Sample Event:
Online Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF
- We created an online Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF homepage each October (this costs nothing)
- You can find easy instructions on how to set up the homepage through the UNICEF website in September and October
- Be sure to personalize the homepage for your organization and with your organization name
- We included facts on child mortality, photos, and encouraging slogans on our page in addition to our club name
- UNICEF provides a secure donation site and also tax deductible receipts to all donors
- We sent email requests to family, friends, and community members to make donations to UNICEF
- We set up a facebook event
- We advertised in our school newsletter
- We created hyperlinks to our homepage in our donation requests to make access easy for donors
- In our requests for donations, we include information about UNICEF and about our group
Who helped with our event:
- Family members
- Family friends
- School newspapers
- Donors
Blueprint:
- Create a website to raise awareness and funds for your cause
- Request family and friends to donate through your online homepage
- Advertise in school and community papers to involve the community and increase donations
- Encourage family and friends to spread the word
- These events take virtually no time, and earn a lot of money if executed properly
- Set up a secure account to collect the donations. You can set up a PayPals account at PAYPALS. Use the PayPals account to accept donations. (Note: PayPals accounts cost money even for charitable organizations)
Good Luck with your On-line Efforts!
What worked for our event:
- Raised a TON of money
- We were able to educate family and friends about our cause and get them involved
- Lots of people gave money
- People gave generously
What didn’t work for our event:
- General community members did not contribute
- Group members were able to but did not create their own homepages in addition to the group page
Tips:
- Contact as many family members, family friends, and neighbors as possible
- Be charming, formal, and professional when asking people for money
- Be sure to provide a lot of information about your cause
- If you are raising money for UNICEF talk about the “Believe in Zero” campaign, the 21,000 children who die per day from poverty, what UNICEF is doing to help
- Talk about how each donation helps and what it can accomplish, such as $1 can feed a child for a day
- For other causes, use similar techniques and cite facts, be insistent but stay polite
- Don’t be afraid to ask more than once; some donors received 3 reminders before donating
- Be sure to thank donors
- Provide a tax deductible receipt if possible to donors