Fundraising for nonprofits boils down to two simple things: finding new donors and keeping existing ones. Both are critical to a nonprofit’s fundraising success—and to the overall success of the organization.

Charity golf tournaments are avenues to successfully do both. Here’s what you need to know about using your golf fundraiser to attract new donors and make sure they keep coming back to support your mission.

Why are new donors important for nonprofits?

New donors are crucial to moving your nonprofit’s cause forward. Just as a for-profit business must attract new customers or clients to grow market share, a nonprofit must raise awareness about the organization, the cause, and its work to effectively grow its donor base.

While some level of donor attrition is natural, without onboarding new donors to replace those that have lapsed, your network begins to stagnate and your organization ends up with an increasingly narrow donor pool. Indeed, golf tournaments present an opportunity to raise awareness and dollars, while simultaneously attracting new donors.

Why is it important to retain donors?

While new donors are certainly important and must be pursued, retaining donors is equally, if not more, important. Returning donors already care about your cause and believe in how your organization is addressing the issue. They’re more likely to make larger gifts, and are already on the road to being long term donors.

What’s more, the costs associated with onboarding new donors—both in terms of dollars and staff time—are significantly higher than with simply retaining existing supporters. You’ve likely invested time and effort in stewarding donors, which means high donor attrition essentially undoes all the good that new donors bring to your organization.

How do golf tournaments both attract & retain donors?

Golf tournaments meet your donors where they’re likely already spending time—on the golf course. Unlike any other type of fundraising event, a golf tournament lets you connect with past and prospective donors through an activity they genuinely enjoy, forging new connections and relationships over the focused hours on the golf course. Here’s how and why golf tournaments help your nonprofit to onboard and retain donors of all levels:

1. People want to play golf

The golf industry saw unprecedented growth during the COVID-19 pandemic, as golf gave people the chance to safely get outside, stay active, and gather with others in a socially distanced way. While the numbers have dipped slightly, golf is still more popular than it was before 2020—which means a healthy pool of potential new donors.

Many golfers actively look for golf tournaments to play in simply because they love the game. And it’s not just the die-hard golfers—more casual players are getting involved in the game and are eager to play in tournaments, which opens the door for even more donors to steward. The best part about a golf fundraiser is that when your event is focused on something people really want to do and enjoy—like golf—they’re bound to come back year after year.

2. Players tap their network to field a team

Golf may be an individual sport, but charity golf tournaments tend to be scrambles, which means that folks must field a team to participate and tap into their personal and professional networks to do so. One of your supporters registers for the fundraiser, then brings three others who aren’t necessarily familiar with your cause, but will be once they play in the tournament. This instantly multiplies your donor outreach, and when you retain these new donors, your donor network snowballs. What’s more, these new donors are more likely to return in future years and bring others.

Golfers have a net worth of nearly $770,000 and an average household income twice the national average, making them prime candidates for donors.

3. golf attracts a particular demographic

Golfers typically represent a demographic with a higher-than-average net worth and average household income. What’s more, over half of golfers are between the ages of 25 and 55 (the age group with the most spending power), and one in three are top-level managers. In short, these are folks you definitely want in your organization's donor database (and one sponsors want to get in front of).

4. It’s an important networking opportunity

Many golfers use charity golf tournaments—especially higher-grossing events held at prestigious golf courses—as an opportunity to network and do business. With four to five focused hours on the golf course, they can entertain clients, connect with prospects, build professional relationships, and network. This makes golf tournaments uniquely positioned to attract new high-capacity and connected donors that are often invited to fill a team.

Golf tournaments give you four or more hours on the golf course to connect with current and potential donors.

5. You can reconnect with lapsed donors

Golf events are a fantastic chance to reconnect with supporters who have contributed in the past but may have missed a year or more. Perhaps they played in a golf tournament years ago but haven’t returned, joined as a member but didn’t renew, made a year-end gift but didn’t respond to additional asks, or participated in a program and subsequently fell dormant. No matter what the cause, an invitation to a golf tournament is a low-pressure opportunity for lapsed donors to reconnect with your organization through an activity they enjoy—and for you to take another opportunity to steward these relationships.

Capture Donor Data & Take the Next Step 

In order to truly use your golf fundraiser as an effective vehicle for donor outreach and stewardship, you need to know who is playing in the tournament each year. It’s essentially an exercise in capturing donor data, getting it into your donor database, and leveraging it to attract folks to future events, like your golf tournament, and get them engaged in your mission.

Technology is key. Upgrading to online registration as part of a golf-specific event management platform has a number of time-saving advantages and also allows for thorough, real-time collection of donor data. A professional event website with an intuitive online registration process allows you to easily capture the information for each player and sponsor. You’ll want to couple online registration with a platform that makes it easy for one player or sponsor to register a team without necessarily knowing who they’ll tap to play with them, and the ability to add that information later.

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Qualify for a Free Golf Tournament Website

If you’re a nonprofit or planning an event that benefits one, you likely qualify for a free event website and no-cost access to GolfStatus—a golf event management platform that allows event organizers to effortlessly collect valuable donor data while streamlining planning, management, and execution. The result is an easier way to plan a golf outing that attracts new donors and stewards existing donors through an all-around great experience.

Ready to hit the easy button on a first-year golf event or streamline an existing tournament? Click the button below to get qualified!

Golf tournaments are ripe with ways to build in revenue-generating components, both by leveraging the generosity of golfers and providing extras that make the tournament more fun and exciting. While sponsorships will likely make up the bulk of your tournament’s revenue, you can level up your fundraising power with add-ons that bring in more dollars and enhance the overall event experience for golfers and sponsors.

1. Donation Appeal

Your golfers attend your fundraiser for a reason: they’re passionate about your mission and want to help your cause. Appeal to this generosity both on and off the green, and you’ll be surprised at how much more money you can raise.

Start by providing context about your mission, fundraising goal, and initiatives on your event website and invitations so new donors understand the purpose of the event. Ensure your content is emotional, impactful, and tangible by featuring stories, photos, testimonials, or videos of your work.

Next, keep people updated on your progress during the event with email, in-app, or push notifications. This will up the urgency of your cause and encourage your donors to contribute to your goal.  

Finally, set up a donation station near the registration area or somewhere on the course to remind donors why they’re there: to make a difference. Leverage this opportunity to encourage your golfers to give certain amounts of money, such as an amount equal to their final score or the winning team’s final score.

Pro Tip: If your event includes an awards ceremony, it’s a great time to make a donation ask, particularly the option to donate the final score. A platform with the ability to collect donations is key!

2. Hole-in-One Contest

One of the most popular golf tournament fundraiser ideas is a hole-in-one contest. Golfers get the chance to ace a par-three hole or holes. Golfers love the excitement a hole-in-one contest brings to a tournament, and sponsors love the high visibility they earn for sponsoring the contest.

