| A Bike-A-Thon Fundraiser is a great way for a | | | | not, so you can expect your permit to be anywhere |
| non-profit group to make money. Of course proper | | | | from a nominal filing fee of $30-60 or somewhere |
| planning is essential. As with almost anything, the | | | | between $100 to several hundred dollars depending |
| amount of preparation you do will be in direct | | | | on which city departments have to sign off on it. |
| proportion to the success of your Bike-a-Thon | | | | If your event will have over 100 riders or up into the |
| fundraiser. | | | | thousands of riders, you may be required to close |
| Pre-planning preparation is the key difference | | | | off roads, pay for off-duty traffic police, a |
| between just another fundraiser bike event and an | | | | cone-service and all sorts of other anticipated costs, |
| unforgettable experience, which will be remembered | | | | which may be prohibitive or you may decide it's |
| all year until next year's annual Bike-a-Thon Fundraiser. | | | | worth it, but this also adds to the size and |
| Let's face it raising money for your non-profit group | | | | complexity of your fundraiser planning. If things get |
| is not easy and planning a successful fundraiser is a | | | | too out of control, you may want to put yourself on |
| lot of work with no guarantees. Our mission of | | | | the City Council Calendar to request a waiver of fees |
| course, is to take as much of the guessing out of | | | | or funds from the city to pay the fees. |
| the equation as possible, giving you useful | | | | This is one reason you need to schedule your |
| information, tips and experience learned from actual | | | | Bike-a-Thon fundraiser a couple of months ahead of |
| trial and error. | | | | time from your actual first meeting planning date; |
| If this article can save you from the mistakes we | | | | rushing your fundraiser together can create problems |
| have made along the way, then you are that much | | | | down the road for your participants or riders. For |
| further ahead. Although a Bike-a-Thon is one of the | | | | instance, what if your route crosses state owned |
| easiest fundraisers, probably about as much work as | | | | highways or uses a portion of them, well, then you |
| putting together a car wash fundraiser or silent | | | | may be required to get a state Department of |
| auction, it still has its idiosyncrasies and important | | | | Transportation permit too. Also realize that some |
| details to consider. | | | | roads are county maintained and you know how the |
| One issue you will most likely have to deal with is | | | | government works, one more level of paperwork to |
| getting a city permit to host your fundraiser event. | | | | forge through for you. |
| Generally, these permits are not that difficult to get, | | | | Next, you will need permission from the property |
| but do not be surprised to find yourself battling a | | | | owner or major tenant to meet in their shopping |
| little bureaucracy along the way. You may be | | | | center or industrial area that is along your route for |
| required to have "event insurance" which you can | | | | the starting point. They may require certificates of |
| obtain from a local insurance broker or if you are part | | | | insurance or additional insured certificates to protect |
| of a larger Non-profit Group, that might be a place to | | | | themselves from injury lawsuits if someone falls off |
| start looking for insurance resources. How much are | | | | their bike or gets run over in the parking lot. Getting |
| event permits at the municipal level? | | | | such permission might be easy, but could also take a |
| Well, your city may have waivers for non-profit | | | | week or two, depending on holidays and weekends. |
| groups, so be sure to ask, some cities do. Most do | | | | |