Putting the FUN back in FUNdraising
 Whether you are a humane organization with a $1,000,000 budget, or with a $50,000 budget, here are some suggested small fundraisers that can help you build awareness and support within the community. These ideas are all ones that have been used successfully, and do not take a lot of time, but can bring positive attention to your organization.
- Pet Portraits. Contact a local photo studio and ask if they would sponsor a contest. For a $5 donation to your organization, people get a picture of their pet taken at the photo studio. Offer a free picture to enter in the contest. The pictures can be put up at local pet stores for the public to vote on, in conjunction with a judging day at your shelter with local celebrity judges to vote for best categories you determine. Have a People's Choice category where people can vote for their favorite picture for $1.00 donation and can “bribe” the judges with money (donated to your organization). Get prizes donated for winners.
- Instant bingo-check with the Attorney General office on gambling laws before beginning. In many states, only non-profits can do this. Businesses such as bars and bowling alleys sell these for your organization. Many organizations average between $2,000-$10,000 depending on number of locations and traffic.
- Paper Bones (or dogs, cats, fire hydrants)-Create paper bones and ask businesses to sell for $1.00. Include a UPC code so grocery stores can scan them and sell at check out counters. Have a space on the bone so people can write their name or their pet's name and hang up on the wall of the business.
- Service groups - Ask service groups to do a fundraiser for you, such as a pancake breakfast, a go-cart race, etc. Groups such as Kiwanis, Exchange Club, Lions club, etc already do community events and are looking for opportunities. Many also have small grants you can get (around $500), and also help with volunteer projects. Junior League has a “done in a day” program where volunteers help with projects. Ask them to help collect donations for the animals. Boy scout groups would be perfect to build shelters for cats. Many groups are looking for projects, and have great contacts as well! Ask them to put something about your group in one of their newsletters-ask for volunteers or money.
- Harley Davidson Owner Groups. Ask them to do a motorcycle ride where they get pledges for riding and donate the money to your organization. Have a breakfast for them after the ride to honor them. Another idea is to have a “Poker Run” where bikers pay $20-30 and ride to certain businesses and pick up cards. At the finish they see who has the best hand. Harley riders are very charitable.
- Car dealerships. Ask a local car dealership if they would give $100 off on a car purchase to anyone bringing a bag of cat food to the dealership for your group. Ask the car dealership to match that donation of $100 to your group. Set a timeframe suitable to your organization and the car dealership.
- Businesses sponsoring monthly surgeries. Most businesses don't want to give a lot of money upfront, because they are constantly being approached by non-profits. If you ask them for a small commitment of $20 per month to sponsor one surgery, they might be more willing. Give a picture and story of the dog or cat they are helping. Publicize their name and give them press whenever possible.
- Raffle. Check with the Attorney General for raffle laws before beginning, but generally if you offer a “no purchase necessary” clause, you can hold a raffle. You could do a reverse raffle, a 50/50 raffle, or raffle off a worthy prize such as a trip (some airlines will donate roundtrip airline tickets), or you could call around to different businesses and get small $20 gift certificates and put a nice package together. For instance, get a tanning package, haircut, massage, mall certificate, multiple dinner certificates to nice restaurants, a limo certificate, etc and package it as a perfect weekend out. You can get a bunch of small amounts to become something worth hundreds of dollars if you put them all together. Sell raffle tickets at events and have service groups and businesses to help sell.
- 5k run. Ask a local runners club if they will help you organize a run to benefit your organization. Make sure you are using a certified course. Determine an entry fee ($15 is reasonable), target a number of runners to reach, and offer prizes for age categories and refreshments after the run. You can reach a new market of people, have some fun, and make some money!
- In-kind donations. Never underestimate the value of in-kind! Often businesses can't give cash, but could do something such as free printing, setting up your 501c3, or graphic design. Some big companies have in-house printing and it is no big deal to print small jobs for free (hospitals and big manufacturers are good places to start).
- Partner with pet supply stores. At check out, have the clerks ask people if they would like to add $1 to their purchase to help your group, or if they would like to buy a bag of food for your group, or if they would like to round up their purchase (from $3.80 to $4.00 and the rest goes to your group). They are ideal partners.
- Check with stores to see if they have any partnering opportunities. One grocery store chain pays non- profits $1,000 a week if they sit at night for a few hours and offer the stores savings card to shoppers. A local hockey team wears special jerseys on holidays and raffles them off with the profit going to local charities. A local business has a book sale and offers proceeds to non-profits.
- Ask a bar to donate all their tips one night to your organization.
- Pennies for Puppies/Coins for Cats. Many schools require some type of community service for students. This is a perfect opportunity to ask classes to consider having a penny war between classes to see who can collect the most in a designated amount of time. Offer creative suggestions for raising funds such as paying to throw a pie in the Principal's face, holding a $1.00 raffle, or making items and selling at schools (sell green items for the week of St. Patrick's Day such as green cupcakes, plants, etc). Offer incentives such as bringing an animal into the winning class for a presentation or a visit to the shelter. Students could also help collect donations and supplies, especially food, litter, etc. They could help make posters, do mailings, or whatever is needed. All it takes is finding one teacher who will make this a project.
- Ask grocery stores if your organization can stand outside and solicit donations on one night.
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Successful Grant Applications (a PDF of a PowerPoint presentation)
