Involving Athletes In The Charity Cause
6 December 2004 at 12:12 pm
Many organisations, for-profit and Not for Profits alike, have benefited from using athletes as representatives, taking advantage of the athlete’s high profile and established popularity with fans.
In addition to their star appeal, many athletes are in a position to make significant financial contributions to a charity.
As tempting as it is to recruit athletes, it is well to use caution when selecting an athlete according to US spokesperson, Eugene R. Tempel, the executive director of the Centre on Philanthropy at Indiana University, offers several steps that can make the experience of using an athlete a truly rewarding one.
– Do the research. Make sure the athlete’s story, achievements and values match those of the organisation.
– Approach athletes based on the organisation’s mission. If athletes believe in the mission, they will have a much greater effect over time.
– Because reaching high-profile athletes personally is difficult, identify people in their circle of trusted advisers who can influence their decisions. These include agents, marketing people, financial advisers, accountants and other athletes. In addition, family members and professional teams’ community relations departments can be helpful.
– Build relationships gradually, especially with younger athletes, to forge long-lasting partnerships.
– Make expectations clear from the outset in order to avoid misunderstandings or disappointments down the road.
– Make giving back fun for the athletes. Many are excited about charitable work and seek creative ways to become involved.
This information is reproduced from “The NonProfit Times” a leading US business publication for Nonprofit Management.