3. Longest Drive Contest

Another type of contest you can easily incorporate into your tournament is a longest drive contest. Work with the golf facility staff to identify a hole (or holes) that is long and straight, and have one contest for men and another for women. As the name implies, the winner is the person who hits the drive the farthest within the fairway. The golf course will provide a marker to mark the distance of drives. Work with a sponsor to donate or underwrite the cost of the contest prize.

4. Closest to the Pin contest

A closest to the pin contest is held on a par three hole and can be run alongside your hole-in-one contest, if desired. The winner of the contest is the golfer who hits a tee shot the closest to the hole. Much like the longest drive contest, you’ll want to have separate contests for men and women. And much like the previously mentioned contests, it’s a great opportunity for a premium sponsorship.

Ken’s Krew, a nonprofit that serves adults with neurodevelopmental disabilities, raises additional dollars with a putting contest at their golf fundraiser.

5. Putting Contest

Unlike the three other contests discussed above, a putting contest is typically held before or after your golf tournament, though it can be held during the round if that’s what works best for your event. A putting contest has the potential to boost revenue, as participants pay to enter the contest and qualify for the grand prize. Plus, you can encourage anyone can try their hand at sinking a long put, even tournament spectators.

6. Auctions

Silent and live auctions are popular components of golf tournaments and for good reason. They leverage the generosity of golfers, the euphoria of spending a day on the golf course, and a friendly desire to beat out their friends or colleagues. Whether you choose an on-site auction following the golf tournament or an online silent auction, you’ll want to promote it and any special prizes on your event website.

Pro Tip: Donated items are key to raising the most money possible, so put out calls to your networks and challenge the planning committee and board members to secure auction items. Also, try offering in-kind donations to your auction as a sponsorship option. This can empower more businesses to participate.

7. Mulligans

Mulligans are essentially a “do-over” that lets golfers retake a shot they weren’t happy with. Mulligans are an easy add-on to any registration package and are popular among golfers of all skill levels. Include them with team packages or sell them as a standalone item. Golfers who know they need a little extra wiggle room in their game can purchase one or more at the time of registration, or you can sell them the day of the event as well.

Pro Tip: To allow more people to purchase mulligans, ensure you’re using a mobile-friendly event website. This makes it easy for folks to purchase mulligans right from their phones on the day of the event, and eliminates the need to handle cash payments.

8. Skins Games

Skins games encourage friendly competition between golfers while raising more dollars for your cause. In short, skins games create mini-competitions where teams (or individuals, depending on the event’s format) opt to compete against each other based on their score on a given hole, in addition to their overall score. Event organizers can use skins games to fundraise by setting a dollar amount for participants to buy in to compete. 

To up the ante, display skins results on real-time digital leaderboards. This keeps golfers engaged and makes the skins games more competitive. Be sure to choose a software solution with reliable live-scoring that automatically syncs to live leaderboards that display on your event website and a mobile app.

9. Raffles

Approach businesses, sponsors, and the community for in-kind donations to use as prizes for a fundraising raffle or host a 50/50 cash drawing (in which the total prize money is split between the raffle winner or winners and the benefiting organization). Much like mulligans, raffle tickets can be built into team packages or offered as a standalone item. And also like mulligans, you can offer them for sale on the day of the tournament on the event website.

Pro Tip: Be sure to check for any legal requirements or restrictions for raffles in your state.

10. Matching Donations

Golfers are a generous bunch. A matching donor can exponentially multiply their generosity and supercharge your golf tournament’s fundraising efforts. This can work a couple of ways. 

One, sell a “Matching Gift Sponsor” that pledges to match donations made to your event. Depending on how the donor/sponsor would like to structure the match, these are often capped at a specific dollar amount (essentially the top amount the sponsor is willing to donate) or limited to a certain number of donations. Recognize this sponsor the same way you would any other high-dollar sponsor—on your event website, tournament signage, social media, email campaigns, etc. It might also be beneficial to send a standalone news release to local media contacts about the matching donation, giving even more exposure to the sponsor and inviting members of the community to contribute to your event.

Two, you may have a generous donor who wishes to stay anonymous or just doesn’t want to be considered a sponsor. In this case, work with the donor on how or if they would like to be mentioned or recognized for their support. 

Either way, it’s imperative that you communicate this opportunity to golfers leading up to and throughout the day of the event. Include it on your event website’s home page; add a QR code with a direct link to your event website on any printed materials or signage; mention the opportunity when golfers check in, during any kick-off address, or awards ceremony speeches; and send push notifications and emails to golfers through your tournament management software. Be sure to stress that their donation will go even further thanks to the generosity of your sponsor or donor and that donations must be made that day.

11. Virtual Round

Adding a virtual round lets golfers play in support of your cause from anywhere without being present at the actual tournament. Golfers simply register for the virtual event via your event website, choose the date and location where they want to play their rounds, and submit their scores via a live-scoring mobile app. If yours is an event that typically sells out, a virtual round also opens doors to additional participants playing for your organization without the risk and costs of adding a second day to your golf tournament.

12. Food and Drink Tickets

After a day of golfing for a good cause, your participants will likely be parched and hungry. Sell them food and drink tickets and put that money towards your campaign. To make the most money possible off of the tickets, consider asking local restaurants and supermarkets for in-kind food and drink donations (check with the golf course on their policies for outside food and drink). Thus, you’ll have fewer operating costs and the money you make will be put to good use in your fundraising campaign.

13. On-Course Games

The possibilities for games as golf tournament fundraiser ideas are endless. Golfers and sponsors alike will remember the fun they had shooting a golf ball cannon, putting blindfolded, or using a seven iron to play the entire hole. Your organization will reap the benefits of pure tournament revenue and make folks more likely to return year after year.

Pro Tip: An all-in games package is a simple option for entry—golfers pay one flat fee to participate in all the games. Use wristbands or something similar to signal to the volunteers working the games on the course that those golfers have already paid.

14. Technology Sponsorship

This unique sponsorship gives the sponsoring business unparalleled exposure across the tournament management platform and accompanying mobile app. The Technology Sponsorship is only available to GolfStatus clients and on average, raises an additional $4,000 for your mission. Sell it as a standalone sponsorship or build it into your title or presenting sponsorship to provide even more value.

15. Pin Flag Sponsorship

This high-end sponsorship gives your tournament a professional feel. Sell one pin flag sponsorship for all 18 holes and premium exposure, split it into a front nine and back nine sponsorships, or sell them individually. No matter how you approach it, sponsors will appreciate seeing their logo on high-quality pin flags that make a great keepsake.

16. Celebrity Appearance

Celebrities raise visibility for your tournament and your cause. You’ll likely need a sponsor to cover the hard costs associated with bringing a celebrity to your tournament (unless you have direct connections with a celebrity), but it’s a great chance to raise the income potential for your golf tournament. You don’t necessarily need an A-lister to have an impact—consider local celebrities, such as the mayor, college athletes, local news anchors, or well-known business owners.

