For charity organizations there are many different ways of raising money. You could host a concert, go door to door or plan a telethon. A telethon is an event that's broadcast on television and can last for several hours or even days. It usually includes several performances to keep those watching entertained, will tell you more about the charity, and asks that people call in with their donations or "pledges." You could be supporting a research cause, a relief effort or an animal rights organizations.

The first telethon was held in the United States in 1950 as an effort to find funding for Cerebral Palsy research. Within five years they were quite popular for all different causes and still continue to be a primary method of raising money for everything from children's hospitals to orphanages in third world countries. If you're looking for a great opportunity to raise some money for your organization in a short amount of time then this might be one of your best options. Here are some tips for those thinking of putting together a telethon.

First you want to make sure that it is all organized as well as possible. When you're dealing with a charity event that is only happening for a few hours or a day you don't want anything to go wrong. Make sure that it is as easy as possible for people to donate to your cause. Ideally you should have many different phone lines as well as a website where people can make pledges online. If a busy person can't get through in a couple of tries they might just give up. That's money you will be missing.

Make sure you have the best possible entertainment. When you're dealing with a telethon the biggest draw is going to be to see your favourite artist performing a new song or viewing a really great comedian that can keep you entertained for hours. You might also want to include some guests that can help raise awareness about your cause. If you're raising money to offer natural medicine to people in the third world then you could ask a naturopathic doctor to come on and explain why this is an important cause. Just make sure you balance the amount of entertainment and new information.

Be specific about what the money is going towards. If you're a smaller organization then people will want that assurance that their donation is being spent well. Whether you are offering dentistry services to third world children or are raising funds for medical research people will want to see a clear path of where the money is going.