Whether you want to raise money for a school music group or your church’s youth program, a benefit concert can be a fantastic fundraising idea. However, before you get started, it's helpful to understand how to organize a concert fundraiser efficiently and cost-effectively.
Throughout this guide, we’ll cover tips and tricks to ensure your charity concert is as affordable—and successful—as possible.
The first step to setting up a benefit concert without emptying your wallet is to decide what you can realistically spend. In other words, you need to set a budget. Think about what you're trying to accomplish with this fundraiser (i.e. your goals) and how much it will cost to get there.
Typical expenses include:
When setting goals, it’s helpful to ensure they’re “SMART”—specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. Having realistic and clear goals makes estimating a budget for your fundraiser easier.
Once you’ve set your goals and budget, you can select a venue and date for the event. Consider the number of attendees and performers you hope to have, and make sure your chosen location accommodates that.
You’ll also want to think about the equipment you’ll need for a successful show. This may include:
Keep in mind that different events will have different needs. For instance, a community-wide battle of the bands fundraiser will likely require a larger space than a small show with one singer. Make sure the venue fits within your budget, too.
Who you ask to perform at your fundraising concert depends on your budget and audience interests. Many people start by looking at local musicians and bands, and you don't necessarily need a big-name performer to host a great event.
Quora user Katie Nguyen suggests, "People often think that a bigger name means you're going to automatically sell out a show, but…local bands actually do quite well because they book more shows in the area and have spent a lot of time developing a fan base and a wider audience."
Larger or more popular bands and musicians may also expect a hefty fee to play at your show. Local artists often have smaller or no booking fees.
One easy way to save money when hosting a budget-friendly benefit concert is by recruiting volunteers to help work the event, rather than hiring for roles like caterer or security.
Keep in mind that volunteer recruitment requires advance planning. Krista, a RaiseRight coordinator who fundraises for a high school band and color guard booster club, spearheads a volunteer-run benefit concert annually. "Our band show is the most successful with enough volunteers. It takes a large crew at a specific time to make it happen. We need to be well-organized and start planning and recruiting well before the event."
Here are some other roles you can recruit volunteers for:
You can even make the experience more enticing by offering perks like free admission, preferred seating, a food or drink voucher, or free merchandise.
Between the venue costs, concessions, talent, and merchandise, it can take quite a while to break even on a concert fundraiser. That’s where sponsorships come into play.
Scout out local businesses that are willing to support the show. Sponsors may offer anything from money toward your expenses, donation matches, or food.
In return, you can promote their business through merchandise or tickets, thank them during the show, and even include them in your marketing.
Ticket sales will likely account for the bulk of the money you raise during your concert fundraiser. This means you’ll need to set prices that accomplish two goals:
As you might expect, this could lead to pricey tickets, so you also want to consider how much attendees are willing to pay while accounting for the volunteer help and sponsorships you can acquire. One way to resolve this problem is by offering different tier options, like general admission and VIP (with low-cost benefits like preferred seating).
Speaking of marketing, people will only attend your concert if they know about it. Ask one or more volunteers to handle event marketing to help spread the word. For example, you can ask volunteers to:
Keep in mind that volunteers can include people in your organization. If your benefit concert event is being held for a school, you can also contact students’ parents and families.
Now that you know how to organize a benefit concert that won’t break the bank, you’re ready to rock and roll. Whether the show is a one-time occurrence or an annual event, we know it’s a big undertaking. So, consider adding RaiseRight's gift card and online shopping fundraiser to your strategy for year-round earnings.
That's it!
With RaiseRight, your organization can earn money through everyday expenses, such as gas, groceries, or dining out. Even better, you can seamlessly incorporate this flexible fundraiser into your benefit concert or other event—whether it's purchasing supplies through RaiseRight or gifting performers or volunteers with gift cards as a token of appreciation.