Hosting a Fundraising Event

Event Ideas

Shelter Foundation fundraisers take many forms – formal dinner parties, large scale auctions, game nights, sports tournaments, run/walks – we’ve seen it all!  Borrow from other successful events or check out our list of event ideas for more inspiration. 

Event Planning Tips

• Start small your first year. You can always ramp up the size and scope for your 2nd annual event!
• Before you book anything, create a budget that takes into account all your expected income from sponsors, ticketing, and any other fundraising revenue (e.g. auctions, 50/50). Deduct your estimated expenses including venue costs, food and beverages, printing and advertising, prizes, etc. If it appears that you will not make a profit relative to the work and hours you will put in, you may want to consider another type of fundraising event.
• Begin planning up to a year in advance. Securing early sponsorships and getting onto people’s calendars early will position your event for success. Take into account other annual local events when choosing a date and check the calendar to avoid any public/religious holidays or industry-related conflicts.
• Be sure to ask vendors if they offer charitable discounts for fundraising events.
• Put out feelers to colleagues in your office before deciding on an event. The more people are interested in the concept, the more likely they will be to help with planning and to attend enthusiastically.
• Create a “not to be missed” appeal.  Maybe it’s a unique format like a golf marathon, a new or exclusive event space, a celebrity guest, or an outrageous prize up for grabs. Make sure there’s something about your event that attendees can’t experience elsewhere!
• Form a committee and divide up responsibilities according to volunteers’ strengths and interests (e.g. fundraising, social media/marketing, event planning). Meet as a whole group regularly to set goals, check in, share ideas and ensure your planning efforts are cohesive.
• Create compelling promotional materials to share on social media. Use video where possible and keep the length to less than one minute. Please ensure that your promotional materials follow our brand guidelines. We also ask that you avoid using visuals of women or children who are in distress, are being actively harmed, or who are showing signs of abuse, like bruises. While they can be captivating for some, these images can also be retraumatizing for those who have experienced intimate partner violence, and they are  increasingly thought of as unnecessarily exploitative in the charitable sector. For questions, assistance, or to have the Shelter Foundation team review your materials, reach out to shelterfoundation@royallepage.ca. 
• Invite people personally! Social media platforms can be wonderful tools for promoting your event but you need to reach out to folks directly to ask them to attend, sponsor, or volunteer. A personal touch goes a long way. 
• Send out a press release to local media and community boards to have your event featured and help drive ticket sales. 
• Arrange for extra event day volunteers and ensure you have people scheduled to help from set-up to tear-down. Don’t forget to feed your volunteers ahead of their shift! 
• Have your manager arrange to add an insurance rider to your company policy if the event is taking place at your brokerage.
• Guests expect to contribute more to the cause on event day. Don’t leave money on the table! Offer fundraising opportunities at different price points from high value auction items to inexpensive draw tickets.
• Provide your guests with a compelling reason to give generously at your event. Invite a speaker from your local women’s shelter to share their story or explain how donations will make a difference in your community. 
• Set up an online fundraising page and ask for donations from those who cannot attend. To set up your page, please contact Carly Neill at carlyneilll@royallepage.ca 

Securing sponsorships

Sponsorships can make all the difference in raising large amounts of money at your fundraising event. They allow you to help cover your costs and/or pad your fundraising total with extra contributions towards the cause. 

Think about businesses that would want to have their branding in front of your guests and approach these folks first. By selling a sponsorship you are agreeing to provide the sponsor with a defined series of business benefits in exchange for their payment. Typically, all sponsors receive recognition on, or in, your: 

• Event or company website
• Social media channels
• Event signage or program
• Pre-event detail emails and/or post-event thank you emails to guests

Other forms of recognition and benefits can be offered to fundraising event sponsors according to the value and exclusivity of the sponsorship, including, but not limited to:

• Complimentary tickets to the event 
• VIP seating or table  
• Special recognition by the MC during opening or closing remarks
• Speaking opportunity during the event
• More prominent placement of logos in programs, on signage etc.  
• Promotional opportunity (e.g. ability to provide giveaway items to guests)

When creating your sponsorship package, it is important to outline exactly what each sponsorship level includes along with the price and quantity of each sponsorship being offered. As your sponsorship opportunities sell out, be sure to update your materials to avoid disappointment.

Please note: event sponsors are NOT entitled to a tax receipt as per Canada Revenue Agency rules. Consult our Tax Receipt FAQ for details. 

• Download a sponsorship request template 
• Download a sponsorship thank you letter

Because you are entitled to spend your sponsorship dollars to cover your event costs, sponsors should make their cheques payable to you. If sponsorship cheques are made payable to the Royal LePage® Shelter Foundation™, those funds cannot be released back to you under any circumstances. We always advise erring on the side of caution here. You may not think you need the sponsorship dollars today, but unexpected costs might change your mind down the road.  

Saying Thank You

Don’t forget to say thank you to your attendees, sponsors, and volunteers every chance you get. Send a letter or email after the event letting everyone know the final total raised and thanking them once again for their participation and generous support of the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation and your local women’s shelter. You could also include a link to the event photos, as well as a photo of your cheque presentation to your local shelter and a statement from their representative about how the funds will be used. Lastly, if you plan to host the event again, invite them to participate in the next one.

Submitting Funds

Please submit your funds raised by providing a company cheque with the total amount, along with any additional donations made in support of your event. All cheques should be made payable to Royal LePage Shelter Foundation. Please do not mail cash. 

Include a short cover letter with your cheque indicating:

• Your event name and the date it was held
• Office contact and phone number
• Name of your local women’s shelter(s) and any direction on the splitting of funds between multiple shelter partners
• Whether you would like us to mail the official shelter donation cheque directly to your local shelter or to your office to present 

For details on what constitutes a charitable donation and the documentation we require to issue a tax receipt, please refer to our Tax receipt FAQ. Please note that the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation issues tax receipts in late February for all donations made in the previous calendar year. 

Send your cheque(s) and letter to:

Royal LePage Shelter Foundation
39 Wynford Drive, Suite 200
Toronto, Ontario M3C 3K5

To remit proceeds by direct deposit, EFT or wire transfer, please click here.