After two years of success, the Putt Putt Fore Puppies mini golf tournament is back for an even bigger and better year three! Planned by GolfStatus staff, Putt Putt Fore Puppies brings the community together to raise funds for Capital Humane Society (CHS), which cares for homeless pets in Lincoln, Nebraska, and helps them find their forever homes.

Registration is open and live for 2025!

📅 September 12, 2025

🕓 4:00 - 6:30 p.m. (registration opens at 3:30, shotgun start at 4:30)

📍Adventure Golf Center, Lincoln, Nebraska

tournament recap

Here’s a quick rundown of what the tournament accomplished in its first two years:

Year 1: 2023

• Golfers / Teams: 164 / 41 

• Courses: 2 of 3

• Sponsors: 21

• Fundraising Goal: $3,000

• Outcomes: $9,200 donated to CHS

  • $1,100 raised on tournament day

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Year 2: 2024

• Golfers / Teams: 216 / 54

• Courses: 3 of 3

• Sponsors: 31

• Fundraising Goal: $12,000

• Outcome: $15,000 donated to CHS

• $5,500 raised on tournament day

what’s new for 2025

Based on feedback from last year’s participants, the planning team is implementing a few changes 2025 tournament. The scope and format of the tournament will remain the same, but we’re exploring the feasibility of adding an auction and have decided to remove the playoff from the event. Other notable changes:

• New planning team. Planning team members include: Ashley Stahr, Director of Marketing; Payton Prall, Digital Media Manager; Jen Wemhoff, Communications Manager; David Li, Graphic Designer; Dane Stahr, Product Designer; Ty Perkins, Account Manager; Paul Sanger, Account Manager; Nick Koszkewsi, Account Manager; Alex White, Fundraising Specialist; Brenden Holling, Client Success Specialist; Jack Burmeister, Client Success Specialist; Cash Dinkel, Director of Client Success;

• New sponsorships. Nature calls, so a Portapotty Sponsor was added, along with sponsorships for new pet-friendly player gifts to replace koozies.

• New team packages. Two team packages are offered this year—an “all-in” package and a standard package. Both include t-shirts, dinner, gifts, a drink ticket, and round of mini golf for each golfer, but the all-in package includes entry into on-course games and 12 raffle tickets.

• New schedule. Additional time has been built into the schedule to accommodate the extra time required to complete the Backwoods Course and the raffle drawing.

• Pet showcase. Pet owners can purchase a “sponsorship” to show off their beloved pets on the event website and signage at the tournament.

Follow along on our tournament planning journey here and on Facebook and Instagram!

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Thank you sponsors!

Hole Sponsors:

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Your golf tournament is a key part of your nonprofit’s fundraising strategy. Ensuring your golf fundraiser’s long-term success requires more than just smooth execution on event day. Future-proofing your golf event means setting it up to thrive year after year, even if there are major changes to the planning team. By putting the right systems and processes in place, your nonprofit can protect the tournament’s success for the future while making planning easier for years to come.

Here are six best practices to help your nonprofit future-proof your charity golf tournament so it stays a lucrative fundraising event no matter what changes you face.

1. Use golf event management software

A singular platform is key for ensuring continuity. The beauty of a platform built for golf events is that tournaments can be copied year over year so new event organizers aren’t forced to start from scratch. This helps provide much-needed stability and baseline infrastructure when personnel might be in flux. The right platform should allow multiple users without any extra fees and access to a responsive support team that can walk new users through the software’s back end and provide guidance.

An event management platform built just for golf helps new tournament organizers jump right into planning.

2. document, document, document!

If your lead tournament organizer or key volunteer left tomorrow or had an emergency that took them away from planning, would anyone else know how to run the tournament? Would they know what needs to be done, who to connect with at the golf facility, or what’s been promised to sponsors? Thoroughly documenting your planning process from start to finish, as well as tracking progress during planning, ensures that institutional knowledge isn’t lost when there’s staff turnover or new volunteers come on board.

Start by creating a central event planning document or spreadsheet that outlines the entire process from start to finish, from securing the golf course to sending thank-you notes after the event.

Include key deadlines, contact information for vendors and sponsors, and details about your event management software.

• Track progress as tasks are completed, so if a change occurs mid-planning, others will be able to continue the work without interruption. 

• Make note of what worked well (and what didn’t) to refine and improve your process each year.

• Store the documentation in a shared drive so it’s easily accessible by members of your planning team.

A well-documented process reduces the risk of setbacks and gives future organizers a clear roadmap to follow.

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free planning template

Keep your golf tournament on task and on target. Download this free timeline and checklist to document tasks and ensure everyone is on the same page.

Get the Template

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3. Have Two Points of Contact for Everything

Relying on one person to manage all aspects of your tournament creates a single point of failure. If that person becomes unavailable, it can derail your event. To avoid this, designate at least two people from your planning team to be points of contact for each key element of your fundraiser:

• Sponsorships. Ensure both points of contact know the details of each sponsorship package, including the promised benefits, pricing, and availability. It’s a good practice to CC each contact on email communication with sponsors so everyone is in the know.

• Event management technology. Both contacts should have logins to your event management platform, been introduced to its support team, and know how to contact support so they can troubleshoot issues or get help quickly.

• Golf facility coordination. Ensure that both points of contact have contact information for the head golf pro and/or golf facility sales representative. Both should also have a basic understanding of the course’s layout and logistics.

• Budget. A common budget spreadsheet can help you track dollars in and out and see where your tournament stands. Ensure both contacts have access to the spreadsheet and can track income from registrations and payments in the event management platform.

• Vendor orders. This can be as simple as CCing each contact on communication with vendors on orders, specs, and deadlines for materials like signage, catering, pin flags, or player gifts.

You might also assign a “chair” for various components, such as a chair of sponsorships, volunteers, promotion, budget, and logistics to better share the load and tournament knowledge. While this redundancy may seem unnecessary, it prevents last-minute scrambles and ensures someone is always able to step in to handle key responsibilities.

Having two points of contact ensures planning can move forward if there are changes in your tournament’s leadership.

4. create a succession plan

Unfortunately, staff and volunteer turnover is inevitable, so a strong succession plan is critical for maintaining event continuity. Here’s how to create one:

• Identify key roles and responsibilities for your golf fundraiser, including each “chair.”

• Train backup staff or volunteers to handle each role, including how to use your event software and communicate with sponsors and vendors.

• Keep a running list of contacts and instructions for tasks like setting up the registration website, managing volunteers, handling sponsor invoicing, and running on-course games and contests.

• Hold a post-event debrief with your team and update the plan based on lessons learned.

A clear succession plan ensures that new team members can step in and continue executing a successful event without a steep learning curve.