17. Ball Drop

This golf tournament fundraiser idea can be done in several ways. One easy way is to structure it like a raffle. Sell balls that have a unique number on them like you would raffle tickets, using your golf tournament website to process payments to simplify post-tournament accounting. Balls are then dropped from something like a helicopter or crane and the closet ball to the target wins the prize. There are some definite logistics involved with a ball drop, but finding a sponsor for the ball drop is a great way to ensure you’ll come out ahead.

18. Golf Clinic 

Adding a clinic is a solid golf tournament fundraiser idea that grows the game and encourages those who aren’t golfers or are interested in improving their skills to participate. There are several ways to approach a clinic. You can work with the golf pro and the host golf facility to host a clinic the day before or morning of your tournament. Alternatively, you might work with local college teams to volunteer their time to run the clinic. Take it a step further and try to land a professional or semi-professional golfer to run the clinic, if it’s feasible.

19. VIP Package

Sell a specific VIP package as an add-on to regular team or sponsor registration packages. To make it appealing enough that folks want to upgrade, consider including things like:

• Premium parking spots

• Exclusive tournament merchandise or gift packages

• Meet-and-greet with organizational beneficiaries or any celebrities in attendance

• Discounted entries into the contests or games mentioned above

• Complimentary raffle tickets, food and drink tickets, or mulligans

20. Event-Specific Merchandise

Offering exclusive tournament merchandise creates an element of scarcity among attendees to make a purchase. They won’t want to miss out on the chance to commemorate the event with special items. Pick merchandise that’s useful and likely to be popular among golfers, such as golf shirts, t-shirts, head covers, golf balls, golf towels, water bottles, or hats. Incorporate your organization’s or tournament’s branding into the merchandise design, and work with a partner that can handle the logistics of producing the merchandise on time.

21. Pledge Drive

A pledge drive gets your donors and their broader networks involved, even if they can’t play in the tournament. Donors ask their friends, family, and colleagues to make a pledge to donate money based on their participation in the tournament. For example, someone would pledge $10 for every birdie or $5 for every par that golfer achieves. Pledges could be tied to contests, such as pledging a donation of $50 if your golfer wins the longest drive or closest to the pin contest. Another idea is to base pledges on overall performance, perhaps $100 if the team finishes in first place or $25 if they finish in last place. Use the donate button or build a specific package on your golf tournament website to easily collect pledge payments.

22. Beat the Special Guest Challenge

Having a special guest play in the event, and offering folks a chance to go head-to-head against that person, is a great golf tournament fundraiser idea. Whether it’s a well-known golfer, local celebrity, executive director of the nonprofit, or president of the board of directors, the special guest can be stationed on a specific hole. Participants pay to compete against the guest on the entire hole, or see who can hit a longer drive or sink a longer putt to win a prize.

23. Golf Tournament Bracket

Prior to the event, give participants the chance to buy into a “fantasy golf” bracket to predict the tournament’s overall winners, specific scores, or winners of contests. If your tournament’s field is close-knit or well known to each other, you might offer a Calcutta pool, in which participants “bid” on a specific team. If that team wins, the winning bidder gets part of the overall prize money, with the rest going to your organization.

Wrapping Up

Once your event ends, your work isn’t done yet! Immediately after the golf tournament, crunch some numbers and see which components of your golf event raised the most money. Factor in time spent by staff or volunteers on each part to determine the cost beyond its monetary face value. Then, look at ways to improve for next year, whether it’s raising the price of specific sponsorship packages, approaching new and/or different businesses to sponsor the event, or trying out different fundraising ideas.

Pro Tip: When you use GolfStatus for your golf event, you can simply copy this year’s event for next year, eliminating the need to set the event up from scratch. Update the date, time, and location and you can start promoting the event right away!

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Whichever golf tournament fundraiser ideas you end up using, you need a powerful software solution on your side. GolfStatus offers solutions for charities and event organizers with its industry-leading golf event management and fundraising software. Its full-featured platform streamlines golf fundraisers to save time and raise more money and its responsive support team is there to help every step of the way. Through the Golf for Good program, nonprofits and organizations doing social good can qualify for no-cost access to the technology. Click the button below to get qualified or email [email protected].

Ready to plan your best charity golf tournament?

Click here to book a GolfStatus demo today!

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.

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posts in this blog series

BackSwing Golf Events

Hole-In-One Contests

On-Course Games

• Golf Tournament Ideas That Raise More Money: Backswing Golf Events

• Golf Tournament Ideas That Raise More Money: Hole-In-One Contests

• Golf Tournament Ideas That Raise More Money: On-Course Games

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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

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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.

GrayBull Club

Maxwell, Nebraska

Opening 2024

Victoria National

Newburgh, Indiana

Hidden Creek

Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey

Dormie Club

West End, North Carolina

Briggs Ranch

San Antonio, Texas

Ballyhack

Roanoke, Virginia

ArborLinks

Nebraska City, Nebraska

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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.

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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.

Your golf fundraiser is quickly approaching, and you may be wondering how to bring in even more dollars from the event. In this summer blog series, we’ll share ideas to supercharge your fundraising while making the tournament more fun and engaging for golfers.

Part one of the series focuses on one of GolfStatus’s Marketplace Partners: BackSwing Golf Events.

Who is BackSwing Golf Events?

BackSwing Golf Events is a group of lady professional golfers who bring a unique and fun experience to golf tournaments of all kinds, from charity events to corporate outings. The pros are personable, energetic, and engaging on the course and know how to raise money. They offer several on-course games and contests that can be leveraged as fundraising tools and sold as sponsorships.

The pros at BackSwing Golf Events

How does it work?

Adding a BackSwing pro to your golf event is easy and can be implemented quickly with a short turnaround. There’s no upfront charge to the event, so there’s no risk in adding a BackSwing pro to your tournament. Founder and CEO McKenzie Lyng says, “We make sure we can enhance their golf tournament without anything coming out of pocket.”

With hundreds of pros located all over the U.S, BackSwing Golf Events will work with you to secure a pro in your area. Proceeds are split 50/50 between BackSwing and the golf event and travel expenses come off the top. BackSwing takes care of all the logistics—the pro will show up on their assigned hole with all the necessary equipment and materials to be successful.

BackSwing will work with you to customize their services based on your tournament’s components, needs, and setting. Games, contests, and offerings include:

• Beat the Pro

• Long Drive Pro

• Trackman Experience

• Roaming Pro

• Glass Break Challenge

• Pro-Am Style

• Golf Ball Launcher

• Drone Drive

• Clinic on the Range

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The Surfing Florida Museum worked with GolfStatus and BackSwing Golf Events for its first annual golf fundraiser. A “Beat the Pro” contest raised over $2,000 extra for the museum. Organizer Susan French says, “The pro was super professional and made the tournament more fun than just the usual 18 holes of golf. It was a fun addition to the event.”

