In the first few weeks of social distancing measures during the COVID-19 pandemic, we saw MEDLIFE Chapters around the globe get creative with virtual fundraising ideas, coming up with innovative remote events, and blowing their fundraising goals out of the water. Although social distancing restrictions have been lifted for a while now, virtual fundraising is still an excellent way to engage large groups of people from all around the globe. Many Chapters still host these events and can raise some serious funds through them. To help support MEDLIFErs in their fundraising efforts, we’ve compiled this extensive list of virtual fundraising ideas to help you get your creative juices flowing.
Online Raffle (Thanks to MEDLIFE Ontario for this idea!)
Websites like RallyUp facilitate virtual raffles! Participants can purchase a ticket (or multiple tickets) for a chance at winning. You can set a time for RallyUp to randomly select the winner and then distribute the prize(s). The prize could be anything from a gift card to a discounted Service Learning Trip for individuals who are interested in medical volunteering abroad but are concerned about the affordability. To learn more about how you can offer SLT related prizes, contact us at [email protected].
Trivia night
Test your T.V, history, music, or general knowledge by hosting a virtual trivia night! You could download a set of trivia questions from the internet, use an app with trivia games built in (like Houseparty), or create your own personalized trivia questions! Set a time and date, promote your event online, and charge a participation fee.
Webinars
We saw some great webinars, panels, and virtual talks held by MEDLIFErs during the start of social distancing from group discussions on global health to career planning sessions. You could turn these events into online fundraisers by asking registrants to make a donation. You could even provide certificates of participation for educational workshops in exchange for a fee.
Karaoke Challenge
Take your pick: SING OR DONATE DOUBLE! Select your favorite quarantine song, grab your hairbrush microphone, and record a lip-sync on social media. Tag your friends to complete the challenge and make a donation. If stage fright hits and they don’t post a lip sync, double the donation amount! Start by creating a graphic to go along with the challenge so that participants can share the rules and follow the instructions.
Power Hour
One of the most popular virtual fundraising ideas amongst our Chapters are power hours! MEDLIFE’s Indiana University Chapter was the first to use this strategy, and had a wildly successful first try. Their recent virtual power hour raised over $3,300. A fundraising Power Hour is a designated hour where everyone makes calls and texts to their network to ask for donations to MEDLIFE. The list can include friends, classmates, parents, aunts, uncles, grandparents, cousins, family friends, high school friends and teachers, co-workers, greek life, sports teammates, etc. Creative awards can be given to those who raise the most funds!
Selling merch
Comfy oversized t-shirts, activewear, and cozy track pants are always things people need in their closets. Take advantage of the world’s new-found need for everyday loungewear by selling MEDLIFE merch! Or, if you want to create your Chapter’s own merch, you can use a website like Bonfire to upload your designs and easily start selling them online.
Sell your creative skills
Are you an artist at heart? Ask your friends if they’d pay you to paint their portrait! Do you know your way around a camera? Offer to photograph families in your area in exchange for a donation. Have a talent for music composition? Write songs for your loved ones!
Whatever your talent may be, now is a great time to work on your creative skills and put them into practice for a good cause.
Create an online course
Host your own or find an expert to teach an online class in a topic of your choosing! Pick something that will create value for your audience and support them during this time. For example, if your Chapter is made up of pre-med students, you create a course on applying to medical school. You could create a series and make a mini-online course, or host a once-off event.
Typing Tournament (Thanks to MEDLIFE Ontario for this idea)
Use a website like TypeRacer to host a competition and see who is the fastest of them all! MEDLIFE Ontario organized a global typing contest and charged a $5 donation to participate. The winner received a cash prize of 25% of the total amount raised (this creates an extra incentive to your friends involved!). The tournament can be elimination style – participants will be matched with an opponent, and given a time slot and game link. The loser will be eliminated from the tournament and the winner will move on to the next round. This will continue until there’s one lucky winner remaining!
To learn more about how you can fundraise for MEDLIFE’s Moving Mountains campaign, fill out the interest form below!