Organize A 5K Run To Benefit A Nonprofit Charity Organization

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Fundraising for a charity organization is a substantial job that can reap huge benefits. A charity organization can host a special event such as a book sale, auction, car wash, or a sports tournament, to raise funds. A competitive 5K run is a good way to raise funds as many people inside and outside of a charity organization may be interested in participating. If you are organizing a 5K run to benefit a nonprofit charity organization, here is a plan and a list of things to consider:

Plan an Event and Set Goals:  Meet with the members of your charity organization and propose a 5K run as a way to raise funds. Discuss the possibility of this event with all members and get a consensus vote to go forward with the plan. Set a monetary fundraising goal, determine finances needed to stage the race, discuss possible sponsors and donors, propose a tentative date and race route, and set a small fee for participating runners.

Organize Volunteers:  Recruit volunteers within your organization to work on different aspects of the event. Look for volunteers with skills such as graphic design, advertising, business management and administration, and accounting. Also, look for volunteers who can solicit donations prior to the race and work at stations along the race route on the date of the event.

Set a Course:  In a car, set the odometer to zero and drive a proposed course to measure it. Once you have a general idea of the distance, ride a bike with an odometer along the course to get the most accurate measurement of the actual distance. Decide where you will begin and end the race and locate parking where participants can park their cars.

Get City and Local Permits:  Register your 5K charity run with your city and local government permit offices. Fill out all required applications and submit a complete event description, a map of the proposed course, a list of tentative sponsors, and other support documents as requested.

Secure Sponsors and Donations:  Contact local businesses and organizations to secure financial donations and become sponsors of the event. Ask equipment rental companies to donate tables, chairs, and crowd-control barriers. Request donations of bottled water from grocery stores. Inform sponsors and donors that their name and organization will be listed on all advertising and printed materials for the event.

Enlist Participants:  Register run participants at every meeting of your charity organization and in front of businesses along the route. Ask people who sign up for a small fee to offset organizational expenses.

Print Signs, Brochures, and Awards:  Design a logo for your 5K event to represent your charity event. Print signs to be posted on the day of the race to indicate the beginning of the course, the race route, and the end of the course. Print numbered race bibs for all runners, brochures to advertise the event, and ribbon awards for those who complete the race.

Advertise:  Promote your 5K charity run by posting signs on community bulletin boards and other businesses. Distribute stacks of event brochures to businesses along the route to give to their customers. Post notices of the event on your website and on social media accounts.

These are some of the tasks and jobs needed to organize and plan a charity 5K run. More tasks will arise for your particular nonprofit organization depending on your location and available resources. Allow as much time as possible to organize and plan your event. With hard work, dedicated organizers, volunteers, sponsors, and runners, you can successfully host a 5K charity run and fundraise for your nonprofit organization. Contact a charity run organization, like gotCUREage, for more.

3 August 2017