports programs for kids. The laws around raffles and similar games are different by state, so be sure to check local requirements and restrictions first. For even more excitement, consider getting a local celebrity or politician to emcee the auction or raffle to keep attendees engaged.

Decide how you’ll collect donations

Make it easy for attendees to make donations by providing a QR code on signage at the event so they can make easy donations using their phones. For attendees who are less comfortable donating digitally, consider setting up a designated location where you can collect checks and credit card payments. Be sure to provide donation receipts to all of your generous attendees.

Charity gala planning checklist

Here is a checklist to help keep you on task while planning your gala event.

• Determine the objectives for your event
• Organise an event committee
• Set a fundraising goal
• Create an event budget
• Determine your event’s theme
• Create a marketing plan
• Make a list of your ideal sponsors
• Collate audience demographics data and other important information to share with sponsors
• Reach out to prospective sponsors
• Book entertainment or speakers related to the theme of your event
• Make a list of what you need from a venue
• Find your venue
• Make a list of the vendors needed
• Book vendors for your event
• Acquire auction items or raffle prizes from sponsors or donors
• Promote your event through social media, email, direct mail, and other channels
• Communicate the event plan with your team and on-site staff
• Plan the program for your event
• Run through the event prior to event day

How to organise an accessible black tie charity event

Make sure your event is inclusive and accessible for everyone. This section covers ways to make your event as accessible as possible.

Improve invitations and online marketing

Ensure that your marketing materials are accessible by adding subtitles to marketing materials and making sure all static images have hover text that can be read by text-to-speak programs. Make it easy for your attendees to specify, in advance, if they require any additional on-site assistance. Gather this information on the registration form when they purchase their tickets.

Choose an accessible venue

Find an event venue that will easily accommodate your attendees. Look for features such as entrance ramps, large doorways, and elevators. Check with your venue to see if they allow service animals.

Make the journey easier

Consider making the trip to and from your event especially seamless for any attendees for whom driving themselves or taking public transportation isn’t possible or comfortable. You may explore partnering with rideshare companies to offer discounts and creating a designated pick-up/drop-off location.

Signage and literature

Make sure that any signage at the event for things such as directions, table numbers, or signs for silent auctions is large enough to read. Ensure that the signage is in multiple languages if you’re hosting international attendees. Have volunteers available to direct attendees who are unable to read the signs.

Ready to reach your fundraising goals?

Planning a charity event is an exciting opportunity to delight attendees and raise money for an important cause. Eventbrite makes it easy to sell tickets to your next nonprofit fundraising event.