Walk & run events can be great fundraisers.
Organizing a run/walk is a great way to raise funds and awareness for your charity or cause. Your event may range from a two mile fun walk to a 10k road race, but many of the elements remain the same. As an example, the March for Markley two mile run/walk in April of 2005 had about 100 participants and raised about $3,600.
Instructions
Planning
1. Organize a committee to help establish contacts for the event. This is vital if you are planning a large event. The committee should represent your community's diversity and be made up of local business and community leaders. The committee should be no more than five to seven members. Select members who will not only lend experience, but local notoriety as well. Begin with those who are like-minded in regards to your cause.
2. Select a community of participants you are targeting. This is where committee members can be a great help. The most obvious community participants are those who share an interest in your cause or charity. If you find that a large proportion of your group belong to a certain church or live in a certain area, this should be the target community.
3. Choose an appropriate location, date and time. Contact local officials to obtain the required permits or permissions. Consider your participants when selecting the date and time, for the highest level of participation. For instance, if the majority of your participants are business professionals, a weekend event may be best. Planning should start at least six weeks ahead of the date of the event.
4. Contact the local media to promote your event. Formulate a press release for the event. Contact your local newspaper and radio for community bulletin board type announcements. Participants and donors can be recruited by using newspaper and radio advertising. Don't be afraid to ask the media to donate ad space or air time.
Paperwork and Logistics
5. Produce a sponsorship form to use when approaching local businesses. The sponsorship form should contain background information on your organization and be very specific in what is expected of sponsors. The form should also detail how sponors will be acknowledged. Local sponsorship will reduce costs and increase exposure for the event. (See References 2)
6. Create a registration form and waivers. Hire an attorney on your committee to help produce a short waiver for participants. The registration form should ask for adequate contact information from participants. This will make pledge collection simpler. Consider the costs of food, permits and any necessary equipment rental when determining registration fees.
7. Print pledge sheets for each participant. The pledge sheet should be easily understood, so that those who sponsor walkers understand exactly what they will be paying. Encourage them to raise as much as possible by offering special recognition or gifts to the highest fund-raiser.
8. Arrange for portable toilets along the route if no public facilities are available. Also plan for water stations along the route. Solicit local grocery stores to donate water and cups.
9. Find an inexpensive way to identify volunteers. You can use T-shirts or caps specially designated for volunteers. Special ribbons are also an inexpensive means of identification.
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