Events are a cornerstone fundraising strategy for many community groups, nonprofit organizations, and grassroots initiatives. It’s easy to understand why; who isn’t tempted by a beautiful bake sale? Who hasn’t heard of the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge? There are even charity runs for couch potatoes now!

As fun and effective as events like these can be, raising money with ioby tends to look a little different and often brings in more than just money. Crowdfunding the ioby way invites dialogue, knowledge-sharing, and a sense of joint responsibility for a project’s success. Unlike the bake sale model, fundraising with ioby is not a one-for-one, give-to-get trade where the attraction is an essentially unrelated event. The flow of crowdfunding means that donors give directly to the change they want to see. That promotes transparency, strengthens bonds between leaders and participants, and keeps everyone’s eyes on the prize: a better neighborhood for all.

Does that mean we think events have no place in community crowdfunding? Absolutely not! In fact, there are some big ways organizing the right kind of event can help your fundraising campaign succeed. Events can help you:

1. Raise money by creating—and capitalizing on—urgency.
2. Raise interest and excitement by showing–not telling–what your project is all about.
3. Realize your project’s full potential by keeping up–not dropping–the momentum once the goal is met.