Fundraiser events enable nonprofits to raise vital funds, engage supporters, and expand their impact. Fundraiser tickets catalyze these events — cultivating long-term donor relationships through exclusive access, personalized experiences, and continued donor engagement opportunities.
Your nonprofit can reap many benefits from utilizing fundraising tickets — but only if you can effectively leverage their potential and tailor them to your audience. So, let’s get ready to unlock insights into fundraiser ticket examples, sales strategies, and how to use tickets to enhance the overall event experience for your supporters.
What Are Fundraiser Tickets?
Fundraiser tickets are passes or entries nonprofits sell for events or activities to raise money to support their cause. These tickets offer varying access, privileges, or participation opportunities based on the type donors decide to purchase. Fundraiser tickets are an additional way to support a nonprofit beyond a donation and are often a one-time purchase.
What Are Some Examples of Fundraiser Tickets?
Fundraiser tickets offer flexibility and a number of fun ways for nonprofits to engage donors and raise more funds.
Here are several examples of the different types of fundraiser tickets your nonprofit can offer:
- VIP Tickets - If you’re throwing an event with multiple-tier offerings, VIP tickets provide exclusive access to premium event areas or unique experiences at a higher price point. For example, VIP tickets to a charity golf tournament could include:
- Special golf gear (like golf balls, tees, towels, and umbrellas) with your nonprofit's logo
- Seats at a table with special guests
- Golf cart and free drinks
- Raffle Tickets - Raffle tickets allow participants to win donated prizes, such as handmade goods, big-ticket items, or classes and experiences. Because the prizes are donated, all proceeds from ticket sales go to your nonprofit. Some prize ideas:
- Gift baskets filled with local products
- Weekend getaways to luxury resorts
- Cooking classes with a famous chef
- Backstage passes to a popular concert.
- Online Gaming Event Tickets - Online event tickets enable participants to engage in interactive gaming experiences while supporting a charitable cause. Examples of online gaming events you could sell tickets to:
- Charity livestream event on Twitch
- Virtual escape room challenge
- VR gaming experience
- Creative Fundraising Tickets - Get creative and offer fundraising tickets tailored to a specific event, like:
- Barbeque Fundraiser: Sell tickets that include a meal and access to activities like live music and games.
- Trivia Night: Offer tickets that grant entry to a fun-filled evening of trivia competitions and prizes.
- Golf Tournament: Provide tickets that give participants access to the golf tournament and perks like a complimentary golf cart and refreshments.
- Movie Night: Grab some popcorn and enjoy a movie screening for a good cause. This ticket allows your supporters to unwind and help make a difference simultaneously.
- Educational Workshops/Training Tickets - Offer tickets to local events and training workshops to provide supporters with fun or valuable learning opportunities. Classes that might pique supporters' attention:
- Attend a workshop on caring for bonsai trees
- Participate in a mushroom foraging session
-
Take beer-brewing classes at a local brewery
- Festival Tickets - At nonprofit-organized festivals, there are plenty of opportunities to sell a variety of tickets and foster community engagement. A few ideas:
- Entry tickets
- Carnival ride tickets
- Festival game tickets for souvenirs
- Side-event tickets (special events within the festival) so supporters can choose if they want to watch certain competitions (like relay races or an all-you-can-eat hotdog contest) or enter a petting zoo
- Alcoholic drink tickets
- VIP, all-access tickets for supporters who know they'll want to experience everything the event has to offer
- Volunteer Opportunity Tickets - Provide complimentary tickets to future events to encourage volunteer participation in your nonprofit’s outreach activities. A few ways to use these tickets:
- Free admission to future events
- Access to workshops
- Entry to exclusive volunteer appreciation events
- Gala Tickets - Entry passes for elegant fundraising events like a gala fundraiser can entice large donors and corporate sponsors. Besides selling them to supporters, you can offer gala tickets as:
- Tokens of appreciation to major donors
- Incentives for corporate sponsorship packages
- Rewards in charity auctions
What Are the Benefits of Fundraiser Tickets for Nonprofits?
Organizing ticketed events is an easy way to amplify awareness of your cause in your community and lead to sustained support. From generating revenue to fostering long-term donor relationships, the benefits are far-reaching for nonprofit organizations. Positive outcomes include:
Generating Revenue
To generate funds, offer tickets at different price levels or tiers for various events and giveaways, allowing individual and corporate donors to participate in the ways that work best for them.