Read More

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How much money can I raise with backswing golf events?

This depends on the size of your event, the number of teams, the on-course game (or games) you book with BackSwing Golf Events, and whether or not you sell it as a sponsorship. Smaller events will take in a couple thousand dollars, while massive, multi-day events with pros on several holes raise upwards of $50,000. BackSwing Golf Events help raise millions of dollars for events every year! Plus, every event helps support women’s golf and the pros’ dreams of golf careers in the LPGA.

Selling the contest as a sponsorship drives even more revenue from your golf event. Include the sponsor logo on your event website for even more visibility, and consider giving sponsors the chance to be present on the hole with the BackSwing pro and mingle with golfers while they wait to participate and hand out branded items.

How do I get started?

Get in touch with BackSwing Golf Events, share some information about your event, and they’ll be in touch to determine how they can help maximize fundraising at your golf event!

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Save time & raise more money

GolfStatus’ golf event management platform—with a free event website, built-in automations and fundraising tools, exclusive sponsorships and add-ons, and best-of-the-best support team—streamlines tournaments so you save time and maximize fundraising. Best of all, nonprofits and organizations doing social good can qualify to use GolfStatus at no cost through the Golf for Good program.

If you’ve never planned a golf tournament before or your organization doesn’t currently have a golf event as part of its fundraising portfolio, you’re likely wondering about what it takes to plan and execute a successful golf fundraiser.

To set yourself up for success, you should understand these seven fundamentals before organizing a charity golf tournament:

1. You don’t have to be a golf expert.

2. Most of your fundraising revenue goes to your cause.

3. Golf events are more popular than ever before.

4. Golf events bring new donors to the table.

5. Sponsors are interested in connecting with your donors in new ways.

6. Golf tournaments are fun and exciting.

7. Organizing a charity golf event is worth the work.

READY TO START PLANNING A CHARITY GOLF TOURNAMENT?

Download a free golf tournament fundraiser checklist!

1. YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE A GOLF EXPERT.

Many event planners aren’t golfers—and don’t need to be to hold a lucrative golf tournament. All that’s really needed is a tool that helps organizers, committees, and volunteers navigate the intricacies of a golf event and that’s purposefully designed to save novice and seasoned golf event planners time and resources. An event management platform designed specifically for golf fundraisers makes things easier and walks you through planning and executing every step on your golf tournament fundraiser checklist. Look for a tool that makes it easy to collaborate and exchange information with the golf facility and one with a responsive customer success team that’s there when you need them.

2. MOST OF YOUR FUNDRAISING REVENUE GOES TO YOUR CAUSE.

Outside golf outings like memorial tournaments, charity outings, major fundraisers, and small local events are essential to a golf facility’s bottom line. You’re essentially guaranteeing the course that you’ll fill the tee times for the day, plus any additional revenue from the pro shop and food and beverage, not to mention exposure to avid golfers who could become members. This gives you, the event organizer, leverage when it comes to negotiating better pricing for the event. Certainly, the more high-end the facility, typically the higher the green fees will be. That said, here are some things to consider to maximize the cost-effectiveness of the facility:

• Tap into your networks. Ask board members, volunteers, and other supporters who are members at higher-end facilities if they have connections and can facilitate a favorable rate.

• Hold the event on an off day. Try to avoid busy holiday weekends and other high-traffic dates for courses. Ask about slower days of the week; rates on Mondays, for example, are typically lower than rates on Fridays or Saturdays.

• Consider adding a virtual option. A virtual tournament extends the event to multiple days or weeks and/or across multiple courses. With this option, players and teams participate on their own time, scheduling their tee times directly with the facility, so your organization doesn’t actually need to occupy the facility on a specific date for a specific period of time. You can also consider holding a virtual event in tandem with a traditional one-day event to allow for more participants and revenue.

3. GOLF EVENTS ARE MORE POPULAR THAN EVER BEFORE.

Golf has seen record-setting popularity over the past few years, largely fueled by the COVID-19 pandemic. Nationwide in 2022, rounds were up 8% from pre-pandemic years and retail equipment sales remain strong. Golf fundraisers have enjoyed a similar surge in popularity, with nonprofits of all sizes launching first-year tournaments amid the uncertainty of COVID-19 and capitalizing on golfers’ eagerness to get on to the course. These fundraisers are now building on their success as second or even third-year events! Golf outings may have emerged as a viable option for in-person fundraising events, but organizations discovered how these events connect them to exactly the types of donors and sponsors that turn into sustainers and long-term corporate partners.

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Active Golfers

1 in 9 Americans

Average Golfer's Net Worth

$768,000

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4. Golf Events Bring New Donors to the Table.

In general, golfers tend to represent an affluent, influential demographic. Its participants report higher household and discretionary income (more than double the national average) and thus a higher capacity to give. Younger golfers are also increasingly taking up the sport. In fact, over half of American golfers are between the ages of 25 and 55, the age demographic with the most spending power. 

When golfers tap into their personal and professional networks to field a team (particularly in tournaments with a scramble format that allows for a wider range of skill levels), it instantly broadens your prospective donor base and exposes new people to your mission. What’s more, your tournament’s sponsors give your development and major gift teams an “in” to potential high-capacity donors and corporate partners. Indeed, golf presents an opportunity to connect with new sponsors and supporters through a sport that people want to play. There’s never been a better time to get in front of golfers and sponsors eager to support golf events.

5. SPONSORS ARE INTERESTED IN CONNECTING WITH YOUR DONORS IN NEW WAYS.

Signage certainly has its place in terms of sponsor recognition, but sponsors are increasingly looking for avenues to both support organizations and get their brands in front of the affluent golfer demographic. The good news for both nonprofits and sponsors is that the same technology that streamlines golf events opens doors for digital sponsorship exposure. Digital sponsorships can be sold at a premium, giving sponsors exposure to an audience they can’t get anywhere else and offering a high return on their investment. Corporate partners and sponsors have a vested interest in supporting the tech that helps organizations streamline clerical tasks and eliminate duplicative work. Plus digital exposure is easy to manage—just plug in a logo on a website, in a mobile app, or on your event’s live leaderboards. These methods take less time and effort, have little to no overhead costs, and have substantially lower expenses compared to traditional branded pieces.

6. GOLF TOURNAMENTS ARE FUN & EXCITING.

The difference between a good golf event and a great golf event is the overall experience. There are many ways to add fun and excitement (and raise a few more dollars along the way). On-course competitions like hole-in-one contests, longest drive contests, closest-to-the-pin contests, and putting contests let golfers test their luck (or skill) to win great prizes—and are premium sponsorship opportunities. 

For example, you can add a buy-in to your tournament’s skins games, which creates mini-competitions between individuals or teams. Displaying skins results on real-time leaderboards keeps golfers engaged.

