Books and Publications

Organizing Special Events and Conferences: A Practical Guide for Busy Volunteers and Staff, by Darcy Campion Devney, 200l, $19.95, 130 pages. Pineapple Press, PO Box 3889, Sarasota, FL 34230l, (941) 359-0886, www.pineapplepress.com.

Special Events: Proven Strategies for Nonprofit Fund Raising, by Alan L. Wendroff, 1999, published by Wiley Nonprofit Series, 214 pages, $44.00. Order from John Wiley and Sons, Inc., at www.josseybass.com or www.amazon.com. This publication is also available on CD.

Fundraising for Social Change, fourth edition, by Kim Klein, October, 2000, 416 pages. Contains good advice on events, as well as other kinds of fundraising. Available for $35 at www.josseybass.com.

The Grass Roots Fundraising Book: How to Raise Money in Your Community, 2nd edition, by Joan Flanagan. This book has a chapter on events that includes lots of great checklists and descriptions of events that small charities can run. Publisher: McGraw-Hill, 1-800-722-4726; 344 pages; $18.95 plus postage and handling. Or purchase online at www.amazon.com.

Grassroots Fundraising Journal
"Making Special Events work for You", by Stephanie Roth, Nov/Dec 2002 Issue
"Special Events, Part I: Are They Right for You?" and "Part 2: Planning", April and June, 1994.

To get this article and others, visit the web site, www.grassrootsfundraising.org, Go to magazine archives, then use Journal article finder. You can order a hard copy of the entire issue for $5 or download the article for $3. Or call (888) 458-8588.

River Voices
"Getting the Most out of Your Event", Volume 8, Number 4, Winter 1998, 20 pages, $2.50 for Partners, $3 for non-partners. Includes several articles on special events. Order by calling (503) 241-3506 or online at www.rivernetwork.org (click on marketplace).

Training:
Check local nonprofit management support centers, such as the Georgia Center for Nonprofits, or the Support Center of Chicago, for trainings on fundraising events. To locate the nearest support center, search by state on the National Council of Nonprofit Associations' web site, www.ncna.org.

Web Sites:

www.afpnet.org. At this site of the Association of Fundraising Professionals you can find information on the tax deductibility of special event tickets as well as other relevant topics. Go to the Resource Center and click on FAQs (frequently asked questions) and browse through the list.

www.auctionpay.com. This commercial website has some very nice free information on live and silent auctions. Go to “Auction Tips” and click on the various articles such as “A Special Appeal at your Auction”, “Six Keys Before Your Start”, “Auction Basics”, and much more.

www.charityvillage.com.
This is a Canadian site, but it has many relevant and interesting articles on events. Click on "Library" then on "Research Section", then on "Special Events and Promotions" and browse through the list of articles such as "Special Events: Why go to all the trouble?" and "Preparation and Post-evaluation of Special Fundraising Events".

www.grassrootsfundraising.org.
This great site featuring material from the Grassroots Fundraising Journal has lots of information on fundraising events. Search on "events", or browse through the Article Archives.

www.irs.gov. This is the Internal Revenue Service web site containing information for exempt organizations on what is and isn't deductible, and what nonprofits need to disclose to donors about goods and services received for their donations. Be sure and check out how these regulations may apply to your event. Search for "Exempt Organizations".

www.nonprofitbasics.org.
The Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership is building a resource center with lots of good information. Click on Fundraising and then "Resources," and then search for "Events" and you will find a collection of articles, books, guides, etc., some of which can be read on line, and others which must be purchased.

www.nonprofits.org. Putnam Barber maintains the Nonprofit FAQ, an older resource center. Click on nonprofit faqs to locate several good articles on events under the heading "Development".

www.strength.org. This website provides a good example of how groups can promote their events on their web site.

www.tgci.com. The web site of the Grantsmanship Center has a nice collection of articles under "TGCI Magazine" including one called "Choosing the right Event" (winter 2000) which is a good read.

www.zimmerman-lehman.com. This California-based consulting firm has a good write-up on "Special Events: A Recipe for Success", under "Free Articles."