Fundraising Events For Charities – The Real Scoop, How To Be Successful

So you're planing a charity fundraising event. You want – no, need it to be a success. How can this happen, when times are tight and people are thinking twice before donating at all? First, recognize that even in times of great stress, people are usually willing to donate to those who are less fortunate.

There are ways to tap into those who have enough money and some to spare. Fundraising event planning is a big part of the process to success. So, what are some ideas you can try?

Where's Bagger Vance When You Need Him?

Consider hosting a celebrity golf tournament. This type of charity fundraising event can be almost pure profit. Having a celebrity present can inspire more entries – and since each entrant or each team pays an entry fee for the pleasure of golfing at the celebrity golf tournament, the money can rack up.

Entry fees at a celebrity golf tournament can be much higher than usual green fees. Also, you can probably get a discount on using the green for your charity fundraising event, putting more of the money into the charity's pocket.

Let 'Em Know You Need It

Charity fundraising events can be as simple as letting people know you need funds and where to send the money to. We see this process over and over with the Red Cross and United Way, etc., whenever there is a disaster that tests our resources. “We need more blood! We need donations of food, blankets, diapers, money!” They tell us this over the airways, with radio ads, television ads, and newspapers, and most of those ads are free to the organization – it is a “public service announcement”.

When it isn't free, it is much less expensive than for an ordinary business to buy the ad space. Sometimes a local radio station will talk about the extra need during a talk radio broadcast, sometimes even hosting a charity fundraising event for the organization – which can be as modest as being in a certain place between certain hours, to accept donations from the public.

Hosting A Walk

Another successful charity fundraising event is to host a walk, like the American Heart Association and the Breast Cancer Awareness groups do.

With an organized walk, the  participants collect money for the organization based on number of miles walked, or it can be a flat entry fee, depending on what way you choose to offer it. Having a walk can bring awareness to your charity cause, and that's usually a very good thing.