# 1 Many people have engaged in grassroots fundraising without even knowing it
If you have ever been a part of a school bake sale or donated in order to go to a benefit concert in your community, you have engaged in a grassroots fundraising event!
#2 All you have to do is… ask!
If you don’t ask, the answer will always be no. But asking for support can be scary at first. Start with someone you think will be supportive of you, even if they don’t end up donating. It gets easier each time after the first ask.
#3 Fundraising can look any way you want.
Brainstorm some creative ways to turn the things you enjoy into a fundraiser. Do you have any hobbies, skills, or passions you could share with others? Some ideas:
Host a movie night and ask for donations for those who attend or those who can’t make it
Bake cookies or cook something in exchange for a donation
Teach a skill, volunteer your time, or do something helpful for someone in exchange for a donation
#4 Fundraising can be a team effort.
If you have a friend or family member who also wants to fundraise, this can be a really fun thing to do together! You can put some of your passions, skills, and talents together to reach out to your various networks.
Set an achievable goal:
It’s important to set a goal that you are confident you will be able to achieve. Think about your friends, family, coworkers, and community: how many people do you think would consider donating, and how much are you comfortable asking each person to donate? If you can think of 10 people who could donate $20, that would be a $200 fundraiser right there!
People are more likely to donate when the goal seems attainable and if their donation feels like it will make a difference ($10 feels more valuable to help reach a $100 goal than a $1,000 goal).
Tip: Any amount of money raised is helpful! And bringing awareness to Initiate Justice is also a success! Feel free to choose a lower goal like $50 or $100. This is still a big win!
Set an achievable timeline:
Be honest with your capacity when picking the launch date and end date of your fundraiser. Consider planning for it to last two weeks or one month, or starting a few weeks before your birthday and ending on your birthday, as some examples.
Also consider if your fundraiser is close to another event or holiday where it may be hard to get people’s attention, or times when people are spending money or donating to other things.
Pick a platform to advertise your fundraiser:
This is one of the most important steps! Assess your community and supporters and decide the best way to reach them. Think about: Where do I have the most contact with people? Where am I most comfortable approaching or messaging people to ask them to donate?
Create a GoFundMe-style page on Givebutter or Givelively (instructions in the next section)
Create a Fundraiser on Facebook or Instagram
Ask for Donations to be sent directly to IJ via our website, Venmo, Cash App, Zelle, or PayPal.
The next section will help you pick which option might work best.
If you use Instagram or Facebook a lot, it makes sense to collect donations on those platforms and promote the fundraiser on the platform.
If you don’t use social media, maybe you can create a Givebutter or GiveLively page and text or email the link along with a short personal message to friends, family, coworkers, and community members who may care about IJ’s work.
Similarly, you can write a short note, letter, text, or email sharing why you care about IJ’s work and listing ways the person can donate in your honor (
Tip: Sometimes it’s best to stick to one platform, while other times, it’s best to advertise everywhere you can! Think about: What capacity do I have to advertise on multiple platforms? Am I able to keep up with all questions, comments, and donations on multiple platforms? Are my supports mostly on facebook, instagram, or is it best to reach them via email or text?