Whether you do something that’s tried and true, or come up with a fundraising idea that’s never been seen, there are lots of ways to help. Here are some suggestions to get you started.
Fundraiser
Looking for a way to contribute while involving the people around you?
Every year, CFAX Santas Anonymous is supported by businesses, community centres, and individuals who organize their own fundraisers in support of our Society. We’ve seen a lot of fantastic ideas over the years, leading to annual traditions for some, and great business for others!
Talk to us about what you can do to help, and how we can help you to succeed.
All it Takes is an Idea...
- Create a promotional offer for your customers, with a portion of the proceeds donated to Santas Anonymous
- Raffle off a product or service
- Start an annual fundraising event, perhaps in tandem with another organization
- Organize a toy/clothing drive within your office or retail establishment
- Offer to match monetary donations made by your staff and their families
- Collect toy/clothing/monetary donations at your Christmas party and other holiday events
- In lieu of exchanging Christmas presents, make a group donation
- Start a Secret Santa event or something similar in your office
- Organize a group shopping trip to pick out Santa Bears and find your toy/clothing donations together
- Throw down a reward challenge: if your group raises a certain amount of money, you’ll do something big/crazy/embarrassing/etc.! (shaving your head is an old standby)
...And a Little Help
If you're new to organizing a fundraising initiative, there are two key things you need to know:
1. It never hurts to ask
The hardest part for many of us is asking others to participate, because we don’t want to pressure them into doing something or, conversely, appear pushy. Don’t worry…there’s a happy medium.
You never want to put pressure on people to make a decision. Instead, tell them what you’re doing, why it’s important to you, and that their assistance would be appreciated. They’ll do what’s right for them–but they can’t consider a request that’s never made. In some cases, they’ll do it to support you, more than the cause itself.
If you’re a retailer interested in running a promotion, talk to your suppliers to see if they’ll help out. If you’re an office worker looking to start a team-building event, ask for management support.
More people getting involved means more satisfaction for all.
2. Get a head start
A major reason fundraising events never get going is that the organizers wait too long and miss the opportunities. Start your planning early to minimize time pressure and enable others to get involved. If you leave everything to the last minute, no one will be in a position to help you.
The simplest thing to do is work backward. Figure out when your fundraiser will happen, then build in time for all of the tasks that will lead up to it. If you need to order supplies and materials, get estimates on delivery times.
And after you’ve done all that, add a week or two…just to be safe.