In my first job, I waited for the phone to ring.
A community member wanted to hold a fundraiser, and it was my job to help them raise the most they could with what they had. No fancy CRM, no digital donation platforms. Just a landline, a borrowed printer, and sheer determination. I built systems from the ground up and learnt what worked by living it, not by reading about it. And I came to understand one truth: the moment you shift a room from passive awareness to active giving, everything changes.
In one week alone, I:
- Judged the best bull bar at a Ute Muster in a paddock.
- Pulled a giant blow-up elf down George Street.
- Attended a stunning photography studio exhibit in Mosman.
- Clapped along proudly at a youth ballroom dancing end-of-year performance.
Every single one of those events raised money. Not just overall, but a minimum 60% income to expenditure.
That’s because we weren’t just hoping for people to understand. We invited them to act. And when you treat fundraising as both an art and a science, it becomes a transformative experience, for the donor, for the host, and for the people your organisation supports.
But fast forward to today, and I hear this too often:
“We didn’t ask for donations, it was more about awareness.”
And to that I say, then it wasn’t a fundraiser. I am sorry #notsorry for the eye-roll.
Fundraising Is More Than Good Intentions
Let me be clear. Awareness is important. It’s powerful. But it’s not the same as fundraising.
In the ACT, where I live and work, we benefit from one of the most streamlined fundraising regulatory systems in the country. Unlike New South Wales or Victoria, where licensing and compliance can feel like a full-time job, the ACT allows registered charities to fundraise without a formal licence. For many, that’s a breath of fresh air. For some, it’s a missed opportunity to be rigorous and reflective.
Because the ease of setting up a fundraising event doesn’t mean we can afford to be casual about its impact.
Here’s the hard truth: we often spend thousands of dollars and hours of staff time on events that make us feel good but don’t deliver the financial return needed to drive our mission forward. We walk away clapping ourselves for the turnout, the photos, the “vibe,” but where’s the data? Where’s the dollar figure that helps fund the next urgent need? Because isn’t that why we are really in the room?
The Real Cost of Feel-Good Fundraisers
The Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) 10th Australian Charities Report gives us a high-level view of how the sector is tracking:
- ACT charities (1,126 in total) generated $4.85 billion in revenue.
- Just $223 million of that came from donations and bequests.
- More than $1.5 billion came from goods and services.
- Thousands of hours were spent volunteering or attending events.
But if 95% of donations are going to the top 10% of charities and in the ACT alone 780 charities are deemed as the small ones… what are we doing? Because if we’re putting significant time and resources into events that aren’t financially viable, we have to ask why.
It’s time we lean into the discomfort and embrace a better way forward.
What Makes a Fundraiser Successful?
The basic benchmark many organisations use is a minimum 60:40 income-to-expenditure ratio. That means for every 90c you spend, you should aim to raise at least $1.50, and ideally more.
Yet many events operate at a loss or break even, especially if you count true costs like staff time, printing, and lost opportunity.
So, how do we do better?
Three Practical Ways to Maximise Your Fundraiser
1. Combine your ask with your story
People don’t give because they were inspired, they give because they were invited. You don’t need a manipulative pitch, but you do need to provide a clear path to action.
📌 Try this: Instead of ending your event with “Thanks for being here,” end it with, “Tonight, you have the opportunity to do something. Here’s how.”
Give specific donation options (e.g., $50 feeds a family for a week). Include tap-to-donate technology or QR codes at every seat. Don’t make people fuss about to give.
2. Know Your Efficiency Ratio Before You Start
Set a fundraising target and calculate your break-even point before you design the event. This includes:
- Venue hire
- Catering
- AV and production
- Marketing costs
- Staff time
- Thank-you gifts
If your event costs $9,000 to run, you should aim to raise at least $15,000 and that goal needs to inform every decision from day one. If it’s not going to hit this mark, ask yourself is this really worth it? What could we be doing instead? [Reducing actual expenses with in-kind gifts is a great option].
📌 Try this: Create a simple spreadsheet for every event with income vs expenses. Treat fundraising like business planning. Feelings are not the same as financials.
3. Stop Gatekeeping Donor Capacity
Too often, we hesitate to ask for donations because “people are doing it tough,” or “they’re part of the community we serve.” While these concerns come from a place of empathy, they can unintentionally be patronising and removing a persons ability to give.
Let your audience decide what’s right for them. You’re not twisting arms, you’re offering opportunities, otherwise, why does your organisation exist if it’s not worthy?
📌 Try this: Provide multiple ways to give. Don’t assume people can’t give. Often the most powerful gifts come from those who give precisely because they understand hardship.
It’s Time to Get Honest
If your event didn’t raise funds, it wasn’t a fundraiser. That doesn’t mean it didn’t have value—but it does mean you should label it accurately. Let’s start tracking and reporting outcomes transparently.
What did it cost? What was raised? What were the non-financial benefits? And what will you change next time? And if you are a business leader reading this, do your part! Help build capacity within organisations to raise the most for the cause that is important to you.
Fundraising is an act of service. It gives people the chance to be part of something bigger than themselves. Done well, it builds community and capability. Done poorly, it becomes a drain on already stretched resources.