5. manage sponsorships in your event management platform

Managing sponsorships manually—or across multiple platforms—can lead to missed opportunities and dropped details, particularly if there are any personnel changes. Instead, simplify sponsor management by using an event registration website and your golf event management platform:

• Build sponsorship packages in your software’s back end and link all sponsor outreach to the website to ensure a consistent call to action in your communication with prospective sponsors.

• List sponsorship packages on the event site so sponsors can browse options and purchase their package without needing to connect with a specific member of your planning team. Sponsors can submit their logo and assets during registration, which should automatically populate the site or mobile app and be available in the software for other branding needs.

• Track sponsor commitments, contacts, payments, and benefits in your centralized event management platform. This is particularly useful when copying tournaments in subsequent years.

• Keep a record of businesses that have been approached for sponsorships from each year to help inform future outreach and renewal strategies.

Managing your tournament’s sponsorships with a centralized system helps you better deliver on sponsor agreements, provide valuable exposure, and make it easier to manage renewals.

Sponsors get broad visibility on a tournament’s registration website.

6. connect with the head pro at the host golf facility

The golf facility wants your tournament to be a success—it reflects positively on the facility! To help ensure success, establish a good working relationship with golf facility staff, especially the head pro. This facilitates smooth communication, handling of logistics, and golfer experience. A key part of future-proofing your golf fundraiser is the relationship with the golf facility. If there are changes, golf and sales staff can often help new personnel fill in the gaps.

• Schedule a meeting with the head pro early in the planning process to discuss course regulations, tournament schedules, food and beverage offerings, contract terms, and any potential challenges.

• Confirm how contests, like closest to the pin, hole-in-one, and longest drive will be set up and handled.

• Keep the head pro updated on registration numbers and any changes to the schedule. It’s a good idea to share access to your golf event management software so they can check participation and teams in real time.

• On event day, your two points of contact should check in with the head pro to handle any last-minute adjustments.

Leveraging the expertise of the host golf facility’s head pro will help your tournament run smoothly and that golfers have a positive experience—no matter who’s in charge.

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set your event up for long-term success with golfstatus

Future-proofing your golf fundraiser isn’t just about protecting your current event—it’s about setting up a framework for long-term success. By documenting your process, building redundancy into key roles, creating a succession plan, streamlining sponsor management, and maintaining a strong relationship with the host course, you’ll create a more resilient event that raises more money year after year.

Start with an event management tool that’s built for golf events and fundraisers—GolfStatus. Manage registrations, sponsorships, and schedules right in the platform, and use the free event website to market your event. Plus, you’ll get access to exclusive sponsorships, add-ons, and Fundraising Specialists to help you raise additional funds for your cause—at no upfront cost. Book a quick 15 or 30-minute meeting with the GolfStatus team to learn more.

Future Proof Your Golf Event With GolfStatus

Book a Meeting to Get Started

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DATE: March, 13 2025
FOR RELEASE: Immediate
CONTACTS: Natalie Paskoski, Manager of Communications, (434) 236 – 5583, [email protected]

GOLFSTATUS FUNDRAISING CONTACT: Ashley Stahr, Chief Marketing Officer, (402) 413-9650, [email protected]

(Arlington, Virginia) The Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), the largest association of fundraising professionals in the world, has announced the fifth year of a strategic partnership with GolfStatus, the leading event management platform for charity golf tournaments and fundraisers. The partnership supports AFP’s work with nonprofits and fundraisers and the annual AFP ICON conference.

Nonprofit golf events powered by GolfStatus raised nearly $25 million in 2024, tapping into the $4.6 billion golf helps raise for charity annually. GolfStatus helps nonprofits leverage this giving power by simplifying and streamlining golf events with tools that responsibly collect and manage donor data, securely process donations, engage supporters through a pastime they enjoy, and ultimately, raise more dollars to do more good.

Qualifying nonprofits can access GolfStatus’ technology at no upfront cost as part of its Golf for Good program, which helps organizations committed to social good save time and resources while raising more money for their mission.

“Over the years, GolfStatus has become an essential partner for AFP, offering the fundraising community invaluable resources and expertise to unlock the potential of golf events,” said Chris Amos, senior director, business development for AFP. “We are thrilled to welcome them back as a Visionary Partner and AFP ICON 2025 sponsor. Their innovative approach to golf fundraising provides our members with the tools and strategies they need to make their events more inclusive, impactful, and successful. We’re excited to continue collaborating with GolfStatus to empower nonprofits everywhere.”

By connecting golfers to important causes in communities and beyond, golf fundraisers powered by GolfStatus are instrumental in furthering inclusivity and bringing change to the golf industry.

“GolfStatus helps nonprofits of all types and sizes raise mission-critical dollars through golf,” says Steve Mattern, chief operating officer at GolfStatus. “We’re honored to once again partner with AFP to provide organizations with the tools they need to use golf as a fundraising tool to raise the dollars they need to tackle important issues in their community and beyond..”

The AFP Partners Program provides participating organizations with year-round opportunities to engage the fundraising community and pursue corporate social responsibility through tangential support of the causes for which they work. Through thought leadership, marketing, content, and professional development channels, AFP Partners are industry leaders committed to advancing philanthropy and ethical fundraising worldwide. Their financial and programmatic support also enables AFP to develop highly competent fundraisers and educate the public on the industry’s ability to fuel societal change in critical arenas like education, healthcare, community development, equity and inclusion, and countless other missions.

For more information about the AFP Partners Program, contact Chris Amos, senior director, business development, at [email protected].

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Since 1960, the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) has been the standard-bearer for professionalism in fundraising. The association works to advance effective and ethical philanthropy by providing advocacy, research, education, mentoring, collaboration and technology opportunities for the world’s largest network of professional fundraisers. AFP’s more than 26,000 members in over 220 professional chapters raise over $100 billion annually for a wide variety of charitable organizations and causes across the globe. For more information, go to afpglobal.org.

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GolfStatus helps nonprofits leverage the giving power of golf to raise more dollars, engage supporters, and do more good. Its robust golf event management platform streamlines golf tournaments from start to finish to save time and enhance the overall event experience for golfers, sponsors, and golf facilities. GolfStatus combines powerful technology with practical golf fundraising resources and industry-leading support to make charity golf tournaments easy, approachable, and efficient for organizations of all types and sizes. Visit https://golfstatus.com/.

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Source: afpglobal.org

Sponsorships are the backbone of any successful charity golf tournament, and none is more critical than your title or presenting sponsor. This top-dollar sponsorship opportunity provides unparalleled visibility and brand exposure for the sponsor while ensuring the event’s overall success for your nonprofit.

Many tournaments significantly underprice and undervalue their title sponsorship simply because they’re unsure of its worth. Here’s how to position and sell your title sponsorship, ensure sponsors see its full value, and use technology to add value and maximize their investment.

