When Should I have my Fundraiser?

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A common question is when should I have my Fundraiser, because there are literally 365 days to choose from, and it can be very overwhelming!  But this is one of the first decisions you need to make when planning for a Fundraiser, and it is kind of an important one.

First check with your main circle of people to ensure that the day you are considering works for them.  That is obvious right?  You would think so, but we thought we would mention it.  Perhaps give them 5 dates and ask which ones DON’T work, and cross those off your list.

Which Day of Week

Most people choose a Saturday night to hold a Fundraiser, however Friday nights can get you a better deal on some DJ’s and Halls. Midweek Fundraisers are okay, but people have commitments with kids and work so you may not get as good of a response.  We recommend sticking with a Friday or Saturday night for sure!

If its a Stag & Doe

If this is a Wedding related Fundraiser, the wedding couple usually has their Stag and Doe between one and three months before the wedding. This allows a good lead-time to generate needed funds and does not interfere with bridal showers or preparations for the ceremony and reception. With that said, we have had plenty of people hold a Stag & Doe one weekend, and get married the next weekend!  WOW!  We believe the thinking behind this is that they have so many out of town guests coming so this way they can attend them both.  But that is a lot to ask from people.  In fact, we have even seen a trend of people having a surprise Wedding at their Stag & Doe!  Can you believe it! We strongly advise against this – too much pressure and trouble to do everything all in one day and you want people to bring you gifts don’t you?!

Holiday Consideration

Anyhow, back to the question at hand – when should I have my Fundraiser.  Stay away from long weekends or too close to national holidays – you want to make sure you get the most amount of people to show up so be smart!  Summers can be tricky because of vacations too – isn’t this a difficult task?  Then you have to work around other Fundraisers or Weddings or big family events because you don’t want them to be back to back.  Basically our recommendation is to check with your closest circle of people and just pick a day, and whoever is meant to come, will be there!

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Category: Fundraiser Planning