Great ideas make a fundraiser more successful

Here's what the Arthritis Foundation's San Diego chapter is doing to make its August 12, 2009 fundraiser, "A Summer's Night in Coronado," stylish, beautiful, low-cost, and successful:

Keeping the goal in mind:  Cost-efficiency needs to help shape every decision. Muir offers this advice: "Try to keep your expense ratio below 20% of your revenue."

Donated venue: Instead of holding the event at a hotel, the wine party will be held in the "large, Mediterranean-style private home" of Joann Little, a cycling enthusiast who is not even a member of the chapter. She's a friend of one of the cyclists participating in the October event.  "Her house sits on Coronado Bay and has a backyard that opens up to the sand and water. If we had the party in a local hotel, it would cost at least $10,000 to $15,000," says Muir.  

Cost-effective décor: The event has two themes, which make planning the party décor easier and more interesting: 1) the California beach, and 2) cycling.

The color scheme will be blue and green. Not only do these colors complement the California beach theme, Muir notes, but they are the Arthritis Foundation's logo colors.

Bikes will be part of the decor—displayed to emphasize the cycling aspect of the fundraiser. They'll also have on hand "a couple of parrots in cages." Because the venue has a prime water location, the backdrop of the sea will be the main décor focus.

This year, greenery is going to replace floral arrangements. "We're just going to use ferns," she says.  "Flowers would detract from the wine scents and we don't want to do that."

Another change is that votive candles will be used instead of lights, says Muir. And the candles will be non-scented, as to "not detract from the wine scents," either.

See more money-savers and money-makers on the next page.