Many of our AHC families have executed a charitable Run or Walk event with much success. We have accumulated some of their experience in this toolkit to get a new planner headed in the right direction. If you are family with experience, we invite you to share with us! Please contact Vicky Platt via email at vicky@ahckids.org
Building a Stronger Timeline
Building a stronger Run/Walk in markets across the country requires appropriate time to plan and execute—generally 10-12 months. It also requires a web of committed volunteers. Volunteers are critical to the year-long process. Volunteers bring their own relationships, own networks, and their own connections to the AHC story. Identifying prospective sponsors, donors, and participants is the biggest challenge of any event. The more volunteers who are involved in the process, the more prospects you will identify.
Fundraising is about relationships—the prospective donor’s relationship to the cause. This is the case no matter the mission of the organization. Sometimes the relationship is to the cause itself—think about how many people support Susan G. Komen because a loved one has been impacted by breast cancer. Other times, the relationship is to the person who asked for the gift—a friend, family member or colleague who asked you to join them in their cause. Given AHC’s mission and the rareness of the disease, the relationships that volunteers bring to AHC will be the key to opening doors to potential new sponsors, donors and participants.
The following pages outline a potential timeline for the Run/Walk. Clearly, more details such a specific goals for sponsorships and participants should be added as the process unfolds.
AHC Run/Walk Suggested Timeline
September
October
November
December
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
Site Selection
Getting Started requires the selection of a date, time, distance, and location of the event. Finding the perfect site for the event can take time and should be done as soon as possible. In addition, working smart at this stage of the planning process requires delegation. Consider assigning a person, or team of people, to coordinate matters associated with the site selection process.
Factors for Selecting a Site can include the following considerations:
Legal/Logistics
Before the Event
Day of Event (Hospitality Team)
Equipment
Volunteers to assist with the event may include:
Sponsorship Opportunities
Post Event
Volunteers
Assembling a strong leadership team is an important step to creating a great event. Ideally your team
should be comprised of individuals with diverse skills and talents that share a common interest in the
success of the walk. When recruiting, consider who you know that may possess any or all of the
following characteristics:
Each of the positions listed below are suggestions and can be customized as needed. Not all areas may be
applicable to your event. Modify or combine as you see fit. Consider assigning a person (or team of
people) to the following areas: