← Back to course overview
🎉 Your First Fundraising Event: How to Plan It · Free Lesson

Lesson 4: On the Day — Make the Most of Every Moment

The day of your event is where all your planning pays off. This lesson gives you practical tips to run it smoothly and maximise your fundraising.

⏱ 8 minutes 📖 Reading + task 🎯 Lesson 4 of 6
Your progress
4 of 6
1 Pick Your Event 2 Plan It 3 Promote It 4 On the Day 5 After the Event 6 Your Plan 🏆
⏰
Before you open

Arrive at least 30 minutes before your event starts. Use this time to:

1
Set up your display: Make it look inviting and professional — a tablecloth, clear pricing, and a sign with your fundraising target and current total
2
Set up your payment methods: Have your cash float ready, your card reader charged, and your JustGiving QR code printed and visible
3
Brief your helpers: Make sure everyone knows their role — who is serving, who is taking money, who is promoting
4
Post a 'we're live' update: Post on social media that your event is starting — this can drive last-minute visitors
💬
Talking to people — the art of the ask

The way you talk to people at your event makes a huge difference to how much you raise. Here are the key principles:

✓
Tell your story: When someone asks what you are raising money for, tell them genuinely — not just 'a trip'. 'I'm raising £4,000 to do conservation work with orangutans in Borneo' is far more compelling.
✓
Make it easy to give more: Have a donation tin or QR code visible so people can give more than the price of a cake if they want to
✓
Thank people warmly: A genuine 'thank you so much — every pound really helps' makes people feel good about donating
✓
Ask for shares: Remind people to share your social media posts — their network is full of potential supporters you have not reached yet
📸
Document everything

Take photos and short videos throughout your event. You will use these for:

📱
Social media posts: Post during the event to create FOMO and drive more visitors
📊
Progress updates: Show your fundraising total growing throughout the day
🙏
Thank-you posts: Post a photo after the event thanking everyone who came
📰
Press coverage: Good photos make it much easier to get coverage in local press or school newsletters
✏️ Prepare your day-of checklist
Create a checklist of everything you need to do on the day of your event — from what time to arrive, to what to bring, to how you will take payment. Keep it on your phone so you can tick things off as you go.
You are ready for event day. In Lesson 5, you will learn what to do after the event to maximise your total and build momentum for your next fundraising activity.
← Lesson 3
Lesson 4 of 6 On the Day — Make the Most of Every Moment