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No More Homeless Pets Forum
May 24, 2004 Creative Fundraising |
This week YOU are the forum guest: Share creative strategies your group has employed to raise funds. Have you hosted a unique event? Had an original fundraising idea that really worked wonders? Or a new twist on a tried-and-true fundraising method?
Questions
Lock up in cages outside McDonalds
Topless car washes
Earthday school fundraisers
Paw Painting gala art show
CapPOOCHino Day and Martinis and Mutts
Dog bath
Dog and car wash
Bring your dog to work day raised $7,500
Physicians raising money through speaking engagements and grants raising thousands of dollars
Mullets for Mutts raises $1,100
Staffing and selling beer at special events raising $40,000
Tabling with selling natural dog treats raising $150
Retriever retrieving tennis balls for prizes
Gift basket raffle made $350
BarkPark raises $100,000 a year
Lock up in cages outside McDonalds
Idea from Norma with Animal Rescue Foundation:
On of the best ideas that has worked for us at the Animal Rescue Federation in Superior, WI is our annual "Caged for Critters." Our President and Shelter Director are caged in a dog kennel at the intersection of 2 busy streets. We set up in the McDonalds parking lot there. They feed the volunteers all kinds of salads, because they figure we bring them business. The 2 people will be let loose only after we raise $10,000. We have several dignitaries from the city who spend some time with them in the kennel: the University Chancellor, the Mayor, School Principals, School Music Directors, who bring a small group from their bands or choirs to perform, etc. Other ARF members are around to run up to cars stopped at the traffic light to ask for donations. They have bags for the money made to look like animal paws. A couple of the people also dress like animals for fun. Last year we raised $5,000 and this year we hope to double that.Topless car washes
Idea from Danielle:
Note: This is just one of the MANY ideas that Elizabeth Tolson and I have suggested to our yahoo list, HumaneFundraising. We are both avid fundraisers with lots of ideas for animal rescues. We specialize in brainstorming and tweaking ideas to fit any size group that supports any type of animal. See http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HumaneFundraising.Topless Car Wash:
This is a twist on your average car wash in that you advertise your car wash but have signs claiming to be topless... The twist of being topless can be one of three things.
1. Any convertible car gets a free wash.
2. Your group will wash the bottom of the car for free but will ask for a donation if you have to wash the top of the car, as in from the middle of the car up.
3. All your animals in attendance will only wear shorts (with holes cut out for their tails) and won't be wearing any shirts, hence they are topless!
This is sure to turn a few heads and encourage people to come find out what's going on. And, it'll give them a good laugh.
Be sure to pick a prominent location for your car wash. You can host a car wash in the parking lot of a bank that is usually closed on weekends. McDonald's and other fast food restaurants are usually happy to oblige a car wash as it brings more people to their establishment. Some gas stations are also willing hosts for a car wash.
Be sure to find out if your local community has any water restrictions, especially during the summer. Bring plenty of hoses, sponges, rags, buckets, dish soap or actual car washing soap, quick-drying towels (shammy) and a step ladder or two to reach the top of SUVs.
You can advertise in your local paper. Be sure to have some signs near a major street and/or intersection!
Earthday school fundraisers
Idea from Audrey:
I am a high school science teacher and my students and I did a lot of fundraising in April for Earth Week. We raised funds to contribute to a few different organizations, including Best Friends. We actually had a couple of things going on.First, we made a pledging tree out of construction paper on the wall. We sold leaves for the tree for 50 cents each. The person who donated got their name on the leaf, and then we put the leaf on the tree. By the end of the week, the tree had LOTS of leaves on it!
The second thing we did was a raffle. I got the local museums to donate general admission tickets. We then sold raffle tickets ($1 each) for a pair of tickets to the museum.
Between the two fundraisers, we raised about $200 total. Not bad for three hours worth of fundraising!!
