Organizing a charity event is a way to help when someone you know is in need of financial assistance due to an unexpected difficulty or tragedy. Some ideas for charity events include dinners, auctions, garage sales and concerts. Give these ideas a creative twist by thinking of ways to raise money. People will want to help you organize the event or attend in order to help make it a success, so be sure to look for volunteers and spread the event in your community.
Contact the person or family you want to raise money for. Tell them you would like to organize a charity event. If they are not receptive, do not force the situation.
Gather a team of volunteers who are willing to help you with the event. Each person should ideally have experience in a particular area, such as marketing, organization, persuasion skills (people who get donations) and management. People who have contacts with local businesses are also valuable, as they can help convince companies to donate goods and services to make the event a success.
Hold a meeting with the volunteer team to decide when the charity event will be held and what type of event it will be. Choose a topic. Think of some ideas about where it could take place and how much money you want to raise. This last element will largely determine what type of event you will perform. Events that are easily organized, such as picnics and community barbecues, can be held in public parks and usually attract a large number of people. Ask a local group to play for free in exchange for the exhibition. Organizers can sell tickets for the event. It is important to have an established date and what kind of charity event will be as early in the process as possible, so that local media can be informed.
Secure a place for the event. If it is going to be held outside in a public place, be sure to obtain a permit, if necessary, from the city authorities. Ask schools or other public buildings if you can rent their auditoriums or meeting rooms at a low cost or free of charge, if you have to hold the event in a closed space. Contact local businesses to request a donation of space in your building if they have rooms of the right size and properly equipped.
Spread the word about your event. Contact the local media to give them the details. Place flyers and invitations on community bulletin boards, in businesses and in the mail. Take out a community event announcement in the local newspaper (which may be free). Take advantage of the power of the Internet to market the event in: Facebook events, Facebook states, My Space, email, Twitter, a website for the event, GoFundraiser.org (online donation tool), YourCause.com (tool for fundraising management) to name a few.
Contact local businesses to sponsor the event. Request donations of goods and services for everything from paper cups for drinks to graphic design of flyers. Ask a restaurant if they are willing to donate food for your event. An additional way to raise money for the person or family is to ask companies to send people with jars to the streets to request donations in cash. When you tell the owners or business managers what you hope to achieve with the charity event, many will come together to help.
Thanks to all who helped organize the event. To the volunteers, donors and everyone who spread the event. Place a thank you notice in the newspaper and online. Include how much was raised and a statement from the beneficiary person or family, if you can get one.