Have you ever thought about all the different adoption fundraising ideas out there? We have…and there are a TON!
We know how important fundraising can be in the adoption process. Our list of 101 adoption fundraising ideas was inspired with 3 goals in mind:
1. Organize our favorite adoption fundraisers to save you hours of time.
2. Provide creative and effective ways to fund your adoption.
3. Help get you on your way to adopt debt-free.
Every family’s adoption journey is unique, including the process of funding it. Few have the money available to write a check for $25,000 or more. It’s more than likely that you will have to look beyond your own savings to cover the costs of adoption by applying for grants, hosting fundraising events, using adoption crowdfunding sites, taking out loans, asking your employer about adoption benefits and whatever other creative ways you can conjure up.
We’re living proof that debt-free adoption is possible and you can do it, too! Stay focused and don’t give up. You can do this!
Finding financial assistance and fundraising for your adoption will take resourcefulness and perseverance. Since we started fundraising back in 2012, we’ve spent countless hours Googling adoption fundraising ideas, experimenting with some of our own, coaching other families and reading about hundreds of fundraisers on adoption blogs. This post is loaded with links to our favorite adoption fundraising ideas and resources.
Don’t forget that your family should be willing to make sacrifices throughout the adoption process. Whether you like it or not, other people will be watching your every move…your shopping, the vacations you take, and the restaurants you eat at.
If you’re asking people to give up Starbucks or a dinner out to donate funds toward your adoption, you should be visibly leading the way! Go the extra mile in your fundraising efforts, and your donors will take notice and not hesitate to join in.
We can’t promise that fundraising for your adoption will be easy, but the moment your child comes home and becomes a permanent member of your family, you’ll agree that fundraising is totally worth it! Not every adoption fundraising idea below is a good fit for your family.
List out the fundraisers you plan to do and create a simple fundraising calendar with all your events and activities. Remember that your adoption fundraising should be fun and easy for others to get involved. Here goes…
101 Adoption Fundraising Ideas
1. Adoption Crowdfunding – We’ve spent hours and hours researching the best online fundraising sites for adoption and we think every family should create an adoption fundraising profile that allows for tax-deductible donations.
AdoptTogether – Our favorite online fundraising site for adoption as well as the most effective tool for managing all of your donations no matter which fundraisers you choose! AdoptTogether is an adoption fundraising platform that allows you to raise 100% of the expenses for domestic, international, and embryo adoptions. All donations are tax-deductible and updated in real-time. AdoptTogether is easy to use and allows you to manage all of your adoption fundraisers completely online.
*EXCLUSIVE BONUS*
Fundraise with AdoptTogether and get total access to The Fund Your Adoption Bootcamp. We’ll personally coach your family at no cost. Over $800 in value –> FREE
2. Adoption T-Shirts – It seems like everyone is selling adoption tees. We think you should, too, because t-shirt fundraisers are really effective. Our favorite adoption t-shirt fundraising site is Bonfire.
Bonfire is an online fundraising site that provides a risk-free way to create and sell custom t-shirts. There are no upfront costs, no inventory, and no shipping. Bonfire will print and deliver the shirts to your supporters. If you’re selling adoption t-shirts, we recommend Bonfire. Sign up using now and you will receive an extra $1 per shirt sold up to $100!
If you have time to manage your t-shirt fundraiser yourself and enjoy keeping track of inventory and shipping, then check out Fund The Nations. They have a really nice selection of pre-made adoption designs or they will customize one just for you.
Adoption Announcements
3. Personal Fundraising Letter – Send a letter to family, friends, co-workers and church members explaining your needs, your goals, and offering different levels of donations. Ask by mail, email, or your blog and share via social media. There’s no right or wrong way to do this. Each family is different and will use different methods to share their story in a way that reflects their unique personality.
Share from the heart and be specific when you share your adoption story. Don’t be afraid to tell people why you are adopting, the amount of money you need, and how to get involved. Remember you’ll need more than just financial support while you’re fundraising. Don’t forget to set up your adoption fundraising profile and direct donors where they can make their tax-deductible online and check donations.
A couple of good resources to help you write your fundraising letter include:
- 11 Tips to Write an Effective Adoption Fundraising Letter
- “Dear Friends and Family” – Sample Adoption Announcement Letters
- How to fundraise for your adoption
4. Message In A Bottle – “We’re Adopting!” Tell your friends and family your adoption story through this fundraiser. Once the announcement is read, they will be asked to fill up the bottle with coins and return to you to help kick-start your fundraising. Similar to the Baby Bottle Change Jar fundraiser, this one is great for adoptive families who don’t know the age of the child they will be adopting since a baby bottle might not fit their message well.