Positioning the value of your tournament’s title sponsorship

A title or presenting sponsorship typically offers a business the highest level of exposure and branding available for a golf tournament. Unlike other sponsorships, the title sponsor is often fully embedded in every aspect of the tournament, such as:

• Event naming rights. The sponsor’s name is folded into the event’s title, ensuring top-of-mind awareness. For example, “Putt Putt Fore Puppies Presented by Sinclair Hille Architects.”

• Exclusive branding on marketing and promotional materials. The title sponsor’s logos and messaging appear prominently on the event website, email marketing, printed flyers and invitations, signage, and social media promotions.

• On-site visibility. From tournament banners and cart signs to branded scorecards and giveaways, the title sponsor has a heavy visual presence at the event.

• Direct audience engagement. The sponsor might have the opportunity to speak at the tournament’s opening or awards ceremony, set up a display on a tee box, or perhaps host a VIP area for networking.

• Media and PR exposure. The sponsor’s brand is highlighted in press releases, media coverage, and post-event recaps, reinforcing credibility and reach.

These aren’t all the benefits you can include in your title sponsorship package. You might add value by offering the sponsor one or more teams to play in the tournament, access to the tournament’s participant list, additional logo placements, or additional engagement opportunities.

It’s important to remember that your golf tournament has a unique value proposition, particularly for the title sponsor: exposure, access, and high engagement to an audience of golfers they can’t reach anywhere else. Because golfers generally represent an affluent, influential demographic, they’re often considered ideal clients or customers for businesses. Plus, the sponsor enjoys the brand lift and positive PR of being associated with a good cause like yours.

do this instead: boost the title sponsorship’s value with a technology sponsorship

Adding a Technology Sponsorship takes a title sponsorship to the next level by integrating the sponsor’s branding into the digital and interactive elements of the tournament. This requires the right event management tech—one that’s built specifically for golf events, has baked-in sponsor touchpoints throughout the platform, and modernizes the experience for players, volunteers, and attendees.

GolfStatus’ Technology Sponsorship provides broad exposure across the platform.

Here’s where adding a Technology Sponsorship to the title sponsorship package has the biggest impact:

• Tournament registration website. The title sponsor’s logo should be prominently featured on the tournament website, reinforcing their involvement from the first player interaction and with every site visit.

• Mobile scoring app. The title sponsor’s brand is displayed across the digital scorecard, keeping their brand front and center throughout the tournament round.

• Live leaderboards. Live leaderboards offer a high level of professionalism to your tournament and your title sponsor. The title sponsor’s logo is seen every time a golfer or spectator checks the round’s standings on the event website or mobile scoring app.

• Automated receipts. Add logos to automated payment receipts to increase impressions and engagement.

• Push notifications. Offer sponsors the chance to include messaging in mobile scoring app push notifications.

• Social media and digital marketing. Combining the Technology Sponsorship into your title sponsorship ensures even greater visibility through branded content, hashtag campaigns, and boosted social media posts that link back to your event website.

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Sample title + tech sponsorship package

• Exclusive event naming rights for the tournament, including a co-branded tournament logo.

• Primary logo placement on all event promotional materials, signage, the event website, live leaderboards, cart signs, reports, trophies, and registration and donation receipts.

• Co-branded digital elements, including promotional emails, social media mentions, ad campaigns, PR campaigns, and the opportunity to send push notifications to participants.

• High-value speaking opportunities during the tournament’s kickoff and awards ceremony.

• Exclusive engagement with golfers with a booth set up on the sponsor’s tee box of choice.

• Two complementary foursomes to play in the tournament.

• Data and analytics reporting, showcasing audience reach, contact information, engagement, and digital impressions.

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Taking care of your title sponsor

Securing a title sponsor is just the first step—you need to deliver an exceptional sponsorship experience to maintain and even strengthen the relationship. Here’s how:

• Personalized communication. Keep the sponsor informed about event planning updates, branding opportunities, and impact metrics.

• Seamless integration. Ensure their branding appears flawlessly in all print and digital materials.

• VIP perks. Offer a premier experience at the tournament, such as reserved parking and a dedicated volunteer or staff member to host them during the tournament.

• Post-tournament follow-up. Provide a detailed sponsorship fulfillment report, including event analytics and ROI.

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free template

Sponsor Fulfillment Report Template

A Sponsor Fulfillment Report is a summary of every sponsor benefit you said you would provide and an itemized description of how you fulfilled each. This guide includes components to help you prove the ROI of your tournament to sponsors.

Download

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maximize your title sponsorship’s value with tech

The title sponsorship is the crown jewel of your golf tournament, and pairing it with GolfStatus’ exclusive Technology Sponsorship adds value and amplifies its impact. By integrating digital branding, leveraging high-engagement tech tools, and providing measurable sponsorship fulfillment, you’ll create an unbeatable sponsorship opportunity.

Click below to book a quick 15 or 30-minute call or a full demo with the GolfStatus team to learn more about how the Technology Sponsorship can boost your tournament’s revenue!

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Partner Snapshot

The Down Syndrome Association (DSA) of Greater Charlotte serves as a vital hub of resources and support for individuals with Down syndrome (Ds) and their families across 12 counties surrounding Charlotte, NC. With a mission to empower and enable individuals with Ds to reach their full potential and become respected members of their community, DSA of Greater Charlotte supports 300-500 families annually through a variety of programs, from early intervention to adult resources. Victoria Coles, DSA of Greater Charlotte's Program and Community Outreach Director, oversees programs like early intervention, parent nights, and educational outreach initiatives, ensuring that no family feels lost or alone.

One of the most impactful programs DSA of Greater Charlotte provides is its summer camp lineup, offering both day camps and sleepaway camps for children and adults with Ds. “We don’t ever want someone to feel like they can’t participate in camp because of financial reasons,” says Victoria. To raise money for camp scholarships, DSA of Greater Charlotte has held an annual golf tournament for nearly two decades. 

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“We don’t ever want someone to feel like they can’t participate in camp because of financial reasons.”

— Victoria Coles, Program Director at the Down Syndrome Association of Greater Charlotte

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The Challenge

When Victoria joined DSA of Greater Charlotte in 2022, she took on the challenge of organizing the golf event. She’s a seasoned event planner, but has little experience with golf. Though the 2023 event was a success, with five sponsors and $33,000 in revenue, there was tremendous potential for growth. 

The event management platform being used also presented logistical hurdles. It required excessive manual coordination and lacked the features needed to fully engage participants and sponsors. With one year of planning under her belt, Victoria knew she needed to make a change. She assembled a planning team that involved board members and past participants to provide diverse insights and share the workload. The group set ambitious goals: to increase revenue, streamline registration, and elevate the overall experience for participants while keeping costs manageable and maintaining the inclusive spirit of the tournament.

