Fundraising Tips

Sign up Online
Sign up to use the Relay For Life^® online fundraising Web site and make your own personal Web page. Start by clicking on "Start a Team" or "Join a Team" under "Sign Up". If you need help, please click here to find your local American Cancer Society office, or call 1.800.ACS.2345.

Email Your Friends and Family
Send emails to everyone you know using our easy and fun-to-use email tool. Import your address book, use one of our email templates or create your own, track results, and follow up. Soon, credit card donations will start rolling in.

The Mighty Pen
Send a letter in the mail to friends, family, business associates, vendors, doctor, dentist, insurance agents, hairdresser, congregants, and co-workers asking for their support. Let them know why you Relay or dedicate your effort to someone you know. Include your story; heartfelt messages get the best response. Don’t forget to send a thank you note to people who donate.

One a Day
Ask a different person each day to make a contribution. If you get four $25 gifts, you will have raised $100 in less than a week. Don’t be afraid to ask for larger gifts. Cancer is an issue that affects us all, and most people are happy to donate when asked.

Double Your Money
Many employers offer matching funds programs. Most of these programs match contributions dollar for dollar, and some will even double or triple the amount of your gift. Inquire with your personnel/HR department to complete the paperwork required to get your gift matched. Visit our Matching Gifts page.

Bring It Along
Take your Web site's address and contribution form everywhere you go and ask everyone you interact with to support you. Remember, the fight against cancer is a great cause, and most people want to help.

Talk It Up
Ask for a few minutes on the agenda of any meetings you will be attending. Explain why you Relay and ask for everyone’s support. If you are dedicating your efforts to someone who has had cancer, tell that person’s story.

Sports Team pledges
Ask donors to pledge per point that their favorite sports team scores.

Clean House
Clean out your garage or home and set up a Relay For Life^® donation booth in exchange for your finds. Ask your friends and neighbors to donate their stuff to you, explaining that all proceeds go to the fight against cancer.

Pet sitter
Ask for a donation to take care of someone’s pet while they are away.

Celebrate
If a birthday or holiday is coming up, tell your family and friends that in lieu of a gift, you would like them to make a donation to the American Cancer Society for your Relay For Life^®.

Pin It Up
Post your Web site address or contribution form on the bulletin board or in the newsletter at church or temple, in the office, at the gym, or at school. Make sure to highlight your name, phone number, email address, and team Web page address.

Send the Message
Change the recording on your voicemail or answering machine to mention Relay For Life^® and how callers can make a donation. Then, when you call people back, ask them to sponsor you. When emailing friends, add a “PS” asking for their support. Be sure to include your web address in your signature.

Questions for a Buck
One individual raised money by having her boss, who was constantly being asked questions by everyone to start charging a buck for each question. Word spread and everyone started asking questions and paying up.

Hair Raising fun
Agree to have someone shave their head or dye their hair purple at the Relay once a certain amount of money has been raised. Be sure to set a high goal!

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Challenge Each Other
Get a Team thermometer to track your goals. Bring to each Team Captain meeting and hold challenges between teams. Drive your fundraising effort through healthy competition.

Open Parties or Private Parties
Have a community-wide or private dinner. These may include a progressive dinner, tapas party, or any other themed event. While these take more coordination and preparation, they can be big fundraisers. Attendees are asked to make a donation. Many teams have success with Super Bowl or other Sports championship games.

Yard Displays
Place plastic pink flamingos, wooden cows, or a purple toilet in the front yard of unsuspecting donors. Request a donation to remove them, an additional donation for the homeowners to pick whose yard they are placed in next, and another donation as insurance that they don’t wind up back in their yard. Please exercise good judgment when engaging in this activity.

Give Rewards
Ask your boss to offer an extra vacation day or casual day to the team member who raises the most money. If your team is the highest fundraising team within the company, see if everyone on the team can have a day off or casual day.

Give Prizes
Get some great prizes donated to your team. Try gift certificates at a restaurant or spa. Then auction them off to the highest bidders. Remember your team members may also be eligible for Incentive Prizes given by the American Cancer Society.

Team Sponsors
Service clubs, organizations, and businesses are often team sponsors. Many organizations have a specified dollar amount they are required to invest in the community each year. Ask early before someone beats you to it!

Honor Loved Ones
Create quilt squares in honor of, or in memory of loved ones with cancer. Accept varying donations for different sizes: a 4” square for $5, an 8” square for $15, and a 12” square for $25. Display the quilt in the lobby at work, school, health club, or place of worship. If you can’t use fabric, try something else like card stock.

Car Washes
A team car wash is usually held at a local gas station where people can get their cars washed and have the opportunity to make a donation.

Lotta Bottles/Cans
Each team member runs a bottle or can drive in their area. Go door-to-door and collect bottles and cans from your neighbors and friends to be redeemed at a recycling center.

Penny Wars
Compete against another Relay team or between departments in your workplace to see who can collect the most pennies for Relay. All silver and paper money in the penny jars count against the total number of pennies, so each team tries to sabotage each other’s jars with bills and large coins.

Restaurants to the rescue
Ask a local restaurant to contribute a portion of their sales proceeds. It could be for a certain menu item or for certain hours of a day. This arrangement requires a co-venture agreement, so be sure to contact your Relay staff partner for assistance.

Book sale
Gather books from friends and family and have a book sale! Download the Fundraising Tips booklet
It has more helpful hints on raising support. Don't hesitate to call or email us to make this the most successful Relay For Life^® yet!

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When planning fundraising at your Relay, think about incorporating an educational message while raising funds. Talk with your Relay Staff partner for ideas.

Auctions
Conduct a silent auction. Donated auction items can include sporting event tickets, weekend getaways, and gift baskets. Tangible auction items are subject to sales tax. Please work with your Relay Staff partner and use the proper envelope for the proceeds of these sales.

Butts in a jar
Collect and count discarded cigarette butts before the event and put them in a large jar with an anti-tobacco message attached. At Relay, people can guess how many “Butts in a Jar” for a suggested donation. Now it’s an educational activity, and a fundraiser!

Cakewalk
Have each team bring a cake to the opening ceremonies at Relay. Schedule the cakewalk at the peak time of Relay. Suggest a donation to participate. This works like musical chairs - when a number is drawn the person on that numbered square on the track wins a cake.

Feed the Relayers
Get healthy treats and snacks, cookies, popcorn, and drinks donated to your team, then offer them to fellow Relayers for a suggested donation. We are required to pay sales tax on sales of all hot food (except hot drinks), soda, and tangible goods. Please see your Relay Staff partner for special envelopes and more guidelines.

General Store
Have extra campsite supplies available for a suggested donation for people who forgot something (toothbrushes, extra blankets, flash light, bug spray).

Glow Gear
When the sun goes down, sell stuff that glows in the dark.

Jail & Bail
For a suggested donation, participants can have someone “arrested.” For an additional suggested donation, the person who is arrested can post bail.

Raffles
Conduct a raffle. Donated raffle items can include small appliances, gift certificates, etc. Please contact your Relay Staff partner prior to the event for guidelines.

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