Need cash for a cause? Start a Yogathon!

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Do you know of a worthy organization or project that could use financial support? Put the f-u-n back in fundraiser and rally the yogi troops!

Yogathons are ways to bring your community together and generate money for a noble initiative.

Take Students Run PhillyStyle, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.The non-profit recently organized a yoga fundraiser to benefit its group, which pairs volunteer Running Leaders with urban area students, to mentor and train them for half-marathons.

“It was a two-hour hot vinyasa flow class, paired with an hour of cocktails and appetizers immediately following,” says Jennifer C. McEntee, a Running Leader and practicing attorney. “The wine and food were donated by a local restaurant and a nearby yoga studio gifted its space and one teacher’s time. We accepted donations at the door and raised $500.00.”

Ready to get bodies and money flowing?  Here are five tips for Yogathon success:

1) Select a charity or multiple charities as the benefactor (s) of  donations raised by participants and sponsors.

2) Decide if your Yogathon will be a one-hour class or longer, as some Yogathons are all-day affairs. If you can land a nationally recognized yoga teacher-figure to headline your event, snag this golden opportunity.

3) Seek out local yoga studios and/or instructors willing to donate their space and time for a portion of, or to host the entire event. You can also host the event at a community gathering spot, if permission is granted.

4) If your Yogathon runs long, fill in gap time between sessions with music performances, speakers from the organization (s) benefiting from the Yogathon, and encourage participants to sample and purchase yoga and wellness products on exhibit.

5) Determine whether you will accept a minimum in-kind donation and/or charge a flat fee to cover administrative and operating costs.