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Does your organization work with tea and beverages? Consider sponsoring this fundraising idea to help out nonprofits looking to partner with other organizations!

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5 Tips for Hosting an Afternoon Tea Fundraiser

1. Partner with local businesses.

Ask to partner with local businesses such as tea shops or bakeries. In exchange for them supplying you with food and drinks for your event, you can include their logo and branding on your promotional materials. Be sure to show your gratitude for their help during your thank-you speech at the end of the event.

2. Lean into tradition.

For smaller events especially, lean into the ritual and traditions around afternoon tea. Your supporters are attending not only because they want to support your nonprofit, but also because they want the full afternoon tea experience. Invite them to dress in fancy afternoon tea attire, and allow them to choose a tea from a selection. Consider steeping the tea from loose leaves and not tea bags for a more authentic touch.

3. Choose a suitable venue.

You can host your afternoon tea in a sitting room or a dining room. If your event is planned for the spring, consider holding it outdoors in a flower garden. For larger events, you may need to host in a larger event venue or even a church.

4. Create an elegant atmosphere.

While part of creating an elegant atmosphere is choosing a suitably elegant venue, you must make an effort to create the ambience you desire. You can do this by playing soothing classical music or perhaps even hiring a string quartet. Decorate tables with fresh flowers and serve tea in dainty china teapots and teacups.

5. Promote your event well in advance.

You can promote your event on your website and through email newsletters, social media, flyers, and text. Make sure to give your potential attendees plenty of time to clear their schedules and submit their attendance fee.

What to Serve for Afternoon Tea

Stumped on what to offer your guests? Here are a few foods and drinks you can serve at your afternoon tea:

  • Tea. Select different types of teas that guests can choose from, such as black, green, oolong, and floral. You could even serve iced tea as well as hot.
  • Champagne. Some modern afternoon tea fundraisers provide champagne and mimosas in addition to tea.
  • Scones. A quintessential part of afternoon teas, scones are best served with jam and clotted cream.
  • Tea sandwiches. These are little sandwiches with simple fillings, such as smoked salmon and cream cheese or egg salad.
  • Sweets. Sweets include cakes, pies, tarts, or puddings.
  • Savories. You can serve soups, salads, omelets, and quiches.

Other Beverage-Themed Fundraisers

Looking to host another beverage-themed fundraiser? Consider one of the following:

  • Tea tasting. For a more interactive tea experience, host a tea tasting where guests can taste a variety of freshly brewed teas. You can also teach attendees about tea-time etiquette and let them rate the teas on a tasting card.
  • Wine tasting. A wine tasting is very similar to a tea tasting experience, but you can spice your event up by offering a tour of a local winery or by offering cheese to go with the wine.
  • Soft drink fundraiser. Best held alongside another event such as a walk-a-thon or a bake sale, you can create a soft drink fundraiser by selling drinks to thirsty attendees, helping you generate more revenue.
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