Service Dog Fundraising

Service dog fundraising can seem a little overwhelming and coming up with ideas can be difficult. With any type of fundraising, it takes time and energy but with devotion, dedication, creative thinking and planning, anyone can fundraise for a service dog.

Canines 4 Hope’s goal is to provide some guidance for anyone who may need to set up a service dog fundraiser and offer some ideas, tips and suggestions that can make your fundraising efforts for a service dog successful and fun.

Steps for starting a Service Dog Fundraising Campaign

1. Tell Your Story
   Difficult as it may be, it’s important to tell your story.  This allows your reader to feel connected and take interest. When writing your story, be yourself. Write in a way that you communicate on a daily basis because your initial donors will most likely be family, friends, coworkers, neighbors and your community. They already know you and how you communicate. So be yourself. You can also convey your story with compelling pictures and video. There will be opportunity for you to use all three during your fundraising campaign so take advantage of all mediums available. If at all possible, get a picture of the service dog that will be trained. People love to share pictures of dogs.
2. Set a goal and share it!
   Services dogs don’t come without costs. Because of their specialized training, initial costs of obtaining a service dog can often cost thousands of dollars not including the ongoing cost of care including vet bills. This can become a financial strain. Be specific and upfront about the figure you need to raise for your service dog and feel free to share your goal. People who contribute like to keep track of your campaign and how close you are to meeting or exceeding your goal.
3. Social Networking
   Facebook and twitter are powerful tools. Canines 4 Hope suggests at the very least, setting up a Facebook account for your service dog fundraiser. Have fun with it, tell your story, post frequently, giving updates on your campaign. You can even set up events via your facebook page! Give updates about your efforts to raise the funds for a service dog and how you expect your dog to help you. Post pictures of yourself with your service dog on your blog and on Facebook. Pictures allow people to put a face to the story. Again if you don't have pictures, contact your service dog trainer and request a few pictures.
4. Set Up A Service Dog Fundraiser Champaign Online
   Now that you have your story in writing, your goal set and your social media page for your service dog set up, it's time to make it easy for people to donate to your service dog fundraiser. In a few simple steps, you can create a service dog fundraising campaign online that allows people and groups to make a direct donation to your service dog fundraiser. There are plenty of Crowdfunding sites online. We might suggest" YouCaring.com, GoFundMe.com or FundRazr.com. This is where you tell your story. Upload your pictures and hook up your social media pages that you just set up. These sites make this super easy! Just follow their step by step instructions and you'll be set up to raise funds in just a few short minutes! Be sure to update your progress often on the fundraising site. People like to see how their donations are benefiting your cause. Let them know how your campaign is going and how specifically their funds are helping you reach your goal!

Service Dog Fundraising Tips

1. Look to your Local Community!
   You'd be surprised how quickly your local community will come out to support your fundraising efforts. Reach out to your local churches, civic organizations such as, your local Boys/Girls Scout troops, local lodges and other service-based groups. Many churches and lodges often provide some financial assistance for medical needs to members of the local community. Keep in mind, you don't necessarily have to be a member of a church or lodge in order for them to help you. Also, have family and friends reach out to their churches, lodges and employers. When contacting organizations, explain why you need a trained service dog and ask if they have funds available that can assist you in any way. They may ask you to provide letter from your doctor verifying that you are in medical need of a service dog and/or a letter from the company that is training your service dog verifying the cost. They may even offer the opportunity to host a fundraising event on your behalf and offer ideas on fundraising for your service dog.
2. Reach out to Organizations Who Raise Awareness
   Look to the organizations that raise awareness about your special need. For example, Diabetes Foundation, PTSD organizations, Autism Awareness groups and so on. They all have facebook pages. Don't be afraid connect and reach out to them to request they share your story, ask them for suggestions on what you can do to help set up fundraising events that would benefit you while raising awareness about your special needs while promoting their organization at the same time. Many will be more than willing to send you several copies of their brochures which is a great tool to have at your fundraiser events and these organizations may offer additional ideas and suggestions for fundraising events. Tap into their years of experience and knowledge.
3. Fundraising Events
   Now that you've tapped into your local community and reached out to awareness organizations you've probably gathered enough information on how to go about setting up additional fundraising events. Quite possibly, you may have had offers from your local community organizations to set up fundraiser events with donations going to you for your service dog. You may have even had offers from organizations or groups who may be willing or able to assist you plan, host or advertise for events such as a car wash fundraising event sponsored by your local Boy Scouts or local church Youth Group.
4. Reach out to Local Businesses
   Reach out to your local restaurant owners, even the chain restaurants in your area, to see if they'd sponsor a fundraiser day with a portion of their day's sales to help with your fund raising event. Ask if you can set out collection jars at local businesses. Some businesses may prefer to donate merchandise or services rather than cash. Use those donations to hold raffles and silent auctions at your event. 
5. T-Shirts, Support Bracelets and other items customizable fundraising items
   Look online to design fundraiser t-shirts and support bracelets. You can design them and sell them at your events and promote online. This is a great way to allow someone to really get involved in selling items that can continually be purchased even after the event is over and it makes it easy for people wearing your awareness items to help spread the word as it will becomes a topic of conversation.

The more you speak with your local community about your efforts, the more fundraising ideas and offers will come your way. Most importantly, have fun!

Service Dog Fundraising Ideas
Canines 4 Hope has compiled a list of fundraising event ideas to help get those creative juices flowing. You can use many of these event suggestions in one fundraiser, hold multiple fundraisers or direct your friends and family here to this site to help give them ideas on how they can help organize a fundraising event with suggestions and tips to help make it a successful one!