Charitable Preferences

• One of the cornerstones of the planning process for a local fundraiser needs to be the preferences of the beneficiary, according to Joe Garecht, writing on the Fundraising Authority website. If you intend to put together a local event to help a national charity, then talk to the local chapter of that charity to learn if the organization has any ground rules on how it prefers to be presented in a fundraiser. If the event is for a local cause, discuss your plans with the people directly affected to put together an event that meets with the honoree's approval.
  
  

Choose an Event

• When you are creating a local fundraiser, you have a list of different types of events from which you can choose. One of the deciding factors in your choice of events is the time of year you are doing your fundraiser and what else is going on in the area. If you choose to do your fundraiser in the summer and are looking to plan an outdoor carnival, it is a good idea to see if there are any other outdoor events planned that day that may take away from your turnout. Other kinds of events to consider include a golf outing, a running or walking event, bowling, an indoor or outdoor concert, a celebrity softball game or a casino night at the local church hall. Check with your local town or city hall to see what permits will be required to put on your particular event.
  
  

Team

• A fundraiser needs a good team behind it to be successful. Recruit as many local volunteers as you can to try and make your event well-known. Send out volunteers into the community to talk about your event and give out informational fliers to those that are interested. Develop a plan for your event that will let you know how many volunteers you will need. Taking on too many volunteers leaves less people to pay for attending your event, but a large team of local volunteers can create a grass-roots effort that will make your event successful.
  
  

Internet

• People planning a local fundraiser will sometimes neglect to use the Internet as a marketing tool. The Internet reaches all over the world, and that includes the audience of people who you want to tell about your fundraising event. Create social networking web pages about your event and start collecting email addresses that you can add to a contact list. Link up your social web pages to as many local supporters as you can to create a dynamic Internet presence for your local fundraising event.