Community Fundraising Success Stories

YWCA of Missoula

LUNAFEST Funds Girls with GUTS!

This year, the YWCA of Missoula, Montana celebrates 100 years supporting women in its community with programs that promote empowerment, peace, justice, freedom and dignity. It’s also the organization’s third year hosting LUNAFEST, and the funds raised go to a very special initiative: Girls Using Their Strengths (GUTS!). GUTS! helps girls build confidence, develop leadership skills and learn about the environment through outdoor adventures and after-school activities. Designed by and for young women, it’s the kind of cause LUNAFEST was made for.

Moving on Up

As word has spread about LUNAFEST, YWCA of Missoula has seen attendance multiply. “We started out with around 100-200 participants, and this year we had nearly 500,” says Shanna Ungate, AmeriCorps VISTA volunteer for YWCA of Missoula. The group’s most recent LUNAFEST was held in the Wilma Theater, a beautiful historic movie house in downtown Missoula with 1,000+ seats. The event raised $6,000 for the GUTS! program, and the YWCA was also able to shine a spotlight on a host of other issues important to the women of its community.

Fundraiser in a Box

“With other events, we usually have to come up with an idea and make a plan from scratch,” says Ungate. “LUNAFEST really makes it easy for organizations by providing a detailed timeline and materials that help you keep things on track. ‘Fundraiser in a box’ is an apt description.”

Know Your Audience

According to Ungate, knowing your audience is key to a successful event. In the YWCA’s case, this meant integrating its popular “Labors of Love” silent auction into LUNAFEST. During intermission, attendees bid on items that lived up to the auction’s name; a made-to-order home baked pie, for example, or guitar lessons from a local instructor. “LUNAFEST gives hosts the flexibility to make the event their own,” says Ungate. “Missoula is a tightly-knit community, so the ability to put a personal spin on things made the experience even more meaningful for our supporters.”