The Solution

DSA of Greater Charlotte partnered with GolfStatus, a powerful event management platform designed for charity golf tournaments. After the golf event was nominated for the Play It Forward campaign, the GolfStatus team connected with Victoria. It happened to be at the perfect time, just as she was starting to plan the 2024 tournament and was open to a change. The decision to adopt GolfStatus was driven by several key factors:

• Additional fundraising opportunities. DSA of Greater Charlotte leveraged GolfStatus’ exclusive sponsorships and add-ons to drive thousands of dollars in additional revenue. 

• No upfront cost access to the software. As a nonprofit, DSA of Greater Charlotte qualified to use GolfStatus at no upfront cost, which meant no financial risk and more funds to their mission.

• Ease of use. The planning team worked hand-in-hand with GolfStatus’ client support team to build an event registration website. The intuitive back end made it easy for the planning team to manage registrations, sponsor details, and golfer information with minimal back-and-forth communication.

Maintaining the inclusive focus of the tournament was a key priority of the planning committee when looking for an event management software.

The Results

The 18th Annual DSA of Greater Charlotte Golf Tournament surpassed its previous fundraising goals, raising over $53,000 for summer camp scholarships and programming at Camp Horizon and Camp Holiday. Here’s how:

Increased Sponsorships

More than double the sponsors signed on to support the golf tournament, with the tournament’s positive reputation organically prompting several new businesses to come on board. The past year’s presenting sponsor jumped at the additional exposure provided by GolfStatus’ Technology Sponsorship on the event website, mobile app, scorecards, cart signs, and live leaderboards. 

“The sponsorships from GolfStatus gave us an immediate return on investment,” Victoria says of the Technology Sponsorship, Pin Flag Sponsorship, and hole-in-one contest sponsorship. “We raised additional money from those in our first year with the platform.” The team bundled GolfStatus’ exclusive Technology Sponsorship and Pin Flag Sponsorships together into one sponsorship that sold for $8,250. They also used GolfStatus’ hole-in-one insurance and leveraged a sponsorship to cover package costs. 

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“The sponsorships from GolfStatus gave us an immediate return on investment. We raised additional money from those in our first year with the platform.”

— Victoria Coles, Program Director at the Down Syndrome Association of Greater Charlotte

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Streamlined Processes

Golfer information is stored in the back end of the software, where Victoria and her team could easily make hole assignments.

Golf tournament websites powered by GolfStatus are equipped with easy online registration and secure payment processing. Individual golfers, teams, and sponsors could browse available packages, submit their information, and pay right through the website. All participant info drops into the software’s back end, where the planning team could manage player information and sponsor assets. 

Victoria says the software was easy to use and they liked that individuals or teams could register to play. “There wasn’t a constant back and forth with golfers since everything went through the website,” she says. “GolfStatus kept us organized and it was simple to assign teams and make hole assignments right in the software. In general, everything just worked so much better than what we were using before.” GolfStatus’ support team was there to help Victoria seven days a week to answer questions. 

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“GolfStatus kept us organized and it was simple to assign teams and make hole assignments right in the software. In general, everything just worked so much better than what we were using before.”

— Victoria Coles, Program Director at the Down Syndrome Association of Greater Charlotte

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Elevated Experiences & Revenue Opportunities

Post-event feedback was extremely positive. A survey was sent to participants to collect information to help improve future tournaments. “We got super feedback. Everyone said the tournament was well-planned with great communication,” Victoria says. “Online registration and the overall experience were five out of five!”

Having Ds Ambassadors present at the golf tournament reminded golfers and sponsors what they were helping raise money for.

Most participants had some connection to the Ds community, so having Ds Ambassadors stationed around the course added to the tournament’s impact. “The Ambassadors are teens and adults with Ds who love to connect with people,” Victoria says. Their presence was a strong reminder of what the tournament was supporting and fostered personal connections that reinforced DSA of Greater Charlotte’s mission.

In addition to the Ds Ambassadors’ presence, several add-ons elevated the tournament experience and drove additional revenue, such as on-course contests (putting, long drive, and hole-in-one), a 50/50 ball drop raffle, a traditional raffle, and mulligans available for purchase. 

Direct Mission Impact

The 2024 tournament funded scholarships for campers, ensuring that financial barriers won’t prevent families from accessing DSA of Greater Charlotte’s transformative summer programs. “We were able to provide $30,000 in scholarships for families this year from the golf tournament, more than we’ve ever done before,” Victoria says. 

Camp programs at Camp Horizon and Camp Holiday offer enriching experiences for campers with Ds. Activities focus on fun, but foster communication, problem solving, social, and self-advocacy skills. Campers enjoy traditional camp activities such as arts and crafts, water play, music, horseback riding and more that build self-confidence and independence. 

Funds raised from the golf tournament support enriching camp programs for individuals with Down Syndrome.

Lessons Learned for the Future

As the tournament’s planning team begins to plan for the next iteration, these lessons learned will help guide them:

• Include complimentary food and drinks. Providing food and drink creates a welcoming atmosphere. Victoria says they’ll continue to keep folks well-fed through donated options like donuts, boxed lunches, bloody marys, and a post-tournament catered dinner.

• Stay organized. DSA of Greater Charlotte’s golf event included signage with clear information, detailed registration instructions, and plenty of volunteers to ensure the day ran smoothly.

• Leverage technology: Using a platform like GolfStatus saved Victoria and her team time, streamlined logistics, and enhanced the event experience for everyone involved.

Building on 2024’s success, Victoria and the planning team plan to refine and expand the tournament in 2025 by:

• Offering larger and more creative raffle prizes

• Exploring new on-course challenges to keep the event fresh and engaging

• Continuing to build strong sponsor relationships, ensuring robust support camp programming

• Leveraging GolfStatus’ revenue enhancers to boost revenue

The tournament received great feedback from golfers and sponsors!

Golf for Good

GolfStatus is the leading event management platform for charity golf tournaments and fundraisers. It streamlines and simplifies golf events to save organizers a ton of time and has built-in tools to raise even money for your cause. Through GolfStatus’ Golf for Good program, nonprofit organizations (and those planning golf events to benefit one) can qualify to use GolfStatus at no upfront cost. Book a meeting to learn more and start planning!

Corporate fundraising presents a valuable opportunity for nonprofits and businesses to make a meaningful impact on their communities. For nonprofits, it means additional funding, resources, and greater visibility. For businesses, raising money for charity as a third party boosts brand reputation, engages employees, and fosters connections with new audiences.

Whether you’re a nonprofit looking to secure corporate support or a company looking to give back, these key strategies and fundraising ideas will help you maximize your impact.

Skip to:

• Corporate Fundraising FAQ

• Best Corporate Fundraising Idea: Charity Golf Tournament

• Event-Based Corporate Fundraising Ideas

• Workplace Giving & Employee Engagement Fundraising Ideas

• Community-Focused Fundraising Ideas

• Virtual Fundraising Ideas

• Seasonal Corporate Fundraising Ideas

Corporate Fundraising FAQ

What Are the Benefits of Corporate Fundraising for Nonprofits?

