Understanding the Impact of California SB 478 on Event Registration

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Best practices for increasing recurring donations

Nonprofits work tirelessly to connect with their communities, but truly understanding those connections can be challenging. When your supporter data lives across multiple systems, such as event registration tools, donation platforms, volunteer spreadsheets, and email marketing software, it’s nearly impossible to see the full story of a person’s involvement. Why a Unified View Matters Fragmented data hides powerful insights. A loyal donor might also volunteer every summer. A board member could be one of your most consistent event participants. A sponsor may have first discovered your organization through a child's participation and later deepened their support through ongoing sponsorship. Without a unified record, those connections stay invisible and opportunities to engage more meaningfully slip away. When your organization can view a person’s complete history in one place, you can: Recognize every way they contribute, not just their latest donation Tailor your outreach based on real activity and interests Build trust by showing that you truly know and appreciate their involvement Identify people ready to take on bigger roles, like becoming a team lead, board member, or major donor If your organization isn’t doing this yet, now is the time to start consolidating your data. What a Full Supporter Record Includes Picture opening one supporter record and seeing everything you need to understand their relationship with your organization. This single, unified record might include: Personal details such as contact information, employer, social media, and/or certifications Event registrations and participation history Donation and fundraising activity Volunteer and board service Sponsorship connections Vendor relationships Email and text engagement with your organization Staff notes, tags, alumni status, and custom fields unique to your programs That level of visibility helps everyone on your team work smarter and communicate more effectively. How to Move Toward a Unified System If your team currently uses multiple systems, start by asking: Where does supporter data live today? (Event system, donation tool, email list, etc.) Who manages each system? What overlaps or gaps exist between them? Once you know where your data lives, look for ways to bring it together. The goal is to build a single source of truth that captures every connection a supporter has with your organization. Why Pinwheel Makes It Easy Pinwheel brings all of this data together, including event registrations, fundraising activity, donations, volunteer records, communications, and more, into one comprehensive supporter record. You’ll see a person’s entire journey with your organization, so your team can spend less time cross-checking and more time connecting. With Pinwheel, you can: Automatically link a person’s event participation to their donations and volunteer history See communication engagement right on their record Add tags, notes, and custom roles that matter to your programs Generate reports that show true supporter impact When everything lives in one place, you can act faster, personalize more deeply, and make smarter decisions about engagement and stewardship. Take the Next Step If you’re already using Pinwheel, make sure you’re taking advantage of every tool. Reach out to us for tips on unifying your supporter data. If you’re not using Pinwheel yet, this is the moment to explore how it can transform the way your organization understands and engages its community. Schedule a demo and see how easy it can be to build a complete picture of every supporter!

Empower events with peer to peer fundraising

When it comes to after-school programs, camps, or high-demand community events, spots can fill up in minutes, sometimes seconds. For many families, trying to register for these programs becomes a stressful race, where those with the fastest internet or most flexible schedules win, and everyone else misses out. At Pinwheel , we believe access should not be based on Wi-Fi speed or being available right at 9:00 AM on a Wednesday. That’s why we’ve built lottery registration into our event tools, offering a fairer, more equitable way to manage high-interest events. What Is Lottery Registration? Lottery registration allows organizations to collect sign-ups over a defined period, and once that window closes, randomly select who gets a spot in the program. Instead of a first-come, first-served system, which often disadvantages working parents or people with limited internet access, lottery registration levels the playing field. Everyone has an equal shot at participation. That’s a huge step forward in creating fairness and trust in your community. Why It Matters: More Equity, Less Chaos Equal Access for All Families – Lottery registration removes the digital race. Whether a parent signs up right at 9 a.m. or 11:59 p.m., the registration is treated the same. Less Stress, More Time – No need to hover over a computer or worry about typing quickly enough. Registration can happen at a convenient time, with confidence that it's the act of signing up (not the speed) that counts. Supports Representation Goals – For organizations serving underrepresented or underserved communities, lottery registration is a powerful tool to remove barriers and support fair access. Better Experience for Staff – Set the registration period, then use Pinwheel’s built-in randomizer to fairly select participants. It’s quick, transparent, and eliminates the need for spreadsheets or manual selection. How It Works in Pinwheel Pinwheel’s lottery registration is designed to be easy to set up and simple to manage: Open a Registration Window - Choose the start and end dates for registration. During this time, families or participants sign up just as they would for any other event. Random Selection Tool - After the registration window closes, use Pinwheel’s built-in randomizer to fairly select who gets in. For guaranteed placements, such as children of program volunteers, the Award-Win feature can be used to ensure those spots are reserved. Automatic Payment Collection - Once selected, the system automatically processes the participant’s payment. Any financial aid or discounts are applied, along with donations, merchandise purchases, and payment plans. Custom Notifications – Participants who receive a spot are automatically emailed, along with any important information the organization needs to share. Families who aren’t selected can be contacted manually or notified later if additional spots become available. When to Use Lottery Registration Pinwheel’s lottery tool is ideal for: After-school programs with limited enrollment Summer camps with high demand Workshops and specialty classes Publicly funded programs that prioritize equity Events where fairness and transparency are critical Tips for a Smooth Lottery Process Be Clear in Your Communications - Let registrants know it’s a lottery, not first-come-first-serve, and provide the timeline for selection. Give Yourself Time - Build in a buffer between when registration closes and when you run the lottery to manage selections and send notifications. Set Expectations : Let families know how and when they’ll hear back, even if they aren’t selected. A More Equitable Way to Register Lottery registration doesn’t just solve logistical headaches, it signals to the community that your organization values fairness , accessibility , and transparency . And with Pinwheel, it’s simple to implement and easy to manage. Want to add a lottery to your next program? We’re here to help you get started. Visit pinwheel.us or contact our support team for help setting up your next equitable registration process.