Raising Funds for RPS/MSS Alliances

Fundraising to support your Resident Physician Spouse (RPS)/Medical Student Spouse (MSS) group does not have to be an unpleasant, unproductive process, honest! The 10 Fundraising Reality Checks follow along with an additional list of Fundraising Ideas to help your group figure out what it might take to procure funding and what might work best for you.

The 10 Fundraising Reality Checks Every Alliance Should Know:

Reality Check 1: Audience – Who are you asking?
● Business/Corporation
● Universities
● Other Community Groups
● Government
● Individuals (consider age groups)
● Grants

You must know the audience before requesting funding, and format your request accordingly. Research the business, group, etc. in the same manner you would research a potential employer in advance of a job interview. Utilize your resources so that you know as much as you possibly can about the organization, what other groups the organization has previously supported, what the organization’s goals are, etc.

Example: If you want to ask the university to support your Alliance, arm yourself with information about how the Alliance benefits the university and the community. Utilize resources from the AMA Alliance, such as “What the AMA Alliance Does For RPS/MSS Groups.”

Reality Check 2: Money – What do you want?
If your Alliance is asking for money, ask for money. Be straightforward with the request, and stand behind the solicitation.

Reality Check 3: Costs – What is the cost of operating the event?
● How much money does your Alliance need to fund the event?
● Is this an event that is primarily profit with low costs?
● Does your Alliance have an adequate budget to support this event if it is not successful?
● Create a budget. Consider hidden costs such as: advertising, printing tickets, food/snacks, drink, rentals, product costs, decorations, supplies, travel/gasoline, etc.

Reality Check 4: Purpose – Why is your Alliance raising money?
Are you raising money for your Alliance or for a charity your Alliance supports?

Some sources suggest that funds to be used internally should be raised internally; however, given the nature of Alliance events that include both charitable and health promotion activities, this adage appears inapplicable. Nonetheless, Alliances should consider the fact that they may come upon individuals who strongly believe this adage applies, and this may affect their giving habits.

Reality Check 5: Benefit – Why should your audience give your Alliance money?
What benefit will your audience receive by giving your alliance money?

For some events purchasing tickets may guarantee the supporter a specific benefit (i.e., the ability to play in a golf tournament). For other events, however, your audience may not receive a tangible item in return for their donation. Consider nontangible returns your Alliance can give to your donors, such as recognition, publicity, or simply the “good feeling” donors receive for making the donation.

Donors want to know what benefits their donation will make to your Alliance or its charitable cause. This provides an opportunity to place a positive spin on the solicitation. Studies show that the audience wants to know the (a) impact their gift will have, and (b) immediacy of that impact. Consider the answers to these two questions early in the fundraising planning process.

Reality Check 6: Venue – Where will the Alliance event be held?
Do you need permission to use the venue? Does the venue match your audience? Is the venue season appropriate? Does your venue coordinate with your cause?

Finding the right location to host an event is often as important as the event itself. For example, if your Alliance is hosting an event to raise money for a local women’s shelter, consider venues like women’s boutiques, grocery stores, hair salons, or spas. If your Alliance is hosting an event to support the Children’s Hospital, consider venues like children’s sporting events, parks, carnivals, libraries, and other locations that attract parents, grandparents, and others particularly interested in supporting children’s causes.

Also consider locations such as malls, schools, universities, hospitals, businesses, downtown business areas, sporting events, stores, churches, community centers, farms, or unique options like a farmers market booth, a coffee shop, a favorite pub, an art/craft fair stand, food courts, book signings, festivals, or a vineyard or brewery. Always consider a back-up venue in case of emergencies or last-minute issues.

Reality Check 7: Teamwork – Can your Alliance handle this?
Organization is key when planning a fundraising event.

Pick a team captain to head up the event. Choose a team secretary & treasurer. Assign team members to work on specific areas of the project. Assign volunteers to certain teams, each team having a specific duty and area of expertise. Determine, in advance, how the team will communicate in advance of the event, and during the event. This is a great opportunity to develop leadership skills and to encourage involvement in both large and small responsibilities.

Also consider:
● Can your Alliance partner with another community group to support this event?
● This may allow your Alliance to host a larger or more prestigious event, and share the costs and benefits with the other group(s).
● Can your Alliance partner with a business to support this event? Is there a local business that is a particular favorite of residents/students that might consider the opportunity to partner with the Alliance a great opportunity to advertise?

Reality Check 8: Appearances – How will your audience view the group, event or project?
What image do you hope to project? What image do you wish to avoid?

Remember that in many cases your fundraising event may be the first opportunity your organization has to introduce your audience to your Alliance. Think about your group and its goals/activities so that you will be able to respond when people ask, “What is the Alliance?”

Reality Check 9: Knowledge – Are you ready to answer questions from supporters?
Research shows that donors need a lot of information before deciding to donate, particularly if the group is unfamiliar to the donor. Donors are skeptical. Donors want to know the character of your organization, the impact of their donation, and that you will use the money in the manner in which you advertised it would be used.

If someone asks you a question you cannot answer, be honest. Thank them for their very good question, and tell them you will find them an answer. Be sure to follow-up with an answer that is honest, and accurate, and thank them again for their insightful question.

Reality Check 10: Follow-up – How will you thanks your supporters?
Thanking your supporters is critical, and must be planned simultaneously with planning the event. Studies indicate that gratitude does not have to cost a penny, but failing to do so can cost thousands in future donations. Groups can thank supporters with a simple handwritten note, an advertisement in the school or local paper, or even by individually thanking attendees at the event. The method of expressing thanks is important, but the real key is to be certain your group
shows gratitude.

