Adoption Fundraising: Top 15 Tips

I am so excited to introduce y’all to the Gullet family.  They adopted their precious son with the help of Christian Adoption Consultants and are now in the process of adopting a baby girl.  Today, Kristi is sharing her top 15 fundraising tips for families starting the fundraising process.

Top 15 Fundraising Tips 

1. Pray Pray Pray - before you even start fundraising - pray that the Lord will give you wisdom, ideas and patience as you walk this road before you.  Depending on the Lord through prayer and spending time in His Word will strengthen you for this journey.
2. Spend time brainstorming with your spouse, friends and family. Ask people for ideas and see if there are any people in your life that will join with you and help you fundraise.   We also included our children in our brainstorming.
3. Be a joyful receiver.  People love giving to a family that is so thankful for whatever someone can give. Whether it is a monetary donation or donation of items that they can sell to bring in money, people love to give to someone that has a thankful heart.  We wrote a lot of thank you notes as a family. We heard such good words from others when we thanked them. It seemed that when people gave, and we were thankful they desired to sometimes give again. It really gives people a good impression of fundraising when the person receiving is abundantly grateful.  So many people and organizations are raising money. Often times people will donate, but not hear anything after the donation is given. Why not make a list of people that donated and gave and when the child arrives, send them another thank you note.  It makes their hearts so happy to see the blessing they helped with. It helps them to see adoption in a positive light.
4. Keep family and family time a priority. At times it can seem as if you are eating, sleeping, dreaming and talking about fundraising all the time. Remember to take breaks and step back from it. When others see you, be interested in them and try not to constantly talk about your own fundraising.  It will show others that you are a "real" person and that you know how to keep it in balance.  You don't want others running away when they see you coming. You want them embracing you and praying for you and your journey.
5. Take time to apply for grants. There are so many wonderful organizations out there.  We applied for 10 grants and we received 2 or 3 each time.  You just never know.  It may seem as if you won't get any, but often times you really don't know and trying is worth it.  Have your older children help you fill out the applications.  Many of them require some of the same things and a child could be a wonderful helper with this task.
6. Try to think about fundraisers that will be time profitable.  Sometimes the little fundraisers seem fun, but they don't bring in a large amount of money for the time you have to spend on them.   Think about a couple bigger fundraisers and spend your time planning and putting those together. A few ideas for this are : online auctions, matching grants, a larger dinner or breakfast at your church, a 5K race, a silent auction at your home with a picnic
7. Look for places that offer tax deductible receipts for those that do donate. We live in a time of the "financial crunch" so helping families by finding an organization that will offer this to them, it helps them as they help you.
8. Set up a blog and keep others informed. Have a thermometer on your blog so others can see how your fundraising is going.  Write a little of your story. People enjoy giving when they know your journey.  Put a paypal donate button on your blog.  Write up about your fundraisers on your blog and show others ways they can be a part of your adoption journey.
9. Pace your fundraisers. Maybe have a fundraiser every 4 months or so.  Realize that your circle of friends and family is only so big and you can only knock on their doors so many times.  People have families and other things they are going through that require their finances.  Be sensitive to those that have given and be careful to just ask people once or twice to help.  This will keep others thankful for you and what you are doing.
10. See if your church has an adoption program or adoption grant program.
11. See if your place of employment offers any reimbursement for adoption. Some larger corporations do and this can be very helpful.
12. Try to think of ways you can expand your circle beyond  your friends and family so that you are getting others that you may not know to give. This can be helpful because friends and family want to give and help, but many times it is just once that they can afford to.
13. Include your family in fundraising. It can be exciting for children to share their ideas and for them to help. Be willing to delegate and cheer your family on. Fundraising isn't just about getting money, it is about teaching others about the Lord and the beauty of adoption, growing as a family in new areas and cheering each other on.  When you work together, you grow together!
14. Have a garage sale and ask others to donate so that you have lots of different items to offer. 
15. Look around your home and see if there are things you can part with and sell them on Craigslist or ebay.  It is a great way to clean out your home and raise money at the same time.

Follow the Gullet's adoption journey here

Maybe you aren't currently in the adoption process, but would love the opportunity to bless a family who is fundraising.  Consider supporting the Gullet family's current Blessings in a Bottle fundraiser by visit here and here

Prefer to give a tax deductible donation?  visit: adopttogether for more information

Interested in receiving more information about fundraising and access to resources to help you fund your adoption? Then working with an adoption consultant might be a good fit for your family.  Email me at leah@christianadoptionconsultants.com.