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The following was a handout I'd prepared for our development meeting Friday afternoon. It's just some basic fundraising ideas. In the chaos of getting to the hotel, my handouts went missing. So, here it is for anyone that wants it. Consider it a work in progress and send me ideas I can add for next year! Personally, I'm not a great fundaiser. I hate asking people for money. But I look at it like this. Cures don't come for free. I've bought more girl scout cookies, cookie dough, trash bags, candles or whatever else my friends' kids were selling over the years. So, why should I feel bad for asking? At the development we played a little HPS budget trivia. This is just a sample of what it takes to run the Network. How much do you think this year's conference will cost to produce? Answer: $47,000How much do you think the global translation line for the phone at the HPS Network costs? Answer: About a $1,000 a month. How much do you think going to medical meetings for outreach cost last year (keeping in mind we'd like to do even more of them.)? Answer: $10,000Those are just a few examples. Here are the fundraising ideas: How can I help the HPS Network raise money?
Here’s a list of some fundraising ideas to get you started. They range from the big, to the small – but don’t be boxed in by these ideas. Let your imagination guide you. Feel free to come up with your own ideas, and let the Network know how we can help you.
HPS Christmas CD
The HPS Network has a Christmas CD created for us by the group “J.” All of the profits from the sale of this CD go to the HPS Network. It makes a great Christmas present. HPS’ers can volunteer to sell the CD around Christmas time. If HPS’ers have connections with retail outlets of any kind that might be willing to sell the CD, or with radio stations that might be willing to give the CD some airtime, that could also be helpful. The CD can be purchased on the HPS Web site. Try sending an e-mail to friends and family and suggest purchasing the HPS Christmas CD for Christmas presents.
Goodsearch for HPS
www.goodsearch.com is a search engine that donates a penny for every search conducted on the Web site. It uses the same search engine that is used by Yahoo! The site also has an online mall featuring well-known stores like Best Buy and Office Depot. If you buy from these vendors through the www.goodsearch.com site, a percentage of your purchase will be donated to the charity of your choice. Pennies add up. If 730 people did just two searches a day (something that takes less than 30 seconds) than the Network could earn $730 a year.
www.igive.com
www.igive.com is an online shopping mall with more than 650 participating merchants. All of the merchants give a percentage of the purchases made through the mall to the charity of your choice. There’s a huge variety of merchants from expedia.com to Eddie Bauer to Barnes&Noble. Maximize your iGive purchases by spreading the word to family and friends. Know someone who owns a business? There are several business supply stores at the iGive.com mall. Ask your business owner friends if they’d be willing to purchase their items through the iGive mall.
Runs and walks
There are variety of ways to do runs and walks for HPS. In Greensboro, the Tillman family works with the local volunteer center every year for The Human Race. Other cities volunteer centers also do a version of The Human Race, so check it out in your area. The Tillmans form a team and 80 percent of the funds they raise go the HPS Network. 20 percent go to the local volunteer center. Working with the volunteer center gives the Tillmans credibility when they’re approaching donors that have never head of HPS.
In Florida, the Perez family decided to run in the Marine Marathon to raise money. The Network helped them get discounted entry fees for being charity runners and the Perez family collected pledges.
You can either choose to piggy back on an existing run or walk such as these, or you can choose to organize your own event from the ground up.
Dinners
The Molter family has been very successful with their Little Las Vegas night at their country club. They organize a night of play gambling, fancy food nibbling, entertainment and a silent auction. Events can be as fancy as the Molter’s night, or as simple as a hot dog dinner, stew dinner or other such event where friends and family pay a fee to come and support the cause.
Restaurant Dinner nights
Many restaurants are willing to sponsor a night for your charity if you meet with the manager. They typically donate 20 percent of the revenue from the diners your charity manages to bring in for a night. The key to making this event successful is to get the word out to as many people as possible. Several national chains do this, such as Uno or Fudruckers, but so do local mom and pops. They’re willing to do it because if you beat the pavement, you’re providing them with free advertising and viral marketing opportunities.
The Penny Jar
We all have loose change. You’d be amazed at how quickly your loose change builds up. Set up a jar on your dresser and dump all your loose change into it for a few months, then donate the results. It’s that easy and you won’t even miss the change.
The concert
These are great fundraisers, partly because they’re great publicity opportunities as well. Candice and Crystal Sipe have had great concerts for the HPS Network for years. The group “J” has a Christmas concert and a spring concert for the HPS Network every year that have been great money makers. Do you know any musicians? Do you know anyone in a band? Would they be willing to do a benefit concert for HPS?
Rummage sales
The DelVecchio family has been known to raise more than $1,000 at one of their neighborhood rummage sales. Put the word out to friends and family that you’re having a charity rummage sale and accept donations to sell. If you don’t have a place to store items long term until the next sale, make sure you’ve arranged to have another charity like the Salvation Army pick up whatever doesn’t sell.
Candy, cookie dough and popcorn
There are all sorts of companies that specialize in helping non-profits set up fundraisers with things to sell in all sorts of price ranges – everything from dollar candy bars to cookie dough, to popcorn to wrapping paper. Anytime anyone wants to organize a sale in their part of the country, let us know.
Blog ads
Do you have a blog? Try creating some revenue from your blog by selling advertising space and donate the revenues to the Network. You can easily set up advertising sales through GoogleAds.
Auction baskets
Do you have a place where you could display themed baskets for auction? Ask friends and families to put together themed baskets and donate them to your basket auction. For example, a movie night basket might contain a gift card for movie rentals, popcorn, candy etc. A tea party basket might contain a cute tea pot and assorted teas.
The HPS Craft Bank
Do you have a crafty talent? Do you paint, or cross stitch or knit? Whatever you do, the Network has a craft bank. Craft donations can be sold at other fundraisers.
Game Nights
Try organizing a game tournament. For example, a trivia tournament. If you get people to sign up as teams, you can increase attendance. Entrance fees are paid by each team. You can sell refreshments and hold a raffle at the event to raise even more money.
Read the complete post at http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/LivingOnTheFrontlines/~3/264048502/fundraising-for-hermansky-pudlak.html
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