Paw Painting gala art show
Idea from Danielle:
Paw Painting Gala Art Show & Dinner Artrageous AnimalsAnimals available for adoption from the rescue will create professionally styled paintings. The paintings can be done on canvas and professionally matted and framed. These paintings are then given names reminiscent of great works of art and described as one would describe a work created by a master such as Monet, Rembrandt, Kandinsky or PAW-casso. Cite examples of shadowing, chiaroscuro, the artist's sense of playing with light, the interesting uses of color, and the detailed 'paw-strokes' used.
A bio of the animal artist and a photo of the animal will be provided in a smaller frame that will accompany the artwork when sold. The paw paintings can be sold for $100 or more during the auction time or sold individually as part of an art show.
This gala event should be geared towards the art lovers and the upper class in your community. Use your "A” list of invitees and personally invite the socialites of your community.
Join up with the Junior League or other civic group to bring in some of their members and friends to the animal rescue event. You can co-host the show as part of their goodwill efforts to support the community. If you have an art school or studio nearby, ask them to be a sponsor of the event and assist you in framing your artwork or donating canvases and supplies.
The art show can be conducted as either an auction or a show. Hors d'oeuvres can be served while people look at the artwork available for sale/ bid. Tickets to the event should be priced to cover the venue used (a hotel ballroom, a museum, a civic center), the food served and any liability insurance needed. Drinks can be served as part of a cash bar, aside from any donated wine that you may want to pass around. If you want to keep it a non-alcoholic event (and reduce your liability), mocktails or cat-tails (NA Versions of drinks) can be served along with an assortment of coffees and sparkling juices.
Food: Catered buffet dinner to increase the mingling of the guests, and ample viewing time of the artwork. Hors d'oeuvres and cat-tails (cocktails) served during the initial viewing period.
Music: Piped in upbeat classical music would be fine. A harpist or flautist might be a classy touch, too.
Door Prizes: One of your art pieces, an opportunity for a local artist to paint a photo of your pet for you, a sculpture of an animal, etc.
Variations: Animals can also paint original works of art on t-shirts, aprons, sweatshirts, tote bags and other items.
CapPOOCHino Day and Martinis and Mutts
Idea from a member:
Expanding our mailing list from 5000 names to 15000 names two years ago helped us increase, not only our awareness in our community, but also our income. We send out three letters of giving each year and these are our biggest fundraisers. We let the community know how their donations are impacting homeless animals that we help. We try to dwell on the successes.CapPOOCHino Day and Coffee Helps Critters are two events that we "invented" this year. We teamed up with two different coffee shops and a percentage of their house blend coffee sold the day of the event went to our organization. We have several local musicians that donate their talents to both events. Foster parents bring their dogs to these events and we also do a tabling. We also let the media know several weeks in advance so that they will cover the events for us. Having an event at a location with food also allows us to get the food editor of the local paper involved so it is yet another place our name can be mentioned in the paper. These events cost the organization nothing.
Martinis & Mutts is an event we have at a local martini bar that has been very successful. The bar charges a $5 cover charge that is all donated to the organization. The bar offers a free buffet the night of the event featuring hot dogs and the fixings. They have a huge patio that allows volunteers to bring their foster dogs and puppies and we hold a tabling at this event also. This event costs the organization nothing.
Dog bath
Idea from Cassandra:
I know this isn't overly creative, but our shelter decided to try holding a "dog bath day" to try to raise funds. Baths were cheap, just $8 for small dog, $12 for medium and $15 for large dog. We ended up having to go for 6 weekends (Saturday and Sunday every weekend from 10:00am - 7:00pm at 1 bath per hour) because of the popularity! We now hold dog bath weekends at least once or twice a month, and our prices have been raised to $15 - small, $20 - medium, and $25 for a large dog. We also do nail clips for just $10.This has been a huge success! We make about $300 - $400 per weekend. This works even better if we have a craft/bake sale going on the same day, as there are a lot of people going through the shelter and waiting for their dog, so they buy lots!
