What Kind of Fundraiser Are You?
Whether you are a tech person or a social butterly, working 9 to 5 or still in school, we have great suggestions to help you reach your fullest fundraising potential! Of course, you can always mix and match. Find out what kind of fundraiser YOU are!
On Facebook, give thanks and get sponsors at the same time: Update your status with your fundraising goal and thank sponsors by writing on their Facebook wall. Your updates in the Facebook News Feed will inspire others to donate! Retweet: On Twitter, become a follower of AIDS Walk New York and other AIDS service organizations. Then retweet messages you read and be sure to ask your followers to donate to you. YouTube: Record a personal video message asking for support for your fundraising efforts, keep a video diary of your AIDS Walk New York experience, or thank people who sponsor you by video. Virtual Walker: If you can’t physically be at the event, you can still register and collect online donations. On the day of the event, wear a red ribbon wherever you are! Inspire your friends with HIV/AIDS facts: Include statistics and HIV/AIDS related news in your status update and emails. Blog your way to fundraising success: Keep an online journal of your fundraising progress and announce fundraisers!
Email Signature: Add a link to your fundraising web page in your signature. Each time you send a message, the recipient will be provided the opportunity to sponsor you. Sell goodies to your co-workers: Pick up the most sought-after sweets and set up a snack area near the photocopy machine. Put a sign up that reads “Suggested donation $1.” Corporate Matching Gifts: Ask your Human Resources department if your company has a matching gift program. If not, suggest an employee match, or get your boss to match the proceeds collected at your next fundraiser. Don’t be shy. You never know who might be your next big supporter! “Denim Days” or “Dress Down Days”: First get corporate approval, and then charge people $5 to wear jeans to work on a Friday, or $20 for the whole week. Everyone can benefit from a more relaxed work atmosphere. Help people be comfortable on the job while contributing to a great cause. Office Lunch Fundraiser: Get food donated or have co-workers bring in their favorite dishes! Charge $5 per plate–charge more for additional side dishes!
Dinner with Friends: Ask your local restaurant if they will donate a portion of one evening’s proceeds to your AIDS Walk New York fundraising total. Make flyers with the information and invite everyone you know to dine there on that evening. You’ll bring in more business to the restaurant and more money to your fundraising efforts. Raffle it off!: Use your connections and fabulous social skills to acquire irresistible prizes donated for a raffle. You can ask businesses that you frequent (restaurants, spas, hair salons, sports venues) to donate. Sell tickets at $2 each or 10 tickets for $15 – people can’t say no to that bargain! Benefit Concerts/Gigs: If you know a rock band, jazz group, DJ, comedian, or string quartet, ask them if they will do a benefit for AIDS Walk New York at a local club or coffeehouse. Karaoke Night: Contact your favorite karaoke spot and get a portion of the proceeds to go toward your goal. Bring all of your friends out! Guest Bartending: Ask your local bar if they’ll allow you to be a guest bartender for a night. All the tips go to your fundraising total!
Bake Sale: Get faculty and students involved to showcase and sell their best baked goods! Penny Wars: Use the power of good ole’ competition and have classrooms battle it out. The Goal: Collect the most pennies. Pennies give your team positive points while nickels, dimes, quarters, and any dollar bills take points away from the team’s total. Whoever collects the most pennies in their jar and put as many non-pennies in everyone else’s jar, wins. The total funds collected go to the winning team. Sports Tournament: Choose any sport from basketball to dodgeball! Charge $5 to participate or $25 to form a team! Charge an entrance fee to watch the game for $1. Get donated goods and sell them at your concession stand with proceeds going toward your AIDS Walk New York team. Pie Smash: Ask a teacher or the student body president to agree to be smashed in the face with a pie to raise tons of money for AIDS Walk New York! Students or classrooms try to out-bid each other for the privilege of throwing the pie. Get parents involved: Send out a memo to all parents and include a Sponsor Form and AIDS Walk New York Fact Sheet. Parents have friends and co-workers who can be great potential donors!