With COVID-19 cases and the delta variant on the rise, there’s been more uncertainty about planning in-person fundraisers. That’s problematic for campaigns and groups because in-person fundraisers raise significantly more funds than virtual fundraising events. Moreover, donors are more interested in attending them.
Yet, a growing number of guests who traditionally would attend our events are staying home and being wary of in-person gatherings. Traditional political donors skew older in age, and many may have legitimate concerns about being a part of a large, in-person gathering. To accommodate guests of all comfort levels, you can start organizing hybrid events.
Hybrid fundraisers combine an in-person gathering with an audience that also participates via video conferencing such as Zoom. They combine the best elements of virtual and in-person events where attendees can decide how they want to participate. Plus, if anything changes in the days leading up to the event, you can quickly pivot from a hybrid fundraiser to a purely virtual one.
As a hybrid fundraiser organizer, your goal is to create a seamless experience for both audiences. Here are some tips that will help you organize your first successful hybrid fundraiser:
- Designate an area of the in-person gathering for the speaking program.
- Stream the video conferencing on a large television that faces the in-person audience.
- Order a smartphone tripod that can go up to 5-6 feet. Make sure the phone used to stream into the virtual audience is fully charged and test how the live camera looks ahead of the speaking program.
- Place tape down on the floor where the candidate and other in-person guests will be speaking. Test how they look on camera ahead of time.
- Have quality audio speakers set up to ensure the in-person guests can hear and engage the virtual audience during the speaking program.
- Have a featured guest appear virtually. One of the best features of virtual fundraisers has been the ability to bring in almost anyone nationwide to headline your events. Hybrid events expand the pool of people who can be featured.
- If you’re organizing a cocktail party, consider mailing or dropping off cocktail kits to the guests who are participating virtually ahead of the event.
- Make sure a staffer is available at all times to adjust the speakers, television, smartphone.
- Before the event starts, brief your candidate on some of the donors who will be a part of the virtual audience so they can recognize them at the start of the speaking program.
Here’s how to organize the event’s run of show (assuming a traditional 5:30pm – 7:00pm weekday event):
5:30pm – 6:00pm — In-person guests sign in, arrive at the event, and mingle with your candidate.
6:00pm – 6:30pm — Move your in-person audience to the speaking area. Start the speaking program with your candidate, the featured guest, and have a robust Q&A session with questions taken from both the virtual and in-person audiences. Have your candidate wrap the speaking program by thanking everyone for attending (and, if needed, make an additional ask).
6:30pm – 7:00pm — The in-person event goes back to mingling and begins to wrap.
Depending on how much time your featured VIP guest has, you can sweeten the virtual experience by giving virtual attendees 10 minutes with the VIP ahead of the formal speaking program so they can get their questions and introductions in. If you plan on doing this, make sure to have a staff member or super-volunteer on the video call to guide this part of the program.
Lastly, make sure to invite everyone to hybrid fundraisers. With the ability to participate virtually, you can include donors from all over the country in your fundraisers. A wider pool of attendees can translate into a higher dollar amount than a geographically limited in-person event.
With the transition back to in-person fundraisers, and the need to accommodate guests of all comfort levels, hybrid events can play a crucial role in our event programs. These events include the best of both worlds, and with a bit of added effort, you can continue organizing dynamic fundraisers that both your donors and your candidate will enjoy.
Kalani Tissot is a political fundraiser and consultant based in Las Vegas, Nevada. Through his firm, Tissot Solutions LLC, Kalani raises money for Democrats in Nevada.