Fundraising Ideas
Sports
● Homerun Derby. Pull out the bats and toss on a ball cap! Utilize a community or school baseball field and let participants show off their athletic abilities in a homerun contest. Divide participants into teams - - the team with the most homeruns win. Have subcontests for the longest and shortest homeruns, etc.
● 3-on-3 Basketball/4-on-4 Volleyball Tournament. Organize a basketball or volleyball tournament with teams of three or four and play until you have the top winners. Purchase small trophies for the winners. Also consider: Flag Football Tournament, Golf Tournament, Fishing Derby
● Concession Stand. “Get your peanuts!” by working a concession stand at a local sporting event. Many minor league teams allow community organizations to run their concession stands to raise money. The organization works throughout the game, and earns a set amount for their work.

Auctions
● Auctions can be extremely successful fundraisers. Auctions can be as simple as
auctioning off bake goods or picnic baskets or luxurious as auctioning off amazing
donations from individuals and businesses in the community. Consider your resources to determine the best auction for your Alliance.

Sales
● Costume Sale: Visit local discount clothing stores and Salvation Army locations to piece together inexpensive costumes before the Halloween season. Host a sale for other students/residents to search through the costumes to find unique Halloween costumes.
● Vintage Sale: Vintage clothing and jewelry is all the rage in the fashion world. Raid Grandma’s and Great Auntie’s attics/basement for unique costume jewelry and clothing items for a special vintage sale. Advertise the sale in local boutiques, favorite teen hangouts, and college haunts.
● Baby Goods Sale: Gather slightly used baby/kiddy goods to resale. Advertise at libraries, YMCA’s, parks, schools, etc.
● Cookbook Compilation & Sale: Organize members’ favorite recipes into a special
resident/student cookbook for sale in the community. Consider contacting favorite
restaurants for recipes. Include recipes from favorite physicians/attendees and their families in the book.

Food
● Boils and Clambakes: There’s nothing better than a great seafood boil or clambake during the prime of seafood season. Host a crawfish, crab, or lobster boil to raise money for your Alliance. Contact local vendors to donate food and paper products.
● Cook-offs: Consider hosting a cookoff where friends and members of the community can show off their cooking skills. Organize a group of local chefs to judge the event, and award ribbons to the top choices. Some ideas for cookoffs include: chili cookoff, gumbo cookoff, salsa cookoff, rib cookoff, etc. Host the event at a park or a backyard to keep costs down, and a charge an entry fee to attendees.
● Wine Tasting: Host a wine tasting. Each couple/attendee brings three bottles of wine. The first two bottles of wine are used for tasting and rating. The third bottles are given out as prizes to the attendees who brought the best rated wines.
● Cooking Demonstration: Ask your local star chef or baker to host a cooking
demonstration.

Talent
● Concert: Does your Alliance have a particularly talented member(s)? Utilize their talents by hosting an event showcasing their artistic skills. Friends or family members of your Alliance may also be valuable resources for finding talent to host an event. Also consider talented musicians, artists, etc. at the local university or musical conservatory to provide musical entertainment.
● Art Show: Does your Alliance have an artist? Or is there a local artist in town with
whom your Alliance could partner to host an art exhibition? Contact a coffee shop or martini bar that is particularly supportive of the arts to host an art show. This event will benefit all parties involved:
1. Artist – opportunity to show her work to a large crowd of potential buyers.
2. Venue – opportunity to bring in a large crowd to purchase drinks/food/etc.
3. Alliance – by charging a nominal fee at the door the Alliance makes a profit with
little overhead in planning the event other than the organizational and advertising
efforts.
● Guest Speaker: Does your Alliance have access to a particularly respected individual who may consider giving a talk on an issue important to community members? Organize a special presentation with this speaker as the lead commentator. Hold the presentation at a library or community center to keep costs down. Consider your potential audience to narrow topics.
● Symposium: Partner with the university/college to host a symposium on an important issue facing your community.

Fashion
● Solicit local businesses/ boutiques/ department stores to showcase their latest fashions—anything from wedding wear to baby fashions to sports apparel can be used. Possible fashion shows include: Baby/Kids Clothing, Exercise Gear (promoting health lifestyles), University apparel, Wedding Fashions, or Outerwear.

Advertisements
● Community Guide for new residents/students: Survey your Alliance to determine the best your community has to offer – restaurants, apartment complexes, realtors, boutiques, car repairmen, grocers, butchers, coffee shops, etc. Organize a guide to provide to incoming students/residents to familiarize them with the best businesses in your community. Contact these preferred businesses to place an advertisement in the guide for a fee. Note to the businesses that your guide is distinct because it includes a special endorsement from residents/students so that new residents/students know that the business is superior and caters to residents/students.
● Discount Card: Solicit businesses in the area to provide a 10% discount to individuals who purchase a special discount card created by your Alliance.

Games and Parties
● A Christmas Cottage/Decorator’s Showplace Tour: Residents and students may not live in the showiest homes in town, but many live in darling houses or cottages. Partner with local designers to host a decorator’s tour with the w/emphasis on the “Christmas Cottage.”
● Casino Night
● Cinco de Mayo Party
● Beer, Babes & Bowling Block Party
● Dance Marathon
● Kissing Marathon (Old School Ideas)
● Kid’s Carnival
● Bake Sale
● Cocktail Party Candy Sale
● Venetian Nights
● Christmas Cookie Sale
● Mardi Gras Event
● Rummage/Garage Sale
● Bottle Drive
● HOLIDAYS Raffles (tickets to sporting events, spa days, jewelry, etc.)
● Easter Egg Hunt
● Pumpkin Sales/Carving Contest
● HARD LABOR
● New Year’s Eve Party Snow Removal/Shoveling
● St. Patrick’s Day Party
● Pet Wash/Walk
● Raking Leaves/Yard Work
● Christmas in July Party Car Wash
● House Cleaning