100
FUN-draising
Ideas

Parties:
1. House Party- This is a sure-fire way to fund raise.
2. Theme Party/Dinner- Hold a theme party for 10 (or more) of your friends. Donation: $25.00 per person. Spend no more than $5.00 per person on the food and you'll have $200.00 (or more) by the end of the night.
3. Host a movie party at your house- Pick up a new flick at your local movie store, make some popcorn, pick up some soda and invite your friends and family over for movie night.
4. House Warming Party- Are you moving anytime soon? If so, ask your friends to make a donation instead of purchasing a gift for your new place.
5. Television show finale Party- Remember M*A*S*H? Remember when Ross married Rachel? Remember when Jerry, George, Elaine and Kramer ended up in jail? How about when Niles and Daphne sped off in an RV on the "Frasier" finale last year? It'd be fun to gather a big group and friends to tune in to watch a big season or series finale. Of course, charge them at the door and put the $$ toward the Arthritis Walk.
6. Wine and Cheese Party- Host a party at a local restaurant and ask the owner to donate the wine and cheese.
7. Pizza Party- Check out your local Pizzeria Uno - they have a great deal to help you fundraise.
8. Raffle- Everyone that contributes is entered into a raffle to win a special item such as a homemade quilt or tickets to a sporting event. 

Food/Beverage/Restaurants:
9. Ask your local waiter/waitresses to donate a portion of one day's tips- Ask your local waiters and waitresses to donate a portion of their tips to your cause.
10. Ask your local bartender to donate a portion of one day's tips- Same as the waiters and waitresses. Ask them to donate tips from one night. You can create a sign for the bartender to place on the bar stating that "All tips collected tonight will go directly to "Judy Walker" who's walking to raise money for those people living with arthritis." If the patrons see that sign they may be willing to dig a little deeper in their pocket!
11. Ask your local restaurants to place a money jar at the front of the restaurant- Check with the restaurant manager. They may be willing to place the jar in a high traffic area so lots of patrons can see it.
12. Fundraising dinner at your local favorite restaurant- Ask your favorite local restaurant to host a Fundraising Dinner for you. They supply the food and your supply the pledge forms!
13. Happy Hour party- Invite all your friends (and their friends!) and charge them $10.

Sports:
14. Sports Tournament- If you enjoy competition, sports and fun-organize a tournament in your area. If you have a basketball hoop or large yard, it can even be at your own home! Have friends organize teams and pay an entry fee to donate to the Arthritis Foundation. It's a great way to get exercise, help an organization and spend time with friends!
15. Bowling Nights- plan a fun night of bowling at your local lanes. Ask the owner to waive the cost of bowling and you can collect that money and turn it into pledges.

Sales:
16. Garage Sale- Know all that stuff that's been hanging out in your garage?in your attic?in your basement? Gather it up and ask your friends to do the same. Put it in your front yard and sell, sell, sell! Put all the money raised toward your pledge minimum! 
17. Bake Sale- Become Julia Child (and ask your friends to do the same) and host a bake sale. You can even have it in conjunction with your garage sale. It's a fact that people will buy more stuff on an empty stomach!
18. Ebay.com- Remember the garage sale idea? How about rounding up the goods from your friends and putting it all in Ebay.com to be auctioned off?
19. Used book sale- Everyone has books that have been sitting on shelves or in the attic in boxes or in the basement collecting dust. Ask your friends, family and neighbors to donate whatever they've got and set up a little weekend book sale in your front yard. Put up some signs so people will know where the money is going. Once they know that they may even give you more money! And in the words of Martha Stewart, "That's a good thing".

Entertainment:
20. Karaoke Night- Who cares if you can't carry a tune. Spend a Friday night at a Karaoke Bar and sing your guts out! Have the announcer tell the crowd that you're singing for donations!
21. Talented Friends- Do you have a little piano bar in your neighborhood and a talented piano playing friend? Ask the owner to let you bring some friends in one night for a cocktail and piano night. Charge anyone who attends and let them know that it's a fundraising event for the Arthritis Walk.
22. Rock on!  If you know any musicians, ask them to perform a benefit concert. Tell people that their admission ticket is a check made out to the Arthritis Foundation.  

Games:
23. Game night- Get out those board games and start playing! Break into teams and let the fun begin.
24. Host a poker game- call your serious (or not so serious) card-playing friends and invite them over for poker night.

Kids:
25. Mow-a-thon- Get your kids involved in this weekend activity. Check ahead of time with all your neighbors and ask them if you can mow their lawn for $50.00.
26. Is there a teacher in the house?- Get your students to help you fundraise. Kids are incredibly creative and cute, too!!
27. Other Parents- If your kids play on soccer leagues or any other sports teams distribute brochures to the other parents at the event.
28. Children's Party- Throw on that Barney outfit and get out there! The kids will be having fun as their parents are writing you checks!  