• Increased funding and financial stability. Corporate sponsorships and donations create a reliable funding source for nonprofits.

• Expanded audience and brand awareness. Corporate partnerships introduce nonprofit causes to new audiences and raise awareness about important issues.

• Access to valuable resources and expertise. Corporate partners may provide helpful resources like in-kind donations or skilled volunteers, along with industry expertise.

• Long-term strategic partnerships. These collaborations provide ongoing support for sustained impact.

• Increased credibility and public trust. Aligning with respectable brands or well-known businesses helps build trust among the community and with donors.
  

Why Should Businesses Invest in Corporate Fundraising?

• Reputation boost. Corporate giving enhances your social responsibility profile, enhancing and strengthening your brand and reputation.

• Introduction to new audiences and customers. Supporting a nonprofit can help businesses engage with new customers. For instance, fundraising events that attract higher net-worth individuals—like charity golf tournaments—help businesses attract valuable clientele.

• Improved employee engagement. Giving back can boost employee satisfaction and engagement, foster connection between teams, and improve team-building.

• Diverse giving opportunities. There are multiple ways companies can support charitable causes, including in-kind donations, monetary sponsorships, cause marketing campaigns, and more.

Corporate partnerships have a number of benefits for businesses and noprofits.

What Are Some Best Practices for Organizing Corporate Fundraising Events?

For all parties to maximize the impact of charitable partnerships, the following best practices should be considered:

Nonprofits

• Educate partners on any other corporate giving opportunities that may exist to further maximize their charitable efforts, such as matching gifts, volunteer grants, or payroll giving.

• Mobilize your donor network to spread the word about your corporate partner’s contributions, share information about the upcoming fundraising event, and encourage participation.

• Set goals that are both ambitious and realistic, based on past fundraising efforts, successes, and lessons learned.

Businesses & Third-Party Fundraisers

• Be transparent about the scope of your support and involvement in the fundraising event.

• Align fundraising events with your company’s mission, brand, and audience.

• Collaborate with the nonprofit to create compelling event promotional materials, such as a compelling event website with storytelling, visuals, and many opportunities and tiers for involvement.

Both Parties

• Work with partners that share your goals and values for the best possible outcomes for everyone involved.

• Choose the right event that will appeal to each organization’s audiences.

• Follow up after the event to reflect on its success, demonstrate its impact, and express gratitude.

• Create an event plan that details event tasks, assignments, and timelines.

• Outline a budget so both parties are on the same page.

• Use purpose-built tech to effectively and efficiently streamline planning and event management. For example, if you choose a charity golf tournament, choose a solution built specifically for golf, like GolfStatus.

The Top Corporate Fundraising Idea: Charity Golf Tournament

What Is a Charity Golf Tournament?

A charity golf tournament is a premier fundraising event that offers numerous benefits for the host company and benefiting nonprofit. Golf events bring people together like no other event can, combining philanthropy with networking, camaraderie, and an activity people genuinely enjoy. Golfers pay a registration fee to participate as an individual or a team and businesses purchase sponsorships to support the cause.

Charity golf tournaments bring people together to raise money, make connections, and strengthen relationships.

Why Is a Charity Golf Tournament the Best Corporate Fundraising Idea?

• Golf events have high revenue potential. Player registrations, sponsorships, and add-ons such as contests, on-course games, mulligan sales, auctions, and raffles drive revenue.

• Golf tournaments appeal to sponsors. Golf events provide excellent branding and exposure opportunities for businesses of all types, plus access to an audience that can’t be found with any other event.

• Golf events attract decision-makers. Golf attracts corporate executives and higher-than-average net-worth individuals. 90% of Fortune 500 CEOs are golfers, and one in three golfers are in top-level management.

• Golf is more popular and inclusive than ever. Golf continues to see record popularity, attracting new audiences of beginners, women, and young adults.

• Golf builds relationships. Because the focus of the event is on an enjoyable activity, it’s easy for donors and sponsors to build relationships and positive memories that keep them coming back year after year.

• Golf events strengthen community engagement. Golf events planned by a third-party corporate partner deepen community ties and engagement.

• Golf tournaments are customizable. Choose the golf facility, format, and competition level that best suits your combined audiences.

• There are multiple opportunities for support. Golf tournaments offer a plethora of opportunities to support a nonprofit partner—monetary sponsorships, employee volunteering, in-kind donations, and more.

Tips for Launching a Charity Golf Tournament

With the right strategy and tools in place, it’s easier than ever to plan and execute a successful charity golf tournament. Follow these tips:

• Use an event website. A dedicated golf tournament website with online registration makes promotion, registration, sponsor onboarding and exposure, sharing information about your cause, and communication with supporters simple and efficient.

• Offer sponsorship packages at varying price points. This best practice allows businesses with different budget capabilities to support your tournament. High-end exposure, like a pin flag sponsorship, should be sold at a premium,

• Maximize additional fundraising. Incorporate tournament components such as mulligan sales, raffle tickets, auctions, on-course games, and hole-in-one contests to boost fundraising outcomes.

• Enlist volunteer help. Work to engage volunteers from both the corporate partner and nonprofit to help in tournament prep and day-of execution.

Most importantly, use a golf-specific event management platform. Golf tournaments come with a unique set of details that must be handled, including handicaps, hole assignments, team pairings, flighting, and scoring. Standard ticketing software and nonprofit CRMs simply aren’t built to handle this level of specificity without requiring time-consuming workarounds.

GolfStatus’ golf event management software addresses the golf specifics and has baked-in tools to save organizers time and opportunities to raise more money:

• Event websites with online registration, secure payment processing, broad digital sponsor exposure, the ability to collect donations, and more.

• Robust reporting and data management in one easily-accessible web-based platform.

• A user-friendly back end where team members can collaborate, manage payments, track team and sponsorship sales, make hole assignments, and more.

• Reliable live scoring that engages golfers throughout the tournament and makes the tournament more fun.

• Exclusive sponsorships and add-ons to raise thousands more dollars.

• A responsive, in-house client success team comprised of PGA Professionals and fundraising specialists.

For third party fundraisers like corporate entities, GolfStatus can essentially be the bank for the golf event. GolfStatus makes it simple to collect and hold funds that can be paid out directly to the nonprofit after the tournament concludes.

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Other Event-Based Corporate Fundraising Ideas

1. Corporate gala or charity ball

2. Trivia night

3. Charity game night

4. Wine and dine fundraiser

5. Benefit concert (could also accompany your charity golf tournament)

6. Networking event or conference

7. Executive challenges (like dunk tanks or pie-in-the-face challenges)

8. Giving days

9. Corporate field day

Workplace Giving & Employee Engagement Fundraising Ideas

10. Donation matching

11. Payroll giving

12. Company-wide donation challenge

13. Internal company charity raffle

14. Company silent auction

15. Cause-related product sales

16. Peer-to-peer company-wide fundraising competition

17. Office bake sale

Companies can further the impact of their charity golf tournament by holding an accompanying donation drive.

