Managing non-profit events at your establishment can be a tricky task. From deciding on what events to hold to accepting offers from nonprofit organizations wanting to use your venue, creating the perfect event space can get tiring.
In this article, we have compiled a list of non-profit event ideas, as well as unique venue locations. For your benefit, there is also a short guide on preparatory work to do before hosting an event.
If you’ve been struggling to think of an event idea to host at your venue, worry no more. Carry on reading and your venue calendar will be full of non-profit event ideas.
The Importance of Preparing Your Venue for Non-Profit Events
Before you plan an event you should take into consideration several influencing factors to maximize the use of your venue.
Factors to Take Into Consideration Before Planning an Event
- Location: Location is a key factor in successful events. Your location could impact the type of people you want to attract, but it could also assist you in deciding what types of events to host. For example, if your venue is downtown and in a trendy area, think about hosting an open mic night. Or, if your venue is located near a university, maybe host a karaoke night once a week. By maintaining awareness of your demographics, you can ensure that the people who attend the non-profit event will come back to your venue for their own use. Perhaps to eat there (if your venue is a restaurant), or to use the space for their own reasons (party, conference, meeting).
- Availability: While checking your availability seems like an obvious point, double booking happens! As a venue manager who plans non-profit events, you should always double (and even triple) check that your event venues are available.As an example, you might be a restaurant venue hosting an evening charity event. Have you checked to see if there are any big tables booked for lunch? Consider if the customers will be gone by the time you need to start prepping for the event.These simple questions can be easily overlooked, so make sure you are not forgetting them.
- Marketing: Once you have decided on an event, you need to make sure that there will be attendees. Posting on social media, sending out emails, and even just talking to people will boost your event’s popularity. When hosting and planning a non-profit event, you want to ensure that your space will attract future customers. By promoting your event online, you not only gain attendees, but also potential customers and clients.
Secure these elements, and your next event will be a breeze.
Non-Profit Event Ideas
As a non-profit event venue, you want to ensure that your space is providing the best experience possible, by hosting a well-thought-out event.
This means that the success of the event is highly reliant on your space. Your venue could be the ideal location for several different events.
We’ve put together a list of charity and non-profit events that you could host that will simultaneously support a worthy cause and boost your image.
Soup Kitchen
Hosting a cooking event, whether that be a soup kitchen, sandwich making, or even a cook-off, is a wonderful non-profit event for your space.
Hosting a cooking day is also a great way to use your space if you’re on a budget. By marketing the event in advance, you can ask people to bring vegetables, crockery, and obviously themselves!
Oftentimes, non-profit organizations use soup kitchens as a way to gather donations for a charity or cause. Soup kitchens are a great event to host in any space as long as there is electricity, and tables to chop veggies. And, most importantly, good spirits from the people involved.
Team Building Activities
Hosting corporate events can be a great way to ensure long-term success as an event venue.
From hosting product launches and work events to team meetings, your venue could become the go-to spot for out-of-office work days.
Companies often just want to get out of the typical working environment, so any space will do. For example, perhaps a business wants to engage in outdoor activities.If you, as an event manager, have an outdoor venue, you could be utilizing this in your marketing.
Conferences
Similar to hosting team-building events, corporate conferences are a fantastic way to use your space.
Conferences occur all the time, from academic ones to research ones, some organizations are going to need a conference space.
If you have chairs, perhaps a podium, and a projector screen you are all set to host a conference event.
Concerts
Concerts are one of the best events that you can host. Spaces like bars or restaurants are the perfect venue for concerts as people can enter for free. But they still have the option of purchasing food and drinks from your establishment.
Concerts are also a great way to showcase local talent in the community, as well as bring the community together. From university students to more established local talent, whatever type of non-profit concert you host it will be sure to be packed full of energy.
If you have an outdoor space, you can also install a marquee and even put up some fun lighting if it's within your budget.
Nighttime Events
As an event manager, you sometimes have to think outside of the box about what non-profit events will attract attendees. Daytime events can be easier to fill (see above), but the nighttime target audience is often a totally different group of people.
Below, we suggest some ideas that could appeal to university students, the youth in general, and people who like to have fun on a budget.
Open-Mic Night
Depending on what area of the city your venue is located in, open mic nights can be the perfect nonprofit event.
All your venue needs is an open area, a microphone, and some decent-quality speakers. As a venue, you will most likely have these things already.
Karaoke Night
Karaoke nights have the opportunity to be your venue’s greatest success. Emulating similar energy to parties, the atmosphere of a karaoke night can be electric.
Much like an open-mic night, karaoke nights are the perfect event for a bar, pub, or restaurant. These spaces act as an ideal location as the bar manager or event manager can easily section off the venue to accommodate a stage and mic.
Over time, karaoke nights can be a major source of income for your establishment as well. As the event becomes a regular occurrence in the neighborhood, so will the customers.
Movie Night
A simple but effective non-profit event is a movie night! All you need is a projector, some comfy chairs, and a good movie and your event is set.
If you want, you can always include popcorn and beverages to elevate the atmosphere.
Top Non-Profit Event Venues
Now that you have some ideas rolling around, let’s end this article by suggesting some of the best, multifaceted venue ideas.
Restaurant
Most of the events we have suggested above can be held in a restaurant. They make for great non-profit event venues as they benefit both the local community and your establishment.
People are often more inclined to attend events if they know that food and beverages will be available. This is what makes a restaurant space all the more appealing.
If you are a restaurant looking to host a community-centered event you want to ensure that you are preparing your restaurant. This will help you gain future success as a non-profit event venue, and as a tasty restaurant, while all being in a convenient location.
From a concert to an open-mic night, just knowing that you can have a plate of food to snack on makes the event more successful.
Bar
As mentioned during the open mic and karaoke night section, a bar/pub can be the perfect venue for hosting fun events.
The great thing about hosting a non-profit event at a bar is that you are almost guaranteed attendance and future customers. On any given day (or night), people will be at a bar.
A hot tip for all the bar managers out there is to invest in an up-to-date website where you can post about your non-profit events.
Having a strong social media presence and creating well-written posts marketing your events will also boost your reputation. This will ensure future events are hosted in your space.
Park
When summer rolls around, parks make for the perfect venue to host a charity event. Often in a convenient location with free parking, parks are communal meeting spots that are accessible for most people.
The best thing about hosting non-profit events in a park is that you can do what you want with the space. Here are some ideas:
- Putting a Marquee Up: This works for many reasons, as you can create a shady area if it’s a hot day. It also creates an area for kids to play in, or even a protected area for food and drink.
- No Time Restraints: Because parks are public spaces, you can choose what time you host your non-profit event. For example, if you are hosting a charity event it might be useful to host it during golden hour when people feel most comfortable and happy. It won’t hurt to have some prosecco flowing either.
Conclusion
So, what are you waiting for? Start preparing your next non-profit event!
If you need some extra advice on how to set everything up, check out Perfect Venue’s blog. We detail all the important tips and tricks that you can do to perfect your venue hosting skills.
While you’re there, why not sign up for our 14-day free trial? Try to use it for your next event and see how your event management skills level up.
