Hardship Fundraiser Ideas

Finding and developing innovative fundraiser ideas is not an easy task.  Many people are the victims of hardships these days from financial issues to loss of loved ones.  Expenses can add up quickly when a loss of income is experienced and at times, it may seem that there is no solution.  Previously, people would rely on family and social services to raise money and much needed funds but now MicroGiving gives an additional opportunity to help those in need.

Fundraiser Ideas for Hardship Needs

There are many fundraiser ideas that can help people in this type of situation by raising a substantial amount of money.  People seeking ideas may consider holding a charity event such as a carnival, marathon or a raffle.  A raffle can easily raise a great deal of money – even thousands of dollars – just by getting people together to give donations in exchange for prizes.  The prizes may be donated by businesses, community groups or volunteers.  The bigger the prize, the more money one can charge for a ticket.  Some popular items chosen for a raffle may include baked goods, artwork, vehicles, experience days, celebrity autographs or handmade items such as crafts, including jewelry, pottery, quilts and Afghan rugs.  Of course, the better the item, the more money will be brought in.  Advertising the event or raffle on MicroGiving will help to pass the word around.

Lady Gaga Offers Japan Support, along with Crowd Funding Organizations

MTV Japan has just announced that there will be a special crowd funding charity event on June 25^th to lend ongoing support to the Japanese Red Cross.  Among the performers traveling to Japan for the special event is international superstar Lady Gaga.  Lady Gaga is one of many celebrities expected to attend the live event, titled MTV Video Music Aid Japan.  The event is going to coincide with the 10^th Annual MTV Video Music Awards Japan (aka VMAJ).  The live feed will collect monies that will be given to support the Japanese Red Cross.

Funding for Japan

Charity organizations worldwide have been collecting donations to help the victims of the recent earthquake and tsunami in Japan that left tens of thousands of people dead, injured and/or homeless.

It is the hope of the event’s organizers that the broadcast will help to raise much needed funds for the victims of the tragedy.  The musical event is expected to be broadcast into more than 30 million homes via MTV’s various channels including MTV Japan, MTV China, MTV Korea and MTV Southeast Asia.  A special presentation of MTV Video Music Aid Japan will be broadcast to more than 550 million homes worldwide via its live weekly series, MTV World Stage.  The massive number of people expected to watch the event are being asked to give to the micro charity and will have the opportunity to donate online.

MTV Video Music Aid Japan is slated to be the final stage in MTV’s Music of Hope, which will feature live performances, interviews, inspirational music videos and news that will help promote crowd funding initiatives in support of Japanese disaster relief.

Crowd Funding Efforts and Ricky Gervais Helping to Save Chimpanzees

Microgiving proudly supports Ricky Gervais’ crowd funding efforts.  The world renowned comedian, often poking fun at many things in today’s society including the latest foibles of Charlie Sheen,  isn’t laughing about the plight of 14 chimpanzees recently moved to a Texas laboratory.  The chimps have been slated for use in dangerous and painful medical experiments, a program funded by the U.S. government.

Gervais recently penned a letter to the Director of the National Institutes of Health.  “Scientists around the world are deeply concerned about the ethical and scientific problems associated with using humankind’s closest living genetic relatives in painful and invasive experiments.  Over the past few decades, we’ve learned that chimpanzees are astonishingly smart and deeply sensitive beings.  That is a key reason why the United Kingdom banned licenses for experiments on chimpanzees more than a decade ago.”

Crowd Funding: Efforts to Save Chimpanzees

Charity organizations around the world have been battling to save the chimpanzees for years with varying degrees of success.  New Zealand, Sweden, Austria, the Netherlands and Belgium have all stopped invasive chimpanzee experiments.

Gervais went on to say in his letter that he knew the US federal government was currently examining the moral and also the scientific problems associated with chimpanzee experiments.  He added that he felt it was not right to keep the 14 chimpanzees at Texas Biomed, where they were still being used in invasive experiments.

It is hoped that the Director of the National Institutes of Health will listen to those involved in crowd funding efforts and cease the operation.

Micro Loan Program Fast Becoming Fashionable Among Celebrities

Incorporating a micro loan program is one of the most effective and affordable ways to support a charity. In addition to online donations given by supporters, recipients may receive financial assistance to help them get back on their feet. Another term for this type of program is crowd funding, which simply means that the program relies on support from many sources rather than a few large contributors.

Oxfam’s Micro Loan Program

Oxfam, a well known charity, is one such program that helps people to combat poverty by dedicating funds to specific areas while only a very small percentage of each donation goes to training and operating costs.

The most recent charity event held by Oxfam was a kick off to a month-long program where 100% of all donations went directly to a charity. Oxfam is determined to show that 100% giving is possible and aims to make it more common throughout charitable organizations.

The first event involved wallets being donated by various celebrities and fashionistas, including popular band The Hoosiers, along with Daisy Lowe, Edith Bowman and Gizzi Erskine. Each wallet includes a ‘purse-onal’ message or item from the celebrity.

Some of the items include:

• Gizzi Erskine: Miu Miu cardholder
• Daisy Lowe: sequined purse by Lulu Guinness
• Nick Hewer (The Apprentice): Black leather card holder
• Edith Bowman: Vintage coin purse
• Pearl Lowe: Green Vivienne Westwood wallet
• The Hoosiers: Well traveled leather wallets
• Levi Roots: Black wallet with leather dividers
• Martin Lewis: Wallet with lock and chain

The number of charitable organizations adopting a micro loan program is rapidly growing and looks set to only continue.

