Fundraising Toolkit

Welcome

Thank you for fundraising for GACI Global.  This toolkit contains everything you need to get started, and we’re always here if you have any questions.  Thank you for your support – we couldn’t do what we do without you.

PLEASE TAG US @gaciglobal in your posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.  Feel free to choose from the list of hashtags below and feel free to add your own too.

#gaciglobal #WorldwideWalk #gaciarhr2awareness #RareDisease #CommunityFundraising

Why We Fundraise

GACI/ARHR2 are ultra-rare conditions that occur in 1 out of every 64,000 pregnancies.  The survival statistics for GACI are currently estimated to be around 50%, with the most critical period being the child’s first six months of life.  Most doctors have never even heard of GACI.  An infant born with GACI needs an early diagnosis and early treatment options.  Early diagnosis can save lives, but the current treatment options are not good enough.  There are so many unknowns with this disease and so many questions that don’t have answers.  Better treatment options may be on the horizon, and with more research, more answers could be discovered.  We fundraise to raise awareness and to support the research that is necessary to change the future for those affected by GACI/ARHR2 today and those born affected by GACI tomorrow.

Fundraising Ideas and How to Execute Them

Inside this toolkit you will find information on how to run different types of fundraisers, including bake sales, walk-a-thons, bowling events, 5Ks, Penny Wars, and simple Facebook fundraisers.

Donation Jar

Having a GACI Global donation jar to display in public places is like having a volunteer present to solicit donations.  Potential donors appreciate them, too!  People have the option to donate without feeling pressured.

Decorate the jar and make sure to include information about GACI Global and why you are raising money for this organization!  You can include photos, facts, etc.  Including your personal connection to the GACI / ARHR2 Community can help to inspire donations.  If you can’t fit all of the information on the jar, you can include a printed and laminated sheet next to the jar.  Here are some suggestions of information to include.

Why?  Callum and Nora are siblings who are both affected by this rare disease.  They have a range of complications including cardiovascular concerns, bone issues (rickets), and hearing loss.  There is currently no cure and even the most effective treatments are not enough to prevent complications that affect a patient’s quality of life. (THIS IS JUST AN EXAMPLE.  YOU CAN WRITE UP YOUR OWN REASON WHY!)

What is GACI?  What is ARHR2?  GACI (or Generalized Arterial Calcification of Infancy) is a rare genetic disease caused by mutations in the ENPP1 or ABCC6 genes.  It can cause calcification of the major arteries, which can lead to high blood pressure, stroke, or heart attack.  Even with treatment, the survival rate for an infant born affected by GACI is around 50%.  Many babies with GACI who do survive go on to develop a rare form of rickets called ARHR2 (Autosomal Recessive Hypophosphatemic Rickets Type 2).  This can cause bone pain, bone deformities, joint calcification, and fatigue.

Where does the money go?  All donations go directly to GACI Global, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to connect families affected by Generalized Arterial Calcification of Infancy or Hypophosphatemic Rickets caused by ENPP1 or ABCC6 Deficiencies to each other and to the medical community. The organization strives to provide current educational resources and supports ongoing research. GACI Global is…circulating hope.

Red Wagon Sale

Basic Info: Pull a wagon full of cookies around your neighborhood and sell them for whatever amount people are willing to donate.

You’ll need:

  • Cookies! Just in a basket or tupperware, not individually wrapped.
  • Napkins in case someone wants one.
  • A wagon or other way to carry cookies.
  • An envelope for money.
  • A kid to sell the cookies.
  • A script for the kid.
  • An adult to answer tougher questions about GACI/ARHR2 and the fundraiser.
  • Check out our Bake Sale Fundraising Toolkit in the downloads section for more information and event flyers.

Tips:

  • Cookies are priced at whatever someone wants to donate. Resist telling them what other people donate but assure them that every donation helps.
  • You’ll get the best response in neighborhoods where people know you.
  • Pre-advertise on NextDoor or other neighborhood lists to let people know you are coming.
  • Let the kids do as much of the talking as possible.
  • Be sure to thank people, whether they buy a cookie or not.
Water Cooler Sale

Basic Info: Set up an unmanned cookie stand in an office or other location where you have permission.

You’ll need:

  • Cookies! Just in a basket or tupperware, not individually wrapped.
  • Napkins in case someone wants one.
  • A sign explaining the sale.
  • A jar to collect the money.
  • A place to set up the cookie stand
    -the front desk
    -your own desk (but don’t eat them all!)

Tips:

  • Cookies are priced at whatever someone wants to donate.
  • Include a cute picture of your kid baking cookies and a personal note from you.
  • Send out an email letting people know about the cookie stand.
  • Check out our Bake Sale Fundraising Toolkit in the downloads section for more information.
  • If someone doesn’t have cash, they can donate on GACI Global’s website: https://gaciglobal.org/get-involved/donate-now/
Bake Sale

Basic Info: Set up a full bake sale in a high traffic place at a high traffic time. Bake sales work best when a few families work together.

