Special Events: Proven Strategies for Nonprofit Fundraising (Hardcover)

by Alan L. Wendroff (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"This comprehensive and detail rich book is a great addition to a fundraising library. Novices will find their anxiety banished and seasoned professionals will find they still can learn some things. If you want maximum mileage out of your events, use this book!" —Kim Klein, Publisher, Grassroots Fundraising Journal

"Applause for Alan Wendroff’s book, Special Events Proven Strategies for Nonprofit Fundraising, called for a Second Edition – an encore. Alan Wendroff uses his return to the stage as an opportunity to expand upon and enrich his previously presented special event strategies. In this updated edition, Wendroff guides the reader onto the Internet with its cost effective, timely, and considerable means for planning and conducting special events. The web-based strategies discussed in the Second Edition include volunteer enlistment, marketing to an expanded audience, and moment-by-moment stewardship. The newly presented strategies can further your event’s success and attract greater returns for addressing organizational mission objectives." —Skip Henderson, MSW, Providing Fund Raising Counsel

"Alan Wendroff takes special events seriously. This updated edition of his work is essential for organizations seeking to involve today’s potential donors and volunteers." —Eugene R. Tempel, Executive Director, The Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University, headquartered at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis

"Alan Wendroff significantly upgrades every development officer's library with Proven Strategies for Nonprofit Fundraising, Second Edition. In one volume, Alan provides specifics that are culled from his years of experience and delivers his counsel with the touch of a mentor and a sense of humor. This work provides additional and valuable resources for the experienced professional and sage advise for the novice." —Paul I. Kuznekoff, Director of Development, The Allen and Joan Bildner Center for the Study of Jewish Life at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

"Once again, Alan Wendroff provides doable step-by-step planning and strategizing for special events fundraising. His proven method is so sufficiently down-to-earth that both volunteers and staff can benefit tremendously from this simple implementation guide.
In fact, it would make an excellent 'thank you' gift for volunteers. They'll feel empowered and more equipped to assist with the charitable cause for which they are willing to give time and money." —Nancy May, Resource Development Consultant, Good Samaritan Foundation

Product Description
"This comprehensive and detail-rich book is a great addition to a fundraising library. Novices will find their anxiety banished and seasoned professionals will find they still can learn some things. If you want maximum mileage out of your events, use this book!"
––Kim Klein, Publisher
Grassroots Fundraising Journal

"Applause for Alan Wendroff’s book, Special Events: Proven Strategies for Nonprofit Fundraising, called for a Second Edition––an encore. Alan Wendroff uses his return to the stage as an opportunity to expand upon and enrich his previously presented special event strategies. In this updated edition, Wendroff guides the reader onto the Internet with its cost-effective, timely, and considerable means for planning and conducting special events. The web-based strategies discussed in the Second Edition include volunteer enlistment, marketing to an expanded audience, and moment-by-moment stewardship. The newly presented strategies can further your event’s success and attract greater returns for addressing organizational mission objectives."
––Skip Henderson, MSW
Providing Fund Raising Counsel

"Alan Wendroff takes special events seriously. This updated edition of his work is essential for organizations seeking to involve today’s potential donors and volunteers."
––Eugene R. Tempel, Executive Director
The Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University, headquartered at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis

"Once again, Alan Wendroff provides ‘doable’ step-by-step planning and strategizing for special events fundraising. His proven method is so sufficiently down-to-earth that both volunteers and staff can benefit tremendously from this simple implementation guide. In fact, it would make an excellent ‘thank you’ gift for volunteers. They’ll feel empowered and more equipped to assist with the charitable cause for which they are willing to give time and money."
––Nancy May, Resource Development Consultant
Good Samaritan Foundation

"Alan Wendroff significantly upgrades every development officer’s library with Special Events: Proven Strategies for Nonprofit Fundraising, Second Edition. In one volume, Alan provides specifics that are culled from his years of experience and delivers his counsel with the touch of a mentor and a sense of humor. This work provides additional and valuable resources for the experienced professional and sage advice for the novice."
––Paul I. Kuznekoff, Director of Development
The Allen and Joan Bildner Center for the Study of Jewish Life at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 2 edition (October 22, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0471462357
• ISBN-13: 978-0471462354
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #490,816 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Special Events: Proven Strategies for Nonprofit Fundraising, February 3, 2004

By	Terence Ahab (San Francisco, CA United States) - See all my reviews

A Review of
Special Events: Proven Strategies for Nonprofit Fundraising, second edition
By
Alan L. Wendroff
Published by
John Wiley & Sons, Inc. New York. 2003
ISBN 0-471-46235-7
Review written by Terence Ahab

It's been said that the reason so many new restaurants fail is that everybody who can boil water thinks he or she can be a successful restaurateur. A similar rule might apply to special event fund-raising - if you can pull off a successful dinner party, then maybe you figure you can plan a successful fundraising banquet. But as Alan Wendroff makes abundantly clear in the recently-released second edition of his book "Special Events: Proven Strategies for Nonprofit Fundraising," special event fundraising, to be truly successful, requires detailed planning along multiple fronts.

The centerpiece of Wendroff's hands-on approach to the topic is his Master Event Timetable, essentially a detailed 26-week task list that covers all the bases. Throughout the book, he stresses that financial success is only one of many goals to be achieved with special events, something that's easy to forget in the heat of battle. Most significantly, special events provide a convenient and comfortable opportunity to establish personal contact with current and potential stakeholders. And this book offers a host of ideas on how to capitalize on this unique opportunity to present your organization's mission and programs to a happily captive audience.

Chock full of charts, check lists and real-world examples of a variety of successful special event ideas, readers are taken from the initial step (should your group even put on a special event?) to the post-event wrap-up and evaluation. I found the chapters dealing with the recruitment and function of event chairs and community-wide event committee particularly valuable, but there is also an excellent chapter on the intricacies of budgeting for special events. But even an expert like Wendroff knows his limitations as he explains that the most detailed event budget is only an "educated guess."

The portion of the book dealing with using the Internet and e-mail in connection with special events offered less than I expected, but this area is evolving so rapidly that we might be better off just keeping tabs on the Howard Dean campaign's "meet up" concept to get some cutting edge ideas. One of the best features is the book's real "soup to nuts" coverage, from major topics like identifying high profile event chairs to some incredibly practical tips (i.e., provide award presenters with a printed copy of the text of the award engraving because it can often be difficult to read the engraving from the award itself).

My guess is that the novice special event organizer will want to keep this book close at hand while more experienced planners run across some fine points or suggestions that will help them improve their chances for success. The book includes a CD-ROM containing a number of useful documents including the Master Event Timetable, all of the book's author-created exhibits and samples of a press release and mission statement. With this book under his belt, Wendroff can now turn to a how-to book on opening a successful new restaurant.

5.0 out of 5 stars Very good book, September 11, 2008

By	Andree Weger "avid reader" (Orange County, CA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Great practical advice. CD is very good also. I'd advise you to buy this on especially for the diagrams on how to set up a room.