Dog and car wash
Our shelter has a parking lot and a fenced in play area right off the lot. We wash cars in the parking lot and dogs in the play area at the same time. We call the event the "Wags N' Wheels Dog & Car Wash."
We charge $10 for any dog, any car, the event runs for 5 hours, split into 2-1/2 hour shifts. Last year, with around 25 volunteers, on each shift we washed 84 dogs and 92 cars and raised almost $2300. We have the donated services of a dog groomer who clips nails for a $3 donation ($300 in donations).
With enough volunteers everyone has a great time, we create a lot of good will with the public and its a chance to advertise our Walkathon, which is our next event. Many alumni dogs come back to visit.
Bring your dog to work day raised $7,500
Idea from Erica in Denver, CO:
A group of us worked together and took an idea to our employers, between the 10 of us that was 8 different companies. All but one agreed to let us do a "Bring Your Dog to Work Day". Each employee was able to bring his/her dog to work on the designated day provided they signed up in advance.Each dog cost $10 admission and the employees had to provide proof of current immunizations. All the money collected was donated to a local shelter. Three companies matched every dollar raised and one company bought a 10-pound bag of food in the name of each dog that was brought to work. Overall we raised over $7,500 and over 1,000 pounds of food.
All the employees had a really great time too. There were some concerns with people having allergies, but except for one company, that wasn't an issue. For the one company that had a couple of allergy sufferers, of the 13 or so who said they would have a problem, 6 of them traded shifts or worked from home that day and the rest had a "Dog Free" zone in a conference room for the day. One of them was so taken by the idea that she took an anti-allergy drug and brought her neighbor's dog just so she could participate.
We considered doing a "Cats At Work Day" at the request of many cat lovers and owners. However, we decided that keeping the kitties from declaring war in the offices was too big of a challenge.
We're already planning ahead for next year and quite a few more people are interested in being involved and talking to their companies. We're hoping to make this as big as "Bring Your Child To Work", especially when you consider that the dogs ask less questions and have more fun!
Physicians raising money through speaking engagements and grants raising thousands of dollars
Idea from Amy:
I am a doctor in Central Alabama and in the past I have found several things that work for my humane society. First, I have done speaking engagements and had the company send the money directly to my humane society by giving their tax ID number. One talk got 1,000 bucks for just a one hour commitment on my part.Next, many of the dinners I attend have an honorarium associated with them. They may involve just listening or even include a group of doctors giving their input. These range from 100.00 to 250.00 for just a couple of hours.
Finally, physicians can write to companies for "unrestricted medical grants" to develop their practice or to support programs that benefit their patients. Typically a grant of $1,000 or less doesn't require a lot of committee scrutiny, so they go through pretty easily.
We have used this locally to begin implementing a pet therapy program to minister to shut ins, hospice patients, nursing homes residents and hospitalized folks to combat depression. Also, we are planning to go to schools and detention centers for juvenilles to help fight animal abuse. We both know that translates to human benefits.
I know this is certainly a small niche, but one physician can raise loads of many while furthering their education and helping their own patients. If you want to contact me or if any other physician members want more info, I am glad to help.
Mullets for Mutts raises $1,100
Idea from a member:
I thought I would just include the news clipping, because it says it all!Haircuts help humane society
by Courtney Jeferries
March 31, 2004
The hope is many Ole Miss students will wear "A Bad Haircut for a Good Cause" this week.
The bad haircut is the motto for this year's Mullets for Mutts fund-raiser. The fund-raiser, which supports the Oxford-Lafayette Humane Society, begins today and runs through April 6.
Helping to raise awareness of the mistreatment of dogs and cats in Lafayette County, J.R. Fuller and Louis Parchman started this fund-raiser last spring. The event also aims to raise money for the humane society.
"If there ever was a good reason for a mullet, this is it," Fuller said.
The activities begin tonight at 6:30 when the participating volunteers will cut their hair into the famous mullet style during the Ole Miss Baseball against Southeast Louisiana game at the Swayze field.