5. Adoption Prayer Bracelets – Invite others to join you on your adoption journey by selling these prayer bracelets. This affiliate program lets you share your heart for adoption and earn a percentage of every bracelet your visitors purchase through your unique link.
Auctions & Raffles
6. Silent Auction – This is a great addition to many fundraising events! Solicit people and businesses for donated items and services and provide bidding sheets for each item. Throughout the event, supporters can write their bids on each item’s bid sheet. When the auction concludes, the highest bid takes home the prize! Check out this list of 75 ideas for silent auctions.
7. Online Auction – If you’re not up for hosting an in-person auction, consider taking it online. 32Auctions provides a way for families to host an online auction for free (for 20 items or less) or for $80 for up to 100 items. Another great platform is Bidding Owl. Fundraising families can also use their blog or a Facebook page to post pictures of auction items and accept bids through comments or via email, but this method can be quite taxing if there are many items. Plus, you are responsible for collecting payment using this platform which can be a hassle. Since items will have to be shipped to winners, go after items that are electronic (i.e. e-gift cards or printable tickets), easily shipped (i.e. jewelry and clothing) or that can be shipped by the donor (i.e. an Etsy store owner who is donating an item to help promote her business and will ship to the winner after the auction concludes) to cut down on your overhead expenses.
8. Online Raffle – Rafflecopter is a great way to host a raffle online. Determine your prizes (cash or non-cash prizes such as getaways, tickets, unique experiences or an iPad) and seek to have them all donated. Everyone loves to get in on some action like this because of the chance to win something cool, and you’ll likely find huge success with this if shared well on social media.
9. 50/50 Raffle – A great add-on to an existing fundraising event. Sell raffle tickets for a set fee, and then during or at the end of the event, select a ticket from the stash. The winner gets 50% of the donated funds! Be sure to check out the rules and regulations in your state before you conduct a raffle! We don’t want to see anyone land themselves in jail.
10. Timeshare Getaway Raffle – Awesome vacation fundraising idea! Create a timeshare getaway raffle to raise money for your adoption. For $10, $25, $50 or whatever amount you set, supporters can donate a financial gift and they are entered to win a week-long stay at your timeshare. Some timeshare companies will even let you trade in a week at one location to stay at other resorts around the world.
11. Toy Auction – Ask for gently used toys from friends, family and others in the community. Then organize a live, silent or online auction where people can bid on toys for their children. Who isn’t on the lookout for a good deal?
Holiday Fundraisers
12. Pumpkin Painting Festival – One of our favorite fall fundraisers is the pumpkin painting festival. This simple, easy-to-plan fundraiser will surely be a hit no matter how big of a crowd. The kids will love it!
13. Punkin Chunkin – Outrageously fun post-Halloween adoption fundraiser where your friends, family and community will gather together with their old pumpkins and launch them through the air with a catapult. Everyone loves this one!
14. Turkey Raffle – There are a few great fundraisers to consider around Thanksgiving, but our favorite is the turkey raffle! Everyone will be buying a turkey, so shoot for this simple and effective fundraiser to bring in some quick cash. Setup a raffle in early November where each $1 donation earns them an entry into a drawing for a Thanksgiving turkey! Be sure to draw your winner several days before Thanksgiving so that everyone has time to plan accordingly.
15. Breakfast With Santa – Unfortunately, Santa didn’t drop down our chimney and hang an envelope on the tree for our family on Christmas morning to pay for our adoption expenses. However, this event let’s Santa play a part in helping to pull off a fun-filled Christmas fundraiser that is great for the whole family.
16. Holiday Marketplace – This Christmas-themed open house hosted 15 vendors of home sale businesses (Mary Kay, Thirty-one Bags, etc) as well as friends who sold handmade crafts, in one family’s home on a Saturday afternoon in November for a day filled with food, shopping and holiday cheer.
17. Gift Wrapping – Use various holidays to set up a fundraising gift wrapping booth at prime locations (don’t forget Mother’s Day and Valentine’s Day). Ask around at malls and shopping centers to see where these types of services are acceptable. Invite friends or family to sign up for 2-3 hour shifts to volunteer alongside you.
18. Poinsettia Sale – Reach out to the local mall in your community to inquire about selling poinsettias around Christmas. Enlist volunteers to work 2-3 hour shifts to help cover full days of shopping.
19. Singing Christmas Cards – Take orders online or in-person and organize small groups to go from house to house and sing Christmas carols. A perfect way to bring holiday cheer to loved ones AND raise some extra funds for an adoption.
20. Christmas Poops – If you’re a jokester, this one will be right up your alley. Create fun gag gifts at Christmas and sell to friends and family. A simple DIY creation that is sure to bring in some dollars and gut-wrenching laughs!