Alyssa Milano Employs Crowd Funding Through Social Networks

Crowd Funding News: You might remember Alyssa Milano from “Who’s The Boss?”, or more recently from “Charmed”, but you probably don’t know that she is geeky, loves the tech world, and has used crowd funding through social networks like Twitter to give to charity. For instance, Alyssa used her past two birthdays to get her fans to fund the cause ‘Water through Facebook, Twitter and Myspace’. Rather than Alyssa’s fans sending obligatory gifts to their idol, she requested that fans, family and friends make an online donation to the charity. Alyssa’s two birthday campaigns have raised over $125,000 for the charity.

Beyond Crowd Funding & Social Networks, Alyssa’s Philanthropy includes UNICEF

Alyssa was invited to be a UNICEF ambassador in 2003 and since then has taken her responsibilities very seriously, visiting India, Kosovo and Angola to work with UNICEF field staff. While in Africa with UNICEF, Alyssa’s love of photography blossomed and she began to immortalize her visit, later using her photos and those taken by one of the schools, to raise $50,000 for South African women and children with AIDS. Her work with UNICEF led her to be appointed as Founding Ambassador for the Global Network for Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs). Alyssa donated $250,000 to the effort with a mission to fight for control of neglected tropical diseases. She is adamant about raising the awareness of NTDs which affect one billion people globally. She is currently working with “Drop in The Bucket” to bring clean water and sanitation to rural Africa. When not working to support human causes, Alyssa also supports PETA by filming Public Service Announcements for the organization; she recently did one PSA in which she wears a dress made entirely of vegetables.

Microgiving appreciates all of Alyssa Milano’s philanthropy efforts. Like Ms. Milano, Microgiving.com works to meet the needs of others through those who give to charity in the form of online donations; if you would like to be a part of Microgiving’s crowd funding efforts, please continue to explore our website.

Corporations Turn to Facebook Members to Direct Charitable Resources Through Crowd Funding

Major corporations are utilizing Facebook members to direct their crowd funding resources. Buddy Media Platform has identified five of the latest trends on Facebook, one of which involves Facebook members driving corporate charitable giving via a voting system.

Trend Viewed as “Crowd Funding” to Direct Charitable Resources

Buddy Media has described how more and more corporations are turning to this method of donating. As an example, in 2009, discount retailing store Target asked Facebook members to determine where its $3 million in charitable donations should be directed on a weekly basis.

This year, Chase’s Community Giving program turned to Facebook members for crowd funding ideas of where to send its donations. This campaign has since come to a close, but Facebook members directed $250,000 to HP Alliance in Somerville, MA, and this is only a fraction of the $5 million that Chase has pledged to donate to 200 charities, all of which will be decided by Facebook members.

Yahoo also recently utilized a similar concept to raise over $100,000 dollars for cancer charities. The company pledged a $1 donation to “Stand Up For Cancer”, for each “like” vote received on their OMG! Facebook Page.

Kohl’s, another firm that is turning to Facebook for its charitable efforts, is providing $20 million dollars to schools through the social media giant.

More and more corporations are using the concept to improve their own branding, while at the same time providing Facebook members with the ability to decide whom the recipients of each donation will be.

Microgiving fully supports the use of social media sites to prompt collective action, in order for corporations to direct corporate charitable resources in a responsible and democratic fashion. At Microgiving, we use your individual donations to collectively support, or crowd fund, those in need. If would like to take part in crowd funding yourself, please visit our website and donate online today.

Crowd Funding Important to Projects of Worth

Crowd funding through IndieGoGo has made several important film projects possible.  Tapestries of Hope, by filmmaker Michealene Cristine Risley, is one such project that benefited from much-needed funding. Using IndieGoGo as a financing source to help reach her social network, Risley was able to raise $20,000 for her film within a short time.

Crowd Funding Success Allows Risley to tell Story of Hope

Tapestries of Hope tells the real-life story of the Girl Child Network of Zimbabwe. The film introduces Betty Makoni, a woman who is committed to the liberation of young women in Zimbabwe from the dark world of rape and assault. The movie details a myth that is prevalent among Zimbabwe men: that sex with a virgin will cure their disease. Instead, by carrying out their criminal actions, they continue the spread of HIV.

But Tapestries also tells the story of the filmmaker herself. While filming on location, Ms. Risley was imprisoned because of her determination in telling the world of the real life efforts of Betty Makoni. Riley’s imprisonment was torturous, as she was denied food and water, urinated on and even made to walk on human excrement.  Thankfully, human rights attorneys helped to secure her return to the States, where she completed the film.

With its debut in 100 theaters today, Ms. Risley looks forward to expanding Tapestries’ distribution. She believes the film will increase awareness of the Zimbabwe horrors and encourage US legislation to help combat international violence against women and inspire further crowd funding efforts.

Microgiving is also crowd funding resource that aims to finance and provide micro credit to individual work projects, as well as helping those requiring emergency financial need; if you would like to help others, please donate online at our website and help those that could benefit from your assistance today.