Fundraising Tips

Having an organization that can receive donations is helpful, but absolutely not required to pull off a great event. You're basically hosting a party with computers, just a space, internet, and food are all that's really needed to ensure a hackathon WILL happen, and these tips can get you started:

• Get a free venue (most important first step!) usually someone’s tech company has a giant all-hands space and they can sign up to host for free.

• Invite tech companies, especially developer products, to donate free software, press contacts, or individual concrete expenses like “can you sponsor $1k for food?”

• Once you have a host and a sponsor or two, note that to other potential sponsors in your emails and meetings by name, solves the “first penguin problem.”

• If you don’t have a sponsor org to channel nonprofit donations through, asking for in-kind donations of stuff like paying a food bill or sending refreshments via delivery service tends to be easier for donors.