Golf Tournament Ideas That Raise More Money: In-Kind Donations
There are a ton of ways to boost your golf tournament’s fundraising revenue. This blog series has explored various ideas to not only raise more money, but make your golf tournament even more fun and engaging for everyone.
posts in this blog series
What Are In-Kind Donations?
In-kind donations are donations of any kind other than cash. They could be things like goods, services, or expertise. In-kind donations are attractive to businesses because they don’t necessarily have to consider budgets and cash flows to make such a gift. They might have excess inventory or products they’re looking to move or have already spent or allotted their charitable dollars for the year but still want to find a way to support your event. In short, in-kind donations can be a simpler way for businesses and companies to give.
How Can I Use In-Kind Donations for My Golf Tournament?
There are a number of ways to leverage in-kind donations for your golf tournament, for everything from player gifts to auction items to food or drinks. They can enhance the overall tournament experience for golfers, as they walk away with great gifts and have the chance to win exciting prizes.
Keep in mind that in-kind donations can also be considered sponsorships, in lieu of a monetary contribution, so be sure you’re recognizing in-kind sponsors the same way you would traditional sponsors. For example, a restaurant might be willing to donate boxed lunches to your tournament, so it’s appropriate to recognize them on your event website and any promotional items as the Lunch Sponsor.
How Can In-Kind Donations Help Raise More Money?
In-kind donations replace tournament items you might otherwise spend money on, which leaves more dollars for your cause. These can also help drive participation from both golfers and sponsors, filling your tournament’s field and driving revenue. More commonly, in-kind donations can be leveraged for raffle prizes, pin prizes, and auction items.
Some examples of in-kind donations for golf tournaments include:
Golfer swag bag items
Pin prizes
Auction items
Contest prizes
Raffle prizes
Food and beverage
Logo or graphic design
PR or promotional services
Printing services
Our friends at Dormie Network Foundation are committed to supporting nonprofits by offering in-kind donations of national golf membership and Stay and Play Packages. These high-end donations can help raise thousands of dollars for your cause. Find out more and request consideration.
How Do I Ask for In-Kind Donations?
Reach out the same way you would for the rest of your sponsorship offerings. Make a formal, specific request, then follow up if you don’t get a response. Start with businesses your organization or planning team members have a relationship with for the best response, but don’t be afraid to make a cold request. Consider reaching out to the sponsors who are already on board to see if they have any promotional items they would be willing to donate for player gift bags or raffle items. They get additional exposure and you get another chance to boost revenue.
If a business says no to a monetary contribution for a sponsorship, shift your ask to any in-kind donation instead. Be specific in your asks, otherwise you might end up with items that are of no use to your organization or event. You might also list specific in-kind sponsorships on your golf tournament’s event website so folks can jump onboard.
SPONSOR REQUEST & FOLLOW UP Template
Use this customizable template to help you reach out to prospective sponsors.
Raise More Money With GolfStatus
GolfStatus’ exclusive sponsorships, built-in fundraising tools, and tournament add-ons can help you raise more money for your cause. Plus, the platform’s time-saving automations and tournament management tools will make sure you spend less time dealing with spreadsheets and bouncing between platforms and more time stewarding donors, selling sponsorships, and making your tournament unforgettable. Nonprofits can qualify to use GolfStatus at no cost through the Golf for Good program. Click the button below to find out more and get in touch with our team.