I want to talk about an incredible organization that I’ve been supporting for more than 15 years. Founded in one of the most picturesque areas of the U.S., Keep Tahoe Blue is an environmental and sustainability organization that is committed to, as the name suggests, keeping Lake Tahoe beautiful and sustainable for generations to come.
Not only do I love this organization’s mission, but it means a lot to me and my family because we have been lucky enough to spend countless hours at Lake Tahoe over the years. It’s an incredible place. Whether you go in the winter or summer there is something majestic about Lake Tahoe.
This summer, I attended an event that was new to me – it was hosted by an entrepreneur from Silicon Valley to support Keep Tahoe Blue. This gentleman, who we will call Mike, grew up coming to Lake Tahoe as a child, now brings his kids to the Lake and works as a conservation volunteer cleaning up the beaches around the Lake. He is also a fundraiser!
But when it came to fundraising, he didn’t do the massive galas or silent auctions many of us picture. Instead, he went simple.
Simplicity Has Impact
Enter Mike’s annual badminton tournament.
Every year, he hosts a badminton tournament on the public beach in Tahoe City as a fundraiser for Keep Tahoe Blue. It’s an all day event, you have to pay to join, and all the proceeds go to the organization. He personally sponsors the food, equipment and prizes and manages the entire thing with his family, friends and their kids, too!
When I went to the most recent event this year, they were celebrating its 13th anniversary and over 100 participants attended! Something so simple and fun ended up raising over $10k for Keep Tahoe Blue.
Here’s what I love about this: It’s simple. It’s humble. It’s no-nonsense. He didn’t need to plan some elaborate event to raise money. Quite the opposite. He created something simple and fun that was centered around a natural treasure that he and his family love and he invited his circle to join him in supporting something he loves and to have fun while doing so!
So, why did he do it? Why did he create this tournament in the first place?
Mike has so many childhood memories in the mountains and a pure love for Lake Tahoe. He wants to preserve Lake Tahoe’s beauty, while showing the community why it was so important. So, he decided to create a gathering place for family, friends, donors, and community, where they could experience how special Lake Tahoe was for themselves.
Plus, you didn’t have to be some crazy athlete or fitness junkie to participate! Anyone can join the tournament and enjoy the bar and caterer who grilled up plenty of burgers for all of us. Everyone hoisted up the camping tents around the court and enjoyed the scenery. It was lovely.
We sat there from 9am to 5:30 that evening. We had breakfast, coffee, snacks, burgers, and more food than any of us needed. We played badminton all day and made new friends, and everyone left knowing someone else.
Best of all, we all shared our love of Lake Tahoe.
Pinpoint What You Value
You might be wondering, how can your organization replicate this result? Do you need to start our own badminton tournaments? (You don’t have to, but it’s not a bad idea!)
No, but we need to keep things simple by pinpointing what we value and then share it authentically – that’s the very definition of community.
This Lake Tahoe event worked because it was fun, and all about belonging, and shared values. Everyone there was passionate about Lake Tahoe, which instantly created a point of communion.
Fundraising begins with a shared belief or care for something that looks different to different people based on their experience.
Based on this experience, I’ve learned that it’s up to us to explore and be creative with the people who want to support our organizations – to invite them to be creative and to support their efforts to support us. Community is everything in fundraising. We don’t all have to throw a black tie event or an auction or a 5k.
We can make a difference by sharing the things we value. By making our enthusiasm and excitement undeniable – by making it inclusive, approachable and open. And then, inviting others to join you. That’s how a movement starts from the ground up. That’s the secret to making huge ripples with tiny dents.
An organization like Keep Tahoe Blue is nonpartisan, which is just one of the things I love about it. It exists purely to preserve Lake Tahoe for future generations, like my grandkids, to enjoy it like my family has over the years. To make memories and to celebrate community.
When you want to create belonging and community and invite people to support, you can design experiences for all kinds of people and appeal to a specific constituent for experiences that resonate with them. There is no wrong way to share what you treasure and why.
Whatever your heart burns for, keep it simple and build a community around it.