Crusader, you may want to try a targeted google search - "donation request illness" or "donation request cancer" to see if that will take you to the places that are most likely to donate. I haven't done this type of request before (mine has all been for school auctions or giveaways) so I don't have any specific leads for you. Your best bet is going to be local, which you already know, and you may also want to involve other people close to the family who may be plenty willing to donate that Christmas gift still in the package that is a lovely item that just doesn't fit with their decor or taste. Good luck to you!

Laura

Hi again... I've posted several times about our school auction in Iowa which did great
raising $45,ooo. I have done the endless hours of research for our non profit school but
now I offered to help with a silent auction for a friends son battling cancer.
I know the obvious of local businesses but my question to you is... does any of the online businesses we post and receive for our 501c projects also donate to these kind of fundraisers?

I'm not trying to be lazy by asking but I'm just trying to save time of hours of starting again and reading thru all the guidelines.

I just discovered another shortcut for finding donations for our school. Get a vacation guide book for a city which lists all the info for all their attractions, hotels, restaurants
etc. I did a mass email to the attractions, so far, asking if they donated and how to send the info. So far I received 8 places that said they do! So BAM! I have some places to add to my list to send a letter to next year for a getaway and it barely took me anytime to do. (I will send them the same letter asking about my new fundraiser too)

But for all the newcomers.. just read the pages.. I just reread this years, writing down anything I may have missed this year. When I have more time I'm even gonna go back and read last years.

Good luck to all of you and anyone out there that can give advice on my new fundraiser, I'll take it.

Another tool that has been helpful to me is utilizing my Linked In and Facebook contact. Think about where your friends work and if they are able to procure a donation. I took a road trip a few weeks ago with my family and at every restaurant and hotel we stopped at, I talked to the manager and handed over our letter. You really have to be willing to put in the effort. There is some really good information here and I am willing to help give ideas, because I have gotten some good ones from here. For anyone just preparing to start planning a fundraising event, just know that you can have a really great event and raise a lot of money. It will be fun and rewarding, and stressful and exhausting and frustrating all at the same time. But most importantly, there is no easy answer, no list of places that always donate to everyone. You have to really work hard at it - it takes a lot of time and effort but the rewards are worth it.

I agree completely with the recent posts. It is a "full-time part-time " job to obtain prizes for a fundraiser. Use the posts in this forum for ideas and/or for some suggestions. The bulk of your donations will come from local or relatively local businesses and contacts and it requires using email, fax, telephone and pounding the pavement. No one can really provide a complete answer to open-ended questions asking for what their town/state donors are…Look around where you live ….read the local advertisements, check out the kids and adult activities offered in your area and surrounding area. Have you letter ready to give out to all the businesses you approach. I also include our 501c3 number as well. We have a few donors that also require a copy of the IRS letter of determination (which verifies that your organization has 501c3 status). If you don't have that letter, it's easy enough for your treasurer to write a letter to the IRS and obtain it. Now when I need the letter, I have copies on hand. Many businesses post letters or certificates for their donations on their community boards or near the cash register area - if you see these certificates, that's a good sign the place donates….Look around at the local supermarkets, wine stores pizzerias, salons, resorts, bowling alleys, etc. in your community. EVERY place has local businesses. People in my school ask me how I do "it" - the answer is easy - I WORK at it. LOL

That is an excellent post Karen. That is what I did. It's hours of endless work. You really have to do the legwork. I have sent out over 500 requests. I have over $6,000 in donations so far. I have taken a handful of places listed here but most I found on my own.

Can I add groupon and yelp as well as other search engines, not just google? I search businesses within 15 to 20 miles of where our event is being held. Local spots want to donate to community events.

You can't expect people here to do the work for you though the advice and pointers are priceless.