These volunteers must maintain the haircut for the duration of the week, when they will be on campus selling shirts, hats, accepting donations and providing information about the foundation and the humane society. Their booths will be located in front of the Union and Holman Hall. The week comes to an end with a concert benefiting the humane society Monday.
Local Oxford band Three-Legged Dog will play at a benefit show at The Levee with all proceeds going to the humane society. There will also be gift certificates to numerous local restaurants and other gifts raffled off during the concert. Last year's efforts from this fund-raiser donated more than $1,100 to the humane society. The money was used to buy food, medicine and other basic necessities for the shelter.
The humane society is always seeking funds from any sources to improve the services they offer. It is a popular organization for students to help support, according to Elizabeth Speed, development director for the humane society.
"This year we are very pleased to be the beneficiaries of several student fund-raisers, and all donations will be used to improve animal conditions at the shelter, including new kennels to house animals and to save more lives," Speed said.
The "Mullets for Mutts" fund-raiser has also received support from community businesses in the form of tax-deductible donations. All sponsors donated $50 or more, and each sponsor will be listed on all T-shirts sold throughout the week.
Staffing and selling beer at special events raising $40,000
Idea from Rick:
First Coast No More Homeless Pets in Jacksonville, Florida has found a great fundraising niche that may bring in as much as $40,000 this year.We provide staffing and license to sell beer and liquor at special events in Jacksonville. Our most recent event this past Saturday netted our group just over $4,505 and required 300 volunteer hours. This equals $15 per hour per volunteer! We will not work any event that doesn't promise us at least $10 per hour per person. The biggest event each year will net us over $12,000.
In Florida the state will only issue temporary alcohol license to nonprofit organizations, and only three per year to each group. We work out a deal with the promoters of boat shows, concerts, car shows, and bikini contests to raise funds to end the homeless pet problem.
We are sure to follow all the applicable laws as to age and hours, and we also make sure not to serve persons that have obviously had too much. As to liability, we are covered by overall liability insurance for our organization and our Directors are covered by Directors Insurance. In addition the promoter must have insurance. After doing this for a couple of years, we have never had a real problem.
Tabling with selling natural dog treats raising $150
Idea from Barb:
We go to the local Dollar Stores and look for cute containers we can fill with treats. We really got lucky at "Only $1" when we found ceramic containers with pawprints on them (absolutely darling and only $1 each - unbelievable!). Then we go to grocery store and buy some natural dog treats (the ones we get are heart-shaped and pretty unique) and put 10-15 depending on size in zip-lock plastic bags and put them inside the containers. We end up with less than $2.00 in each container and we sell them for $10.We have lots of teens and pre-teens who are willing to do fundraisers for us, so we have them take about 25 of them and set up in front of different stores or during different community events. If the teens are pretty good at talking to people, they usually end up selling most or all of them, so it's a very easy $150-200 bucks (net), plus it helps to get your name out to more people.
We always give out brochures about our shelter while we are out there, so we get more bang for our buck. If you can get the biscuits and/or containers donated, you would make even more.
Retriever retrieving tennis balls for prizes
Idea from Member:
Retrieving Retriever DrawingItems Needed:
LOTS OF TENNIS BALLS (don't buy new ones --- ask friends and relatives for some. Put a sign up at the Country Club that the Rescue/Humane Society is collecting tennis balls (leave a box out there for them to drop them in). Also, EBAY sells tennis balls. Local colleges and community colleges might donate their used balls from tennis lessons, etc.
Magic markers to write the numbers on the balls.
Tickets with numbers
A Dog who will RETRIEVE AND RETURN a ball
This is a great fundraiser that can be done at a Bark in the Park, Car Wash, etc. It is completely up to you as to when you do this fundraiser. My only suggestion is that you do it in conjunction with something else that will bring people out.
