A-thon success: practical planning tips

Create a dedicated publicity committee

You'll want to create a publicity plan at least one year ahead of your event. Starting six to 12 months out, the committee should meet at least once per month. Closer to the event, they should meet more frequently to keep everything on track.

Technology tip: It can be difficult to schedule meetings, especially if you're including volunteers. For a free online scheduling tool, try www.doodle.com or www.setameeting.com. In just a few minutes, you can send an e-mail link proposing several different dates and times to committee members. Each person indicates his or her availability, and you can easily see when schedules align.

Recruit corporate sponsors

A-thon events are an ideal opportunity for nonprofits to partner with strategic corporate sponsors who can provide the capital funds needed for critical pre-event planning expenses. Companies may prefer to support your event via in-kind donations of much-needed items, like printing, publicity or concessions, especially if they can secure a lower cost for supplies.