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Fundraising

Fundraising Much of the work that you will do as an activist requires no more (or less) than compassion for animals and motivation. On the other hand, making fliers, setting up tables, and forming groups does requires some money to cover costs.

Target Your Efforts

People like to know how their donations will be used. It's always more effective to target your fundraising efforts for a specific purpose. Make it clear that proceeds from your raffle or flea market will be used to put an anti-fur ad on TV or to buy a letter-quality printer for your group's computer.

Fundraising Activities

Before learning about the various means of fundraising, you should know that virtually all fundraising has one or more tax and financial reporting consequences. Sales revenue and donations are generally taxable, unless your group qualifies as a tax-exempt organization. Even if you are tax-exempt, you must still collect and remit to the government sales tax on many types of sales. Also, most states require that charities register as soliciting organizations and file annual reports. (Note that automatic exemptions for small organizations may exist under some of these rules.) Check with your state taxing authority, secretary of state, attorney general, and consumer affairs agency. It is also a very good idea to have a CPA on your managing committee!

Once you've learned about the taxation and financial reporting consequences, you are ready to begin raising funds. The following activities are great places to start:

Product sales: If you have some money to invest, you can purchase animal rights T-shirts, buttons, bumper stickers, and books to sell when you set up tables and hold meetings.

Food sales: Vegan bake sales can do well—either as independent fundraisers or when combined with other events. Groups should appoint someone to be in charge and to get each member to contribute a baked item (or try offering tofu hot dogs or veggie burgers). Choose a busy spot—a craft fair, festival, or other community event is even better—and check with the police and health department to learn about permits and food regulations.

Garage sales: You'll make more money if your goods are clean and well displayed. Tag clothing with size labels, and clearly mark all prices.

Thrift shops: Set up an ongoing thrift shop at a church or in an unused garage. You'll need a staff of volunteers to sort, price, display, and handle the sales and bookkeeping.

Annual sales: Restrict your sales to either books or clothing, and hold the sale at the same time each year. Plan ahead to get a good location, and publicize the event. If you have a good spot for storage, you can collect donations year round.

Raffles: The two keys to a successful raffle are a good prize and lots of ticket sellers. Create an information sheet with the name of your group, the date and location of the drawing, and a list of the prizes that you're offering. Make sure that ticket sellers always have enough tickets on hand. Try setting up a table at the supermarket or outside a church to sell tickets on the weekend. Ask local merchants to donate prizes, or have a 50/50 raffle, meaning that the prize is half the money that you collect through ticket sales. Be sure that you comply with local solicitation regulations.

Sponsored events: In a walk-a-thon or bike-a-thon, for example, a group of people commit to participating in the event and then ask family, friends, and local businesses to sponsor them for a certain amount (such as 50 cents a mile). Choose a safe route and check it first with the police. You'll need to prepare sponsorship forms that include the name and address of your group, the purpose of the event, the date and time, and the route. Also, include columns for participants to write in the sponsors' names, addresses, and amount pledged per mile (establish a minimum). Encourage local athletic groups to participate. Before planning the event, check with your city hall to see if insurance is needed and, if so, what you have to do to secure the appropriate forms.

Chores and odd jobs: Organize a day for all of your members to clean, paint, rake leaves, or put up storm windows in exchange for donations. Advertise ahead of time, and schedule as many jobs as possible.

Recycling: Many communities have recycling facilities that will pay you for cans, bottles, or other items. One PETA members raised enough funds by collecting aluminum cans to pay for an anti-fur ad on TV.

Give up something: Ask people to give up smoking for a week or lunch for a day and donate the money that they save.

Miscellaneous: Place donation cans in stores, go Christmas caroling for donations, sell heart-shaped vegetarian dog biscuits on Valentine's Day, have a car wash ... use your imagination!

An excellent resource for fund-raising information is How to Shake the New Money Tree by Thomas G. Dunn (Penguin, New York, 1988).

Ask for Goods or Donations

You can also raise funds by asking for something other than money. Ask print shops, typesetters, or art supply stores if they'd be willing to give you a discount. Ask local businesses to donate new or used office equipment, a computer, or a VCR. Send each business an individualized request describing your group and its goals and asking for a specific item or service. If you are tax-exempt, that will encourage donations, but even if you aren't tax-exempt, don't be afraid to ask.

Member Donations

Your supporters—people in your group as well as people on your sign-up sheets—are another good source of financial support. Ask them to pay a yearly membership fee. Set different levels for dues such as $10 to $20 for regular members, $50 for sponsors, $100 for sustaining members, and $500 to $1,000 for lifetime members; student and senior-citizen memberships can be offered at discounted rates. Consider offering an incentive, such as a free book or T-shirt with a large donation. Ask for regular donations, either monthly or quarterly, and always send thank-you notes right away. If you are tax-exempt, the thank-you note should tell donors how much of their gift can be deducted (the amount of the gift minus the value of any incentive that you gave them in return).

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