Charity Runners - How Do You Fundraise?

[Dis_Yoda]

I haven't run for a charity before but my first half marathon post ankle surgery will be a charity run.

I'm looking for some creative fundraising ideas beyond spamming people on my social media profiles.

 

[Anisum]

So, I haven't fundraised for a race but I have fundraised for some other things and I have a few methods.

- Selling Candy Bars: Hersheys and many other companies sell fundraising boxes of assorted candy bars. The cost of a box of 52 bars may be something like $40 so if you sell them for $1 at work or events you make $12. Not a huge return on investment but definitely a start.
- Write/email/etc. to local businesses and charitable organizations asking them to sponsor you. State why this cause is important and perhaps why they should sponsor you.
- Find someplace that will match donations. For example, my friend's company will match charitable donations she makes up to a certain value. So if she donates $50 so do they.

 

[onetoescape]

I always feel it is better if you get something out of doing it usually involving food! For example

Bake sales in work
Guess your finish time with winner gets half (usually they donate the winnings)
If you're in a club a organised run with food at the end.
A quiz with some silly prizes to win like sweets etc
Not sure if its in the states or not but bag packing usually gets a fair bit of money.

 

[kirstie101]

I did the majority of my fundraising last time through emails to friends. A few times I offered something like a bottle of wine or a starbucks gift card for the first donation over $50 or something like that. That usually worked well. I also did a fundraiser through partylite candles. They have specific jar candles you can sell as a fundraiser. I can't remember how much you get per candle but I earned $100 that way I believe. I also made it a point to ask friends that own businesses as I knew they could write it off on their taxes.

 

[seashell7290]

I sold shirts, did a march madness pool where half of the entrance fee was donated. Most of my donations were from friends and family.

 

[PrincessMickey]

I'm running for a charity for the first time too. One thing I plan on doing is buying some gift cards for a variety of places and doing a raffle. Every dollar donated in a certain time frame is a ticket. I plan on getting some when they're 5% off at Target and if I use my Target card I get 5% off. Also through Kroger when you get the extra fuel points when you buy gift cards. I can also use my credit card points to get Amazon gift cards.

 

[Disneyland_emily]

I've heard of people during 'yard sale season' asking for donations of stuff to sell- then advertising the sale as a fund raiser.. people seem to not get AS cheap when it's for a good cause...

 

[RENThead09]

Facebook spam isn't a bad thing as long as it is not all the time.
I try to focus mine to just 2 times and make it a time that makes sense (I run for a Veterans support group, so Memorial Day, Veterans Day, the 4th of July, etc)

My work matches volunteer hours, so I help with the Middle School track meets and earn $10 an hour to donate to my goal. I am giving up a day of my Labor Day holiday to spend 8 hours volunteering at packet pickup for a local race, so there is $80.

A number of people from our group also go tables at a local grocery store. They put together a display with info on the group and collect donations.

Love the yard sale idea. Maybe get people to donate stuff to help raise money.

Good Luck!!!

 

[Keels]

I raised the $$ I needed for Dopey 2018 by hosting parties/cocktail hours.

I have a lot of close friends that work in the wine industry, and every month they give me a case of wine (mixed) of new labels that they've just released in-market. I host a party at my house or another location (depending on party size), and for a $20 cash donation, they get a wine glass and unlimited tasting-size pours of wine (until it runs out), a nice spread of heavy apps and a raffle ticket for a gift card of at least a $50 value to a local vendor (again, donated by a friend).

I've done two cocktail parties and one brunch, and I've raised about $1600 in pure cash.

 

[Dis_Yoda]

I raised the $$ I needed for Dopey 2018 by hosting parties/cocktail hours.

I have a lot of close friends that work in the wine industry, and every month they give me a case of wine (mixed) of new labels that they've just released in-market. I host a party at my house or another location (depending on party size), and for a $20 cash donation, they get a wine glass and unlimited tasting-size pours of wine (until it runs out), a nice spread of heavy apps and a raffle ticket for a gift card of at least a $50 value to a local vendor (again, donated by a friend).

I've done two cocktail parties and one brunch, and I've raised about $1600 in pure cash.

I need to be friends with your friends!

~~~

Thanks for all the ideas! Once I'm healed from surgery (Julyish), I'm hoping to put some of these into motion!