Office/Work:
29. Office Fundraising Challenge- Speak with everyone in your office and get them to challenge each other to raise the highest amount. Give the "winner" a prize. Maybe some movie passes? Gift certificate to dinner?
30.  Business Cards- Print up some inexpensive business cards (you can even do it on your own computer). Have all the pertinent information on the card including your name, name of the event, and your address (or PO Box #). Hand these out to everyone your meet!
31. Meet the Press- Does your company distribute a newsletter? Does your company have interoffice e-mail? Take advantage of these! It's a perfect way to get the word out.
32. Company Vacation Days- Ask your boss or human resources director if they can swap one of your vacation days for a day's pay.
33. Dress Down Day- Ask your company to allow an official Arthritis Walk Dress Down Day. For the privilege of dressing down, employees donate $20.00 toward the walk.
34. Computer Screen Savers- Create an Arthritis Walk Screen Saver and send it to everyone in your company! A gentle reminder is a good reminder!  

Arts/Crafts:
35. Creative Friends- Find a local artist or ask a creative friend if they would donate a piece of art or some jewelry that you could auction off.
36. Color Donation Letters- These can be very eye-catching. Send them in colored envelopes, too. These will stand out among your friends' bills and stuff.
37. Inspirational Book Marks- Create them and sell them to your friends and family.

Friendly Chores:
38. Baby-sitting- Offer up your and/or your teenager's services and let your friends have a nice, quiet night out of the house!
39. Pet sit- Are your neighbors going away and they don't want to leave "Spot" at the boarding facility? Again, offer up your services and charge them what they would have had to pay at the facility!
40. House sit- Friends going out of town for a while? Maybe they need a warm body to stay in their place in their absence!
41. Neighborhood Chores- Are you a Mr. Or Ms. Fix-it? A lot of your neighbors would probably rather pay you than someone else. Place signs around your neighborhood advertising your services (i.e. watering gardens, cleaning roof gutters, sweeping the driveway, fixing an easy plumbing problem, painting a room, etc.)
42. Errand boy/girl- Offer to be your friends and coworkers personal assistant for a day (or maybe for just a few hours) in exchange for a large donation. Maybe $250.00 or more!
43. Be a Massage Therapist for a day- For every contribution of $100 offer a massage to the donor

Coins/Change:
44. Extra Change In My Pocket" Box- Create these little boxes for your friends and family and have them place it on their dresser. At the end of the day they can drop that spare change in the box.
45. Start your own Extra Change Box- Keep a jar near your door and every day put all your extra coins in it. It adds up. Or put it on your desk at work - others will join you.

Computer/Internet:
46. Internet Chat Rooms- post a message on an Internet chat room. You'd be amazed at how many people you don't even know who will be willing to help you.
47. Web Site Creation- Create your own website about your journey. Send an e-mail to everyone on your contact list and invite them to visit the website. You can do this be registering on-line at www.arthritis.org

Ask Local Businesses:
48. Travel Agency- Do you always make your travel plans through the same agency? Ask them to donate a travel voucher. You can auction it off at one of your parties.
49. Doctor/Therapist/Veterinarian/Insurance Agent- Ask him/her to make a check out for you instead of the other way around!
50. Dentist- Hopefully you won't have to pull teeth to get him/her to help you out a little!
51. Chiropractor- They've cracked your back. Now ask them to crack open their checkbook and make a pledge.  
52. Yoga Instructor- You've bent over backwards for them-now it's their turn to do the same for you!
53. Radio Station- Call your favorite radio station and ask them to make an announcement on the air. They may even interview you. Donations can be sent directly to you.
54. Gym- Ask you gym to place a Make a Donation Jar at the front desk! Leave a stack of brochures at the counter, too.
55. Spinning Class- Have a stack of brochures with you and ask your spinning instructor to make an announcement in class.
56. Hair Salon- Ask your barber or hairdresser to donate $2.00 of every haircut they complete over one weekend.
57. Free Rent! Ask your landlord to donate one-month's rent to the cause!
58. Movie ticket donation- Ask your local movie house to donate several movie tickets. Sell them and put the money toward your pledges.
59. Local theater to donate tickets to a performance- Ask a local theater to donate a couple tickets to one of their plays or musicals and auction them off.
60. Good Karma Tipping Jar- Ask local businesses to put one of those jars near the register or on their front counter. Tape of picture of yourself or someone you know with arthritis and write a short explanation of why you're raising money.
61. Garden Tour- Check with a local historical society to see if they would sponsor a garden tour of one or several homes in your area. Promote the event in local newspapers.
62. Local Stores- Ask a local store manager what the hot selling item is these days and THEN ask them if they'd be willing to donate a % of the sales from that particular item to you.
63. Sporting Good Companies- Contact a couple of the sporting good companies. Tell them what you're walking for and ask them if they would like to sponsor you! Ask big and ye shall receive!
64. Mechanic- You've given them lots of money to work on your car. Now it's time for them to give a little back to you!
65. Clubs and organizations- Send a solicitation letter to your local Knights of Columbus, Lions Club, Rotary Club, Kiwanis, etc. They support individuals in their communities.
66. Contact your local paper and get an article.  Make sure that you put in information about how people can contribute. And have a photo ready to go! 

