Organizing Charitable Events
A grassroots guide to running an effective fund-raiser for your favorite worthy cause
How to Organize a Silent Auction
How It Works: Bids, written on a sheet of paper next to each item, are accepted for donated goods and services over a set length of time.
What It's Best For: Raising money for causes that need ongoing support, like arts or literacy programs.
Pros: A silent auction can be run on its own or in tandem with other events, and it can be designed to fit virtually any financial goal and any audience demographic, says Dick Friel, who works as an auctioneer with his wife, Sharon Friel, in Seattle.
Cons: For most items, the top bid may be far below retail cost, so you'll need to gather items whose total value is much more than the amount you hope to raise.
Making the Most of It
Compile a list of desired items and of local businesses to approach for donations. Besides the usual tickets and gift certificates, Sharon Friel recommends seeking out unique experiences, such as the chance to wash a baby elephant at the zoo.
When someone agrees to make a donation, follow up with a confirmation letter.
Consider raffling off a few additional items every 15 to 20 minutes to keep the interest level high.
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How to Organize a Game Tournament
How It Works: Players pay an entry fee to compete in a tournament for a donated prize.
What It's Best For: Establishing an event that can be repeated annually, with return participants.
Pros: Groups can easily raise funds within a narrow time frame or on a tight budget. Also, the game at the heart of the event can be anything from one-on-one basketball to Scrabble.
Cons: Entry fees for a small tournament must be relatively high if you hope to make much money, which means that it may be hard to recruit players.
Making the Most of It
Try to get the event sponsored. Ask business owners to donate the contest's prize or to underwrite your costs in return for publicity or even tournament-naming rights.
Invite friends and family to participate, and ask those who are already involved in game or sports leagues to recruit others from within their networks.
If your event is a sports tournament ask your insurer about any liability considerations.
Download free tournament bracket sheets from www.darters.com and let the games begin.
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How to Organize a Benefit Walk
How It Works: Participants solicit pledges before the event, then walk en masse along a designated route.
What It's Best For: Helping to address an important issue facing a community.
Pros: It's an effective way to "not only raise funds but also raise consciousness" among people of all ages and interests, says Craig Miller of Los Angeles, the founder of AIDS Walk, a nationwide charity event.
Cons: Most walks take place on public streets, so there may be fees to pay and permits to secure.
Making the Most of It
Plot a course for your walk, then contact city or county officials to reserve it. Miller advises keeping the walk within one city's limits to avoid dealing with fees or paperwork for multiple jurisdictions.
At least two weeks in advance, create and distribute pledge forms. Ask walkers to collect lump-sum donations before the event (rather than per-mile pledges afterward) so that the totals can be tallied and announced at the end of the walk.
Ask a few volunteers to act as team leaders, helping you to recruit groups of walkers and hand out bottled water and snacks at the staging area, says Dottie Moore, executive director of the Washington State chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.
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How to Organize a Charitable Cocktail Party or Coffee Reception
How It Works: Guests pay a fee to attend a cocktail (or nonalcoholic) party held in your home or at bar.
What It's Best For: Raising money quickly to answer sudden needs, as in the case of disaster relief.
Pros: Probably the easiest type of event to plan, execute, and attract people to, "it's also very low risk, because the only up-front costs are what the organizer spends on food or liquor," explains Stephanie Roth, coauthor of The Accidental Fundraiser (Jossey-Bass, $20, www.amazon.com).
Cons: "It's usually a limited crowd, maybe 20 or 30 people in your house, versus a few hundred at a walk," notes Roth. And that means fewer people from whom to collect donations.
Making the Most of It
Invite your guests as early as possible, and follow up a few days before the party with an e-mail reminder or a paper invitation. Ask guests to RSVP so you'll know the amount of refreshments to buy.
To keep costs within reason, stick to a handful of signature cocktails or food and drink choices.
Charge an entry fee at the door rather than passing around a donation jar inside, as guests might be distracted when the jar comes around. However, do keep another donation jar inside to allow people to give more once they're settled in.
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