Maybe a need stirs your soul and you feel compelled to take action. Whether it’s Christmas gifts for those who are less fortunate or funds to pay off a medical treatment, community fundraisers foster a stronger sense of community.
As folks come together for a common bond in a community fundraiser, friendships are strengthened and people are helped in their time of need.
7 Helpful tips to organize a community fundraiser for charity
To help you get started on your mission of mercy, let’s look through some tips that will help you go from concept to success in your community fundraiser.
1 – Charity starts at home
To begin with, you’ll find our biggest tip at the top of the list. Never forget, charity starts at home. A spirit of giving should be cultivated throughout the year and in the day-to-day life of your park.
See one of your tenants struggling? Find a way to let them know you care. Maybe all you can do is send them a note, but it’s something. The extra care will show them you notice and care about them.
We shouldn’t do kind things to get something back. That’s the wrong motive. But in many cases, the spirit of giving is infectious. And by modeling that example of giving, you may find that your community follows suit. They’ll be ready to help you get this fundraiser off the ground.
2 – Find your cause, stay focused
There are many ideas out there for fun and easy fundraising. From chili cook-offs to bake sales, you’ll find many options available to you during the planning phase. But you can’t do them all, so how do you whittle down fundraising ideas to one that you can run with?
Identify something you can be passionate about and stick with that cause.
3 – Identify the best way to garner support
Think about your target audience. Who lives in your community? What are they likely to find appealing? What could you use as that metaphorical tempting carrot to inspire them to participate? A successful community fundraiser means that your cause is noticed and people choose to invest in it.
4 – Delegate tasks for success
After you’ve decided what type of fundraiser to go for, remember that this project doesn’t have to fall on your shoulders alone. Invite folks to help you care about this community fundraiser as much as you do.
Share tasks, don’t be afraid to delegate things to your team. You’ll find that through a team effort, it can all come together better and faster.
5 – Set a plan with deadlines
Nothing will get done without deadlines in place — even if you have the best team players. Deadlines are a big and crucial part of planning any project, including a community fundraiser. They allow you to measure the progress of your project.
Without progress, you won’t see that community fundraiser become reality. So sketch out your plan and plot out what needs to be done and by when. Share the deadlines and progress with your crew to keep everyone on the same page.
6 – Promote your fundraiser
Now for our tip on promoting your community fundraiser. You’ve selected your team, you’ve delegated the tasks with set deadlines. To be sure, you’re well on your way to making this community fundraiser happen.
Let’s start pushing your fundraiser to the community and surrounding areas. Send out an email and printed fliers to the homes in your mobile home park, inviting them to participate with friends and family. Post the flier on your community bulletin board.
Additionally, you can reach out to local media and see if they’d like to cover a story on the fundraiser.
7 – Location, location, location
As you plan, let’s think of where the location should take place. Is it something you can do indoors? Outdoors? Think about the time of year — if it’s freezing cold, do you still want to host it outdoors?
We suppose if you’re handing out chocolate on a Saturday, then it might work. But do you get much foot traffic during the winter? Are you setting up in a busy area?
Mind the details!
In pulling together a successful community fundraiser for charity, it’s smart to know that details are important. How do you collect the money? How does the money get the charity after the fundraiser?
Share your plan with a trusted friend or two and see what they think of it. Ask if they think something might be missing. We wish you the best as you support a worthy cause.
A common cause is a great way to bring your community together. And speaking of community togetherness, have you considered starting a community garden?
About Dan Leighton
