One-on-one asks are still the easiest and most efficient way to raise money. But we’ve compiled some additional fundraising ideas to help get people motivated, create awareness of your campaign and add some icing on the cake!
If you are just starting, please read “8 Steps to Charity Running Success” first.
Honor your donors
Offer to write their names on your jersey/shoes or to pick a song for your playlist. Give them the chance to be on the journey with you on race day.
Create a QR Code
Make it easy for people to support you. Create a QR code for your fundraising page so you can have it at the ready when speaking with anyone about your fundraiser. There are several sites where you can find free QR code generators which can be found through an online search. One example is Adobe. Just add the URL for your fundraising page, and presto! Your QR code is created. Download it, print it out, or have it accessible on your phone.
Bake Sale
Grab your kids or friends, and whip a few items up in the kitchen! Sell them at work, church, school events, or at other community gatherings you attend.
Jeans Day
Ask your manager or supervisor if you could hold a “Jeans Friday” at your workplace. Employees can wear jeans in exchange for a donation to your campaign.
Party!
Who doesn’t love a party? Hold a get-together at your house and ask attendees for a donation as “admission.” A friend with a band can really liven thing up! Let us know and we can probably provide some Mercy Home or marathon swag for a raffle to generate additional funds from party-goers.
Yard Sale
You didn’t want all that stuff anyway! Gather it, price it, and take it outside on a sunny day to get money for it. Keep a stack of cards near your cash box that have your personal fundraising website (or QR Code!) on it along with more information about Mercy Home. That way they can give more to your campaign when they get home.
Matching Gifts
Check with your company to see whether they have a program to match donations you make to charities. Or, search the database of companies that match gifts.
Consign
Got stuff that’s worth more than you’ll get at a garage sale? Take it to a consignment shop! Consign your clothes, jewelry, furniture, books, bikes, and music.
Restaurant fundraiser night
Lots of restaurants offer charity fundraising evenings, where they will return a percentage of their profits for an evening to the charity of your choice. Ask if your local favorites offer charity evenings, and whether they would be interested in holding one for you.
Bar Night
Set up a bar night with our partners at Oh!Social. They will do a lot of the legwork for you. Your main job: Bring your friends and have fun!
50/50 raffle
This is a great one for the events mentioned above. It’s just what it sounds like. People buy tickets and the winner takes home 50% and you keep 50% for Mercy Home. Bonus: The winner often tells you to keep their 50%! Reward buying more tickets (1 for $5, 3 for $10, 7 for $20, etc.)
Door to Door
Go to your neighbors’ houses and ask them directly whether they can make a donation to your campaign. Make sure to tell them all about Mercy Home and be prepared to answer any questions they may have.
Brunch
Hold a potluck-style brunch at your house on a Saturday morning and ask for donations in exchange for attendance.
Wine Tasting
Hold a BYOB wine-tasting event at your house and ask for donations in exchange for attendance.
Hold a one-day telethon
Go old school. Set a goal, write a short script, grab family and friends and make your pitch via phone calls. Text your fundraising page link after talking with them.
Local Art
Have a friend who’s an artist? Ask whether she or he could design greeting cards, prints, or anything else you could sell to family, friends, and coworkers in exchange for a set donation to your marathon campaign.
Silent Auction
See if your friends have items of value lying around that they haven’t gotten around to selling yet. Collect them all and hold your own “silent auction.” Everyone who contributes can go home with something cool!
Non-cash donations
Did you know that Mercy Home can accept non-cash donations too? If you, your friends, or family are interested in supporting your marathon bid by donating gifts of stock or mutual funds, or by using a Donor Advised Fund, IRA, or other retirement account, please contact our Philanthropy Team at 1-800-378-8266, or at plannedgift@mercyhome.org