There are few fund-raising causes more important than an individual or family struggling to pay medical bills. Anyone who has ever had an extended hospital stay knows about the outrageous costs of medical care, but people who are not directly affected may not know about the costs. When it comes to raising funds for medical bills, outreach and education are the key targets.
- A family in need should figure out how to get the word out quickly.
The stress of coping with an illness may render a family less than capable of running a fundraiser, so recruiting friends to assist with the cause is a good way to take the pressure off those paying medical bills. If possible, try to get a notice in local church bulletins or newspapers to bring awareness to the financial need. It’s important that the family is not embarrassed to share details about the monetary strain. Many people have no idea how expensive medical bills can be. Let people know that a fundraiser could save someone’s life. - Once the cause is publicly known, the family can solicit donations more easily.
A church group could organize a rummage sale for profit, for instance, or a young athlete training for a marathon could collect funds to benefit the cause. Any type of fund-raising activity can help offset the medical expenses. The best programs require little effort on the part of the family in need during a very sensitive time.
There are different types of fund-raising events you may pursue to fit with your financial needs. Some events you can hold:
- Awareness Fund-raising
- Competitive Fund-raising
- Music & Cook for a Cure
- Biking, Walking & Barbeque
Awareness Fund-raising Events
Awareness fund-raising events designed to raise public consciousness for a given cause are different than other types of fundraisers. Often, there is no immediate situation that donations will impact, nor any specific person who will directly benefit from an awareness fundraiser.
The goal for an awareness fundraiser is to disseminate information about a particular problem and provide access to organizations that are helping to solve it. While informational videos, photos and brochures about the cause are useful in any type of fundraiser, these materials are essential for a successful awareness fund-raising event.
Try to add touches to the event’s program that reflect the cause: a breast cancer awareness event, for example, might feature women who have survived breast cancer or who are currently battling the disease. These representatives portray the tangible, human face of a cause. Including them in your awareness fundraiser helps your cause receive real attention and increases the potential for better fund-raising in the future. Remember, the better the awareness fundraiser is organized and carried off, the more the community’s consciousness will be raised and the more support you will ultimately garner for your cause.
Competitive Fund-raising Events
Activities such as scramble golf tournaments and outdoor bowling pin shooting work well with local organizations you are familiar with for fund-raising purposes such as churches, alumni associations and lodges. Golfers or bowlers will eagerly rise to the challenge to raise money for the event. Establish a one-time or annual outing. In many cases, large numbers of people are eager to pull together to do something that is positive for the community.
For a successful competitive fund-raising event:
- Contact several golf courses or bowling alleys.
- Have volunteers create and distribute flyers and advertise in the local paper.
- Charge $25 for individuals and a minimum of $100 for groups.
- Contact local corporations and charitable organizations and ask them to participate and promote. Ask them if they can assist you with materials, printing copies of flyers and sending out notices within their corporations’ newsletters, memos or email.
- Hold meetings with your core supporters and ask them to donate time and use their connections to get donated items or reduced costs for remaining expenditures such as printing or advertising.
- Create a logo and have t-shirts for the event.
- Contact the local radio station and ask them to donate airtime or reduce rates for the event.
Music & Cook for a Cure Events
Some families have been successful in raising money through charitable music festivals in local parks or beaches. In addition to ticket sales for the event, money can also be raised by having local barbeque or other food cooked at the location. Part of the proceeds would go for the cause.
For a successful music & cook for a cure fund-raising event:
- Reserve a city park or other venue to hold the event at.
- Have volunteers create and distribute flyers and advertise in the local paper.
- Charge $25 for individuals and a minimum of $100 for groups.
- Contact local corporations and charitable organizations and ask them to participate and promote. Ask them if they can assist you with materials, printing copies of flyers and sending out notices within their corporations’ newsletters, memos or email.
- Hold meetings with your core supporters and ask them to donate time and use their connections to get donated items or reduced costs for remaining expenditures such as printing or advertising.
- Create a logo and have t-shirts for the event.
- Contact the local radio station and ask them to donate airtime or reduce rates for the event.
Biking, Walking & Barbeque Events
Holding a biking or walking fund-raising event at a local high school or park can be very effective for raising funds. You could promote the event to individuals within the community, corporations, or charitable groups. Many churches or local charitable groups exist primarily to raise money for worthy causes. High school students may also be looking for community service opportunities. Be sure to include some tasty barbeque fare, such as hamburgers and hot dogs, so that a portion of those proceeds could be designated for the cause.
- Reserve a high school football stadium or track, or city park set aside for biking and walking.
- Have volunteers create and distribute flyers and advertise in the local paper.
- Charge $25 for individuals and a minimum of $100 for groups.
- Contact local corporations and charitable organizations and ask them to participate and promote. Ask them if they can assist you with materials, printing copies of flyers and sending out notices within their corporations’ newsletters, memos or email.
- Hold meetings with your core supporters and ask them to donate time and use their connections to get donated items or reduced costs for remaining expenditures such as printing or advertising.
- Create a logo and have t-shirts for the event.
- Contact the local radio station and ask them to donate airtime or reduce rates for the event.