Other fun add-ons might include:

• a celebrity appearance

• a professional long-driver on a designated hole or holes

• games or demonstrations on each tee box

• custom player gifts, live auctions

• post-golf entertainment

The options are endless—but the key is to choose components that contribute to a well-executed event and memorable experience that will keep golfers and sponsors coming back year after year.

7. ORGANIZING A CHARITY GOLF EVENT IS WORTH THE WORK.

Golf’s fundraising capacity is unmatched. And while golf events have a number of moving pieces and unique details to handle, the right tools can ease the administrative burden as you tick items off of your golf tournament fundraiser checklist. Golf event management tech eliminates manual registration and payment processes and siloed information, making it easier to collaborate and delegate tasks to teams, board members, volunteers, and even staff at the golf facility. 

Your golf event management software should have robust reporting capabilities so you can easily track payments and who is supporting your cause. It should also handle golf-specific tasks, such as:

• building custom sponsorship packages

• syncing GHIN handicaps

• simplifying team pairings

• streamlining hole assignments and hole-by-hole sponsor exposure

• making live-scoring super simple.

Truly, a fundraising platform designed specifically for charity golf tournaments ensures that no detail is missed. Look for the solution that leaves organizers free to recruit players and sponsors, solicit donations, and upsell and steward donor relationships in ways that advance the event and the organization forward.

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Golf for Good

GolfStatus’ fundraising and golf event management tools are available at no cost to qualifying nonprofits through the Golf for Good program. Click the button below to get qualified or email [email protected].

Ready to get started?

Click here to book a demo today!

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Corporate golf outings—especially when they’re well-managed and organized—offer a variety of positive outcomes for a company. Beyond being an effective fundraising initiative that can raise money for a corporate foundation, favorite nonprofit organization, or specific cause, these types of golf events let businesses engage with employees, clients, and the community at large while raising awareness about your brand in a unique and meaningful way. Indeed, the golf outing is like no other event. Here are six ways corporate golf outings benefit your brand and business:

1. ENHANCE CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY.

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is becoming increasingly important to employees, partners, and clients who want to work and spend their dollars with businesses that prioritize community impact. 

CSR initiatives should be strategic, genuine, and multifaceted. A corporate golf outing that benefits a charity or cause is a great addition to your company’s CSR portfolio, providing not only philanthropic opportunities, but the brand lift and awareness that comes from a fun community fundraiser. As a business, that might mean reaching out to an existing golf event to support as a sponsor. Taking it a step further by hosting your own corporate event allows you to be strategic in choosing nonprofit beneficiaries while also reaping a reputational boost. 

2. Engage your community.

Golf events are unique in that they can be designed to be a communal activity. If community engagement and outreach are among your goals for the outing, you’ll want to ask and answer a few questions as you get started:

• Who would we like to attend?

• What’s our goal for turnout?

• Does it make sense to open the tournament up to a broader community?

Perhaps you will be inviting specific community members to participate, such as the mayor, community outreach group leaders, school administrators, or other stakeholders. If you decide to include the greater community, consider inviting them to participate in a virtual round that happens at multiple area courses. This allows you to make the event accessible to everybody, no matter where they’re located.

No matter the route you choose or the objective at hand for your business, having an easy way to register and track interested participants and sponsorships is crucial. Secure online registration as part of a broader golf event management software makes it easy to collect participant information, manage it in real time, and facilitate communications before, during, and after the event.

3. Stand out from your competitors.

Creating positive social impact has increasingly become a competitive advantage for your business. As a community event that tends to attract attention in addition to raising dollars, a corporate golf event that’s dedicated to supporting a cause helps set your brand apart from your competitors and attract socially responsible customers. 

An event website makes it easier to spread the word about your event while also getting more support from the community. A professional site also elevates your brand, cause, and case for support.

4. Foster business relationships.

Golf outings are unique in that they give participants four focused hours on the golf course—a rarity in today’s busy world. That means four hours of facetime with colleagues, vendors, clients, prospects, or others to network and advance important business relationships. This means that your business development team gets quality time to engage with current and prospective clients and partners—thanking them for their continued involvement or advancing a new relationship. 

If fostering business relationships is among your goals for the event, you’ll want to ensure a smooth and seamless experience for participants from the time they hear about your event to the thank-you they receive for supporting it. That means showing professionalism with every touchpoint before, during, and after the event, including easy and secure online registration, clear communication in the time leading up to the event, high quality branded cart signs and scorecards, and TOUR-caliber live leaderboards.

5. Engage and empower your employees.

In today’s competitive job market, businesses need to find ways to attract and retain top talent, which means demonstrating that business priorities include more than just the bottom line. Studies show that team bonding events can boost employee retention and performance at work. A golf outing can be used to engage employees, reward them for a job well done, build morale, and encourage team retention. Best of all, holding a charity event satisfies the 70% of employees who say they wouldn’t work for a company without a social purpose.

6. Do good in your community.

Golf has deep ties to the nonprofit sector, evidenced by the nearly $4 billion that the sport raises for charity annually. It’s a  game that brings people together in a memorable way to raise funds for a good cause. Golf’s popularity is surging, making it a great time to use it  to give back—to your employees, your community, and an important cause.

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GolfStatus for Your Next Corporate Golf Event

Whether you’re at a Fortune 500 company, a socially-responsible local business, or a corporate foundation raising money for a dedicated cause, GolfStatus’ golf event management and fundraising technology can enhance your fundraiser. It will save you time, raise more money, boost your brand, and ensure a professionally planned and executed tournament from start to finish. If you’re planning an outing that benefits a nonprofit or cause, you can qualify for no-cost access through the Golf for Good program. Click the button below to learn more or email [email protected].

Ready to get started?

Click here to book a demo today!

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Organization Snapshot

A simple, colorful fleece blanket may not seem like it could change someone’s journey, but for pediatric patients going into the hospital, it does exactly that. 

In 2015, Nicholas Kristock had just moved home to Michigan after living abroad in Australia and received a text message from his twin sister, a pediatric oncology nurse. She asked if he would be willing to make a fleece blanket for kids undergoing cancer treatment. “I asked her why fleece blankets and how many she needed,” Nicholas says. “She explained that there’s always a need, because they dramatically change the hospital for these kids,” Nicholas says.

After learning that hospitals welcome this type of donation, Nicholas founded Fleece and Thank You to provide color, comfort, and connection to these kids at an especially vulnerable point in their lives. “Kids walk into the hospital and they’re scared, and they get to a sterile, white hospital room. These blankets give them instant comfort as they’re at the starting line of their journey,” Nicholas says.

He also created KindKatch, a software platform that connects the young patient with the maker of their blanket through a personalized video. “We aim to change the start of their journey and give them hope by creating a connection with others who care,” Nicholas says.

