"...originality consists of the achievement of new combinations, and not of the creation of something out of nothing."

- Richard V. Clemence

successful fundraising ideas

These are just a few of the ideas we have heard of, and hope that they help you jump-start your fundraising!

a baking contest

Form a team at work. Each team member brings a home-made baked item, and have a "tasting" of all items. Staff members are able to purchase a vote with a $5 contribution to the Walk, and the person with the most votes in the end wins a small prize (i.e., the prime parking spot, or flowers fresh from the garden of a co-worker).

a "silent auction"

Hold a "silent auction" of services and items that you can provide for co-workers. Auction off services like four hours of yard work, two hours of housecleaning, one free back massage (at the office), and lunches prepared for three days. This is a simple way to have some fun at the office, while raising extra pledges for the AIDS Walk.

birthday bash

Turning another year older? Throw a party; instead of gifts, encourage guests to make a pledge to AIDS Walk Sioux Falls. It will be a great success, and guests have a tax deduction at the end of the night as well!

dinner is served

Invite people to your home, and prepare a meal they will not soon forget. In exchange, ask them all to donate what they think they would pay in a restaurant for a similar meal. (In the end you might think it lucrative to be a restauranteur...)

the check's in the mail

Mail a letter to everyone on your holiday card list. Why should they only hear from you in December?

take a message

Put a Walk message on your voice mail. Keep a pledge form by the phone and ask callers for a pledge.

get the message

Plug your Walk involvement on your email signature, "I'm an AIDS Walker, pledge me"

kick the habit

Ask sponsors to give up a vice for a week (caffeine, smoking, alcohol, etc.) and give the money saved to the AIDS Walk.

heat it up

Keep track of pledge amounts on a thermometer graph. Or a bar graph. Or a pie chart. Or a flow chart. Well, you get the idea.

double your money

Find out if your sponsor's employer will match their gift. Have them check with the personnel or business office for a matching gift form and include it with your pledge form. Some companies match the total raised, others match only gifts from employees.

party, party, party

Have a party at your house - you provide the snacks, guests provide the pledges. Hold an event at a bar, restaurant or other hangout. Ask your good friends over for a shindig. Pizza and movies are on you, as long as they bring their checkbooks.