Fundraising Ideas
Fundraising ideas for anyone planning to run an event on their own or with friends. Be sure to let everyone know about your event or fundraising campaign so they can contribute and help you save lives.
Challenge Yourself
How are you going to challenge yourself for animals in need this year? Whether you’re bungy jumping, skydiving, fasting, head or beard shave, a sponsored wax, firewalking or even biking to work for a month, all of the money you raise will go directly towards helping the hundreds of sick, injured, abandoned and abused animals that need our help each year.
Donate a Celebration
Donating your birthday, your wedding or another celebration is a great way of raising vital funds for Animal Rescue. Instead of gifts, simply ask your friends, family and colleagues to donate to your fundraising page instead.
Give It Up
We’ve all got something that we “couldn’t live without”, so why not put it to the test? Get sponsored to give something up, from chocolate to technology, set yourself the challenge to give something up for animals. The perfect combination of detoxing and fundraising. Ask friends, family and colleagues to sponsor you to give something up. It could be:
Something you consume a lot of – alcohol/chocolate/coffee etc.
Something you want to do less of – talking/social media/mobile phone etc.
Something you want to give up completely – smoking/meat/fast food etc.
Dog and Car Wash
It’s all about washing cars and pooches. Many people would be willing to pay to have their dog and car cleaned. A great activity for the entire family. People can bring their dogs and cars over for a quick cleaning in exchange for a small donation.
To organise dog and car washing, source a suitable location and ask your local garages/auto stores if they could donate car washing supplies (e.g. cleaners or brushes) and your local pet stores if they could donate dog washing supplies (e.g. pet shampoo or brushes).
You’ll obviously want to plan for a warm and sunny day and advertise by hanging up flyers and posting on social media. Then, set up two stations: one for cars and one for dogs. Have someone be in charge of explaining the prices for each wash and collecting the money from customers.
Set up a station with drinks, tables, and chairs, so families and friends can relax and spend time together while their dogs and cars are getting washed.
Make sure that you explain where the funds are going during the car and dog wash and encourage more donations. People will drive off with shiny cars and fresh-smelling pups, and you’ll raise money for your cause!
Guessing Games
Guessing games are classic ways to raise funds for many different causes.
All you need is a jar filled with the candy of your choice. Think something small, like jelly beans (or, for a twist, you can make the game all about the pooches by putting small milk bones or other pet treats in the jar!).
People can guess the amount of candy that they think is in the jar, paying $1 per guess. The winner takes home the entire jar!
Pet Raffle
Organise a pet raffle either online or during an event. Sell raffle tickets for $1-$5 (e.g. $1 buys you one ticket/entry, $5 buys you three tickets).
Prior to advertising the raffle, secure rewards. These can be pet-specific gift baskets (e.g. a cat basket or a dog basket) to a cat tree or a dog bed. You could ask local pet stores or vets to donate products or gift vouchers. Promote the raffle extensively and enjoy the donations pouring in!
Host a Barkery
Everyone loves treats, and everyone loves bake sales and bake-offs! So why not combine them with adorable four-legged pets? To host a barkery, find a pet-suitable cake recipe (a pawcake), and make big batches of it to sell it to pet owners.
You can make the treats specific to only one type of pet (e.g. dog) or you can make several different ones – one for every most common type of pet.
You can organise this in your local park or sell the treats online. If you have the capacity to take this idea to the next level, you can even accept custom orders for pet birthdays.
Bake Sale
Spoil your friends, family and colleagues with freshly baked treats in exchange for a donation to Animal Rescue. Whether you’re baking them to take to work or inviting friends and family to your house for morning tea, ask for a donation in exchange for the privilege. I’m sure you’ll find some very generous and happy people.
Garage Sale
Everyone has things sitting around the house that they no longer use or need. Why not take this opportunity to have a clear old of old things while raising money for New Zealand’s animals. As they say… One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.
Get friends and family to bring their unwanted goods over as well to help top up your stock and raise even more money.
Offer to Run Errands
Chances are that you know a lot of busy people who are always complaining about never having time to get things done so why not help out and ask them to contribute to your charity (or fundraising page) as thanks.
Host a Cook Off!
Ask your friends and family to each contribute their favourite dish for an evening of delicious foods with everyone paying an entrance fee to your supporter page to take part.
Athletic Event
Will you be running, walking, skiing, rowing, cycling, climbing, crawling or jumping? Whatever you’re doing, turn it into a fundraiser for animals in need.
Pamper Night
Everybody loves to be pampered!
Why not invite the girls round for a ‘pamper party’ and ask for a donation in return. You might even find a masseuse, hair dresser or beauty therapist who’s willing to offer their services at a reduced rate if it’s for a charity event – this work especially well if you have friends in the profession.
You’ll be even more relaxed, safe in the knowledge that you’re doing your bit to help New Zealand’s animals in need.
Babysit
Invite friends and family to bring their children over to your house for a:
Movie night
Pizza party
Sleepover
Children’s party
Treasure hunt etc.
In exchange for giving them a break, ask the parents to make a donation to Animal Rescue. They could all go out for the evening and donate the amount they’d normally spend on a babysitter.
Big Night In
Put the FUN into fundraising by hosting a:
Dinner party
Movie night
Pizza night
Karaoke night
Quiz night etc.
…at your house. Invite your friends over and ask them to donate to animals with the money they would normally have spent on a night out.
Raise additional money by setting up a swear box, running a raffle or setting challenges throughout the night that people can ‘buy’ their way out of.
Set up an online fundraising page, tell people what you’re doing and why you’re doing it and ask for their support.