21. The Love Tree – Have you ever heard someone say that the smallest things make the biggest difference? All those little things can really add up to something great. That’s the idea behind Bill and Allison Howard’s Love Tree Christmas Fundraiser. Their little love tree held 150 handmade ornaments, each numbered 1 – 150. Ornaments were purchased for the amount marked (1 = $1.00, 50 = $50.00, 122 = $122.00 and so on). They raised $4,500 out of a possible $11,000, well worth their effort!
22. A Christmas Concert – Organize an evening of Christmas carols, refreshments, and a holiday raffle. Use the evening to share your adoption story on stage, as well.
Athletic Events
23. 5K Run/Walk – This type of event requires at least a couple of months of serious planning, but it can be well worth your time and energy! Many fundraisers are geared toward close friends and family, but a 5K race will draw crowds of people that you don’t even know. Check out this free race director guide to get started.
24. Bike or Walk-A-Thon – A walk-a-thon can be done on a small or big scale, depending on what you’re up for. This type of event has the potential to bring in some big bucks, so if you have it in you, go big and aim to raise thousands of dollars in one shot! Check out the post to get a free 80-page downloadable book on how to organize a successful walk-a-thon. Also be sure to check out dojiggy.com for countless resources on organizing walk-a-thons.
25. Bowl-A-Thon – This event will attract friends and strangers alike to gather for a day of food, competition, and prizes.
26. Race Sponsorships – If you don’t want to organize an event, consider participating in an existing event such as a triathlon, marathon, or a bike race. Ask people to sponsor you per mile or just donate a fixed amount. For even better results, create a team and invite others to join you and do the same thing to multiply your fundraising efforts!
27. Zumba Fundraiser – Zumba is a Latin-inspired dance routine that is incredibly fun and popular in fitness circles. Compared to other fundraisers, this one can actually be fairly easy to pull off. Locate a local Zumba fitness instructor and facility to see if they would be willing to donate their time for your cause. Participants pay money to participate in the event, which usually lasts for an hour unless you want to have a Zumba-thon lasting for a few hours. To increase profits, include other fundraisers as part of the event, such as 50/50 raffles, t-shirt sales, snack and drink sales, etc.
28. Soccer Prom (or Basketball, Frisbee, Flag Football, etc.) – This event is hilarious! Invite ladies to join in on some sports action where they will romp around in old prom or bridesmaid dresses during a friendly, fun-filled match. Charge participants a donation fee to play and consider charging a small amount for spectators, i.e. $1-2/each. Have a professional photographer there to snap shots of the action and provide photos online to the participants after the game. Provide food for a party afterwards on-site or at a local restaurant. This fundraiser is one of the most fun events to participate in AND watch!
Food and Drink Fundraisers
29. Bake Sale – A great addition to most any fundraising event! Are you having a yard sale? Throw in a bake sale with it! What about a movie night? Those cookies will be snatched up in no time. Round up some volunteers to bake their best desserts and have them available for sale. Be sure to sell some individual servings, i.e. cookies, brownies, or slices of pie, as well as whole cakes and pies for people to take home with them. If you have the time and energy, you can do a weekly bake sale instead of a one-time event. Offer baked goods every Friday in the break room at work, in your neighborhood, or at school in exchange for donations. One family raised an extra $1,800 from weekly bake sales in their neighborhood on a Saturday morning.
30. Cookbook Fundraiser – A great addition to a bake sale! A cookbook is a great way to raise some extra money and is a great gift idea for friends and family for the holidays. Ask for recipe submissions and set a deadline, then use a company like Morris Press to put the book together and print. If you are crafty and computer-savvy, you may be able to pull this off on your own and get a good deal from a local printer to save money. Let those creative juices flow!
31. Wine Pull – This fundraiser gives donors an opportunity to win an expensive bottle of wine for a small donation, but the great thing is that everyone walks away with at least one bottle of wine at the end of the night! This is a great one to tack on to a wine tasting fundraiser, a casino night, or other food-related fundraising event.
32. Raise The Dough – Make your own version of the Krispy Kreme donut and take online orders for a one-day donut sale! Setup shop at a central location, customers can drop in to pick up their donuts, and then head off to work for the day.
33. Host a Meal – Everyone has to eat, so why not turn a meal into a spaghetti dinner or pancake breakfast fundraiser? These can be really successful, especially if you’re well-connected in your community. You can get really creative and host an internationally-themed dinner, especially if you’re adopting from overseas. Let your friends and family experience the cuisine from the country of your soon-to-be adopted child!
34. Dinner and An Auction – Check out this backyard dinner and silent auction that brought in a whopping $7,000 in one evening!