Fleece and Thank You serves all 22 hospitals in Michigan and works with corporate partners to ship blankets to hospitals in all 50 states and 14 countries.

While Cameron Steinberg was a patient at C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital in Ann Arbor, Michigan, she received two colorful fleece blankets from Fleece and Thank You. Her parents, Mel and Sam, say they are a great reminder of Cami, who passed away due to complications from hypoplastic left heart syndrome. Melissa and Sam launched the Cameron Steinberg Foundation to help other families affected by congenital heart defects and raise funds through an annual golf tournament. Read more about Cami’s story.

The Challenge

Fleece and Thank You depends on donations and volunteers to power its work, supplemented by an annual golf fundraiser. Nicholas and his team of three full-time staff and six part-time staff have seen a great return on the investment in the golf tournament: “Golf is something nonprofits should have in their book,” he says. “It engages a specific type of audience and reaching that demographic is a huge part of a golf fundraising event.”

Historically, the tournament relied on fundraising platforms to handle registrations, but wanted something that tracked everything in one spot and was made for golf. What’s more, finding efficiencies that saved time and provided more return on investment was important to Nicholas and the planning team.

The Solution

Nicholas is also the founder and CEO of KindKatch, the software platform that grew out of Fleece and Thank You and helps brands easily create and share personalized videos at scale. Nicholas heard about Golfstatus from a colleague at KindKatch, and says he knew right from the demo that the platform’s combination of back-end tools and golf-specific functionality would be a great piece to add to the tournament. “Golfers love to golf, so the more you can tailor the event to tap into that passion, the better the event will be,” Nicholas says.

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“Golf is something nonprofits should have in their book,” he says. “It engages a specific type of audience and reaching that demographic is a huge part of a golf fundraising event.”

— Nicholas Kristock, founder and CEO of KindKatch

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As a nonprofit, Fleece and Thank You qualified to use GolfStatus at no cost through the Golf for Good program. Nonprofits get an event website, online registration, exclusive sponsorship opportunities and exposure, and much more to help golf tournament organizers save time and raise more money for their cause.

The Results

The tournament’s goal was to raise $30,000 to purchase fabric to create blanket kits (individuals and corporate partners purchase the kits, assemble the blankets, and return them to Fleece and Thank You for quality checks and hospital grade washing and drying before finding their way to a young patient’s room). The tournament hit its fundraising goal, thanks to a sold out event, robust sponsor support, and donor engagement.

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Golf Tournament Summary

Tournament Name

Fleece & Thank You Golf Outing

Golf Facility

Tanglewood Golf Club, South Lyon, MI
(public golf course)

Fundraising Goal

$30,000

Number of Golfers

120 (sold out event)

Tech Stack:

GolfStatus, KindKatch

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A sold out field of 120 golfers scored their round on the GolfStatus mobile app, which automatically synced to a live leaderboard.

“The day-of functionality was great, especially the live leaderboards. In the past we’ve used fundraising platforms for registration and ticketing, which worked ok, but GolfStatus really brings in the golf experience and that level of specificity takes it to the next level,” says Nicholas. He explains how the drag and drop function allows for quick and easy hole assignments, instead of moving information from spreadsheet to spreadsheet. “It was slick to just be able to move the blocks around to work with requests from golfers who wanted to be paired together,” he says. “It took just a few minutes and I could ship it over to the golf course.”

What’s more, one of the organization’s full-time staff members was out of the country during the tournament’s final prep and planning period, but Nicholas says GolfStatus helped them be more efficient and put on a great event with fewer people hours. “We were essentially down 33% of our normal planning team, but GolfStatus helped make it a great event,” he says. “GolfStatus saved us at least 10 hours on the front end administration and registration alone.”

GolfStatus’s live-scoring technology lets golfers track their score in a free mobile app that automatically syncs to live leaderboards. Not only does this provide additional sponsor exposure, but expedites finalizing results at the end of the event. “We made sure it was easy for people to download the app and explained that this was how we would be scoring the tournament. We asked that golfers download the app ahead of time, but also had QR codes at check-in for quick access.

“The barriers to using the app are so low,” Nicholas says. “It helps get rid of that gap that typically occurs at a golf tournament, when physical scorecards are turned in and everyone’s waiting on the results to be tallied.” Plus, Nicholas says golfers loved seeing the standings in real-time and how the app pulled in the course information for additional details about each hole (distance, slope, GPS to the pin).

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“We were essentially down 33% of our normal planning team, but GolfStatus helped make it a great event.”

— Nicholas Kristock, founder and CEO of KindKatch

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Leaning Into Technology

Golfers and spectators could follow real-time standings on the tournament’s live leaderboards on the GolfStatus app or the event website.

Nonprofits are used to doing more with less, and embracing technology enables them to do so. Fleece and Thank You’s small team has to maximize efficiencies and technology like GolfStatus “helps us move faster and do more,” Nicholas says. “Tech can help nonprofits scale and do things beyond their traditional reach.” 

Using KindKatch in tandem with GolfStatus kept golfers engaged before, during, and after the event. Nicholas and his team scheduled out videos to be sent at intervals after someone registered to a follow up 30 days after the event. Combined with push notifications from GolfStatus, Nicholas says they struck a good balance of a good mix of communication with golfers and sponsors. “The cool part of the GolfStatus and KindKatch interplay is how well they worked together when we sent videos out mid-day highlighting the live leaderboards and current standings.”

No Cost Golf Event Management Tech

The right technology is key to a successful, lucrative, and streamlined golf fundraiser. GolfStatus’s golf event management and fundraising platform is built to handle the unique details of golf fundraisers, with built-in tools to easily promote the event, collect registrations, recognize sponsors, collect donations, and much more. Through the Golf for Good program, nonprofits can qualify to use GolfStatus at no cost—no cost, no risk, all reward. Click the button below to get qualified and start saving time and raising more money from your golf tournament.

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KindKatch is part of the GolfStatus Marketplace, a one-stop shop of trusted third party vendors to help event organizers elevate their tournament.

Organization Snapshot

Enriching the lives of the visually impaired is at the heart of Outlook Enrichment’s mission. A private, nonprofit agency based in Omaha, Nebraska, Outlook Enrichment empowers people living with vision loss with the skills and tools to achieve their goals. Its core programs serve the visually impaired through adaptive technology training, recreational programs, independent living, employment training, support groups, cultural experiences, and community education.

“It’s really fulfilling for us to see an individual’s arc of life in adapting to vision loss,” says Nina Rongisch, Director of Fund Development at Outlook Enrichment. “They may think they can’t do the things they used to be able to do, but we get them on the right path and see the excitement come back in them and they grow and flourish.”

Outlook Enrichment serves the visually impaired through adaptive technology training, recreational programs (like tandem bike rides, pictured above), independent living, employment training, support groups, cultural experiences, and community education.

