Charity Walks Blog

Should nonprofits hold charity walks and other special events?

I have recently read several blog posts and newsletters from fundraising consultants who encourage nonprofits to run away from charity walks when they should be embracing special events.

Many of these consultants are friends of mine. I have a significant amount of respect for them and their abilities. So why am I concerned with this particular advice?

Get Rid of Charity Walks

There is some basis for these fundraising consultants to recommend that nonprofits stay away from special events, including charity walks. Planning, organizing and executing a successful charity walk takes a significant amount of time and effort from staff and volunteers. There are other much more efficient methods to raise money to support an important cause. There is also some level of risk being accepted when holding a special event.

Horror stories of failed attempts at raising funds have been used to reinforce the risks being taken when embarking on special events. Some of these stories were first-hand experiences of the fundraising consultant.

If the only need of the nonprofit organization is to raise money, the advice being given is right on target. Finding ways to be more effective and efficient at rising funds is why the fundraising consultant was hired, right?

The Flaw

Most nonprofit organizations don’t have a purpose and mission to raise money. Typically, an organization needs to do things like institute programs and lead advocacy efforts to fulfill their purpose. The funds raised are just one of the important tools needed to allow the organization to make a positive difference. There are other important tools that the organization needs in addition to money.

When decisions about special events are made from the limited perspective of fundraising alone, it can cause problems in the organization. I was intrigued by the blog post Fundraisers and Program Professionals: Can’t Everyone Just Get Along?. It discusses the friction that can occur between program professionals and fundraisers when each are not working together from a “corporate” perspective.

Consider Charity Walks for All They Can Provide

Charity walks can be powerful. There are many benefits this type of special event can provide to the nonprofit organization. Some of these benefits include:

• Raising money
• Recruiting and developing volunteers
• Raising awareness for the cause and the organization
• Identifying and engaging company partnerships in the community
• Supporting advocacy efforts

These are all positive things from the program professional perspective. But unless the fundraisers and program professionals start viewing their efforts from an organization perspective, there will be unhealthy conflict and the nonprofit will not be as effective as it could be.

Before eliminating charity walks, the total return on investment needs to be considered and compared to the overall needs of the organization. Only then can an informed decision be made. Who knows, maybe a bonus benefit will be the program professionals and fundraisers will start getting along.

By the way, most of the special event horror stories I read had little or no volunteer involvement. In my opinion, this is not advised and would put the event at significant risk. If you are considering a charity walk in the future, take advantage of others who have successfully put on these charity events. Get your personal  copy of The Walkathon Guide at http://www.TheWalkathonGuide.com.

Thanks,

Photo credit: Thiago Felipe Festa

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