March 18, 2004 | Read Time: 1 minute
Special Events: Proven Strategies for Nonprofit Fundraising, Second Edition
by Alan L. Wendroff
Holding a special event can help a charity educate the public about its mission, recruit volunteers, and allow for face-to-face solicitations for donations, writes Alan L. Wendroff, a consultant in San Francisco. His book offers advice on planning award receptions, sports tournaments, auctions, and other fund-raising events.
Mr. Wendroff describes how organizations can create what he calls a “master event timetable” to help keep track of what should be accomplished in the weeks leading up to an event. He provides a sample timeline for a dinner, including when to write press releases, enter into contracts with caterers, and send out invitations.
Another chapter focuses on finances. The author describes how to determine admission prices, estimate attendance, and calculate expenses. A CD-ROM accompanying the book contains files to help organizations set up spreadsheets for budgets.
The book also gives advice on recruiting volunteers, setting up receptions, and writing thank-you letters following the event. This revised version of the 1999 text also includes a chapter on using the Internet to help in event planning.
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons, 111 River Street, Hoboken, N.J. 07030; (877) 762-2974; http://www.wiley.com; 272 pages; $44; I.S.B.N. 0-471-46235-7.