You’ll need:

  • Cookies! Just in a basket or tupperware, not individually wrapped (a rule of thumb is 100 cookies per hour of bake sale).
  • Napkins in case someone wants one.
  • Paper bags for people to take their cookies in.
  • An envelope or cash box for the money.
  • Kids to sell the cookies, possibly with a script.
  • An adult to answer tougher questions about GACI/ARHR2 and the fundraiser.
  • A high-traffic place to set up the bake sale.  Be aware of city rules around selling stuff on public land.  Always get permission.  Here are some ideas:
    – In front of grocery stores, coffee shops, etc.
    – At kids concerts.
    – Outside ice cream shops.

Tips:

  • Cookies are priced at whatever someone wants to donate.
  • Pre-advertise on NextDoor or other neighborhood lists.
  • Let the kids do as much of the talking as possible.
  • If someone doesn’t have cash, they can pay on the GACI Global website: https://gaciglobal.org/get-involved/donate-now/
  • Be sure to thank people, whether they buy a cookie or not.
  • Check out our Bake Sale Fundraising Toolkit in the downloads section for loads more information and event flyers.
How to Run a Penny War Fundraiser

Basic Info:  A Penny War is a fairly quick and fun way to raise some money for GACI Global at a school.  It can involve all grade levels and classrooms.

Penny wars, also called coin wars, coin drives, and penny drives, have grown in popularity as lucrative fundraisers that are easy to organize. In addition to netting some substantial cash quickly, a penny war fundraiser builds spirit and promotes friendly competition—not to mention encourages lots of student participation. As well, a penny war can serve as a standalone fundraiser or be part of a larger effort.  The basic premise of a penny war fundraiser is that kids bring spare change to school for a set period of time, usually a week or two, and deposit it into containers. At the end of the collection period, the change would be donated to GACI Global and the class who raised the most money would win a prize.

What to use to collect the coins:  empty water (bubbler) bottles, gallon-size milk jugs, and large snack containers (such as those that come from warehouse stores with pretzels, cheese puffs, etc.).

Where to set up the containers: Organizers will frequently provide each participating classroom with containers and gather them at the end. But depending on the size of your school, the number of grades, and the number of classrooms per grade, they can also be organized by grade in a central location.

Where and how to count the coins: It’s the obvious end result, but worth considering beforehand. For one, the containers can get quite heavy; and not all banks are willing to count a large quantity of coins. Options include enlisting volunteers to hand-roll the coins or taking the coins to a supermarket that has a coin-counting machine. Some groups choose to invest in a coin-counting machine, particularly those that plan to announce classroom tallies during the penny war or that plan to fundraise with penny wars again in future years.

Motivation: Announcing the class totals each day during morning announcements or using a bulletin board to post a visual tally for each class can help encourage some friendly competition between classes.

Incentives: The class who raises the most money during the Penny War should win a fun prize.  Some affordable incentives include a pizza party, an ice cream party, an afternoon movie, a game day, extra recess, an activity with the principal (lunch, kickball game, etc.).

Check out our downloads section for more information and event flyers.

Facebook Birthday Fundraiser

Instead of gifts, this year ask for your friends and family to donate to GACI Global!  Use this link to create your birthday fundraiser: https://www.facebook.com/fund/gaciglobal/

Sponsored Walk or Marathon

Are you doing a sponsored walk or marathon?  Set up a Facebook fundraiser for your event using this link: https://www.facebook.com/fund/gaciglobal/

Walk/Run/Bike-a-thon

A walk-a-thon, run-a-thon, or bike-a-thon is a type of fundraiser in which participants raise money by collecting donations or pledges for walking a predetermined distance or course.  They are similar to other physical activity-based fundraising events, such as marathons and cycling races, but they are usually non-competitive and lower intensity.  This is ideal for inspiring broad-based community support as you can target participants from a wide range of ages and physical abilities.  You can find more information on how to organize a walk-a-thon or similar event here: https://charity.lovetoknow.com/How_to_Organize_a_Walkathon

5K Race

5Ks are currently the most popular type of running event.  These races are an effective way to attract people to a race as it is a fairly manageable distance.  You can find more information on how to organize a fun 5K race here: https://www.eventbrite.com/blog/how-to-organize-a-5k-race-ds00/

Charity Auction

These events are a fun and engaging way to fundraise.  There is a lot of flexibility in this type of fundraising as you can organize live or silent in-person auctions or even an online auction.  You can solicit auction items from a variety of places so that you can appeal to a wide audience.  You can find more information on how to organize a charity auction here: https://www.harborcompliance.com/blog/2016/07/21/planning-a-charity-auction/

Bowling fundraiser

This appeals to everyone from elementary school students to seniors!  This type of event is active, social, and fun!  You can find more information on how to organize a bowling fundraiser event here: https://www.justfundraising.com/bowling-fundraiser

Corporate sponsorship/Employer Matching Donations

If you are planning an event, consider asking your place of employment to be a sponsor of the event.  Also, many employers sponsor matching gift programs and will match any charitable contributions or volunteer hours made by their employees.

