Fundraising: Guest List Donations

This article is part of the Festivals For Ukraine Toolkit.

• Creator: Music Saves UA
• Published in: 2024

Another very low-threshold type of fundraising in the context of events requiring entry fees is the so-called ‘guest list donation’. A very relevant turnout can be achieved here, particularly at festivals and concerts with large numbers of participants and, thus, registered guests.

Supporting Music Saves Ukraine was a huge priority for us at Superbloom. Using the guest list donation and investing this money into cultural and humanitarian causes is something that is very natural for me. Knowing the Music Saves Ukraine team I was 100% sure that I want to do everything I can to help and support them and their projects  with all the power and connections I have. You can say that our financial support is a “drop of water on the hot stone”, but every single drop counts!
 It is the people who make the change and the endless efforts of Music Saves Ukraine save lives and give people in Ukraine joyful and happy moments in times of destruction and fear… Music Saves Ukraine carries out the most positive humanitarian mission to bring back hope, peace and love into the hearts and souls of the people in Ukraine, therefore Superbloom will always remain a supporting partner and most importantly a friend of this team.
Fruzsina Szép / Superbloom 

How does the scheme work?
Almost every festival has some people who are admitted without having to pay the regular ticket price, even though they are not involved in the production. These can be invited guests, partner organizations or sponsors. The registrations and credentials issued naturally have an equivalent value that justifies linking them to a fundraising measure. Each accredited or invited person is obliged to donate to obtain the ticket or pass, the value of which far exceeds the donation required.

Setting the donation amount and collecting the donations.
You should pick the mandatory donation amount by considering the nature of your festival, the standard admission price, and the financial situation of your audience. We suggest setting the donation between €5 and €20. You can also easily calculate your potential result by multiplying the required donation amount per ticket by the number of your ‘free’ tickets (you can check information from previous years to get an estimate). Donations can be collected by accepting cash or credit card payment upon entry at the wristband exchange point or online as part of the registration process if a corresponding payment system is in place.

Communicate how and what you are raising for.
When sending out invitations, it is essential to transparently communicate all relevant information to the ‘free’ ticket holders. Mention that there will be an obligatory donation to obtain the ticket, the donation amount, how it will be collected and where the raised money will go. Please avoid generic information such as ‘the proceeds will be used for a social cause’ or ‘the proceeds will go towards our sustainability work’. Such communication can potentially lead to mistrust and various assumptions about where the money will go.
Clearly state the beneficiary organization for your fundraising, their mission, and what the funds will be used for. Put this detailed information in your invitations / tickets as well as on the website where the payment takes place or at the respective on-site spot where people will be giving the donation and getting the wristbands. Visuals or a video would be a great addition as well and will raise more awareness of the cause.

Do not worry if there is initial resistance.
When you first introduce this scheme at your event, there might be some resistance at the start, but it is important to avoid exceptions and remain firm and consistent. Good communication will help, and eventually, this can become a familiar and accepted practice at your festival. As always, putting a spotlight on the final results in social media and press will generate a lot of goodwill for your brand and help make this practice an integral and accepted part of your festival.

This principle was implemented with great success at the Superbloom Festival in Munich in 2023. The amount raised for Music Saves Ukraine was the highest single contribution of any festival during the summer of 2023. Festivals like Provinssi, Kesarauha, Mad Cool, and Metronome also used this scheme to fundraise for Music Saves Ukraine.