1) AUCTIONS – Collect sports memorabilia, spa packages, gift baskets and other items to hold a silent auction, or post them on eBay.
2) BABYSIT – Collect donations from parents to babysit their toddlers during a church service.
3) BAKE SALE – Hold a bake sale at your home, office or any place with heavy foot traffic.
4) BINGO NIGHT – Find a local banquet room and charge a fee for a chance to play bingo for prizes. Sell candy and refreshments to boost your funds.
5) BIRTHDAY PARTY/HOUSE PARTY – Simply host a party at your home with food, drinks and games and ask guests to make a donation or charge a fee.
6) BOWL-A-THON – Reserve a few lanes at your local alley and ask participants to collect pledges.
7) BREAKFAST WITH SANTA CLAUS – Reserve a local community center and serve a pancake breakfast where kids can have their picture taken with Santa Claus.
8) BREW AT THE ZOO – Rent your local zoo on a weekend evening and arrange for a variety of breweries to pour 3 oz. samples to ticket buyers.
9) CALENDAR – Assemble a calendar with photos and facts about mitochondrial disease to sell in your community.
10) CANDY SALE – Sell candy bars at your school, your office or door-to-door and donate the proceeds.
11) CARE PACKAGES – Put together care packages of candy, food and other items. Sell them to parents who wish to send them to their kids at college.
12) CARNIVAL – Hold a carnival in your backyard or at a local park that features a ring toss, face painting, musical chairs, an obstacle course and other exciting carnival games.
13) CAR WASH – Charge a flat rate for each car and ask drivers to make an additional donation.
14) CASUAL DAY – Ask your place of business to allow employees to dress casually for a day in exchange for a donation to the UMDF.
15) CHILI COOK-OFF – Organize a chili cook-off in your community or place of business. Award prizes for “hottest chili,” “best chili” or “most unusual.”
16) CHURCH/GROUP ANNOUNCEMENT – Make an announcement at your church or group meeting. Tell your personal story and mention the UMDF would appreciate donations made for life-saving research.
17) CRAFT FAIR – Set up shop at a local craft fair or flea market and sell your crafts or artwork. An excellent way to raise funds and awareness!
18) COINS FOR A CURE – Place coin collection containers in your school, church or local business for a designated period of time. Award the individual or organization that collects the most money.
19) CONCERT – Reserve a local amphitheater or stage venue and ask musicians to put on a benefit concert.
20) COOKBOOK – Collect recipes from your friends and family, then organize them into a cookbook to sell at your school, church or place of business.
21) DANCE MARATHON – Ask your school to hold a dance and encourage students to collect pledges.
22) DINNER OR GALA – Host a dinner in your home or at a public facility. You can serve anything from spaghetti to steak. Consider holding an auction or raffle as well.
23) DOG WALK – Collect pledges for distances walked with your pet or host a walk at a park with a flat entry fee.
24) EASTER EGG HUNT – Hide eggs at a local park or in your backyard and collect donations from families wishing to participate.
25) GARAGE SALE – Clean out your attic or basement and donate your proceeds. Ask your neighbors to donate their unwanted items as well.
6) GIFT RECYCLING – Host a post-holiday party in your home in which invited guests bring a gift they cannot use in addition to a donation. All the recycled gifts are then bid on in a silent auction format.
27) GOLF OUTING – Reserve a local golf course for the day and invite individuals and foursomes to compete in a golf tournament. Secure sponsorships for each hole and award prizes.
28) GOOD GRADES – Ask your parents and neighbors to make a donation for every “A” you earn on your report card.
29) GUEST BARTENDING NIGHT – Reserve a happy hour and ask local celebrities to be the bartenders for the evening. Tips collects can be donated to the UMDF.
30) HOME AND GARDEN PARTY – Partner with Tupperware, Tastefully Simple, Pampered Chef, or another similar company. Invite friends into your home for product/service displays and donate your profits to the UMDF.
31) ICE CREAM SOCIAL – Ask a local grocery to donate the ice cream and hold your social at school or work. You can charge by the bowl.
32) KARAOKE NIGHT – Rent a karaoke machine and reserve a cafeteria. Serve food and drinks and ask the audience to donate in honor of their favorite singers.
33) LEMONDADE STAND – Set up an old-fashioned lemonade stand and donate your proceeds to the UMDF.
34) LETTER WRITING – Simply write a letter or send an email to everyone in your address book about your personal journey with mitochondrial disease and ask them to donate.
35) LIGHT BULB CAMPAIGN – The UMDF will provide you with light bulb paper cutouts that can be sold for a dollar at a local restaurant and placed on a designated wall or window to raise awareness.
36) MOVIE NIGHT – Host a movie night at a public facility with a large projection screen. Charge movie-goers for admission, popcorn and refreshments.
37) PERCENTAGE OF SALES – Ask a local restaurant or retailer to donate a portion of their sales over a designated time period to the UMDF.
38) RAFFLES – Hold a 50/50 drawing in which half of the money goes to the winner and the other half to the UMDF. This is the perfect accompaniment to any event.
39) RUN A MARATHON – Enter a local marathon and collect general donations or pledges for every mile you run. Visit Activate Your Mitochondria for more information.
40) SACRIFICE – Give up coffee or candy or fast food for a week and donate the savings to the UMDF.
41) SCAVENGER HUNT – Organize a scavenger hunt and charge an entrance fee for teams. Be sure to award the winning team and consider making the event a pizza party as well.
42) SPORTS DAY – Pick your favorite sport and organize an all-day tournament with an entry fee. Award the winning team or individual.
43) STUFFED ANIMAL SAFARI – Have companies donate stuffed animals and arrange them in your home or a park to create a mini safari. Send children on a photo safari and allow them to buy their favorite animal at the end of the event.
44) TEA FOR MITO – Mail an invitation and tea bag to your friends and family. Ask them to make a donation to your “virtual” tea party and drink the tea in the comfort of their own home at a specific time.
45) VIDEO GAME CONTEST – Pick your favorite video game and charge a fee to entrants. This works well as a board game contest as well.
46) WALK – Reserve a location and register people for an awareness walk. Encourage teams and individuals to solicit donations/sponsorships for their participation.
47) WEDDING DONATIONS – In lieu of gifts, ask your guests to make a donation to the UMDF. Or make a donation in their honor as opposed to sending them home with a party favor.
48) WINE TASTING – Partner with a winery or merchant to select the very best wines and reserve a reception hall or scenic outdoor venue.
49) YARD WORK – Ask neighbors if you can mow their lawn, rake leaves or pull weeds in exchange for a donation.
50) BUILD-YOUR-OWN FUNDRAISER – The ideas above are a mere sample of what a little imagination can do. Put your own touch on one of these ideas or create an entirely new fundraiser all on your own. The important thing is that you put the FUN in FUNdraising.
No event is too big or too small, many can be made virtual and every contribution powers the Roadmap to a Cure. Start a fundraising page online on our “Fundraise Your Way” DIY fundraising site or contact the UMDF Special Events Department to start your own fundraiser today!
UMDF Special Events Department
Toll Free: 1-888-317-8633
events@umdf.org
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!