Car Wash

These fundraisers are successful in just about every community!  Start with a visible location in a high traffic area, some willing volunteers, a sunny day, and you can raise a decent amount of money!  Learn more about how to run a successful car wash fundraiser here: https://www.fundraiserhelp.com/car-wash-fundraiser.htm

Dress Down Day

If your school/organization/place of employment has a dress code, you could have a day where people can donate a small amount (for example, $5) in exchange for the option to wear jeans or casual dress.

Find Your Donors/Supporters

Think about all the people who can help you reach your fundraising goal. This doesn’t have to be just people who can donate – it may include local businesses that can provide items for your fundraising activities or friends that can help you plan an event.

Get creative as you make your list. Think beyond the family and friends that you see every day. Consider people like your coach, dentist, and teachers. Many people want to give to a great cause…all you need to do is ask!

Ask for Donations

Reach out to your family, friends, and social networks as you start asking for donations.  You can do this in several ways:

  • Write a fundraising email. Emails are a fast and effective way of asking for donations.  We have a template email in our downloads section to get you started.  Make sure to personalize your email to make it more meaningful to your potential donors.
  • Use social media.  It’s the best way to reach the most number of people.  Share your event information with your networks on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. Encourage your friends, family, colleagues, and followers to help spread the word.  We have included some sample social media posts in our downloads section below to give you some inspiration.

Follow Up

Don’t be discouraged – not everyone you reach out to will donate.  Update your supporters, sponsors, and guests about how your fundraising is progressing.  Keeping people updated on your progress is a way to remind them that you are still fundraising and that they can still donate to your cause.

Thank You!

When your event is finished, make sure to thank your supporters, sponsors, and guests for their donations and support.  Post photos and videos online – those that were there can remember how much fun they had, and those who were unable to make it can experience a little bit of the excitement.  It’s also another opportunity to remind those who haven’t yet donated to do so and to ask for any last-minute donations!  We have a template thank you message in our downloads section that you can personalize.

After Your Event

When your event is over, and all your fundraising is completed, you can send the money you have raised to GACI Global in a variety of ways.

Online
Any money raised online via our fundraising page or a Facebook Fundraiser is paid directly into GACI Global’s bank account.

If you would like to donate the money raised via the GACI Global website, please visit https://gaciglobal.org/get-involved/donate-now/

You can also donate any money raised using the donate button on the GACI Global Facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/gaciglobal/

Check
Please make your check payable to “GACI Global” and mail it to:

GACI Global
PO Box #123
Argyle, TX 76226
USA

Please include a letter telling us all about your fundraising – we’d love to hear about what you’ve done and you may even get featured on our website/social media/newsletter.

Next Year

Why not consider running your event every year – it gives your friends and supporters something to look forward to!

Downloadable Forms & Templates

DOWNLOADS
Bake Sale Fundraising Toolkit
Event Flyers
Sample Donation Request Email
Sample Thank You Email
Sample Social Media Posts & #Hashtags
Sponsorship Form

Brand Guidelines

Click here to view, print, or download.

Person-First Language

Click here to view, print, or download.

Frequently Asked Questions

How will the money I raise be used?

The funds will be used to further GACI Global’s mission, which is to create awareness of GACI/ARHR2, to connect families to each other and to medical professionals, to provide current educational resources, and most importantly, to support ongoing research for better treatment options.

There are no salaries or expenses paid to any of the directors or volunteers of GACI Global – their work is entirely voluntary.

What do I do with money collected offline?

Checks should be mailed to GACI Global, P.O. Box #123, Argyle, TX 76226, USA.  Please include a letter telling us all about your fundraising – we’d love to hear about what you’ve done and you may even get featured on our website/social media.

What if someone gives me cash?

Deposit the cash collected and then write a check for the total. Please do not send cash by mail!

What if a donor wants a receipt?

If your donor requests a receipt, please email us at info@gaciglobal.org with details of the donors name, the amount donated, and their email address and we will email a receipt to them.

Can I use GACI Global’s logo for my event?

Yes. Please email us at info@gaciglobal.org to request logo use. All materials using the logo must be approved by GACI Global.  The logo must be used in accordance with our Brand Guidelines.