Say you're throwing a whole-day event and a lot of donors can only make it to the festivities during the morning. By creating a morning, evening, and all-day ticket option, you're less likely to alienate a lot of supporters who might not want to pay the full price for an all-day ticket. When you provide different price options, you're likely to attract more support and ultimately raise more ticket sales.
Engaging and Creating Exclusive Donor Experiences
Encourage supporter engagement through unique event experiences. This, in turn, helps donors feel like they’re getting something super extraordinary when they buy a ticket, whether it’s access to an exclusive gala or VIP treatment.
Fostering Long-Term Donor Relationships
Organizing annual or seasonal events helps your organization gain visibility and allows you to establish ongoing relationships with loyal donors who participate repeatedly. A solid donor management system is important for engaging regularly and establishing lasting relationships.
Engaging High-Value Donors and Corporate Partners
Create specialized ticket packages or sponsorship tiers tailored to high-value donors and corporate partners, providing exclusive access or recognition opportunities to incentivize their support.
What Features Should You Consider for Fundraiser Tickets?
When it comes to structuring ticket sales, there are a few features to keep in mind:
- Quantity for Sale - Set the number of available purchase tickets. Consider how many tickets you must sell to meet your fundraising goal. Also, consider the capacity of the venue and any limitations or permits you might need for the event.
- Number of Tickets per Guest - Specify the number of tickets guests can buy. Setting limits ensures everyone who wants to attend can sign up.
- Early Bird Tickets - Providing discounted rates for early ticket purchases incentivizes donors to commit early, helping you reach your fundraising goal.
- Discount or Complimentary Codes - Lean into special offers and discounts to encourage ticket sales. Similar to early bird discounts, you can entice donors to commit to attending your event with unique gifts or other incentives. For example, you can offer discounts based on the number of tickets purchased at once or give special discounts to long-time supporters.
How to Maximize Fundraiser Ticket Sales for Nonprofit Events
To increase ticket sales, you need to employ strategic marketing tactics, engage potential attendees through compelling messaging, and leverage various channels for promotion.
Consider the following tips to boost sales:
Understand the Target Market
When working with a corporate partner, it's essential to understand who makes up the core segments of your donor base. You can tailor ticket offerings to suit these different audience segments by doing so. For example, you can collaborate with the corporate partner to determine what would encourage their employees to engage and participate in a fundraising event. This will help you identify the types of tickets that will be of interest to your audience.
Create an Irresistible Invitation
Craft compelling messages and visuals emphasizing how the event will support your cause or an area of your organization. You can also make your invitation more user-friendly by including a QR code to RSVP.
Leverage Social Media
Use social media platforms for event promotion and ticket sales. Targeted campaigns and engaging content can capture the attention of a wider audience and encourage potential donors to check out your events.
Partner with Local Businesses
Collaborate with local businesses for event promotion. You can also ask them for donations for a raffle or prize drawing. Partnering with local businesses is a win-win because it gives you access to more prize options while extending the local businesses’ reach.
Provide VIP Benefits
Create VIP ticket packages to drive higher-tier ticket sales. Consider exclusive privileges like early access, special seating, meet-and-greet opportunities, or complimentary merchandise to incentivize supporters to upgrade their ticket options and contribute more substantially to your cause.
Offer Unique Experiences for Different Ticket Tiers
To sweeten the deal for donors, offer perks for ticket tiers that can be tacked on to an existing event. For example, you can sell mulligans or hole-in-one contest entries at a golf tournament fundraiser. If you’re throwing a gala, sell gift baskets or centerpiece raffles.
Drive Fundraiser Ticket Sales with FrontStream
Fundraiser tickets play a critical role in nonprofit fundraising efforts. Using these tickets effectively raises funds, strengthens relationships with supporters, enhances event experiences, and propels your organization's mission forward.
FrontStream’s fundraising, donor engagement, and volunteer management solutions optimize events by offering effortless online ticket sales, customizable event pages, online auctions with mobile bidding, and more. And since our donor management system seamlessly integrates with all our fundraising tools, it's easy for you to reach out to past event attendees and donors.
To learn more about how FrontStream can help your nonprofit further its cause, request a demo today.