FUNDRAISE FOR i.c.stars|*

HOW TO BECOME A FUNDRAISER

You can become an i.c.stars |* fundraiser is 4 easy steps:

1. Sign up!
   Once you select the city you’d like to fundraise for, you can register as either an individual fundraiser or you can create a fundraising team. Creating a fundraising team is best when you want to recruit your family, friends, and colleagues to help you fundraise and reach your collective goal!
2. Create your fundraising page
   Personalization is key. Add a photo and share why our mission means so much to you and your community.
3. Brainstorm goals and ideas
   Set your fundraising goal and determine how you want to fundraise. Need some inspiration? Check out our fundraising ideas below!
4. Spread the word
   Share, share, and share more! Send your fundraising page to friends and family, post your page on social media, email your networks, etc. Encourage your networks to help spread the word, too!

30 FUNDRAISING IDEAS

Fundraising gives you an opportunity to get creative, incorporate your passions, and play to your strengths- all while raising money for an important cause. Don’t know where to start? Check out our 30 fundraising ideas below!

1. Donate to your own page! Lead the way by showing others your commitment to i.c.stars.
2. Fundraising Center: Upload a photo of yourself, share why you are raising money for i.c.stars, and create a fundraising goal. From your homepage, you can send an email to contacts and invite them to donate and/or join your team.
3. Post your fundraising page on social media! In addition to Facebook, think Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and TikTok.
4. Matching Gift: Ask your company if they can match either the total amount you fundraise, or the total amount of donations you receive from colleagues.
5. Ask your friends and family to get their companies to match donations.
6. Add your donation link to the bottom of your email signature and explain that you are fundraising for i.c.stars. You never know who will donate!
7. Local Business Sponsorship: Identify a local business in your area and contact them directly. Offer to put their logo on your fundraising page or include their link in your emails in exchange for a donation.
8. Host a garage sale! Get rid of your stuff all while raising money for i.c.stars! Make it a social activity and ask your friends to donate items as well. Donate your profits to your fundraising page!
9. Do you love to bake? Host a bake sale for your friends or sell baked goods for special occasions!
10. Create a fundraising challenge within your office! See who can raise the highest amount and give the winner a prize, like a pizza lunch or a gift card for coffee.
11. Post in online groups that you are a part of. You will be amazed at how even strangers will want to support you!
12. Cocktail Party: Create a signature drink, invite all your friends (and their friends), and get them to donate $5 per drink!
13. Host a themed party. Have each guest donate $50 to attend, and spend no more than $20 per person on food and drink. If you invite just 10 people, that’s $300 in donations!
14. Host a movie party. Pop some popcorn, pick up some drinks, and invite your friends and family over for the night to watch your favorite movie. The catch? They must donate any amount in order to attend.
15. Instead of presents for your birthday, ask for donations to i.c.stars on your behalf!
16. Divide and conquer. Ask 5 of your friends to ask 5 people for donations!
17. Are you creative or have a creative friend? Ask someone to donate a piece of artwork that you can auction off on social media.
18. Mow-a-Thon: Get your kids involved in this weekend activity. Check ahead of time with all your neighbors and ask them if you can mow their lawn for $50.
19. Neighbor: Write to all your neighbors on your block or in your building. Attach a letter stating what you’re doing and ask them to make a donation.
20. Free Rent: Ask your landlord to donate one month’s rent to the cause!
21. Meet the Press: Does your company distribute a newsletter? Does your company have email announcements? Take advantage of these…it’s a perfect way to get the word out!
22. Babysitting: Offer up your services and let your friends have a nice, quiet night out of the house!
23. Pet sit: Are your neighbors going away and they don’t want to leave their pet(s) at the kennel? Again, offer up your services and charge them what they would have paid at the kennel and donate it to your pledge total!
24. Karaoke Night: Who cares if you can’t carry a tune? Spend a Friday night at a Karaoke Bar and sing for pledges!
25. Company Vacation Days: Ask your boss or human resources director if they can swap one of your vacation days for a day’s pay.
26. Host a scavenger hunt in your neighborhood or community: Charge a fee to enter and get great prizes donated for the winner.
27. Game Night: Get out those board games and start playing! Break into teams and let the fun begin.
28. Company Grants: Find out if your company offers grants to employees who volunteer their time for charitable causes. If so, you can volunteer your time through High Tea, Mock Interviews, etc.
29. Rock on! If you know any musicians, ask them to perform a benefit concert. Tell people that their admission ticket is a check made out to i.c.stars.
30. Remind them: If you didn’t receive an answer the first time you asked, ask again! Remember- the worst someone can say is no!

Have any questions, concerns, or technical difficulties? Reach out to Caroline Miner, Donor Relations Associate, at cminer@icstars.org.