Community-Focused Fundraising Ideas

18. Charity car wash

19. Restaurant fundraising night

20. Food or in-kind item drive

21. Charity run

22. Community festival for charity

Virtual Fundraising Ideas

23. Online fundraising gamification or rewards-based campaigns

24. Social media challenges

25. Crowdfunding campaigns

26. Livestream fundraising event

Seasonal Corporate Fundraising Ideas

27. Halloween costume contest

28. Valentine's candy-gram fundraiser

29. Holiday gift drive

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Final Thoughts

Corporate fundraising strengthens communities, builds partnerships, and makes a lasting impact. Whether you’re hosting a charity golf tournament or launching another fundraising campaign, the right tools and strategies help ensure success.

GolfStatus simplifies golf event planning and management while maximizing fundraising potential. Click below to learn more!

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If your organization isn’t using an event website for your charity golf tournament, you’re missing out on a powerful tool that saves busy organizers like you time, enhances the professionalism of your tournament, and attracts more players and sponsors. Here are six reasons why an event website is a must-have, how to maximize its impact, and how nonprofits can get one at no cost.

An attractive, professional event website is the hub for your charity golf tournament.

1. Event promotion is as simple as sharing a link

A dedicated event website makes promoting your tournament quick and easy. Simply include the link in all your communications—emails, social media, sponsor outreach, even printed pieces. Attendees and potential sponsors are directed to a professional, mobile-friendly event site where they can register a team, purchase a sponsorship, or make a donation with just a few clicks and on any device. Your website should be powered by an event management platform that’s built for golf events and allow you to efficiently capture golf specific details like team members, player handicaps, and more.

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Pro tip:

Add QR codes that link directly to your event website in any printed promotional materials—flyers, postcards, mailed invitations, etc.—to make it easy for golfers and sponsors to commit as soon as they hear about your tournament.

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2. Your tournament gets more credibility & professionalism

An event website presents your tournament—and your organization—in the best possible light. It keeps information organized and showcases your nonprofit’s mission and work, helping attendees and sponsors better connect with your cause. Linking your event site to your organization’s main website strengthens credibility and makes it easy for visitors to learn more and get involved. Sponsors also appreciate the added professionalism and digital exposure that a well-designed event site provides.

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Pro tip:

Choose a platform that allows you to customize your event website with images, videos, and compelling storytelling about your cause.

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Free guide:

the essential guide to golf tournament event websites

This comprehensive guide provides golf tournament organizers with strategies and best practices for using an event website to streamline planning and raise more money from your golf event.

Download the Guide

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3. Online registration streamlines everything

People expect to register and pay for events online these days. An event website makes it easy for golfers and sponsors to commit the moment they hear about your tournament—whether through word of mouth, digital channels, or a personal invitation. Plus, collecting registration and payments through the site means no more manually processing registrations and payments, keeping multiple spreadsheets up to date, or sending receipts. Secure online transactions automate data collection (i.e. donor and sponsor data) and streamlines event planning, reducing administrative work and ensuring your donor database stays up to date for post-tournament stewardship. You’ll collect funds upfront, so you’re not chasing down payments on tournament day, or worse, stuck covering the cost for someone who registered but never paid.

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pro tip:

Use a golf event management platform that includes built-in, secure payment processing and robust reporting features.

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4. sponsors get maximum visibility & exposure

A professional golf tournament website makes it easy to list and sell sponsorship packages that are custom-built to meet your event’s needs, while giving sponsors premium visibility before, during, and after the tournament. Sponsors love the impressions they earn every time someone visits the website to register, check their hole assignments, and see the day’s schedule. Look for a platform that simplifies sponsor onboarding, so logos and assets are submitted right at registration and automatically appear on the site. Sponsors also appreciate additional exposure on live leaderboards and live scoring apps.

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Pro Tip:

Send a final round of promotional emails and social media shout-outs recognizing sponsors a few weeks before the tournament. This provides extra exposure for onboarded sponsors and can even encourage other sponsors to get involved.

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An event website gives sponsors broad digital exposure with every site visit.

5. you’ll save a ton of time & stay organized

Gone are the days of manually processing paper forms, deciphering credit card numbers, cashing checks, reconciling Venmos, and juggling receipts and spreadsheets. With an event website, registrations, add-on purchases (like raffle tickets and mulligans), sponsorships, team pairings, and donations are all managed in one easily-accessible place. It also makes coordinating with your planning team and the golf facility simple and efficient. Staff at the host golf facility can access real-time event details and participant information and print pre-formatted cart signs, score cards, and alpha lists so they’re focused on serving your event and not on back office work. When everything is organized and accessible, everyone saves time (to the tune of 30-40 hours) and effort.

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Pro tip:

Share access to your event management platform with golf staff for easy handling of last-minute logistics like hole assignments, flights, and team pairings.

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6. it’s easy to communicate updates & engage participants

Need to add details or make last-minute changes? An event website makes it simple to keep attendees informed. Whether it’s updating tee times, promoting a hole-in-one contest or high-end auction item, or sharing weather-related changes, updates are made in real time. If your platform includes live scoring and digital leaderboards, you can keep golfers engaged throughout the event while providing extra visibility for sponsors. And you don’t necessarily need to have every tournament detail hammered out before you launch your site—it can be as simple as the date and location, with a note of more details to follow. This lets you get on the radars of donors and sponsors as early as possible.

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Pro Tip:

Ask each of your organization’s board, planning committee, and staff to email or text a link to the event website to at least five people who might be interested in either playing or sponsoring your golf event.

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Nonprofits or third parties hosting a golf fundraiser can qualify for a free event website and full access to GolfStatus’ powerful event management platform at no upfront through the Golf for Good program. Our team can work with you to build a site or guide you through the process. Click below to get started.

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This installment in our PGA Q&A blog series discusses a popular topic for charity golf tournament planners: food and beverage. Food and beverage can play a major role in elevating the tournament experience, but many tournament organizers aren’t sure how to tackle this part of planning. Get insights from GolfStatus’ on-staff PGA Professionals: Cash Dinkel, PGA; Jason Meininger, PGA; and Paul Murcek, PGA.

Cash Dinkel, PGA

Jason Meininger, PGA

Paul Murcek, PGA

Q: where do i start in choosing food and beverage for my tournament?

Cash Dinkel: First, determine whether or not you want to have any food and beverage (F&B) associated with your event. Most tournaments we work with offer F&B, and to be honest, it’s become an expectation when playing in these events. Your best bet is to start with the golf facility. Many facilities will have F&B operations on site and will bundle F&B into your tournament package, which makes coordination much easier. Next, determine your budget. You can either wrap the F&B costs into player registrations or sell a sponsorship to cover the costs. Finally, you’ll need to determine if you’ll offer a grab and go/boxed lunch or a sit down meal and if you’ll distribute F&B during play or post-round. Don’t forget to ask about food allergies during registration if you’re offering F&B.

