Gala Campaign Checklist
A checklist for pre, during and post-event success
Pre-Event
6-12 Months Prior to Event Day
❏ Choose a budget and a goal
❏ How much money are you expecting to raise? What is the minimum amount
to cover the upfront event costs?
❏ How much will you charge to attend?
❏ Are there variable price dates? E.g early-bird, late registration
❏ Pick a date
❏ What season fits best into your fundraising calendar?
❏ If the gala is outside, is weather a factor?
❏ Are there any other events that conflict with this date?
❏ Determine location
❏ Is the venue an appropriate fit for the type of gala you are planning?
❏ Can the venue accommodate the number of people you’re hoping to host?
3-6 months Prior to Event Day
❏ Build your gala landing page
❏ Add necessary features, such as Registration and text-to-donate.
❏ Customize and brand your campaign
❏ Determine how you’ll collect donations on the day of the event
❏ Recruit Personnel
❏ Nonprofit staff/ event organizers
❏ Day-of staff
❏ Volunteers
❏ Host of event
❏ Entertainment
❏ Photographer
❏ Acquire Sponsorships and begin to promote their involvement
❏ How much time do you need to have conversations with potential sponsors?
❏ Who is negotiating sponsor terms?
❏ Where will sponsor logos be included?
❏ Order Resources and Supplies
❏ Food and drink
❏ Decorations
❏ Print event programs
❏ Banners or signage
Pre-Event Continued
3-6 months Prior to Event Day (continued)
❏ Purchase Event Merchandise
❏ Order raffle items, gift baskets etc.
❏ Create Communication Plans
❏ Special Contests/Sweepstakes and/or incentives
❏ Messaging Plans
❏ Get the word out
❏ Spread your campaign and advertise your gala via email and social media
❏ Consider any local outlets that are available to you like radio or signage
1 Week Prior to Event Day
❏ Communicate essential event-day info via email to all attendees, supporters and
volunteers including:
❏ Schedule/time
❏ Parking
❏ Need-to-brings
❏ Sign in/registration procedure
❏ Required attire
❏ Confirm schedule with vendors and venue
❏ Prepare and organize event-day merchandise and supplies.
Event Day
❏ Run a Registration/Participant report for all attendees
❏ Arrive first
❏ Make same-day donations available
❏ Consider text-to-donate
❏ Take photos and document the event to promote next year’s event
Post-event*
1-2 Days Post-Event
❏ Make final “ask” for donations
❏ Make sure to include the “tangible” impact i.e how will the nonprofit will use
the fundraised dollars?
❏ Post a Campaign Update that includes: total amount raised, goal progress and other
encouraging stats like top fundraisers, teams and participants.
❏ Thank all supporters
❏ Send thank you messages via email and on social media
Post-event Continued
2-3 Days Post-Event
❏ Send post-event survey
❏ Did the event meet your participants’ expectations?
❏ Will registrant return again?
❏ Send out event pictures, leaderboard times and other event-related news
❏ Bonus: Include future VIP events or volunteer opportunities, important
campaigns or organizational updates
1-2 Weeks Post-Event
❏ Personalize messaging to VIPs such as big donors, big fundraisers, sponsors, repeat
attendees etc.
❏ Make personal phone call
❏ Mail a thank you note
❏ Award prizes (if applicable)
*For more on how to maximize your success after your event, check out our Post-Event
Engagement Guide
Post-Event Evaluation
❏ Goals and Budgets
❏ Did you reach your goal?
❏ Were there any unforeseen costs?
❏ Did you adhere to your budget?
❏ What was your total net donation?
❏ What elements were most/least effective in raising funds?
❏ Participation
❏ How many participants attended?
❏ Was this more/less than expected (or from years’ past)?
❏ Did participants find and access the venue easily?
❏ Were attendees entertained throughout the event?
❏ Resources
❏ Was there sufficient food/drink/refreshments?
❏ Were there sufficient volunteers?
❏ Were there sufficient incentives/prizes?
❏ Problems/ Improvements
❏ Did anything go wrong? If so, can this be fixed in the future?
❏ How can you scale attendance and fundraising in future?
❏ Could you use additional functionality eg. registration, fundraising minimums, or text
to donate to bolster your event’s fundraising?