35. Just Love Coffee – It’s coffee with a heart! Who doesn’t love the best coffee blends from around the world that support worthy causes including adoption fundraisers.
36. GoBena Coffee – Social business that contributes 100% of the profits to support global orphan care initiatives. Incredible Ethiopian, Guatemalan, and Peruvian blends that make a great gift especially for those who are always caffeinated and appreciate great coffee. They have an innovative fundraising program and coffee club.
37. Ice Cream Social – Who doesn’t love ice cream? I mean, come on! I Scream, You Scream…We All Scream, right? If you’re looking for a fundraiser that is spirited, well attended, and outright delicious, this fundraiser is a hit with families, especially on a hot, sunny day.
38. Chili Cook-Off – Perfect fall fundraiser that attracts family, friends and the best chili chefs from miles around for an incredible event that includes eating, competing, and supporting a good cause.
Fundraisers Guys Love
39. Beard or No Beard – How a marital dispute over a husband’s beard turned into an epic adoption fundraiser that raised $4,600 toward their adoption!
40. Big Beards For A Baby – Tim and Rachel Barker launched the Big Beards For A Baby adoption fundraiser on November 1, 2014 to coincide with the ever-popular No Shave November and National Adoption Awareness Month. However, instead of promoting cancer awareness, the Barkers generated buzz and raised funds for their adoption.
41. Fantasy Football and Baseball – Ok ladies, this one is for the boys! Get your man involved with a fantasy sports fundraiser and tap into a 4 billion dollar market! Create your own custom profile where you can share your story and allow donors to contribute in return for fantasy game cards. Your donors get in on the action and excitement of following their players and potentially winning real cash prizes, with 50% of the proceeds going directly to your fundraiser.
42. Final Four Party or Super Bowl Party – Everyone loves to getting together to watch the big games! Why not turn these experiences into fundraisers? Consider asking for a donation as a “cover charge” or create some competition by having a game-day raffle. If you’re not up for hosting a party, consider having a Super Bowl sub sale where a fundraising committee agrees to take orders prior to the big game and then sandwiches are delivered to recipients in time for their parties.
43. Golf Scramble or Tournament – If you’re into golf, consider hosting a golf scramble in your community. This fundraiser has the potential to bring in a large profit if done well and is the type of event you won’t have trouble getting people to register for!
44. Dodgeball Tournament – What better way to thank donors than by pelting them in the face with a dodgeball? Create an evening of competition, laughter and food. This is perhaps the most outrageously fun fundraiser of them all.
45. Kickball Tournament – Locate a community park or school and ask about using their open spaces for a fun-filled day of kickball! Invite teams from local businesses, churches and other groups in your community to participate. Teams usually go crazy with these types of events and create fun t-shirts, paint their faces, and come up with hilarious team names! Check out this Kickball Kit that includes a free planning guide from the Dave Thomas Foundation.
46. NCAA Tournament Bracket Challenge – Create a personalized fundraising bracket challenge and invite your friends to participate. Charge $10-20 per bracket sheet and offer prizes to the top winner(s). Choose an online bracket site (i.e. ESPN Tournament Challenge or NBC Sports Bracket Madness) that offers real-time standings, additional prize money, and social media share options for your group to have the optimum experience throughout the tournament!
47. March Madness Fundraiser – Although named after the basketball tournament frenzy in March, this fundraiser could be played during any month of the year. Participants donate funds and names are drawn each day of the month resulting in a cash prize winner. Get 100 to play and raise $1,625 in a month!
48. No Limit Texas Hold’em Poker – Poker tournaments can be promoted as their own events or as part of another larger get-together. Either way, an exciting game of poker and hanging out with friends is always worth the buy-in, especially when it supports a worthy cause. Check out our post where we have provided a ton of tips to host your own successful event.
49. Barn Dance – Now this is Fundraisin’ Country-Style. If you can find yourself a barn, food, friends and music, then you’ve got all the makings of a memorable barn dance. YEEHAW! The Gibson’s had a blast raising over $4,300 at their barn dance adoption fundraiser.
50. Bike Scavenger Hunt – Individuals or small groups are given a list of things or sites to locate around town to photograph….on bikes. A fun and easy event to pull off and a great weekend activity that participants will adore!
51. Casino Night – Create a Vegas experience for your donors by hosting a fun-filled casino night! With no “real” gambling involved, players use funny money to enjoy their evening and compete for prizes. Tack on an auction, raffle, and food sales to increase profits.
52. Murder Mystery Dinner – Whodunnit? Invite your dramatic friends to show off their talents for a fun-filled evening of food and mystery. Several companies provide murder mystery kits complete with scripts and other fundraising resources.
