What Are the Things to Do to Raise Money for Cancer?
If someone dear to you has been diagnosed with breast cancer, you may be wondering, “What can I do to help?” Apart from extending your moral support and your sincerest sympathy, you may want to do something more tangible. Besides being a good listener, one of the biggest things you can help with is their finances. Breast cancer fundraising either by an individual or an organization tends to raise money to be used for:
- Breast cancer awareness
- Breast cancer treatment
- Breast cancer research
- Breast cancer screening
- Breast cancer surgeries
- At home and recovery care
First, you will have to decide if you want to host a fundraising event on an individual or organizational level. If your friend or loved one is in a real financial crisis, it is always advised to provide substantial help by establishing a non-profit group to legally request funds from the general public rather than friends and family pitching in a few dollars here and there. Although establishing a non-profit group may take an ample amount of your time and elaborate planning, the return on this time investment can be remarkable.
Hosting your own breast cancer fundraising event or activity turns out to be a wonderful way to meet people, and it is a rewarding way on a personal level to support vital breast cancer awareness and research. Your breast cancer fundraising event or activity can be as simple or as elaborate as you like. It’s entirely up to you and where your interest and imagination takes you.
You will need to complete the legal obligations before organizing your first fundraiser under your own created non-profit group. If you are planning to fundraise for any organization working for breast cancer patients. In that case, you will need permission to use their logo, name, and resources to host the event, and you can send the collected amount and gifts by the means they approve.
To establish a non-profit group for fundraising, you can follow these steps:
- Choose a name for your group and people you trust to serve as a board of directors for the group
- File articles of incorporation for this group with your state
- Apply for non-profit status with the IRS by following procedures and paperwork required by IRS
- Officially register your organization with your state
- Check if further arrangements are needed to raise funds in the city where you intend to host the fundraise
- You should then apply for a bulk permit for non-profits from your post office to help with mailing costs
- You should also hire an attorney to review your paperwork and provide legal advice
Read:
What is Breast Cancer (Female)?
Living With and Beyond Breast Cancer
Getting Started With Breast Cancer Fundraising Events
After all the paperwork has been set up, you might choose to go with an ongoing fund drive or a special event. There are plenty of ideas for breast cancer fundraising event, which may include some of these listed below:
- Night In/out
- Morning or afternoon tea
- Head Shave
- Sports event
- Percentage of product sales
- Gala Dinner
- Race Day
- School Fundraising Day
- Bake Sale/ Cooking competition
- BBQ
- Sporting Challenge (Trek, Swim, Run, Triathlon)
- Donations in place of birthday, wedding, or anniversary gifts
- Luncheon
- Quit/Fast/Give up something
- Clothes swap
Apart from these, there are various other breast cancer fundraising ideas such as:
- Crowdfunding
- Pink Party
- Walkathons
- Karaoke Night Fundraiser
- Carol Singing
- Art Auction
- Talent Show
When & Where
Decide a suitable date and venue for your fundraising event. Remember to consider the venue’s availability, weather condition, venue capacity, and other facilities such as access and parking. Owners might lend the venue free of cost if you let them know that it is a charity event. A suggestion of top venues where you can host these fundraising events may include:
- Home
- Workplace
- Community Hall
- Sports Club
- Hairdressers (headshave)
- School
- Local park
- Race Club
- Café/Restaurant
- Cinema
- Bar/ Nightclub
- Dad’s shed
- Your mate’s house
- Boat
- Local Pool
- Target
You should let the visitors and participants know about how much money you want to raise and how the donated money will help breast cancer patients. A crystal idea of a target will help you and others to motivate for the same.
Tell Everyone
Once these all have been decided, you should spread the word about the fundraising events by all means, such as local newspapers, community radios, press releases, email, text, and social messaging.
You can also tie up your breast cancer fundraising with well known local companies which offer their products or services for sale through non-profits such as boxes of doughnuts or car wash vouchers. This can do wonders for your cause.
Thank Everyone
Always thank and appreciate the generous people who have donated to your organization regardless of whether it is a big or small donation. In the end, every dollar will help us towards zero deaths from breast cancer in the future.
