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There's A Silver Lining Around 2009 Results
Greetings!
After years of steady growth, thon fundraising results were down 7.6% in 2009: 20 of the top 30 programs saw revenues decline.
The revenue numbers make it clear that 2009 was a tough year for most of the major players in our field. (Click here to see the top line results and dig into the numbers.)
 Looking a little deeper, however, I see three pieces of very good news:
1) Thon fundraising is here to stay. Participation levels were basically flat at just under 11.3 million for the top 30 programs.
The physical, emotional and social benefits thons offer make them popular whatever the economy dishes out.
2) A commitment to program improvement can make a big difference. More strategic communication, an emphasis on converting participants into fundraisers and better use of online tools enabled some major programs (e.g. Race for the Cure and Memory Walk) to grow and helped others limit their declines.
3) There continues to be room for new players to engage supporters. Smaller, relatively new events -- like Crohn & Colitis Foundation's Team Challenge -- dominated the list of groups that experienced revenue growth in 2009. It will be tough for anyone to build another nine-figure megaprogram, but there's still plenty of opportunity for many groups to raise millions.
Here's wishing you a great 2010 season!
President
Run Walk Ride Fundraising Council
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Greening Your Event: May 18 Teleconference
Environmental sustainability is an increasingly important issue for athletic event planners as municipalities, sponsors and participants alike demand 'greener' events.
Join Bruce Rayner, founder and Chief Green Officer of Athletes for a Fit Planet, as he presents a practical and cost-effective approach to greening your event. From recycling to carbon neutrality to greening your supply chain, Bruce will share insights and ideas for how you can create a long-term sustainability plan.
$99 or FREE to RWRFC members
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Two Studies Worth Reading
RWRF conference attendees were served heaping helpings of food for thought in the form of two white papers unveiled at the conference.
"Our research found that event participants who used social media tools set higher fundraising goals, reached more donors and raised more money," said Charity Dynamics President Donna Wilkins.
I suggest you download these papers and escape the office for an hour to digest them over a cup of coffee. It could be a highly profitable exercise. |
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Did You Hear That...
The Boston Red Sox and Massachusetts General Hospital will launch a new event in May to support injured veterans. The 9K Run to Home Base is limited to 3,500 participants, each of whom must raise a minimum of $1,000.
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| Academic News You Can Use
Thon fundraisers should stress their personal connections to the cause, according to a University of Pennsylvania Study.
RWRF's "academic advisor", Professor Michal Strahilevitz of Golden Gate University, offers program managers this advice:
1) Encourage your athletes to share their personal connection to the cause (e.g., how they or someone they care about has been affected) may help them to raise more sponsorship dollars.
2) Regardless of whether or not your athletes have such personal connections, they should target people who do have a relationship to the cause.
3) In targeting those that are not "victims", it can be effective to use personal stories about "victims" to reduce the distance potential donors feel from such people.
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for free teleclasses and recordings, online promotion of your group or company, a copy of the RWR Thirty CD and more.
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