A gala is a festival or celebration for a particular community. Galas typically focus on some characteristic of that community (usually a specific aspect of its culture, value system, or religion). Throughout history, galas included getting gussied up in your fanciest attire to enjoy food, entertainment, and celebration with your community.

Fundraising galas have long been a useful tool for charities and nonprofits to expand their networks and raise much-needed money. Though they might sometimes feel like fundraising from a previous era, galas still work quite well for many organizations.

Of course, it can be challenging to organize and execute an effective fundraising gala. Here are some handy tips and tricks to determine if a gala is right for your organization and ways to make your next fundraising gala a smashing success!

Amazon Smile is the sister website of Amazon.com with all the same products, features, and prices. Shoppers probably won’t notice any difference between the two sites. The sites are nearly identical, except when shoppers use Amazon Smile, the Amazon Smile Foundation donates 0.5% of the purchase price of all eligible items to a charity of the shopper’s choice.

Amazon is the largest internet retailer in the world, so that 0.5% adds up quickly! Since it launched in 2013, the Amazon Smile Foundation donated over $80 million to nearly one million charities.

In addition to your nonprofit's donation page, Amazon Smile is an easy, low cost way for your organization to receive a little passive income throughout the year. All your supporters need to do is set up their Amazon Smile account and select your charity, then start shopping like they usually do!

Here are some tips and tricks to help your organization get more out of Amazon Smile.

Corporate sponsorship is when a for-profit company provides money, goods, or services to a nonprofit organization's event or program in exchange for promotional benefits, visibility, or other advertisements.

Corporate sponsorships have been around for decades. Many Fortune 500 companies have dedicated corporate social responsibility departments who find charitable organizations to sponsor.

A successful corporate sponsorship is beneficial to both the business and the nonprofit. The organization receives much-needed support, and the sponsoring company gains access to new audiences.

Whether you run a nonprofit or you're looking for a way to help your favorite charity, peer-to-peer fundraising is an excellent way to raise money and connect with new supporters.

People are more likely to financially invest in a nonprofit if they have a relationship with the organization. Peer-to-peer fundraising can strengthen relationships with your current supporters and develop relationships with new donors. With a little creativity, the right tools, and a little support from your friends, you can rally the troops to make a significant impact.

Here's a list of six peer-to-peer fundraising ideas to get you started!

1. Celebrate special days
2. Go on strike
3. Run, ride, hike--get active
4. Wear your cause
5. Personal challenges
6. Host a marathon (not the running kind)
7. Watch a movie

Peer-to-peer fundraising is one of the best and easiest ways to get your donors and supporters involved in the fundraising process. More than 43% of nonprofits that use peer-to-peer fundraising report that it makes up over 50% of their annual revenue!

New data suggests that peer-to-peer fundraising is one of the most effective fundraising methods available to nonprofit organizations. Unfortunately, over 45% of nonprofits don’t take advantage of this new and relatively low-cost fundraising method.

Are you ready to incorporate peer-to-peer fundraising into your fundraising plan? Here are five steps you can take to ensure your peer-to-peer fundraising campaign is a success.