Seattle Program > Service > Philanthropy/Fundraising

Fundraising can be an extremely positive and empowering experience for people of all ages and all backgrounds. Students learn leadership, organization, and life-skills in the process that they can apply to school, college, and jobs.

All students in the program raise funds for the GV Project Fund. The proceeds from the project fund are used for the projects we undertake in Guatemala including school construction and reforestation. Each student determines him/herself the amount they raise based on a sliding scale. That is, the goal the student decides upon should have some relationship to a family's income and the student's fundraising capacity. Each student is required to raise between $100 - $750 ($400 being the average among students). The money raised for the Project Fund does not go towards one's Participant Fees.

GV staff will assist students each step of the way to achieve the dollar goal they choose. Participants choose the best strategy from benefit dinners, wreath sales, bake sales, selling direct trade coffee, and writing letters to friends and family (See all details below). Students work together as a team to enable everyone to reach their individual and collective goals!

Wreath and Garland Sales

Every year, students sell wreaths and garlands in November in preparation for the holidays. This fundraiser can be very successful-one year, two students sold $400 each in wreaths!

Wreath Description: 24 inch / 2 foot FIR based wreath with cedar boughs, juniper, cedar berries, pine cones. Very nicely decorated (3 points of decoration on each wreath).

Garland Description: Cedar garland. Lush and thick, tightly wound and heavy with no spaces (gaps). Approx. 6-8 inches per bough, 75 feet long.

All proceeds from wreaths and garlands will go directly to the Project Fund to support the communities we work with in Guatemala.

Winter Dinner

The Winter Dinner is a benefit dinner organized and hosted by the Spring-trip participants. Students invite guests to enjoy entertainment and a beautiful meal prepared and served by Bill Taylor, the Executive Chef of the Talaris Conference Center. The money raised at the event is distributed evenly among participating students for their Project Fund or Participant Fees. This opportunity is offered to Spring-trip participants only because they have less time to raise money before the trip.

Date: TBD (will be a Saturday in February)
Time: 6 - 9pm
Location: Talaris Conference Center, 4000 NE 41st St., Seattle, WA 98105

Bake Sales

1. Use Global Visionaries Posters. If you don't have posters, DOWNLOAD PICTURES FROM our website global-visionaries.org.
2. Talk to Manager of Grocery Store (QFC) 2 weeks ahead of time. Get permission to have bake sale
3. Use colorful GV signs.
4. Bring Table and chairs and hot drinks (if possible). Do NOT use throw-away paper/plastic products if possible!
5. Call people who bake to remind them 2 nights before. Make arrangements for bakers to drop off food.
6. Don't Price the food and drink items. Let people make donations.
7. TALK to the people and TELL them what you are raising money for. Make them feel that they WANT to help you all that they can. Tell them about all the service work you are doing in Seattle before and after the trip and all the work you will be doing in Guatemala.

Letters to Family and Friends

Write first draft of a letter to send to family and friends. Not necessary if you are not fundraising for yourself. (Click here to see examples) Show it to a GV leader for editing.

1. Compose a personal, heartfelt letter telling people why you are going on this trip.
2. Describe the trip.
3. Ask for financial help.
4. Include in the envelope a self addressed stamped envelope.

Letter and Presentations to Businesses and Newspapers

Brainstorm with parents and write down a list of businesses that you could make short presentations to ask for financial support. Do not fear presentations, we will teach you some awesome presentation and public speaking skills and techniques in our meetings. You can do presentations with another participant to take pressure off. The list may include:

1. parents/ guardians place of business
2. parents/guardians friends places of business
3. local businesses that you frequent
4. your friends parents place of business

1. Trip description
2. Why you so badly want to go
3. What you hope to learn
4. The service work you are doing in Seattle and in Guatemala
5. Ask for financial help. (I can only go because of the generous support I receive from people like you and from all the fundraisers I am doing.)

1. Give a Cash Donation
2. Matching Funds from their business
3. Contribute an In-Kind Donation
4. Donate Airline Frequent Flier miles.

1. Call the Lions Club, Rotary Club, Kiwanis Club, Elks Club
2. You have to call ahead of time b/c they usually only meet once a month.
3. Set up appointment for you to give a talk.
4. Practice presentation in front of a family member or friend.
5. Do it with another trip member for moral support.
6. Promise them that you will return after the trip to share all you learned and to show pictures.
7. Ask for financial help. (I can only go because of the generous support I receive from people like you and from all the fundraisers I am doing.)

Services

Offering your neighborhood your services is a fundraising alternative to selling an item. You'll find that people will greatly appreciate your willingness to give your time and effort to them. Get creative with what you can offer-think about your personal talents and strengths-How can you play off of them? Some possible ideas are babysitting, lawn-mowing, house/pet-sitting, and dog-walking.