How to Choose a Cause for Your Yearly Golf Tournament

Written by Kimberly Senella – Tournament Director at Brookside Golf Club

If your company or corporation is thriving and you're looking for a way to increase coworker morale as you focus on team building, you should consider hosting a yearly golf tournament.

Company golf tournaments can be fun, memorable events for your coworkers and staff and they can provide an opportunity to get outdoors and participate in some social, recreational activities. But did you know you can also use your yearly golf tournament as a way to partner with a non-profit to raise funds for an important cause?

If you decide to take your tournament to the next level by partnering with a non-profit, you’ll need to decide on the best non-profit for your business.

Here are a few valuable tips on how to choose a cause, organization, foundation, or association:

Make It Meaningful

We all have different causes that hold a special place in our hearts. Come together as a team and decide on one that touches the company as a whole. This will help each team member keep a personal interest in raising funds for the cause, and it will help make your yearly tournament more memorable for everyone involved.

Research

Know how your charitable donations will be spent before you give. Sadly, sometimes non-profits and charities aren't exactly what they claim to be. Fortunately, you can evaluate a charity easily using available public records. You can also get references from other companies who have hosted similar events.

Stay Local

It’s great to partner with a local organization, especially one that makes an impact on your shared community. Community-based organizations can have a tremendous impact on the local population.

Ask Questions

Non-profits should be happy to provide information about their programs and expenses. Ask: How will your fundraising dollars be spent? What is their breakdown of expenses? Will they have volunteers interested in being involved in the planning, set-up, and breakdown? How will they represent you as a key sponsor?

Network

During this process of choosing a charity or non-profit, you will get to know that organization's members and vice versa. Building relationships can result in lifelong benefits—not only for your company, but for your coworkers as well. So consider all the factors of a non-profit, including the team members of that organization, as expanding your network of positive individuals can be an invaluable bonus to your new partnership.