And remember: God is ready and willing to provide, but you have to put yourself out there in order to receive the gifts He has waiting for you!
Download the Fundraising Goals Worksheet to easily make a plan for yourself for these next few months. The goal amounts per fundraising effort are ball-park estimates, so you could end up with slightly more or slightly less. But setting these minor goals can uplift you as you see funding steadily come in one step at a time. Customize the worksheet to what will work best for you!
Next, read the fundraising tips below. If you want further coaching on how to do any of these, email info@threetoabandon.com or reach out to your mentor if you've connected with them already!
+ 10 Fundraising TIPS....
TIP #1: Make sure you put your fundraising effort goal dates in a calendar you regularly look at! (In your smartphone, your work calendar...) That way you can stay on track with whatever efforts you have planned.
TIP #2: Get creative with event nights based on who your friends are.
Great suggestions include: Dinner & A Movie; Spa Night; Playstation Marathon; Your Favorite TV Show Marathon; Game Night; Bingo Night; Wine Tasting; Beer Tasting; Paint & Sip Night at Your Place; Clothing swap.
The list goes on! Have more than one, try to keep your costs low, and ask that they contribute $15 - $25 or more for a night of fun toward a good cause.
TIP #3: If you plan on sending fundraising letters, get them out first.
These take longer for people to follow through with, and you may need to follow up with them to ask them if they received their letter! Send to anyone and everyone you can think of (friends, family, family friends, church & small group members, co-workers, mentors...). Following up with them is KEY.
TIP #4: If you offer coffee & donuts at your church, did you know Krispy Kreme offers discounts to help you fundraise?
Check it out here. Your local donut shop may do the same if you ask.
TIP #5: Offering to babysit is probably the easiest task you can do for money, but you can get creative in this effort too.
You can mow lawns, organize a closet or garage for someone, deep clean their kitchen, walk someone's dogs,... really any service you think someone would love to get off their hands!
TIP #6: Consider selling a snack or breakfast burritos at work, send a notification a couple days before and then a day before to remind them.
They don't have to pay with cash if they don't have it on them. They can send you the cash through the app called VENMO (it's free), or Paypal (which is usually free, depending on the settings).
TIP #6: If you do a raffle - keep the price of raffle tickets low. More people will participate and possibly buy more than one entry.
Something like $5 per ticket is great, or $10 if you offer a higher-priced item. You can do a cool single item (electronics are great, like a small speaker set) or even a gift basket of multiple small things. Posting signs about it around work, etc. can help. Spread the word on social media, work, church, significant other's workplace, your neighbors...
TIP #7: If you don't want to do a normal garage sale to sell unused items, search Facebook for neighborhood "online garage sale" groups in your area.
There can be thousands of people per group. Make sure pictures of your items are good, and then just post what you're trying to sell! You can even tell them what you're selling it's for - it may help you get more offers.
TIP #8: Three to Abandon can help you with the easiest ways to do T-shirt sales. We recommend TeeSpring or Booster.
TIP #9: Everyone thinks social media will quickly get them the most money. Not necessarily true.
Fundraising on social media is hit or miss. You'll need to post multiple times usually to see donations start to come in. Keep it really personal and authentic when you ask, and link to ThreetoAbandon.com/donate. Make sure you tell them that if they donate to you there, to mention your name in their donation.
** Sometimes offering something in return or playing a game with it helps. Example: ask for a specific donation ("$10 or more!") for a specific offering ("Have you ever wanted to know the bible verse that represents you best? Give $10 or more and I will choose the verse that I feel best describes YOU. All donations go toward my Abandon Experience - a trip created to help me discover my purpose!").
** Keep people updated on how much more you need to raise as you go. Sometimes people will give more when they know your goals!
TIP #10: This is your journey! And it's an important one. Really consider why you're doing this - write it out even - so that you can express your heart behind it as you go through fundraising.