Relay For Life Fundraising Ideas

Why I Relay by JenOfChicago

My family started Relaying the year after my grandmother died of cancer. We didn't know much about Relay, but we had heard there was a cancer-fighting event in our hometown, so we went to the park the night it was being held and checked it out. It was such a fun, uplifting, hopeful event, and we decided that we would form a team and participate next year. Our first year, we didn't know what to expect, but we ended up being one of the top fundraising teams for our Relay! Since then, we've participated in the Relay For Life of Norridge, IL for nine years, and raised nearly $60,000 as a team. If you would like to donate to my team this year, please visit
my personal fundraising page.

1. Use the American Cancer Society's online fundraising resources.

Click your way to cash!

After you sign up for Relay For Life, your community Relay organizers will probably tell you about the online fundraising website for your team. You can also search for your Relay on a map at http://www.relayforlife.org/relay/relaymap

Once you locate your page, fill out your profile. You can put up a photo of yourself, your team, or the person who you are Relaying in honor of. You should also fill out the box where it asks why you are Relaying, and explain your reasons for getting involved. The more of your personal story you can tell, the more engaged the readers will be, and the more likely they are to donate.

After your profile is complete, you can write a note, and email it to your friends and family through the website. Follow the easy to understand directions, and send the link out to everyone in your email address book. Be sure to follow up in several weeks.

If you use social networking websites such as MySpace, Facebook, or Twitter, post the link there and encourage your contacts to donate!

2. Write a letter to your family and friends.

Many people find it hard to ask for money. BUT, did you know that a direct ask by someone you know is one of the most effective ways to raise money? So put aside any shyness and get started on a letter to your family and friends.

Your letter should have some basic components -
- Opening paragraph explaining that you are participating in the American Cancer Society's Relay For Life, when and where, and a brief explanation of what Relay For Life is

-Middle paragraph about your personal motivation and reasons for Relaying. For example, you might explain that loosing a relative or friend made you want to do something to help find a cure. Make this paragraph personal.

- Last paragraph that asks for a donation. Be sure to include where people should send their donation (mailing address for checks, your online profile's website for online donations).

Be sure to thank your donors after the Relay and give them a total of your fundraising!

3. Guess how many Jellybeans!

This fundraiser is best suited to teams associated with workplaces or schools. Find a large glass jar, and fill it with jellybeans. (May I suggest the Relay colors of Purple and White, or your team's colors?) Sell tickets for a chance to guess how many jellybeans are in the jar. The week of Relay, count the tickets and award the winner with the jar of jellybeans!

You can buy your jellybeans in every color under the sun here -

4. Sell food!

We all need to eat, so food sales are always a hit. Charge a small admission fee or cost per item, and put the money towards your fundraising goal. For extra profit, shop at warehouse clubs like Costco or get some food items donated by local restaurants.

These can take a lot of different forms, for example -
pancake breakfast a church
pizza night at the community center
dinner party at your home
bake sale in the cafeteria
BBQ in your yard

5. Clean cars for a cure!

The car wash is one of the oldest and most effective fundraising ideas and has been used for decades. Gather a group of people, preferably energetic pre-teens or teenagers, some water, cleaning supplies, hoses and put them in a parking lot. Be sure to put up signs advertising the car wash around the neighborhood, and don't forget to tell your family and friends!

6. Grocery Store Days

For this fundraiser, you'll need to partner with your local grocery store. Stores will assign your group certain days where if you bring in a coupon, the store will donate a percentage of your grocery bill to the team. Jewel-Osco and Whole Foods are two chains who do this in the Midwest, so check with your local area.

7.Yard Sale / Garage Sale

Here's a way to clean out your closets and clear out your basement while raising money for the American Cancer Society at the same time! Choose a day or days and time, make sure you have enough tables to put things out on, advertise in your local newspaper, and start making sales! Tell your customers that all of your profit will be going to your Relay For Life team, and maybe they'll let you "keep the change"!

Check out this link for a step by step guide for more tips -
How To Hold A Garage Sale For Charity

8. Casino Night / Bingo Night

Who doesn't love a good game of chance? You can do this fundraiser big (get your church to let you use their hall for Bingo night) or small (ask your regular poker game buddies to donate their winnings). Entertainment, fun, and money for the team!

9. Bowl for a cure!

There's a few ways you can do a "bowl for a cure" fundraiser. The first is to work with your local bowling alley on setting up a "candlelight bowling event", where you sell tickets for an evening of bowling, snacks and drinks for a set amount, and the profit goes to your team. The second is to simply invite friends and family to a bowling alley on a weekend afternoon and ask them to give you a certain amount of money for each pin you knock over in a game!

10. Raffle, raffle, raffle!

Raffles are also a tried and true fundraising method. All you need is a roll of raffle tickets and some prizes. Prizes can be anything people would want to have. Large prizes can be donated by local businesses, such as a television, hotel stay, or theatre tickets. Smaller prizes can be handmade, such as baskets of food, quilts, or gift certificates for services like manicures or car washes.

11. Dress down for the cure!

This fundraiser works best when your school or business is involved in Relay. The principal or boss gives permission for a "denim day" to all students or employees who donate money to Relay. If your school or workplace is large, you can raise a lot of money!

Why not make it even more interesting - come up with a theme! Teachers wear jeans with crazy patches, students wear their favorite historical figure's costume, employees dress as they did in the 80s, or anything else you can think of!

12. Chili Cook Off For A Cure

Few dishes inspire such pride as chili - and chili cook-off contests are always a lot of fun! Ask contestants to donate $25 as their entry fee, and have your audience tasters donate $5 entry. Be sure to provide a prize for the ultimate chili chef! Mmmm, I'm getting hungry just thinking about it!

13. Cigarette Vending Machine Demolition

14. Easter Egg Hunt

Most Relays happen in the summer, so fundraisers that tie into the springtime are a great way to kick off your team's funds. Organize an Easter Egg Hunt in a local park, or even in your own backyard. Charge a few dollars for each child who participates. For extra cash, you can sell coffee to mom and dad!

15. Flower sale!

Who doesn't love getting flowers? This fundraiser can work for all the holidays (Valentine's Day, Sweetest Day, Mother's Day) or just any old day you want to show someone you care. Purchase flowers in bulk (Costco often has bargains) and divide them into small bouquets. Sell them at your school, workplace or religious institution, and put the money towards your team's goal!

16. Ice Scream For A Cure!

Those hot summer days call for a cool treat, and even better if it helps raise money for a cancer cure! Work with a local ice cream parlor to rent the shop for a day, or buy ice cream bars in bulk and sell them at the park or beach. Delicious!

17. Karaoke Against Cancer

Organize your stage-loving friends for a karaoke outing at a friendly bar, or hold a karaoke party in your home. Charge a dollar for every song that is sung, and award a prize to the winner at the end of the night!

18. Movie Night

Invite your friends and family over for a special movie night. Provide popcorn and candy, set up a DVD in your living room, and sell "tickets" to the show!

19. House Party

20. Massage For A Cure