Jason Meininger: Your host golf facility should have a banquet menu for you to choose from and they can offer suggestions on what meals are good options for golf outings. Cost will also be a factor to consider.

Paul Murcek: Start with the facility hosting the event. Some will require that you use their F&B service. Other facilities may allow you to cater a meal or have a sponsor like a local restaurant provide lunch in the cart. Be sure you ask questions when outlining your contract so you and the facility are on the same page with F&B.

Q: I’m trying to decide between a public facility and a country club. Is there a difference when it comes to food and beverage?

Jason Meininger: Yes, there will likely be a difference in both the quality, available options, and cost. I recommend getting menu options from private and public golf facilities so you can compare offerings and costs.

Paul Murcek: More than likely a private country club will have more top-tier options for F&B (but they’ll also come with a higher price tag).

Cash Dinkel: Most country clubs have high-level F&B operations in their facilities, which typically mean a higher quality of food and presentation. Because of that, costs are also typically much higher per person. You can also expect a higher level of service at a country club.

Post-golf dinner, drinks, and entertainment help enhance the overall tournament experience for golfers and sponsors.

Q: If my host facility doesn’t offer food and beverage, what recommendations do you have?

Paul Murcek: At the golf facilities where I worked that didn’t have F&B options, we had recommendations for several local catering companies to offer multiple price points and food options to meet the needs of all events. So definitely ask the golf facility for ideas and recommendations for caterers.

Jason Meininger: When I ran tournaments, we would work with a dedicated catering company to provide a meal for the outing, or give the organizer the choice to find their own provider. We would often see nonprofits work with a sponsor to donate a meal.

Cash Dinkel: Reach out to local restaurants and catering companies to see if they can provide the F&B the day of your event. They may even be willing to donate food and time for some extra exposure at your event. Be sure to check with the facility to see if they will allow you to bring items they don’t offer on property.

Food and beverage is important at all golf events—even mini golf! Participants of all ages enjoy complimentary snow cones at this putt putt event.

Q: What are some ways you’ve seen of tournaments using food and beverage to enhance the tournament experience?

Jason Meininger: Some fun ones I’ve seen:

• Bloody Mary bar on the range for morning events

• Mobile food truck with drinks and light food

• Kegs of beer on designated holes

• Margarita machines on designated holes 

Cash Dinkel: F&B can really change the tournament and make it memorable for golfers and sponsors. Here are some ideas that I’ve seen work well at charity golf tournaments:

• Coolers with water, Gatorade, and snacks on all par three holes that are free to grab.

• Very high-end sit-down plated meals either the night before the tournament or the evening of the event.

• Grab-and-go breakfast before the event starts, or lunch if it’s an afternoon start.

• On-course tasting stations of food and beverages. This is great for local restaurants and caterers, and another sponsorship option.

• Chick-fil-A delivered on the course to golfers as they were playing.
  

Q: Should we offer food and beverage to volunteers? What about golf staff?

Cash Dinkel: 100% for volunteers. They are donating their time and energy to help your event, so definitely make sure they have food and drink available to them throughout the tournament. It’s also nice to offer the golf staff food and beverage, but definitely not expected.

Jason Meininger: Yes, definitely to volunteers. If there’s enough available, I would offer it to golf staff as well.

Paul Murcek: In my experience, it’s a courtesy to provide food for the tournament’s volunteers, as well as the golf staff.

Tournament organizers can opt for a sit-down meal or grab-and-go options.

Q: What is the standard range I can expect for gratuity on food and beverage at my golf tournament?

Paul Murcek: I’d say you can expect a charge of 18% to 20% on large orders at a private golf facility.

Jason Meininger: It really does vary from facility to facility, but I’ve seen 18% to 20% as a standard.

Cash Dinkel: This is totally up to the facility. Most will have gratuity built into the pricing and should be discussed before signing a contract. While I agree with my colleagues that 18-20% is a fairly standard range, be prepared for a wider range depending on the facility.

Q: Do you recommend having drink tickets, complimentary beverages (alcoholic or nonalcoholic), or a cash bar?

Cash Dinkel: Yes to any of the above. Making sure your participants have access to beverages the entire time they are at your event is a must. Most events will have a traditional cash bar. The next most popular option is giving each player one or two drink tickets with their registration, then they can pay for anything from the cash bar after using their tickets. I would say it’s not very common to have complimentary beverages, simply because of the cost. That being said, finding a sponsor to cover the cost of drink tickets for players is a great way to get that cost covered and provide an additional sponsorship opportunity.

Jason Meininger: Most events I’ve seen provide drink tickets. If you can get a sponsor for the beverage cart or bar service, then you could provide complimentary drinks.

Paul Murcek: If you can find a sponsor or sponsors to pay for complimentary drinks, this is a great way to increase the fun of the tournament and keep golfers and sponsors coming back.

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Ask the Pros!

Do you have a question for GolfStatus’ PGA Professionals? Email it to [email protected] with “PGA Pro Question” in the subject line and it might be featured in a future blog post or an upcoming GolfStatus webinar!

Get started with GolfStatus at no upfront cost! Get an event website, online registration, communication tools, premium digital sponsor exposure, revenue-boosting add-ons, and more—plus access to GolfStatus’ in-house client success team (including knowledgeable PGA Professionals and fundraising specialists). Click the button to book a quick 15 or 30-minute meeting, a full demo, or get started in the software on your own!

Partner Snapshot

The Arizona Chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) is a driving force for suicide prevention, education, and support within Arizona. With a mission to save lives and bring hope to those affected by suicide, the chapter provides outreach opportunities, survivor support resources, educational prorams for schools and workplaces, and events like community walks and the annual golf fundraiser.

Gina Gillis, the special events manager for Arizona and New Mexico, has a deeply personal connection to the cause. Gina’s journey with AFSP began as a volunteer after the tragic loss of her son to suicide, serving as the chair for a community walk and board member before transitioning to her current staff role.

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“Our work helps people understand that they’re not alone. We connect people and families who are struggling with resources to help them cope.”

— Gina Gillis, Special Events Manager for Arizona and New Mexico at AFSP Arizona

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The Challenge

The annual golf tournament was spearheaded by Dave Canham, who was mourning the loss of his son, Sean, to suicide. Together with Sean’s brother, Evan, who played golf competitively and had fond memories of hitting balls on the range with Sean, they launched a one-of-a-kind golf event: the Golf for Hope glow-in-the-dark golf tournament.

Held at night to escape Arizona’s intense heat and provide a unique, engaging experience, Golf for Hope’s glow-in-the-dark format required thoughtful planning. Glow-in-the-dark golf balls, illuminated pin flags, and glowing signage were implemented to create a magical atmosphere while ensuring playability and safety. 