53. X-Box Tournament – Have a night where you charge people to come and play your favorite video games like Guitar Hero or Rock Band! Here are some rules and regulations to consider. Consider reaching out to a sports bar that has several TVs that would be interesting in hosting your event so that others could watch the competition. Ask them to consider donating a portion or all of the profits from food and drinks during the tournament to go toward your adoption as well!
54. Hunger Games Fundraiser – Inspired by the Hunger Games books and movies, this day of competition involves archery, obstacle courses, and weird food contests. While the Hunger Games contestants are competing, other activities are available for those in attendance. You can include live music, face painting, temporary tattoos, a pig roast and more! This event is sure to bring in a crowd and could even draw some local media attention, so be sure to advertise well and invite local businesses to be involved as sponsors.
55. Road Rally Scavenger Hunt – Organize an automobile scavenger hunt where teams navigate around town using clues and riddles and complete ridiculous tasks to earn points. Same concept as the bike scavenger hunt except each team is in a vehicle. Be sure to create a Facebook event page and post pictures of prizes to be won and clues into what the race will entail.
Fundraisers The Whole Family Will Enjoy
56. Adoption Carnival – These are a huge hit with families, especially kids. Bounce house, dunk tank, face painting, games, raffles and carnival food…what more could you ask for? These are great fundraisers because it’s easy to add-on silent auctions, raffles, bake sales, and sell adoption t-shirts which all increase the amount you’re able to raise. The Blackwell family raised about $6,250 (which included a bake sale, 2 silent auctions and raffles every hour) and our family raised $5,000 (which included a bake sale and silent auction).
57. Both Hands Project – Promoted as a different kind of fundraiser, a Both Hands Project helps a widow and an orphan. It’s a very unique home improvement fundraiser that involves a lot of participation from family, friends, and members of the community. The average Both Hands Project raises more than $13,000!
58. Parents’ Night Out – Invite volunteers or an existing group (such as a sports team or youth group) to help you organize this fundraiser at a local church, school, or gym. The kids can be entertained with games and activities while the parents are able to hit the town for a night out. This works well around the holidays when parents are busy trying to do last-minute shopping. Be sure to look into required waivers for parents to sign for liability purposes.
59. Bingo Night – A great fundraiser that the whole family can enjoy. Combine BINGO games with refreshments and a raffle to raise additional funds. Take it a step further and create a “BLINGO” night where players come dressed up in their finest costume jewelry and clothes!
60. Car Wash – Round up a group of volunteers on a hot summer day and have a water fundraising blast! Setup a hot dog stand or sell drinks, donuts or other easy grab-and-go food items for customers to purchase while they are waiting for their cars to be cleaned.
61. Garage Sale – Anyone can have a garage sale and raise some extra money. However, if you want to have a killer garage sale that brings in over $3,000 like the Honeycutt family, then we recommend following their awesome advice.
62. Movie Night – Freshly popped popcorn, sodas, and a great flick! What can possibly beat this? Not much, in our opinion. Check out these tips on how to organize a movie night for friends, family and the community and learn how to maximize profits on this inexpensive, family-friendly fundraiser!
63. Freezer Pleaser Fundraiser – Recruit 30 friends to prepare and donate a freezer meal. Have them label it well and provide cooking instructions. Then sell raffle tickets for $5/each or 5 tickets for $20. The group set up tables at local events such as football games to get a ton of exposure. In the end, they ended up raising over $7,000! WOW!
64. Painting Party – Shana Ivarson and her husband were looking for a fundraiser that wasn’t be too time-consuming and would raise a significant amount of money toward their adoption. They decided on a painting party, where an instructor walked the class through all the steps of painting a particular picture. They raised over $1,800.
65. Tag The Bag – Grab some Sharpies and a suitcase that you wish to use for travel and ask for donations to help offset your travel expenses, such as airfare or in-country expenses. As donations come in, “tag” the bag with the donor’s name. This bag can help raise money but also be used as a keepsake for your adopted child as they will see the names of people who helped bring them home!
66. Puzzle Piece Fundraiser – The adoption journey is one that requires support and encouragement from so many. This puzzle fundraiser is a visual representation of other people helping to bring your family together….one piece at a time.
67. Seeds To Grow Fundraiser – Instead of asking for donations, consider giving money away! Based on the Parable of the Talents in the Bible, you would provide a small amount of “seed money” to individuals for them to multiply using their own time and talents! For example, the seed money could be used to purchase ingredients to bake goods to sell. Or gas could be purchased for someone to mow a lawn. You can expect your seed money to multiply several times over. We love this one, folks! No setup, clean-up or planning required.
