Throughout my fostering career, I have experienced a handful of situations that require financial support. Sometimes animals come into foster requiring specialized surgery, specialized care, or hospitalization. This can be a financial burden on foster parents and on rescue organizations, but it should not discourage us from providing the best care possible to animals in need. I wanted to share the in's and out's of fundraising for scenarios like this for future fur-friends in need!
1. Go Fund Me: this is an easy route to take that requires little continued effort . Simply make a page for your foster, explaining the medical situation and how much money you will need, and share it on all your social media platforms. It helps to explain that if everyone simply pitched in a few dollars, it can add up quickly! Make your foster a Facebook or Instagram account, and post updates on their condition. Visibility goes a long way.
2. Make an Amazon wishlist: If you are in need of supplies, food or toys, make a public wishlist on Amazon to share with friends and family. Often times, it easier for people to donate financially if they can see exactly what they are contributing. Amazon makes it easy to pick and choose tangible items that will be shipped directly to you!
3. Bake Sales: Ask a few friends, roommates or family members to make a contribution by baking a batch of cookies, or pan of brownies. Set up a table on your campus or at a local event. I have found that "donation based" pricing works best than trying to price individual baked goods. Make sure you are advertising your foster with cute pictures and stories.
4. Restaurant Fundraisers: Quite a few restaurant chains, and often local businesses, will do collaborations for non-profit charity. Search for restaurants in your area that offer this promotion, and work with them to pick a time and date for your event. Simply hand out the promotional flyer to friends and family, or post the pdf online. A portion of the sales from the duration of your event will go to your cause! In the Davis area, Blaze Pizza, Raja's Tandoor and Panera bread all collaborate on these events. See their websites to apply!
5. Go Big: If you have the time for a more coordinated effort, you can organize an event like a 5k run, or basketball tournament. Teams can pay an entrance fee to play in hopes of winning an ultimate prize (think T-shirts designed around your foster, or ask a local business to sponsor a gift-card as a prize). 5k contestants can ask friends and family to sponsor them per mile, or make a flat donation to the cause. These are great ways to get more people involved, and make for good social media marketing. It is also a perfect opportunity to present information on fostering and volunteering to everyone that shows up.
The most important thing that I have learned while fundraising is that while direct monetary contributions are great, involvement is better. People can step up in other ways, by volunteering time and ideas. Ultimately, as long as the authenticity and passion of your cause shines through, communities will pull together to support animals in need. Good luck, and always feel free to contact us with questions!
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