Whether you work for a non-profit, are a part of a sports team, or just need help with your own finances, fundraising can be a long and scary process. You may find yourself concerned if fundraising is something you can do by yourself. Maybe you’re nervous about knocking on doors and asking your community to buy things that they really don’t need. The list of concerns goes on, and you may now feel like giving up. But there are other ways to raise funds and avoid all the above!
Running a shoe drive fundraiser is both fun and easy. We have found a way to raise funds without having to sell anything or ask anyone for money. A shoe drive allows you to let people get rid of things they don’t need lying around the house, rather than trying to sell them more things they don’t need to lie around the house! It is truly amazing how full circle this fundraising idea is – we really need to thank whoever came up with it!
Raise Funds by collecting used shoes!
Let’s break down why running a shoe drive to raise funds is so awesome, then we will share with you our tips and tricks to successfully run a shoe drive to raise money in less time than you think! By collecting new and gently worn shoes from your friends, family and community you are helping to keep landfills empty. No need to stand outside your local grocery store, trying to sell things people don’t want or need to strangers. Your shoe donation boxes allow people to get rid of clutter, without adding to their trash pile. Furthermore, all the funds raised can go to whatever needs you have, right here at home! These needs can be a local charity, buying new uniforms for your basketball team, adoption costs, or simply to help you pay rent! You make your own rules!
We love supporting our locals, but there are still millions of families overseas in developing nations who need our help as well! This is where running a shoe drive gets even cooler! All the shoes you collect will go overseas to South America and Africa to female micro-entrepreneurs in developing nations who resell the shoes. This allows them to gain financial independence, and support their families, all while putting much needed footwear on their community. Talk about a full circle! All with one shoe drive you have now raised money, recycled, reduced carbon emissions from landfills, and helped those in third world countries!
Need to raise funds fast?
It is no secret that time has seriously passed by us this past year like a bullet train. We have been away from school, work and our friends and 2020 just passed us by! A lot has been put on hold this past year, but that doesn’t mean that everyone all of a sudden doesn’t need money! In fact, groups and organizations now more than ever need to raise funds, and fast! The clock is ticking once again, and while we are still social distancing, we need to start putting a little cushion back into our fundraising pot.
We are still not quite at the point where we will be having huge concerts, or indoor events to raise funds this year, but it doesn’t mean we can’t have an equally successful fundraising event! A shoe drive doesn’t need to take all year, in fact you can raise over $1100 in just one weekend with the right outreach and the right help. That is why we have come up with a 10-point checklist for you to go through and keep in mind to knock your fundraising event out of the park in a shorter time than you expected!
Skills Your Fundraising Team Should Have
1. Start with “Why”
Author and inspirational speaker, Simon Sinek, has a great read on this. His book “Start with Why” explains how making this your first step leads to success. Make sure you decide this early on, and once you have it in mind share it on all of your marketing materials. Let the community know why you are raising funds, and they will be more eager to help!
3. Form a Plan of Attack
Make a list, or draw out a pie chart, it doesn’t matter but make sure you have a plan in mind. This step will drastically cut your fundraising time in half. So when the time comes to get a certain part of the fundraiser done, you already have it figured out ahead of time. Make a plan, and make a backup plan as well!
5. Let people know “How”
Whether you’re having a big weekend event, or collecting over a couple weeks, Make sure you community knows where to donate to! You can choose to pick them up from a different location, or simply set up donation boxes around town!
7. Stay Organized
Don’t try to get everything done at once. The above steps will help put you in a position of success, but write down your goals and when you meet them along the way as well. This will help you avoid an overwhelming amount of work in the end. Once you reach goals, share that with your community and volunteers as well!
9. Share your Journey
Let people know that their donations mean something and share with your volunteers the success of their hard word! Every week post on your social media how many shoes you have collected, and how that is making a difference here at home and overseas!
2. Build a Team
Whether it is just some friends who will share your fundraiser on their social media, or someone who is willing to put in the leg work, help is super important! We always say, “…you don’t ask, you don’t get”!
4. Get the Word Out!
Use every platform you can. Print flyers, brochures, share on your social media, and ask others to share as well! The more people that know about your fundraiser, the more donations you will receive. Don’t wait on this part, especially if you’re in a rush to raise funds. At The Fundraising Company you will have a dedicated fundraising guide to help you with this part as well! Reach out today, to receive personalized flyers and social media posts. We can also help by putting together a press release in your local paper. Help is here!
6. Collect your Resources for Success
All of the shoes must end up paired together in some way, wrapped up in large boxes on a pallet for shipping. Instead of waiting until the end to do this, start your shoe collection in boxes. Also make sure all your donors rubber band the shoes together when they donate to save you some time! This way when your donation box is full, write on the outside how many are in each box. This way all you have to do is close it, and you can tally up your total donations as you move along!
8. Communication is Key!
If you’re in a rush to collect your fundraising check, make sure you are staying in contact with your fundraising guide along the way. They can help keep your fundraising event flyers up to date, help you think of out of the box ideas, and book your shipping ahead of time. This way when you’ve collected the minimum amount of shoes required, and truck will be there to pick them up in as little as 24-48 hours!
10. Make it an Event, and Have Fun!
You may try to collect at one large event, or collect donations over a couple weeks – both work well! If you need to raise funds fast, try partnering up with other events in your area that gain a lot of traffic, such as a farmers market or sports game. We have seen some fundraisers reach their shoe collection goal all in one weekend by hosting a shoe drive drive-by event at their local church! The possibilities are endless if you put your mind to it! Now that you have your “why”, your “how”, your team and your tools you’re ready to go! Now get out there, with the right steps you’ll raise funds you need in no time! Sign up with The Fundraising Company today to start raising funds
