Money Matters: A Choir Leader’s Guide to Fundraising and Budgeting
Part 1: Building Support – Fundraising Strategies for Choirs
Managing a choir is about more than music—it’s about sustainability. For many community and professional ensembles, strong fundraising ensures your choir can afford essentials like sheet music, rehearsal space, costumes, and tours. This guide explores creative, practical ways to raise funds while engaging your community and growing support.
Build Support, Grow Visibility
Fundraising is about more than just meeting a budget—it's about building relationships, increasing visibility, and strengthening your choir’s connection to its community.
Host Ticketed Performances
Ticket sales remain one of the most reliable and consistent sources of revenue for both community choirs and professional ensembles. Beyond simply putting on a show, ticketed events provide opportunities to build your brand, reach new audiences, and reinforce your value to the community.
Consider these performance strategies:
Seasonal and themed concerts (e.g., "A Night at the Movies," "Holiday Harmonies," or "Spring Sing") that create marketing momentum and align with audience interests.
Family-friendly matinees or pay-what-you-can preview nights to improve accessibility and expand your base.
VIP ticketing tiers that offer premium seating, backstage passes, pre-concert receptions, or exclusive merchandise—ideal for supporters and donors looking for a deeper connection.
Use your choir performance planning tools to:
Track ticket sales by section and pricing tier
Coordinate volunteers and ushers
Monitor real-time attendance projections
Communicate logistics clearly with your singers and production team
These features, combined with seamless integration into Choir Genius, make managing large events less stressful and more efficient. With Choir Genius, you’ll have no extra service fees, and the Stripe processing fees can be covered by purchasers if you wish.
Partner with Sponsors and Local Businesses
Building strong relationships with local businesses and community organizations can create mutually beneficial sponsorship opportunities. Many companies are eager to support local arts initiatives, especially if it increases their brand visibility or supports their corporate social responsibility goals.
Tactics for successful partnerships include:
Offering logo placement on concert programs, websites, and email newsletters
Including sponsor shoutouts during event intermissions or on social media
Creating tiered sponsorship packages with escalating benefits (e.g., Bronze, Silver, Gold levels)
Collaborating on co-branded community events
Run Community Events
Engaging the community through casual fundraising events can be an excellent way to increase visibility and build goodwill, especially for nonprofit choirs or smaller ensembles.
Proven community fundraiser ideas include:
Silent auctions featuring donated items from local businesses or handmade crafts from choir members
Bake sales or pop-up cafés hosted during intermissions or community markets
Car washes or yard sales, which double as team-building activities for choir members and volunteers
These events also offer valuable opportunities for media coverage and social media content. Use your choir communication tools to:
Recruit and coordinate volunteers
Share promotional materials across email, social media, and community boards
Track event participation and donations
Many successful choirs use these grassroots efforts not only to raise funds but also to deepen local support and increase membership interest. Pro tip: Choir Genius can manage volunteer jobs with our events and volunteers features!
Launch Online Crowdfunding Campaigns
Digital crowdfunding has revolutionized how choirs can fund specific goals and reach beyond their immediate community. Whether you’re funding a tour, commissioning a new work, or expanding your digital music library, online campaigns allow you to tell your story and rally support.
Best practices for choir crowdfunding:
Choose a platform like GoFundMe, Kickstarter, or FundRazr that aligns with your goals
Create a compelling campaign page with visuals, a clear financial goal, and a breakdown of how funds will be used
Include testimonials, rehearsal clips, or mini-performances to help potential donors connect emotionally
Offer tiered incentives (e.g., digital downloads, shoutouts, or behind-the-scenes access)
Apply for Grants and Accept Donations
Grant funding is a valuable and often underused resource for choirs. Many national, regional, and municipal arts organizations offer funding for community engagement, artistic innovation, youth education, and more.
Steps for success:
Identify grant programs that align with your choir’s mission and activities (e.g., public outreach, music education, diversity and inclusion)
Keep a calendar of grant deadlines and reporting periods
Maintain a central document library with boilerplate text about your mission, leadership, and past performances to streamline the application process
In addition to grant funding, make it easy for individuals to support your choir through:
One-time donations via your website or payment processor
Monthly or seasonal donation programs
Donation buttons on concert livestreams or digital programs
Donor recognition in programs, newsletters, and thank-you videos
Pro Tip: Choir Genius users can collect donations through our store, and send automated charity donation receipts.
Next in the series:
Ready to put your fundraising plan into action? Make sure you’re also managing your money wisely. Coming soon in Part 2: Smart Spending – Budget Management for Choir Leaders.
Ready to take your choir’s community outreach to the next level?
Let Choir Genius help you organize, promote, and manage every step of your engagement strategy—so you can spend less time on logistics and more time making music.