68. Sell Super Hero Capes – This fundraiser is easy, fun and unique. You sell really cool super hero capes and profit $10 per sale. You just promote and collect the orders. All the packaging and shipping is done for you. It’s a super easy fundraiser and most of our families make between $400 and $1,500 in just 1-2 week’s time. The kids will love this!
69. Sell Teddy Bears – Everyone loves a teddy bear! Create a custom bear for your cause or sell bears from the catalog for various occasions (including baby, graduation, Mother’s Day, wedding, get well soon). Choose from 1 of their 6 fundraising programs to meet your needs.
Hilarious Fundraisers
70. Date Auction – While you’re working to build your family through adoption, by hosting this fundraiser, you might just play a part in building ANOTHER family! Wouldn’t that be something? Look for singles in your community who wish to participate. It might be a bit awkward for some, but hopefully they will lightheartedly join in on the fun since it’s for a great cause!
71. Flock-A-Friend – A lighthearted and hilarious fundraiser that involves “flocking” lawns with pink flamingos! Take orders from donors and employ adventurous volunteers to sneak onto lawns in the middle of the night to deliver the flamingos. The victim wakes up to quite a surprise the next morning where they discover the plastic birds and realize that they have to roost for 24-72 hours. Check out this site for examples of the forms used to organize this fundraiser.
72. Karaoke Night – Sing your hearts out (or donate to not have to hit the stage) in this fun-filled evening of karaoke! This type of event does well in conjunction with other fundraisers like a silent auction, bake sale, or a wine pull.
73. The Portable Potty Fundraiser – If you want to put some “fun” back into fundraising and appreciate a good prank, this one is worth looking into. Donors can pay to have a tacky toilet delivered to a business or lawn of their choice, then the recipient can pay to have it removed or passed on to another location. For those who want their yard protected, they can pay a “potty protection insurance” to keep their yards toilet-free.
74. Redneck Games – A field day with a Redneck twist! This event can be done on various scales: subdivision, church or even community-wide. All participants dress up like a Redneck and compete in hilarious events such as a hubcap toss, mud pit belly flop, and bobbing for pig’s feet.
Trunk Shows, Jewelry Parties and More
75. Apparent Project – By hosting an Apparent Project bracelet fundraiser, you will do far more than raise funds for your adoption. You will help empower Haitians, mostly single mothers, and strengthen families. The Apparent Project is using creative ways that enable Haitians to be self-employed so that they can take care of their own children with dignity and joy.
76. Compelled Handmade Pottery Jewelry – Sell unique, handmade necklaces and earn 50% of the total proceeds toward your adoption! It’s only $6 to get started. There’s no risk and you can return any pieces that don’t sell. Email Compelled and they will help you get started.
77. Delicate Fortress Creations – Provides economic opportunities for artisans in developing countries and promotes sustainability, dignity, and advocacy that strengthens vulnerable families. Host your own one day adoption fundraiser and earn 25% of all sales while also helping men, women, and children worldwide.
78. Noonday Collection – A business that uses fashion to create meaningful opportunities around the world. Noonday partners with artisan businesses to create dignified jobs, enable families to earn sustainable incomes, and strengthens vulnerable families and prevents children from being orphaned or abandoned. It also donates 10% of sales at Adoption Trunk Shows to families who are in the process of adopting a child. Since 2010, Noonday Collection has celebrated over 1,200 adoptive families at Adoption Trunk Shows. In 2014, it gave more than $120,000 to families in the adoption process.
79. Sell Candles – There are several candle companies that offer fundraising programs. Our favorites are Yankee Candle and Home Scents Candle Company. Don’t try to do this yourself, though. Ask some friends and family members to try to sell a few candles as part of your fundraising team to maximize your efforts!
80. Gold Stash Party – Throw a Gold Fundraising Party at your house where invited guests can sell unwanted gold, silver, platinum, coins and diamonds at top dollar prices. Premiere Gold Parties will donate 10% of the party’s sales toward your adoption and guests will walk away with some cash in their pockets. It’s a golden opportunity!
81. Network Marketing Home Shows – We all have friends who are involved in network marketing and are looking to grow their business. Consider inviting a friend to organize a home party for their business and donating the evening’s proceeds toward your adoption. Below are some good ones to consider:
- Avon – A leading global beauty company and one of the world’s largest direct sellers, Avon is about championing economic empowerment and improving the lives of women around the world.
- Jamberry – DIY, at-home nail art that includes an incredible variety of designs. Jamberry nail wraps give you style and confidence for very little time or money.
- Mary Kay – With so many party themes to choose from, Mary Kay consultants are always looking for ways to bring women together, have fun, and try new products.
- Pampered Chef – Direct seller of high-quality kitchen tools, Pampered Chef independent consultants use cooking shows to help guests sample products, prepare delicious food, and have a blast eating it.
