By Kari Ann Kiel, Event Marketing Consultant, DoJiggy

There are so many ways to raise money for your nonprofit or charitable cause. Sales-based fundraisers, for example, bring in money through selling products or discount cards. These may be easy to execute, as they don’t require much planning, yet they are far less personal than community-based fundraisers, providing less of an opportunity to increase awareness about your cause.

Community-based fundraisers bring together members of your organization, local businesses, media, and residents in your community to support a worthy cause or in some cases, to support numerous causes.

Community fundraisers create an excellent opportunity for networking, providing you with a venue to explain your mission, share stories, and make an emotional appeal to event attendees by showing how they can make a difference through their participation and donations. Local media are drawn to covering stories about things happening in the community, providing your organization with an opportunity for media coverage.

Once people feel an emotional connection to your cause, supporters are more likely to continue to participate year after year, in addition to wanting to share your story with others.

And the effective use of technology can help you extend the reach of your event.

With the numerous online channels available for spreading awareness of your cause, community-based fundraisers are no longer restricted to your local region. Participants, sponsors, and members of participating organizations can educate friends and family everywhere about the community fundraising event, attracting supporters and donations from across the world.

Case Study: The Highmark Walk for a Healthy Community

Local McDonald’s team walking for Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central PA which raised nearly $30,000 through the Highmark Walk for a Healthy Community in Harrisburg, PA.

Highmark Inc. is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, serving 4.8 million members in Pennsylvania and West Virginia through the company's health care benefits business and is one of the largest Blue plans in the nation.

The Highmark Walk for a Healthy Community has achieved great success through community-based fundraising. The annual fundraising event benefits local health and human service agencies throughout Pennsylvania. The primary goal of the walk is to help participating organizations raise money for their missions. In addition, the Walk provides awareness of the importance of and the opportunity for the community to engage in physical activity and healthy lifestyles.

The Highmark Walk for a Healthy Community is community-based fundraising at its best. The walk is a unique fundraising event that unites communities in support of prominent nonprofit organizations and the variety of services they provide. The event provides small to medium sized charities that may not have the means to host their own fundraising walks with a chance to raise funds in support of their individual causes.

Highmark Inc. provides complete funding and logistical support for all five walks, and all Highmark employees are encouraged to participate. Participating organizations garner 100 percent of the donations from the fundraising efforts of their donors and participants.

The event has grown considerably from the inaugural event which took place in Pittsburgh, in 2003, and raised $25,000 for eight nonprofit organizations. Through 2010, these events have raised more than $3.5 million for 150 nonprofit organizations across the state. The 2011 Highmark Walk for a Healthy Community took place in five cities, and supported more than 170 organizations.

This growth would not have been possible without the benefit of technology. "Because the walks benefit nonprofits that do not have the full staff, funds or information technology infrastructure to host their own walk, our [web-based fundraising software] has really helped streamline the donation process", explains Charles Gladney, Highmark Director of Program Implementation and Development.

With web-based fundraising software, all participating nonprofits are able to expand their donor base through online event registration, secure pledge and donation payments, and view detailed financial and participant reporting. This allows each organization to communicate quickly with their donors and gives them a vehicle to house important donor information so they can convert event participants into lifetime donors.

Kari has more than twelve years experience with sponsorships and event marketing. She has managed community events and sponsorships for non-profits, facilitated sponsor obligations for corporations, and has also consulted various companies to help them develop sponsor pitches and benefit packages to generate revenue for event funding.