Thread: I'm back again

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It sure is great to be back again. I have been unable to visit this forum for several months due to an illness that I am still trying to beat. I managed to stay fairly involved in the design of a charity haunt I do for an Ohio State Park. I fund this haunted trail myself and all proceeds go to the park. Do to my illness and not being able to work all the time funding this trail this year may not happen. I was wondering if anyone has ever worked on any haunts that were sponsored. I am a salesman by trade and have no problem talking to anyone, but I'm not sure where to start or who to speak to. Do sponsors write a check to the haunt or what? Is there somewhere I can get a contract or paper with the details. I guess I just need some guidance and help. I also hope I can count on a gfew of you more technical folks to help or build a few gadgets for me, of course I will pay. I do not know how many haunts I may have less, I only know i want them to be the best I have ever done. the best part of this haunt is working together with my son who got my Halloween gene.

PS. Our park voluteer group is a 501C3 charity.

Welcome back!
I hope you can beat that illness!

ive worked with non profits on walkathons.

you need sponsosrs. the best thing to do is have a pre set incentive for them to sponsor your event.

Lets say its the Black Window Park.

If your business sponsors this great event for 50.00, we will put you in the program, thanking you.
100 gets a sign at the event.
150 gets you listed large on our webpage, a sign adn in the program
if you get a t shirt company to sponsor you , you can get 200 dollar level sponsors on the t shirt.

What ive found most effective is to have people connect with businesses they know.
Put out a call for a meeting of people who worked there last year. Tell them we need to raise 5k to make this happen adn save the park. 1k will go to the haunt 4k to the park.
have them list five business owners they know and promise to approach for sponsorshipl
have them list five people they know who work at other businesses that they can approach for you.
Get the local radio involved, and tv stations.

Not only take cash sponsorships but take in-kind sponsorships. what these are, are things like soda or coffee, donuts, hot dogs and you can sell those, and raise money. if its merchandise, or gift certificates, those can be raffled off at the haunt or given to the team that raises the most sponsorships.

things like that are pretty effective.

involve the local drama clubs, dog fancy people, possibly team up with another non profit to split the proceeds.

thats the basics.

Personal contacts are the most important. everyone knows someone they can ask to sponsor the event.

good luck on the ailment. hope you get well.

i have never done it, but i read where you go into say Mac Donalds and ask them to sponsor you. in return whenever someone goes through your haunt you give them one of their coupons for say free french fries. they supply the coupons and maybe put up an ad that you supply about your haunt.

Hello there! I'm so glad to see you and I hope you're starting to feel better. Good health to you.

Ladt Althea what is the point other than advertising if I can not take money or funds. I need thjose to buy and build the things for the trail, not to mention to get the things my wife needs to sew the costumes. Any other venues or thoughts anyone?

well i guess i did not explain that correctly then.

ive been successful in raising some very large amounts of money for non profits using the way i described. i guess ill have to figure out a more clear way to explain it.

you cant do it alone. thats why i suggested a committee. you do most definitely take cash sponsorships. what the business gets for their cash is up to you but they have to get something.

space in teh program, a sign at the venue, a place on teh website, or on the back of a t shirt.

the comittee reaches out and asks people they know who own business to support the cause with the donation.

one very successful way is to have the committee members be captains for a team of fund raisers and they compete to see who raises the most. thats where the incentives come in, the gift certificate or whatever go to the teams that raise the most money.

businesses wont sponsor your event unless there is some benefit for them. thats the signs and whatever.

LadyAlthea thank you for the clarification. I as well have raised over $100,000 for building projects for the State Park I am a salesman by trade and fund raising is a snap for me. I just did not know if a contract is done or some other written agreement.

Hope you feel better soon, Shilo341.

well all of the fund raising that ive been involved with has an agreement of some sort or another.

it can be as simple as a pledge sheet that lists sponsorship options. what we found was most effective is to have a defined asking amount that lists what they get for their sponsorship.

50 - mention on the web site
100 - sign at event
200 - on t shirt

whatever you choose to do to recognize them. having the pledge sheet signed off is an informal contract but does the trick.

good luck!!!