- Premier Designs – Stylish, versatile jewelry. Premier Designs is all about hosting jewelry parties and enriching people’s lives.
- Rodan + Fields – On a mission to delay the aging process by changing the skin, Rodan + Fields is a rapidly growing company, and their consultants would love to introduce you and your friends to their anti-aging products at your next event.
- Scentsy – Pick your party experience and a consultant will help take care of the rest. You’ll discover why these fragrance products must be experienced while enjoying time with your friends and family.
- Tastefully Simple – Simple. Delicious. Fun. These parties are a great way to get together and have a girls’ night and try some great food. Hosting tasting parties is quick and easy.
- Thirty-One – Everything’s better together with friends, so treat your best girls to a night out of visiting, eating, and shopping Thirty-One products.
- WineShop At Home – Bring the vineyard to you. Your WineShop At Home consultant will turn your living room, kitchen, or backyard into a tasting room. A wine tasting party is an exceptional reason to gather your friends together.
- Young Living Essential Oils – Produces some of the highest quality essential oils in the world with a commitment to providing pure, powerful products for every family and lifestyle, all infused with the life-changing benefits of their essential oils.
Crafty, Business and Other Ventures
82. Affiliate Marketing – If you are a blogger or are passionate about a specific niche, for example, Christian homeschooling, working from home, health and fitness, Paleo diets, and so on, then consider creating a website that incorporates affiliate marketing and other income-generating revenue to help bring in some extra money for your adoption. This particular type of fundraiser is not a quick fix…this will likely involve a lots of time, research, writing, and creating. However, once your site is created and you get into a groove, you could potentially continue to generate money for years to come if you keep at it. This could be an extra, long-term source of income for your family. Here’s a really good blog to help you get started: How do I Start a Blog and Make Money Online?
83. Create Homemade Items to Sell – If you are the crafty kind, come up with some ideas of items you can create (jewelry, bags, accessories, knitted/crocheted items, ornaments) to sell at events such as craft fairs or other fundraisers. If you want to take it to the next level, hop on Etsy, Handmade at Amazon, or MadeitMyself.com and setup a storefront to list your items for sale. You might find yourself in a new part-time position if those orders start rolling in! If you’re anything like me and aren’t creative but can RE-CREATE something with a good tutorial, then you can always hop on Pinterest to get some ideas to reproduce. Need some inspiration? Check out these 30 Top Selling Shops on Etsy.
84. Graphic Design Services – If you are computer-savvy and have graphic design skills, set up a simple landing page online describing your abilities and services, including a portfolio of your work. Then, spread the word and take on some projects! Ask for donations for various services or charge set amounts, but make it clear that you are working to raise money for your adoption.
85. Photo Shoot – If you’re a professional (or just really talented) photographer, consider setting up mini-photo shoots for friends and family and asking for donations in exchange for the photo session and edited prints, provided on a disc or online. However, if you are not a photographer, ask around to see if you can find an acquaintance who would be willing to donate their time by providing these services. You could easily make a few thousand dollars if you have several mini sessions booked.
86. Sell Items on eBay and Craigslist – This is one of my personal favorites, one that I have spent countless hours doing to raise money for our own adoption. I find this one to be not only financially worthwhile, but exhilarating and fun as well! Start with your own house and find items that you no longer need. Follow these steps to sell on Ebay or post on Craigslist. Smaller items that are easy and less costly to ship do well on Ebay, but large items such as furniture, heavy tools, or oddly-shaped items will fare better on Craigslist or Varagesale since shipping won’t be required. Now that you’ve de-cluttered your house, it’s time to hit up some garage sales to find some deals! Arrive early at the sales and look for good deals on electronics, cell phones, name brand clothing and accessories, and toys. You have to negotiate, buy low, and sell for a profit, and you’ll be amazed at how fast the cash starts rolling in for your adoption!
87. Sell Your Art – By now, you know there are countless ways to use your talents to earn extra money and fundraise for adoption. Our good friend, Wellon Bridgers, is a phenomenal artist who used her artistic abilities to supplement the costs of adoption by selling her paintings. However, you don’t have to be a world-class artist to make a difference. The Warinner family uses its artistic talents to create baby portraits that help raise money for other adoptive families.
88. Create Children’s Art Keepsakes – If you have children or are connected with a group of children (at school, church, or work), consider doing a Kids Kreations fundraiser. Children are guided by tutorials on how to create a piece of art, and then the artwork is shipped to Kids Kreations where they transform it into various personalized gifts and keepsakes that friends and family can order. We love this one since it creates a really special, intimate fundraiser that everyone can enjoy for a lifetime!