Outlook Enrichment is part of the broader Outlook Collaborative that, with three other agencies, serves the visually impired in Omaha. “We help people adjust to vision loss, connecting them to necessary resources and helping them navigate the system that allows them to be as independent as possible,” says Paulette Monthei, Executive Director at Outlook Enrichment.

The Challenge

Outlook Enrichment’s two annual fundraising events bring in dollars for equipment purchases, instructor wages, outreach activities, and program support—an annual gala and a long-standing golf clinic and tournament. 

The sport of golf is important for many visually-impaired individuals. Finding ways to stay involved helps bring a spark back to their lives. “We had one golfer in his 70s who used to be an avid golfer and withdrew from the sport as he slowly lost sight,” Nina explains. “The golf clinic and our other recreation programs help show them that they can still do the things they love, albeit in a different capacity.”

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“The golf clinic and our other recreation programs help show them that they can still do the things they love, albeit in a different capacity.”

— Nina Rongisch, Director of Fund Development at Outlook Enrichment

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Out of its staff of six, only two are sighted. “Those of us who work directly with clients have some level of vision loss,” says Paulette, who has low vision herself. “It’s so important to share that perspective and empathize with them, while providing resources and services to help with job training, mental wellness, transportation, and recreation.” 

Its small but mighty team handles everything from fundraising to program implementation to serving over 300 clients a year. As such, efficiency is key, so when the previous registration process for the golf event wasn’t cutting it, the team sought new options. “We needed something simpler and easier,” Nina says. “We got some complaints about the registration process being too complicated and cumbersome.”

The Solution

Nina knew there had to be a better option to make the user interface easier and more seamless, both on the donor and administrative sides. An online search led them to GolfStatus, a golf-specific event management platform. Naturally, accessibility was a major concern for any tech platform. “It was important that GolfStatus was willing to work with us to improve accessibility and really heard our concerns,” says Nina. The GolfStatus public-facing event site was easily navigable by screen readers and featured a high-contrast color palette to improve readability for those with reduced vision.

Through the Golf for Good program, Nina, Paulette, and the Outlook Enrichment team were able to utilize GolfStatus to streamline their golf tournament at no cost. “It’s hard to find a system for nonprofits that isn’t going to charge you an arm and a leg,” says Paulette. “We loved that it was no cost and easy to use.”

The Results

Between 40 and 48 teams typically play in the golf tournament, which is sponsored by 10-20 area businesses, partners, and vendors. Beyond raising dollars, the golf tournament’s goal is to raise awareness and get golfers and sponsors to further engage with Outlook Enrichment. “We want to fill the tournament, of course, but we also want to reach new people,” says Nina. “Those new people may come for the golf, but they engage with our organization, staff members, and those we serve to better understand where their money is going.”

One of the golf tournament’s main goals is to raise awareness about Outlooks Enrichment’s mission by attracting new golfers and sponsors to the event.

Golfers used their mobile devices to make purchases (i.e. mulligans, raffle tickets, hole challenges,etc.) and donations the day of the tournament. “Having them pay through the event site was so much simpler,” says Nina. “For years we pushed people to bring cash along for things like this, and we missed out on extra dollars if someone didn’t have cash.” The event brought in an extra $3,000 from day-of purchases alone!

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“GolfStatus was hands down one of the easiest and seamless systems we’ve used.”

— Nina Rongisch, Director of Fund Development at Outlook Enrichment

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“GolfStatus was hands down one of the easiest and seamless systems we’ve used,” says Nina, finding it so helpful that she utilized GolfStatus’s registration for the annual Vision Beyond Sight fundraiser (which, unfortunately, was canceled due to rain).

Automation & Support

The event website for the Tee It Up Fore Sight fundraiser was the key to reaping the benefits of the platform. Golfers and sponsors would register and pay securely via the website and their information automatically populated the platform’s backend where Nina could make hole assignments, create and print pre-formatted alpha lists and cart signs, and see who had purchased various add-ons.

Golfers and sponsors registered via an event website, automating registration and giving Nina and Paulette a jump on thanking donors and reconciling payments.

Nina says email notifications and weekly reporting and payouts were invaluable to her in terms of saving time and creating efficiencies. “I set up separate email notifications for registrations and sponsorships,” Nina says. Not only did this help from an administrative perspective, but it allowed the team to stay on top of thanking golfers and sponsors right away, a key part of long-term donor stewardship and retention.

“I didn’t have to live on the platform but could easily get in the backend to see where things stood,” she says.

The GolfStatus customer success team was there to help whenever Nina, Paulette, or anyone on their team had questions or needed assistance. “Everyone was amazing! If there was a hiccup, they got it resolved right away,” Nina says.

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“I didn’t have to live on the platform but could easily get in the backend to see where things stood.”

— Nina Rongisch, Director of Fund Development at Outlook Enrichment

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golf fundraiser Creates Cause Connection

Outlook Enrichment creates a real, tangible connection to its mission for golfers and sponsors by including immersion activities on select tournament holes. “Golfers put on a sleep shade and putt,” Nina explains. “They have to rely on the rest of their senses to make the shot, which really gets them to think about sight from a different perspective.” It’s also a fundraising component, as golfers chip in $5-$20 to try.

Outlook Enrichment also hosts the Stanley M. Truhlsen, Jr. Blind Golfers Clinic for non-sighted golfers in conjunction with the golf fundraiser. Partnering with adaptive sports specialists and volunteers from golf teams at the University of Nebraska-Omaha and local high schools, the golfers learn chipping, putting, and driving, and typically play one or more holes before the round kicks off.

The Stanley M. Truhlsen, Jr. Blind Golfers Clinic pairs visually-impaired golfers adaptive sports specialists and volunteers to learn chipping, putting, and driving.

What’s more, some of the team pairings include a non-sighted player. The rest of the team helps the visually-impaired golfer line up their shot and describe as best they can the terrain of the shot—how much slope, angle, obstacle locations, distance to the pin. “It’s really interesting the techniques the sighted golfers use to help line the golfer up, whether it’s verbal cues or physically lining up the correct angle,” says Nina. When golfers then put on the sleep shades, they’re forced to use their other senses to make the shot.

Accessibility

Given Outlook Enrichment’s mission, accessibility is a must-have when it comes to any software or tech tool. “We won’t use a company if we can’t navigate it,” says Nina. Both sighted staff and staff with some level of visual impairment worked through the front-end of the software before signing on with GolfStatus, and found that the event site was easy to navigate with screen readers and its high contrast color scheme made it more readable. 

“We appreciate how the GolfStatus staff worked with us to make the site as accessible as possible,” says Nina, noting that members of the development team worked with the Outlook Enrichment staff to walk through the site to glean additional feedback on how to improve accessibility. “It was so nice to know that GolfStatus cared and heard us!”

