Fundraising Tools and Ideas

Fundraising Ideas

When deciding what kind of event to hold, choose something that you're excited about, and that you think your guests will enjoy too. Here are some events that other fundraisers have held:

⯈ Birthday Party: Throw a party and ask guests to support the COPD Foundation in lieu of gifts.
⯈ A-thons: The organizer performs an activity, such as reading books or jumping rope, and gathers supporters who pledge to donate when they reach milestones ($5 per book, or every 50 jumps, etc.).
⯈ T-shirt Sale: Make any event look spiffy by wearing matching shirts. Our Bonfire store has premade designs, or you could create your own campaign.
⯈ Charity Lunch: Having a big get-together, like a networking luncheon or a high school reunion? Some restaurants will donate a portion of the day's proceeds if you bring in enough diners.

You can read about events that other COPD Champions held on our testimonials page.

Printable Handouts

If you're hosting a live event, you can print out some or all of these materials to display or distribute at your event.

⯈ COPD Key Messages (printer-friendly sheets)
⯈ Bronchiectasis Key Messages (printer-friendly sheets)
⯈ The Basics of COPD (full color booklet)
⯈ COPD 101 (full color booklet)
⯈ All About Bronchiectasis (full color booklet)

You can browse our full library of free educational materials here.

Checklist for Success

⯈ Choose an event that’s meaningful to you. Whether you’re chasing a milestone, hosting a get-together, competing at an event, or celebrating a life, the event should have a personal touch.
⯈ Create a campaign page. This is your chance to share why the cause is important to you. Tell your story. Add a picture. Your friends and family aren’t supporting the COPD Foundation out of the blue; they’re doing so because of their connection to you and the story you share.
⯈ Make a seed donation. Donors are more willing to join in a fundraiser when they see that other people have already given. That’s especially true when the organizer backs their own event.
⯈ Share the word! Let your family, friends, and colleagues know about your event. Use whatever methods are most comfortable to you, whether that’s email, social media, posting to a community bulletin board, or speaking to people in person.
⯈ Thank your donors. They’re not just supporting the COPD Foundation, they’re supporting you. Make sure they know how much you appreciate it.
⯈ Keep up the momentum. As you get closer to the date of the event or the end of the campaign, remind your contacts about the fundraiser. In addition to the initial message, we recommend sending another one at the halfway point, and a last message 48 hours before the fundraiser ends.
⯈ Make it a tradition. Mark your calendar and hold another event a year from now. Each year you hold the event, you can build on the successes of the prior ones.