89. Host a Children’s Art Fair – Invite children in the community to create crafts or pieces of art to display at your fair. Friends and family can purchase items where all or a percentage of the proceeds go toward your adoption.
90. Offer Your Services in the Community – If you have some spare time, consider offering services in your community. Create a flyer to post at work or church, promote on social media, and inform your friends and family of the specific services you are offering and the suggested donation for the task. Examples include: gardening, car washes, lawn care, shoveling snow, raking leaves, handyman services, ironing, pet walks or baths, transporting elderly to appointments, house cleaning and organizing, grocery shopping, and babysitting.
91. Tot Swap – Do you have high-quality, gently-used baby and children’s items sitting around your house? Clean out your closets and put money in your pockets, all at the same time with consignment sales! Check out Consignment Mommies for events in your area.
92. Take On An Extra Job – Let’s face it, adoption requires sacrifice. It has to start with you. Do whatever it takes, even if it means taking on an extra job during the waiting period. If you have connections to get a part-time job, go for it. Better yet, consider pursuing a job with an employer that offers adoption benefits. Many employers offer $1,000-$15,000 in expense reimbursements.
Fundraisers for the Workplace
93. Dress Down Day – Talk to your boss about incorporating a one-time or ongoing “dress down” day as a means to support your cause. Employees can donate a small fee to be allowed to “dress down” at work. These work great on Fridays or once a month (for more professional workplaces).
94. Potluck Lunch Day – Every Friday or once a month during your adoption, offer a Potluck Lunch Day. Ask friends and volunteers to help you prepare simple lunch dishes such as sandwiches, salads, sides, and desserts. Employees can partake of the lunch at a set price. Consider taking orders each time so that you know how much food to prepare. Also, contact your local grocery stores to see what they would be willing to donate. Stores are looking for ways to support the local community and, in addition, give away soon-to-expire food for charitable causes. This could be a great way to offset the upfront cost to provide more profit for your efforts.
95. Sell Raffle Tickets To Win A Day Off – With permission from your boss (unless you are the boss, of course), price raffle tickets at $5-$10 and give employees the chance to win a day off from work! This could be a one-time event or even a month or quarterly event, if your boss approves. This one can generate a lot of funds since everyone is looking for that extra vacation day!
96. Adoption Pass Along Cards – With the permission of your boss and/or company, set up a framed picture of your family in a prominent place at your workplace with text that says, for example, “Our very own Smith family is adopting!” At the base of the frame, have a stack of business cards that customers can take home with them that directs them to your adoption fundraising profile where they can read your adoption story and make a donation if they feel led. Tinyprints is an easy, inexpensive way to design and print business cards for this fundraiser.
Money Saving Ideas
97. Buy Discount Gift Cards – Get up to 30% off when you buy gift cards for your favorite brands. Cardpool also offers a great way to exchange unused gift cards for cash. Family and friends can do the same and make a donation to your adoption. Here’s a great way to save. Let’s say you budgeted $50 to eat out. You can purchase a $50 gift card to a restaurant for $40. Use the full amount and transfer the remaining $10 to your savings or adoption fund. Do this for various purchases throughout the year and watch the savings add up quickly!
98. Cash Back Credit Card Rewards – One of our personal favorites! Since 2012, we earned $4,304 and counting from cash back credit cards (and this would be significantly higher if we weren’t living in Congo where most everything is cash). If you spend responsibly and pay off your card in full each month, taking advantage of the benefits and rewards is amazing.
99. Ebates – As much shopping as most families do online, this is a no-brainer. If you’re about to make a purchase, hop on Ebates.com first and find your vendor. Then click on that link to be transferred to the website to make your purchase. You can save a percentage of your total cost and apply that toward your adoption. Plus, they even have coupon codes to help you save additional money. Refer your friends and family to do the same thing. Get $5 for every referral….and ask them to consider donating their Ebates cashback toward your adoption! Take it a step further and save even more by combining your Ebates purchasing with Discount Gift Cards!
100. Money Savings Card Fundraiser – Sell discount cards for $10 to offer discounts to supporters for online retailers such as Apple, Target, Wal-Mart, and more. $10 is credited to supporters once they open their online account, so there is really no expense for supporters AND you can earn up to 90% in profit!
101. The 52-Week Adoption Savings Challenge – Do you have what it takes to challenge yourself and your family to save? The premise behind the 52-Week Adoption Savings Challenge is simple. Commit to save for 52 weeks starting with $1 in week 1 and increasing by $1 every week. By the end of 52 weeks, you will save a total of $1,378! If you want to get really creative, ask 20 people to save $1 per week for 52 weeks and you’ll save an additional $1,040 increasing your total to $2,418…not bad and definitely worth the ask!
Lori Resmer
