How to Organize a RODS Sponsored Race

  1. Build a team of volunteers.
  2. This endeavor is a whole lot of work. It is recommended to have a minimum of 5 super passionate people to help, or a few committees (10-30 people depending on how big race event will be coordinated).
  3. Be very careful about who become established partners or additional business sponsors.
  4. Be careful not to waste valuable time and energy with potential partnerships that are truly not committed to provide the proper assistance and willingness to partner for the race event.
  5. ** Most importantly, make sure to have the ‘buy-in’ from the key decision maker who can confirm if the partnership is possible. Without such a commitment, this can delay both fund raising and advertising efforts.
  6. Provide ample time to do the proper research to locate and determine additional partnerships.
  7. Start early.
  8. One can never start too early. Provide planning time for a race event at least 4 months, and 6 months to a year would be better.
  9. Get permits.
  10. Before one can organize any eventon public property, one must have the proper permits. Typically, this information is available on a local level, such as, the local town City Hall (city/county), City Hall and ask about permits.
  11. Permit applications require documentation showing coordination with all the local authorities (Police, Fire department, Private property owners, etc.). This takes some time to collect so this should be pursued immediately.
  12. Permit approvals usually depend on ensuring that the event sponsor has‘event insurance.’ The specifications of the event insurance (i.e. how many dollars per incident, and insurer classification) are specified by the specific City and/or County location. Extensions from home owner’s insurance may be one option. Event insurance is a must and must aligned with local city/county specifications.
  13. Budget and fundraise.
  14. Provide ample time to fundraise, to ensure the planned budget is fulfilled.
  15. Establishing a budget:
  16. Purchasing/renting tables, purchasing water coolers, renting porta-potties)
  17. Race as race equipment (i.e. RFID’s or chips to monitor athletes race times)
  18. Advertising costs (i.e. advertisements on the radio, newspaper, FB ads, local bulletins, printing flyers)
  19. Race apparel (i.e. printing t-shirts)
  20. Online registrations- i.e. Active.com- a great online resource
  1. Create a sponsorship package.
  2. This package should include several levels of sponsorship with varying benefits.
  3. For example, a silver sponsor donates $100 and gets their logo on the t-shirt and on various advertisements.
  4. Each level gets receives greater benefits.
  5. Examples at a college level: offering college campus advertising to local businesses, in exchanges for $$.
  6. Follow up with initial inquiries to local businesses for the sponsorship package, don’t be shy about following up. Business owners are busy and sometimes they just forget.
  7. Also, many businesses are more willing to donate items over money, so it is beneficial to include a contest or raffle added for the race to include non-monetary donations.
  8. Advertising can be on hold until sponsors are identified- sponsors are essential to be secured ASAP!
  9. *** Don’t forget to take advantage of RODS Racing sponsors, such as PowerBar, 2XU, RODS apparel. Plan ahead, for instance- applications to PowerBar needs to be filled and submitted to RODS Racing at least 90 days prior to the event for approval application processes).
  10. Explore all venues of advertising.
  11. Radio, community bulletins, calendars, posters and flyers posted in as many businesses and campus venues that would allow to post flyers.
  12. ***About every 100 hundred handbills passed will gain one 1 registrant (FYI).
  13. Take advantage of every opportunity to promote the race event (i.e. crowded areas, at events, everywhere). Seek out professionals who have marketing/advertising experience to help-
  14. Take advantage of RODS Racing to help promote the event: “Helping orphans with Down syndrome, having a costume contest, a glow in the dark t-shirt” are features that made Aby’s Green’s race event UNIQUE!
  15. Take advantage of RODS Racing FB, Twitter, and other social media tools associated with RODS Racing.
  16. WORD OF MOUTH is often the most successful!
  17. Recruiting volunteers.
  18. Recruitment of volunteers will be required to run a successful race event. Check out universities- many students have requirements to volunteer.
  19. ONE MUST recruit volunteers. This can’t be stressed enough! Running a race is a HUGE undertaking. Finding a way to make it work for others, too. Typically, highschool students, boy scout/girl scout troops, and universities will be looking for/required to do some volunteering.
  20. Keep a spreadsheet of costs and donations
  21. All expenditures tabulated and all donations received are essential to track. Keep track of ALL donations for tax purposes so this can be submitted to RODS Racing.

IMPLEMENTATION RACE EVENT DETAILS AND POST RACE SUMMARY NOTES TO FOLLOW.