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Helping Nonprofits Leverage Golf for Good

GolfStatus helps nonprofits and charities of all types and sizes leverage golf’s giving power with powerful, user-friendly technology and industry-leading support. Through the Golf for Good program, qualifying nonprofits and events benefiting a charity or cause can get access to GolfStatus’s golf event management and fundraising platform at no cost. Get qualified by clicking below or email [email protected].

Organization Snapshot

Million Meal Movement (MMM) goes beyond feeding the hungry, extending its impact to teaching the importance of volunteerism. By connecting with businesses, families, and community members in the Indianapolis area, the organization has packed over 32 million meals since its inception in 2007. In Indiana alone, over one million people—and one in five children—are food insecure and don’t know where they’ll get their next meal. Meals packed by MMM’s volunteers and corporate events go directly to local food banks where they’re distributed to families that need them.

For Chris Evans, who moved to Indianapolis in 2014, MMM was a way for his family to give back to the community in a meaningful way. “We wanted to do something more than just donate money, but volunteer to be part of something with a local impact,” Chris says.

The founder of MMM, Dan Hintz, was a client of Chris’s at American Century Investments. Intrigued by the organization’s dual focus, Chris and his family volunteered for a meal packing event on Thanksgiving and he found himself moved by the cause and wanted to get more involved. He’s served as a board member for the organization since 2018.

The Challenge

The Million Meal Marathon has traditionally been held each fall, which is a 24-hour event to pack a million meals and a major fundraiser for the organization. Chris and other board members wanted to bookend the year by adding a fundraising event in the spring. His passion for golf led him to explore a golf tournament fundraiser, though he had never planned such an event before. “I had golfed in a lot of charity tournaments in the past so I had a general sense of what was involved, but there were lots of nuances to figure out along the way,” Chris says.

Million Meal Movement Executive Director Nancy Hintz at the first annual Swing Away Hunger Charity Golf Classic in 2021.

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Tournament at a Glance:

Private Golf Facility

Woodland Country Club

Number of golfers

108

Add-Ons & Extras

Contests, Auctions

Tournament Format

4-person scramble

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The Solution

He teamed up with Chris Cimaglio, another MMM board member, who came across GolfStatus while researching golf tournament resources. The committee dug into it and decided the software was everything they needed. Since the golf event was a brand new endeavor, the committee leaned on GolfStatus to give the event structure, provide experience-based feedback, and above all, provide tools to save time and stay organized.

“Our fear was wasting time with having to use spreadsheets to keep track of everything,” Chris says, so using a golf-specific platform that kept everything—from golfer information to sponsor logos to hole assignments—organized in one place was a huge selling point. Plus, as a nonprofit, MMM qualified for GolfStatus’s Golf for Good program, which gave them full access to the platform at no cost.

The Results

In the fundraiser’s first year, the Swing Away Hunger Charity Golf Classic raised about $12,000. In its second year, the event doubled its fundraising, bringing in over $25,000. Perhaps most importantly, the golf event introduced MMM to new businesses and corporations that set the stage for transformational engagement and partnerships.

Using GolfStatus meant Chris and the rest of the planning committee didn’t have to spend their valuable volunteer time reconciling registrations and payments, processing a ton of checks and receipts, or managing multiple spreadsheets. Instead, they could focus on offering a top-notch event experience and stewarding sponsors. “We sent a lot of emails and letters and made a lot of phone calls!” says Chris.

The Swing Away Hunger Charity Golf Classic is held at the private Woodland Country Club in Carmel, Indiana.

Raising Money, Building Partnerships

As is typical with golf fundraisers, the bulk of the revenue was generated by sponsorships. “We didn’t raise a ton on the actual players, but hole and other sponsorships brought in dollars,” Chris says. The planning committee started by reaching out to companies that have participated in or sponsored meal-packing events in the past, then leveraging board relationships in the community to drive larger sponsorships.

Beyond the fundraising aspect, golf tournaments increase awareness for the benefiting organization and often lay the foundation for strong partnerships and relationships outside of the event. Such was the case for MMM. “The golf tournament has been a great way to introduce Million Meal Movement to people when they play,” Chris says.

MMM’s focus on volunteerism has been a draw for businesses looking to get involved with their community. Following the golf tournament, multiple companies signed on for corporate meal-packing events, further engaging with the organization and broadening the golf fundraiser’s impact.

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“The golf tournament raised a ton of awareness for the organization. It brought companies in to support meal-packing events throughout the year, helping fulfill the mission and get food to the people that need it.”

— Chris Evans, Million Meal Movement Board Member / Vice President of Sales at American Century Investments

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The planning team used social media to recognize event sponsors.

Leveraging Technology to Save Time & Create Processes

The GolfStatus team built an event website for the Swing Away Hunger Charity Golf Classic, working closely with Chris and the planning team. “The website definitely saved us a lot of time,” says Chris. “It made it easy for people to register and sponsors to see available packages, commit, and upload logos. Plus, it made it easy to run the event from an administrative standpoint.”

In the tournament’s first year, Chris notes how they were not only planning the event from scratch, but creating processes at the same time. “GolfStatus helped us create good processes from the get-go,” Chris says. “That made it easier in subsequent years, knowing the framework is in place—sponsorship packages, signage, software, promotion plans, and so on—so we could just execute.”

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“GolfStatus helped us create good processes from the get-go.”

— Chris Evans, Million Meal Movement Board Member / Vice President of Sales at American Century Investments

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GolfStatus worked with Chris and the planning team to build an event website to collect registrations, share information about the organization, and onboard and recognize sponsors.

Learning & Improving

Chris is preparing to step down from the MMM board and prepping another board member to take over as the Golf Event Chair. Having GolfStatus in place ensures a seamless transition for the new contact, who will work closely with the GolfStatus in-house customer success team to simply copy the event each year. “There’s no need to start from scratch, they can just take it and run with it,” Chris says. “The customer success team at GolfStatus is such a great resource. They were always available and got back to me right away, no matter how big or small the issue or question.”

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“The customer success team at GolfStatus is such a great resource. They were always available and got back to me right away, no matter how big or small the issue or question.”

— Chris Evans, Million Meal Movement Board Member / Vice President of Sales at American Century Investments

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With a couple tournaments under the committee’s belt, Chris says they’ve learned something each year and found ways to improve. A small silent and live auction were added for its second year, plus a raffle and more tailored sponsorship packages and better communication with golfers ahead of time about the live-scoring component.

“I think it’s really important to involve people on the planning committee who are well-connected in the community and those who have time to devote to the tournament,” he says. “GolfStatus was fantastic. The website, online registration, and golf-specific features made the details easy to handle.”

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Golf for Good

GolfStatus is committed to helping nonprofits do more good through golf. As part of its Golf for Good program, nonprofits and those holding events that benefit one can qualify for no-cost access to the GolfStatus platform, plus exclusive sponsorships, add-ons, and dedicated support to help you save time and raise more money. Click below to get qualified or email [email protected].

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