Fundraising Performance Event
in 10 Easy Steps

1. Select a date. It is best to give Acts Of Kindness Cabaret Director, Hilary Feldman, a short list or a range of dates to begin with. Once she has your list/range, she will connect with the performers to find out which date will work for everyone.

2. Find a venue. Acts Of Kindness Cabaret Director, Hilary Feldman, will work with you on this portion of the process. AOK Cabaret has a small, but specific, list of requirements for performance spaces and, of course, you will want a venue that is close to your organization and easily accessible to your donors. Even donated spaces have some cost associated with them (e.g. heating costs, custodial fees), often around $100.

3. Decide on the nature of your event. Perhaps you wish to find ways to further your fundraising efforts the night of the performance. Some ideas might include: a silent auction where attendees can bid before the show and during intermission; a raffle; refreshment sale during intermission, etc. If you decide to do something in tandem with the performance, it is imperative that you discuss it with Acts Of Kindness Cabaret, both so we can have a smooth-running event and so those ‘extras' can be included on the promotional materials.

4. Set ticket prices. Acts Of Kindness Cabaret will work with you on this. Ticket prices will vary depending upon your support base, your community, and other factors.

5. Promote your event. Acts Of Kindness Cabaret will work with you on creating a promotion schedule, so that mailings are timed for maximum benefit, press releases make it on time for local papers, etc. It will be up to your organization to keep to that schedule as closely as possible.

   Acts Of Kindness Cabaret will promote the event to its supporters, donors, and fans. Your organization is responsible for all reproduction and mailing costs and labor associated with promoting the event to your support base and your community.

   Your organization will be provided with masters of any of the following promotional materials you wish to have. [You will need to provide an electronic copy of your organization's logo, so that we can include it on the materials.]

   •  Posters . These 11x14 posters can be reproduced easily from the master hard copy on a regular copy machine, or printed in mass quantities on a good laser printer from the master electronic version. If you provide us with your bulk mail indicia, we can include it on the reverse side of the poster, allowing you to use it as a mailer as well.

   •  Postcards . If you wish to order promotional postcards, you will be provided with a proof that can then be sent off to modernpostcard.com, to be ordered in any quantity you wish at very reasonable prices.

   •  Acts Of Kindness Cabaret Press Kit . This kit contains information about AOK Cabaret, the show we'll be doing for your event, and a promotional photo. To this kit, you can then add your own materials, specific to your event.

6. Sell tickets. It is important to sell tickets in advance, if possible. Your organization is responsible for taking advance reservations and payments, as well as setting up/staffing a ‘Will Call' and ticket sales table the night of the event.

7. Staff the event. Acts Of Kindness Cabaret is responsible for staffing all jobs within the performance space (performers, technical staff, ushers, etc.). Your organizations is responsible for staffing all jobs in the lobby or elsewhere outside the performance space (e.g. ticket table personnel, auction or refreshment personnel, etc.)

8. Hold a Production Meeting. Approximately one week prior to the event, a representative from your organization should meet with Acts Of Kindness Cabaret Director, Hilary Feldman, (in person or via telephone) to discuss ‘day of' procedures and make sure that everything has been taken care of.

9. Enjoy some cabaret and raise some money!

10. Pay out expense reimbursement Acts Of Kindness Cabaret . Although none of the singers or technical people are paid, we obviously have modest expenses associated with these performances and with sustaining our organization. These modest expenses are reimbursed to AOK Cabaret from ticket sale proceeds. Please contact us for details.