Golf for Hope raised about $3,000 and attracted 25 golfers in its inaugural year in 2019. As the tournament grew, so did the logistical challenges and the need for better processes and tech tools than the chapter’s CRM could provide. Manual registration—through the CRM and emailed information—not only increased the organizers’ workload but left room for errors and inefficiencies.

The tournament includes a cart decorating contest, with glow-in-the-dark elements and lights.

The Solution

In 2023, Dave teamed up with Gina at the chapter office to explore better ways of planning and executing a successful Golf for Hope. Gina had learned about GolfStatus from a colleague, so she and Dave got a product demo and liked what the platform offered to streamline planning and enhance the participant experience. “We wanted a solution that was simple to use and didn’t come with a big price tag,” Gina says. As a nonprofit, AFSP Arizona qualified to use GolfStatus at no upfront cost, which was a major selling point for the planning team.

After the AFSP national office vetted the software, including reviews from IT, finance, and events management, GolfStatus became an integral tool for the chapter, simplifying event logistics and enabling the team to focus on delivering a great event. “We were so excited when we got the ok because we could see how it would make everything easier,” Gina says.

The tournament’s website made it simple for organizers to collect golfer information and sponsor assets.

Key Solutions:

• Ease of Use: Gina isn’t a golfer, but was able to easily navigate throughout the intuitive platform’s back end.

• Support & Expert Advice: Glow for Hope worked hand-in-hand with GolfStatus’ in-house client success team to build their tournament. The continuity of working with the same rep, while also being able to access front-line support seven days a week, provided peace of mind for the planning team.

• Custom Event Website: The GolfStatus platform provided a professional, user-friendly site that made promoting the tournament, showcasing sponsors, and facilitating registrations easy and efficient.

• Online Registration: Replacing cumbersome manual processes and clunky workarounds using the chapter’s CRM, GolfStatus allowed golfers to register and pay online seamlessly. This eliminated the need for email-based communication and time-consuming manual tracking and keeping spreadsheets up to date. Online registration includes secure payment processing and automated receipts.

• Sponsor Onboarding & Recognition: The event site gives sponsors the ability to purchase their chosen packages and upload logos and messaging right at registration, helping them start earning impressions right away. Sponsors get prominent exposure on the event website and app, offering valuable visibility.

• Live Scoring: Participants enjoyed using GolfStatus’ mobile app for real-time scoring, adding more engagement and additional sponsor exposure, and also made finalizing the tournament’s results much quicker. 

• Data Management: Golfer information drops into GolfStatus’ back end, where Gina and the planning team could access real-time information. They could create and manage foursomes and assign holes right in the software.

The Results

The 5th annual Golf for Hope tournament was a resounding success, raising nearly $34,000. This total represents a significant increase in golfer participation compared to previous years, demonstrating the event’s growing appeal.

The innovative glow-in-the-dark theme adds an element of “magic” to the event, according to Gina. “My favorite part is how beautiful it is!” she says. Glow-in-the-dark golf balls, lit pin flags, and glowing signage for sponsors add to the vibrant atmosphere. “As it gets darker you can see arcs of light as people are playing,” Gina says. “The lit sponsor signs really call attention to the sponsors, too.”

Golfers participate in the tournament’s putting contest.

Additional activities, like a cart-decorating contest judged by a panel, putting and chipping challenges, and a glow-in-the-dark ball launcher game, add to the fun and help generate additional revenue. A pre-tournament dinner gave attendees the chance to mingle, purchase raffle tickets, and participate in other buy-ins.

Highlights:

• Enhanced Efficiency: The GolfStatus platform eliminated the need for spreadsheets and manual tracking, significantly reducing the planning team’s workload and saving hours of time.

• Improved Sponsor Engagement: The platform’s ability to showcase sponsors’ logos and contributions boosted sponsor satisfaction and retention. Sponsors appreciated the lit signage that made their support highly visible during the night-time event.

• Positive Feedback: Participants praised the unique glow-in-the-dark format and the event’s overall organization and professionalism. 

• Community Impact: Proceeds from Golf for Hope support AFSP’s mission by funding local and national programs. Half of the funds stay with the chapter for local programming that supports families, advocacy, and education, while the other half helps fund research at the national level.

A glow-in-the-dark ball launcher game added to the tournament’s fun.

The Future

While the current host course’s intimate setting adds to the event’s charm, the chapter is exploring larger venues to accommodate the tournament’s growth while maintaining the unique atmosphere that sets Golf for Hope apart. Relationships with the course staff have been invaluable, with their flexibility and support being a key factor in the event’s success.

AFSP Arizona plans to build on the tournament’s steady growth and success by incorporating feedback from participants and sponsors. Plans for future interactions of Golf for Hope include:

• Continuing to include popular elements like the glow-in-the-dark ball launcher and cart-decorating contest.

• Exploring options for a larger venue to welcome more participants while preserving the event’s intimate feel.

• Leveraging GolfStatus to further streamline operations, raise additional funds, and enhance the golfer and sponsor experience.

The planning team, composed of passionate volunteers and board members like Dave, is committed to making each year’s event better than the last. The group meets on a regular basis throughout the planning process and post-event to ensure continuous improvement.

Illuminated golf carts make their way across the the golf course during the Golf for Hope event.

Lessons Learned

Gina emphasizes the importance of having a dedicated planning team and leveraging technology to simplify logistics. “I would tell other tournament organizers to spend time exploring all the features of GolfStatus,” she advises. “You won’t know what you’re missing if you don’t know it’s there!” 

She also highlights the value of engaging passionate volunteers who are committed to the cause. Many of the event’s volunteers are loss survivors themselves, bringing a deep personal connection to their roles.

Sponsors, many of whom are returning supporters, play a crucial role in the tournament’s success. Gina says building strong relationships with sponsors and understanding their needs have been key strategies for ensuring their continued involvement.

The Golf for Hope tournament exemplifies how creativity, strategic planning, and the right tools can elevate a fundraising event. By blending a unique concept with GolfStatus’ technology, AFSP Arizona delivered an unforgettable experience that not only raised critical funds but also fostered community and awareness around suicide prevention. As the event continues to grow, it’s a prime example of innovation and impact in nonprofit fundraising.

Golf for Good

GolfStatus is the leading event management platform for charity golf tournaments and fundraisers. It streamlines and simplifies golf events to save organizers a ton of time and has built-in tools to raise even money for your cause. Through GolfStatus’ Golf for Good program, nonprofit organizations (and those planning golf events to benefit one) can qualify to use GolfStatus at no upfront cost. Get an event website, online registration and secure payment processing, the ability to collect donations, exclusive sponsorships and exposure, live support seven days a week, and golf-specific tools to make your tournament the best one yet. Book a meeting to learn more and get started!