Fundraising events raise awareness of international issues and allow you to be creative, giving sponsors something in return while you generate interest for your campaign. You can use our fundraising flyers to help advertise for your event. Also, always remind the people attending your events that donations are 100% tax-deductible for U.S. residents.
Parties/Events
These can range from simple pizza parties to black tie affairs. Use the "Who Do You Know" principle. Do you have a friend in a band or know the owner of a bar or a restaurant? One idea for an event could be having a band play at a club where you can fundraise by receiving all or some of the cover charge. Is there a holiday coming up? How about your birthday? Instead of gifts, ask your friends or family to help sponsor your trip. Always explain to your guests that you are working toward your goal to volunteer abroad.
Host a Dinner or House Party
Hosting an event with family and friends can be a fun way to fundraise! Organize a party and ask your guests to pay an entrance fee with a suggested amount, provided the amount is well over the cost of the party. Plan a dinner party and prepare dishes from the country where you are volunteering. At the party, include a trivia game and/or music from the country you are volunteering to get everyone dancing! Or, have a local band perform at the party and ask for a cover charge. Remember to limit your party budget to about 1/4 of the amount per person of your suggested donation amount.
Restaurant Event
Events at restaurants can incorporate a donation for food or beverages in exchange for generating business. Perhaps you know of a restaurant that would let you host an event in which they donate food or charge an added amount on top of each bill as a special promotion. Or, a restaurant might allow you to host an evening with an all-you-can eat buffet where you get a percentage of the total bill for promoting and bringing in customers. Always be careful in structuring these events, and be clear about your expectations to everyone involved.
Sales
Traditional ways to raise funds may include bake sales, arts and crafts sales, candy sales, garage sales, etc. Do you know someone who is a great baker, an artist, or a published writer? Ask them if they might donate their creations to you so that you may allocate the sale, or suggested contribution, toward your program. Many people who are hesitant to donate money may give something around the house that you can sell at a garage sale, flea market, or on eBay. The funds that you receive from selling a product are not tax-deductible to the original owner. However, funds that are sent to CCS are tax-deductible. For more information about collecting funds read our receiving contributions section.
Raffles
Raffles can work well for fundraising groups. Often groups can get items donated to them from local stores, companies, and restaurants, which they can raffle off. If there are no large items to raffle off, you can buy an item, as long as the proceeds from the raffle are well over the price of the item purchased. Plan to have the raffle at some type of event, such as a party.
Races
Sign up for a local run and ask people to make a small donation for each mile you run. You could even sign up for an already established marathon such as the New York Marathon or London Triathlon. Some people will respond better if they see that you are working hard to obtain sponsors and are truly dedicated to your campaign. Be sure to wear the CCS t-shirts you can make from our fundraising graphics section. Remember that these events usually have application and selection procedures, so greater time, preparation, and training may be required.
For more ideas, contact your Program Manager. If you are not yet an enrolled volunteer, contact us for further assistance. You can also visit our fundraising group on the CCS Community.
