Hybrid Fundraising Events are typically comprised of 3 to 4 Goodworld features.
Campaign Page — to track fundraising
Events & Ticketing — to register attendees
Livestream — to put on a show!
Auctions — for bonus fun*
Important questions to get in the right frame of mind:
• What's the focus of this event?
• Who will be speaking or performing?
• Is this event Invitation Only?
• How many attendees do we hope to attract?
• Is this a fundraising event?
• What is our nonprofit's event budget?
Things to consider:
Communication — Pre-event communication for a virtual event is key to make your supporters have clarity heading in. For example, make sure you lay out step-by-step online fundraising directions for those who are not tech savvy.
Accessibility — Display auction item photos, embed videos, and host your livestream program all in one place.
Gamification — Easy strategies to gamify your event in a virtual world include: displaying a fundraising thermometer, offering prizes to top fundraisers, encouraging interaction on the livestream.
Ideas
Livestream concert
Virtual trivia
Virtual keynote speaker
Virtual tasting
Virtual classes
Virtual 5k or race
Campaign Page
Start by visiting the Campaigns tab and clicking + Create New. You'll be prompted to set a goal and name the campaign.
Add an image and description (which will show if shared on social media). You can add addition text, image and video blocks to help tell the story.
Once you're done, you can create a customizable Campaign page for your audience. See the Pages tab at the top of your Campaign screen. Click + Create New
Then, select a layout.
You can full customize your audience experience from there, including adding graphics and buttons like:
Register for the event
Donate Now
Watch the livestream
Enter an auction
and more
Events & Ticketing
Now that you've established Campaign page, it's time to link an event to sell tickets and track registrations. Get started by visiting the Events tab in your side menu. Click + Create New.
You'll be prompted to name the event and add a catchy headline.
Then, specify your location and event details (i.e. date and time).
You'll, then be walked through adding an image, description and the ticket creation process.
Once you're happy with your draft event. You can tie your event registration to your campaign page by copying your event registration link at the top of your event. Add adding a register button to the campaign page you created!
If you have any questions, let's find time to set everything up together. Schedule a time >
Livestream
Embed a livestream on your Goodworld Campaign page and bring your event to life in real-time, without ever needing to refresh the page.
Live streaming on Goodworld is compatible with:
To learn more about live streaming via Zoom, please see their help center articles:
Start using Livestream on Goodworld
Automatically show and hide your livestream on your campaign page at designated times without requiring visitors to refresh the page
Live video is one of the best ways to engage your community and Goodworld makes it dead-simple to do so alongside state of the art Campaign pages.
Auctions
A perfect experience for a hybrid event, but there are a few very critical details.
Key Questions to Consider
Where is your primary audience?
In this case, will your expected top bidders be in the ballroom or at home bidding? When you are making decisions specific to the live auction, be sure to:
Keep your primary audience in the forefront of your mind.
Make it easy for them to participate.
Have everyone (in-person or virtual) bid on their phones
*This last point is critical. You should not have live bidding in person AND virtual bidding. We repeat. There should only be one place people can place bids. ON THEIR MOBILE DEVICES.
Do not risk creating two playing fields. Transparency and realtime data is fairness. And fairness is the backbone of the integreity of an auction.
What is the latency on your live streaming platform?
Test this with your A/V company (if you are using one). The user’s cellular service or WiFi can impact their experience too.
Plan for a short delay with your livestream.
If you have bids coming in electronically – make sure everyone gets a chance to place their final bid before closing.
When are you going to open bidding?
We recommend opening all items early, at the latest on event day, for two important reasons. With all items visible, Bidders won’t need to refresh their screen when the auctioneer moves onto the next item. Opening bidding early generates higher bids as there’s already activity when the program begins. And when you’re ready to close your items, your messaging should still reference the live experience of an auctioneer closing each item one at a time.
What will your minimum bids & minimum raises be?
How long should the auction run?
How are you going to promote your live auction?
While historically some organizations hid their live auction items from view until event day, we highly recommend promoting early and often.
Tips
Keep the live auction short – less than 15-20 minutes
If you have more items, scatter live auction throughout the program (telethon style)
Add multi-media, photos, or captivating min-videos to avoid virtual fatigue.
With Goodworld, you can always move items to a “Super Silent” category rather than lengthen the live auction.
Wrapping Up
Hybrid fundraising has gained momentum as a way to bring fundraising events to both live and virtual audiences, but a key hesitation nonprofits experience is how to execute the live auction in a hybrid format.
Don’t let it be a barrier! Think of it as the “best of both worlds,” blending fundraising best practices and technology to create seamless giving experiences – anytime, anywhere.
We’re here to help guide you through the world of hybrid fundraising.