If you’ve ever had to purchase new sports uniforms and equipment for a school team, props and staging for the drama club, or cover travel expenses for a youth ministry’s mission trip, you already know how important a successful fundraiser is.
If you’ve found yourself racking your brain for good and easy fundraiser ideas for school, your church, local club, or sports team, look no further: for a close, quick, and convenient fundraising drive, partner with your local Goodwill!
HOW DOES A GOODWILL FUNDRAISER WORK?
When you fundraise with Goodwill, you’re collecting donations of gently used clothing, home goods, and more from your community – friends, family, coworkers – and dropping them off at a store you choose, during a specified date and time. We weigh your donations and pay your organization by the pound.
It’s that simple! You can put the door-to-door sales and asking friends and family for cash donations behind you. Just direct friends, family, and community members when and where to drop off their donations, or collect them ahead of time to kick-start your fundraiser!
It’s as easy as 1, 2, 3…
- SETUP: Pick a time, date, and Goodwill store to bring your donations to.
- PROMOTE: Share your fundraiser with your community and collect gently used donations from friends and family.
- DONATE: Bring your donations to Goodwill on the date of your event!
BENEFITS OF HOSTING A FUNDRAISER WITH GOODWILL
Raise Money for Your Group or Organization
Goodwill will pay you for the amount of donations collected. The more you collect, the more money you raise!
Declutter Your Space
Clear out items you no longer need, and make room to breathe. You might be surprised how many of your friends & family have items they no longer need and appreciate you donating them on their behalf!
Do Good for the Planet
By donating to Goodwill, you’re helping keep usable items from going directly to landfills and are giving them a second chance at life.
Support Your Community
Goodwill is a nonprofit providing no-cost career and education programs to the local community. Your donations help us empower individuals, strengthen families, and build stronger communities.
HOW TO START A FUNDRAISER WITH GOODWILL
- Start by filling out a Fundraiser Interest Form.
- After submitting the interest form, a member from our donation drive team will reach out to you with next steps, answer any questions, and schedule your fundraiser.
- Once your fundraiser is confirmed, it’s time to start promoting the event and collecting donations.
HOW DO I ORGANIZE A SUCCESSFUL DONATION DRIVE FOR MY FUNDRAISER?
Set Clear Goals
First and foremost, set specific goals for your fundraiser. Ask yourself the following questions:
- Are there specific items you want to focus on collecting (clothing, shoes, etc.)?
- How much money are you trying to raise, and how many pounds do you need to collect to meet your goal?
Setting clear, specific goals helps motivate donors and volunteers alike and provides a benchmark for measuring success. Pro Tip: Make a specific ask, such as “two grocery bags full” or “one banker’s box full,” to take out the guesswork for donors and to give you an idea of weight and quantity.
Assign Volunteer Duties
Recruit friends, family, coworkers, or community members to help promote the drive (distributing flyers, calling, texting, or emailing potential donors), collecting and sorting donations, and arrange pickups from anyone who can’t drop off their donations themselves.
Get the Word Out!
Goodwill will provide you with marketing materials to help promote your event, such as flyers and social media templates. Once you have these, it’s time to get the word out:
- Hand out fundraising flyers to your community, or post them at your locations. Send them home with students and staff, pin them on the church bulletin board, leave them at the local coffee shop, wherever you want to drum up interest.
- Share your fundraiser online on your organization’s website, your newsletter, social channels, and encourage your members to like and share.
- Start collecting items from your family, friends, and neighbors to kick-start your drive, and to raise awareness – you’d be shocked at how many people already have items they’re ready to donate!
Day-Of Best Practices
- Tell your friends and family which Goodwill store they should be going to, when, and at what time. Pro Tip: Have a point of contact they can reach out to in case they have any questions!
- Instruct donors to drive up and drop off their donations at our donation door. They should look for your organization’s flyer (this will already be at the donation doors), so they know they’re in the right place.
- Make sure your donors tell the donation attendant that their donation is for your fundraiser. Pro Tip: include the fundraiser flyer with your donation! This helps us accurately track every donation provided by your friends and family.
