Community Fundraising Toolkit

The following is a guide to make planning and executing your fundraising event as easy as possible.

It is a helpful planning guide that will allow anyone to become a successful fundraiser for the Guide Dog Foundation. It will help you create a timeline, organize your event and help with suggestions about promoting your event.  You can use a few of our ideas or all of them. It’s up to you.

Fundraising Ideas

Not sure what type of fundraising event you want to host?  Think of something you enjoy doing and add a fundraising component to that.  This way you are not starting from scratch and will be doing something you love!  CLICK HERE  for some creative event ideas.

Promoting your Event

This section will give you tips to help maximize the publicity of your event through the media.  Create a timeline to maximize publicity.  A timeline is important in planning a publicity strategy for your event.  Keep this timeline in mind as you put together your publicity plan:

  • 3-4 months before your event: Identify your target audience based on demographics, interests and locations and develop a targeted list (community groups, newspapers, radio stations, social media, etc).

  • 4-6 weeks before your event: Distribute materials (i.e. provided press release template, Facebook posts, event flyers and posters.)

  • 2 weeks before your event: Make follow-up calls and send e-mails to the groups who received the information.

  • 1-2 days before your event: E-mail and/or fax a media alert with the basic information about your event (who, what, when, where and why) to the TV news assignment desks and photo desks at the daily newspapers.

Tools for your Event

On the right of this page you'll find a event poster template and a press release template. Use these to help promote your event. They are easy to edit and update with your event information.  Be sure to rename the press release to match the name of your event before you send it out.

You may also want to use our logo to show your supporters that event proceeds will benefit the Foundation.  We have a color and black/white logos in both a vertical and horizontal formats.  If you would like to obtain a logo and/or plan to utilize the logos on shirts, signage and/or banners, please reach out to Jaime McGrade, Associate Director of Development, at 631-930-9004 before it goes to print. 

Document your Event

Photos and videos are a great way to capture your event, whether to share with family, friends or the media.  Below are some tips on how to capture those special moments at your fundraiser:

  • Try to take candid shots that capture various aspects of your event.

  • Try to capture images of your corporate sponsors, if applicable.

  • Definitely send your photos to the Guide Dog Foundation.  We are always looking for committed supporters to highlight in our publications, on our web site and on our social media channels.
Good luck with your event. If you have any questions, or need assistance please contact Jaime McGrade, Associate Director of Development at 631-930-9004.
Event Poster Template




CLICK HERE to download the event poster template.

Press Release Template




CLICK HERE to download the event press release template.

Photos

If you would like to include a different photo on your promotional materials, please choose one from our Facebook photo library. Simply click on the photo you like, right click on your mouse, and select "Save Image As" to download.