How can I raise money for a good cause?

How to Raise Money for a Good Cause

• Answer:

  Raising money for a good cause can be a challenge, as many worthy causes exist. Therefore, when you start fundraising for your cause -- whether you are raising money for students, environmental preservation or cancer research -- you should pursue several avenues to increase your chances of success. Seek donations from your friends, family members and from civic groups that you participate in. You can also raise money online. Difficulty: Moderate Things You'll Need Internet Connection Writing Skills Email account Access to social networking sites Instructions Get your friends and family to sponsor your participation in an event that's related to your cause. For example, you may be participating in a run that is aimed at raising money for breast cancer research. Explain the cause to them and how their financial support would help you meet your fundraising goal. Your friends and family are more likely to trust you with their donations, as opposed to people who are unfamiliar with you or your organization. Invite members of your church, civic organization, book club or similar group to sponsor your participation in a fundraising activity related to your cause. This tactic is appropriate if you need to reach a large number of donors, and cannot ask each of them individually. For example, if you are raising money for students to take a trip abroad, explain how their donations will sponsor student trips. Have returning students make presentations about how the trip helped them develop personally and professionally. Host a yard sale out of your garage. These sales are effective ways of getting rid of items you don't want, while raising money for your cause. Publicize your yard sale by placing fliers around the neighborhood. The flier should mention the cause that you are raising money for. It should also include the type of items that will be sold, such as clothes or furniture, along with the location and hours. Have the yard sale on a weekend, when more people are available to come by and purchase items from you. Have a calculator or cash register ready to collect money. Additionally, be sure to post prices of items so that people can see them as they browse. Promote your cause on a fundraising website such as Facebook Causes, Global Giving and Donors Choose. These websites allow you to post your project and receive donations online. Regardless of which website you choose, include a description of the cause, along with an explanation of where the funds will go. Be sure to include pictures to help donors understand how their funds are being used. For example, include pictures of people painting if you are raising money for a graffiti removal project. Install a fundraising tool on your website. Several tools exist, including Click & Pledge, Convio and Salsa Labs. These tools let you create fundraising pages to integrate with your website. When donors visit your website, they can give money to your cause by using their credit or debt cards. The donation pages should include a description of the project. Videos showing people performing a specific action, such as painting over graffiti, are also helpful. Include donor amounts to appeal to those donors who are only able to give smaller contributions. You can also include testimonials from former cause beneficiaries to help donors understand where there funds will end up. Tips & Warnings Tip: You might want to take a grant writing class if the grant writing process is unfamiliar to you. Warning: Always contact the Non-profit before attempting to raise money for them. Many larger Non-profits will already have a grant writing team in place, and you do not want to step on their on-going efforts. Warning: When writing a grant, always follow the foundation's grant guidelines closely. If you do not, it will look bad on the part of the organization.