Of course, you again need to seek donations. Remember to always seek out different types of donations. Dinners and oil changes are great... but think of unique items also. Have a cash prize in there as well as other items such as Yard Service for a Day, One Day of Cleaning donated by Merry Maids, One Month's Guest membership to Gold's Gym and if you are already a member, we would pay one month of your membership fees, Complete Car Detailing (inside and out), Grocery Store Gift Card, etc. People tend to buy more tickets if they know that there are several prizes being offered, rather than just one prize.
We sold the tickets for $1.00 a piece or six for $5.00 or an arm's length for $10.00. We wrote the purchased ticket numbers down on the tennis balls. For example, if Mr. Smith purchases ten tickets and the tickets numbers are 185-195, then you would number ten tennis balls with 185, 186, 187, 188, etc. and place them in the barrel. She would get the corresponding tickets - OR - you could write her name down in a notebook, whichever way your group wishes to sell the tickets.
Remember at the Car Wash/Hot Dog Cookout/Bark in the Park, or wherever you have the Retreiving Retreiver, TRY TO SELL MORE TICKETS! And if someone tells you that they are not interested in any of the prizes, ask them if they would make a donation to the cause. Never let anyone walk away. One thing I have learned, is that the pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters that people put in - sometimes only one or two at a time - ADD UP!
How to do the drawing - simple - take the barrels of balls and throw them out in the field. We put them in a tight circle. To avoid having the dog run to the first ball she saw and pick it up, we took unnumbered balls and threw them in the middle and sent her off!! She would bring back a ball and the corresponding number was the winner of the prize. We announced the prize before we sent the dog running - "This is for One Month's Membership at Gold's Gym. This prize was donated by Jim Smith from Gold's Gym and has a prize value of $40.00. Gold's Gym is located on 1234 Main Street in Anytown, USA. Thank you Jim Smith and Gold's Gym." Then we threw the blank tennis balls and let her go!!!!!
We did make up one rule before the fundraiser started. That was the winner was the number on the ball that she dropped at our feet. Fortunately, she only brought back one at a time. However, there were times that she would run out to the massive amount of tennis balls, pick one up, walk two feet, drop it and pick up another. If you have a dog who will bring back two, drop them in the bucket and have someone draw the winning ball. Put the other one in the pile of balls.
Gift basket raffle made $350
Idea from a member:
I volunteer at my local Humane Society, and for "Be Kind to Animals Week", I organized a gift basket raffle in less than 3 weeks by myself. I secured the location at a busy grocery store for a Sunday. I had a gift basket theme of items to pamper yourself and your companion animal.I brainstormed businesses who may be animal friendly, made the calls, and ended up with a basket worth over $400. It included a night's stay at a bed and breakfast, $100 gift certificate to a local vet, pet-sitting services, grooming services for you and your pooch, restaurant gift certificates, etc. Target and Pets Supplies Plus were fairly giving, but they must ask for corporate approval, so don't wait too late to ask. A local business donated some cash, which I used to buy a great wicker basket and some more goodies to put in it along with the gift certificates.
I had a table featuring adoptable pet pictures at the shelter as well as spay/neuter info, etc. I sold tickets for about 6 hours ($2/ticket or 3/$5) and made about $350. It was a fairly easy fundraiser, and could have more potential if a bit more time were invested.
BarkPark raises $100,000 a year
Idea from Aimee:
A wonderful lady in Central Ohio developed an off-leash dog park called "BarkPark" on her own property complete with agility and a pond. BarkPark is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit all volunteer organization that was established to raise money for homeless animals. They are open on Saturdays May to October, plus special events. The hours are 10am-4pm.Each Saturday, a different humane rescue organization will set up an awareness table and concession stand to raise funds for their organization. One hundred percent of the money collected through admissions, the table, the dog wash and the concession stand will benefit the rescue of the day. The yearly membership dues are used to fund animal welfare programs. People pay $75 a year and $5 each time to enter. Last year she raised $100,000 for animal groups. Her website is wonderful to check out: www.barkpark.org.