Awareness:
67. Answering Machine Message- This will alert everyone who calls you at home that you're up to something special! Let them know that you need their support!
68. Return Address Labels- Print return address labels for your outgoing mail. Print something like, "I'm walking in the fight against Arthritis - Will you please donate to this wonderful cause?"
69. Signing your Correspondence- Get in the habit of signing your note cards and letters with your name AND Arthritis Walk participant. You'll be surprised at how many people will ask you what that means.
70. Neighbor- Write to all your neighbors on your block (or in your building). Attach a letter stating what you're training for and ask them to make a donation.
71. In memory of- If you're walking in honor of a loved one, include a picture of you with your loved one in your letter, on posters, etc.
72. Share the Walk- Tell your story. The more you talk about your upcoming adventure, the more people will share in that excitement and want to donate to you.  

Sponsorship:
73. Corporate Matching Gift- Ask your company to match the amount of pledges you receive from your fellow co-workers.
74. Your own personal friend Matching Gift- Ask a friend to see if they can investigate getting their company to match pledges.
75. Corporate Sponsorship- Identify one or several large companies and contact them directly. They may be willing to sponsor you completely.
76. Company Grants- Find out if your company offers grants to employees who volunteer their time for charitable causes. If so, you can volunteer your time at the Arthritis Foundation's office and get paid grant money (donations!) for the work.
77. Beneficiaries- Get to know them well. You'll be asked where the money is going and it will be very impressive to a potential donor if you're able to speak eloquently about it.  

School/College:
78. Universities and Colleges- Contact your local schools and ask if you can put an advertisement in their school newsletter asking for donations. Some of the organizations may even invite you to make a short presentation.
79. Fraternities and Sororities- Contact the National Chapter of your college Fraternity or Sorority and ask them to make a donation.
80. Alumni Organizations- Call your own college or university and ask them to place an ad in the alumni newsletter asking for donations.

Other:
81. Birthday gift pledge- This is a very simple way to raise money and it'll be a lot easier for your friends and family to write you a check instead of spending hours trying to shop for you!
82. Picnics- National Holiday Picnics are a great place to raise some money!
83. Sell Spokes- Sell each spoke of your wheels for $20.00 each.
84. Pet Birthday Party- I know this may sound a little dorky, BUT people love their pets. And they love other pets-even yours. Get the word out that if they were thinking about buying "Sparky" if a new toy maybe they should think about writing a check out to the Arthritis Foundation instead!
85. Curse Jar- C'mon, everyone does it. Now they'll have to pay for it. Place a Curse Jar in your office and whenever someone says a bad word they have to open up their wallet, grab a dollar and put it in the jar.
86. Church Bulletin- place an advertisement in your Church bulletin letting the congregation know what you're up to!
87. Walk Along- Ask a potential donor to walk along on one of your training walks. They may be more willing to donate once they fully understand what you've committed to doing!
88. Shop at Wal Mart- Some Wal Marts have a Sunshine Fund to support individuals in the community
89. Remind Them- In case you didn't receive an answer the first time you asked-ask again! Your potential donor may need a little coaxing.
90. Ask someone you don't know for money!
91. Send Updates and a reminder on how to support you in your efforts
92. Write to your local politicians! You supported them don't you think they should support you?
93. Temporary Tattoos- Swap a temporary tattoo for a donation.
94. Do you have a favorite magazine- Call the editor and ask them to sponsor you on the walk. If you've subscribed to a particular magazine for a long time they may be willing to give something back to you.
95. Make your own contribution- Lead the way by making your donation first.
96. Send a letter or e-mail asking for support to EVERYONE you know.
97. Ask for the right amount- Take a good look at who you're asking for donations and make sure you ask for the right amount. Don't ask for $100.00 if you know they can pledge $1000.00.
98. Don't get discouraged!
99. Start now! The earlier you begin fundraising the better off you'll be. You'll be able to go way beyond what you ever could expect.
100. Ask. Ask. Ask. Ask. Ask. Ask. Ask. Ask. Ask. - And ask again!