Charity event plan

How to run a fundraiser/auction/benefit concert — from idea to report

Organization stages

  • 1. Goal and partner

    A concrete goal with a number ('150k for a hospital generator') and a partner fund that accepts funds officially and reports.

  • 2. Format

    Lot auction, ticketed concert, fair, charity run, donation stream. Format follows the audience, not vice versa.

  • 3. Event budget

    Venue, sound, printing — minimize via in-kind sponsors. Rule: costs ≤ 20% of expected proceeds, else it's PR, not charity.

  • 4. Collection mechanics

    Fund's account/details, QR at entrance, fixed-price lots, auction board. No 'hat' cash — only transparent channels.

  • 5. Promotion

    2–3 weeks out: socials, local media, ambassadors. Specifics sell: beneficiary photo/story, donation progress bar.

  • 6. Event day

    Separate people own the desk/QR station/lots. Announce running totals from stage — it lifts donations.

  • 7. Report

    Within a week: amount raised, costs, where it went — public post + fund statement. No report, no next event.

Legal and financial rules

  • 1.Funds go only to a registered charity's account, never to the organizer's card
  • 2.'Charity' status for sponsors — confirm with a fund letter, otherwise it's just advertising
  • 3.Sponsor lots — with written consent for auction and no hidden conditions
  • 4.Photos/video of beneficiaries only with their consent (especially children)
  • 5.VAT/taxes on lot sales — check with the fund's accountant: a donation and a sale are different things

Charity runs on trust: transparency of the collection and report matters more than a pretty event. In Ukraine, private collections without a registered charity are legally grey — best to partner with a registered fund.