Brian Eder and a few golf-loving friends found a creative way to take advantage of the longest day of the year. Every June 21 — the summer solstice — the group would clear their calendar and play as many holes of golf as possible.
It was a fun, festive tradition. But after a health crisis rocked Eder's family, the annual outing morphed into a feel-good fundraiser for those in need.
In 2009, Eder's 21-year-old sister, Christine, suffered a near-fatal brain aneurysm. She was just six weeks away from graduating college.
"It was literally hour by hour whether she'd live or not," recalled Eder, a Minneapolis-based certified financial planner. He credits a surgeon who happened to be visiting patients in the hospital for rushing to her side and taking innovative steps to provide emergency care.
After spending two weeks in a coma, Christine slowly embarked on the road to recovery. It took about three months before she regained the ability to return home.
At the time, Eder was a 28-year-old advisor just starting his career. He was too busy building his practice to identify how he could participate in charitable causes in his community.
"Prior to this experience, I didn't have anything that pulled at me to give back," he said. "After this, I felt I needed to give something." So he contacted a nonprofit organization that serves people affected by brain injury.
At first, he toured the facility and started volunteering for the organization, the Minnesota Brain Injury Alliance. Over time, he got more involved on its committees and boards.
Turning A Fun Tradition Into A Fundraising Juggernaut
Eager to raise funds to support individuals with brain injury, Eder had a brainstorm. He'd heard of "100 holes" events in which golfers enjoy a marathon day on the course while raising awareness and money for a worthy cause.
"What inspired me was a gentleman who raised money for digging wells in Africa," he said. "I thought playing 100 holes in a day was an obvious hook to get attention. Donors who sponsor golfers who do this think it's pretty crazy," and they tend to spread the word and that generates even more donations.
In 2011, Eder and about six golfing buddies decided to turn their tradition of playing all day on June 21 into an informal fundraiser. They solicited donors who pledged to contribute money for every hole they played.
Better yet, Eder and his friends encouraged sponsors to donate extra cash for every birdie they scored. Birdies 4 Brains was born.
"It was fun," he said. "We had lots of side deals going on" in which supporters committed to add to their donations based on their golfing results, he said.
In 2012, Eder filed the paperwork with the IRS to make Birdies 4 Brains a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The annual golf fundraiser has grown over the last decade and now involves three events.
"It's pretty hard to play 100 holes in a day," he said. "We may start around 4:50 a.m. when the sun comes up, play all day without leaving the course and sometimes finish in the dark at 9:30 or 10 p.m."
Food stations dot the course so players eat on the go. While the event started with just a handful of buddies, dozens of golfers participate today. Each player commits to raising at least $2,500.
Set The Stage To Launch A Successful Nonprofit Organization
For advisors with a passion for giving back, launching a nonprofit gets easier if you lay the groundwork. Eder volunteered for three years at Minnesota Brain Injury Alliance before raising funds on his own.
"Pick an organization that aligns with your interest," he said. "Learn more about how charities operate."
If you have an idea to raise money, test it out by hosting an event that benefits an existing nonprofit. That gives you a chance to make tweaks before you establish a new nonprofit.
He warns that filing the 501(c)(3) application is "an onerous and expensive process," so assemble the right team to help.
"Being an advisor puts you in a unique position to know people with complementary skill sets," Eder said. Through his professional network, he enlisted an accountant, attorney and website developer who donated their expertise.
Thankfully, he doesn't need to ask clients to donate. The events generate media coverage and word-of-mouth buzz, so people ask him how they can contribute.
"I generally don't bring it up with clients," Eder said. "It comes up organically."
After raising less than $10,000 in 2011, Birdies 4 Brains hopes to raise more than $400,000 in 2022, he says. And his sister continues to make strides while living with the effects of her brain injury.
