When chocolate coins don't work

Hide and seek may have been an exhilarating game when you were younger, but it's not a pleasant activity when you're searching for funds to bring your ideas to life. Luckily, we have a couple places where you can start looking!

If your team needs to raise more money to make a bigger impact, we have resources to help you out! Youth Venture will help you determine your goals and the amount your team needs to raise in order to select the best fundraising option.

Option 1: Create your own branded product line. A product can be from key chains to reusable water bottles – Youth Venture will purchase them for your team as a loan and customize them to reflect your cause. If your goal is to bring clean water to impoverished villages, it's sensible to sell reusable water bottles. You’ll get to brand the bottles with your project’s name, logo, and cause. The money from its sale can help fund your venture!

Here is an example of how thousands of young students around the U.S. are helping thirsty students in Africa through socially responsible product sales:

When young students from the United States learned that many African schools don’t have running water and it was common for thirsty students to skip school so they can fetch water miles away, they decided to help out. They joined together to sell their own branded label of reusable water bottles to bring clean water to the students.

They were able to raise enough money to install PlayPumps in South African schools and communities where kids spinning the merry-go-around would actually pump up water from wells. Students focused on running their projects and selling their products without having to worry about the behind-the-scenes manufacturing, branding, and marketing of the bottles to make this project a reality. 

Option 2: Mobilize your network for “crowdfunding.” The beauty of crowdfunding lies in the collaboration with other supporters of the mission or cause to alleviate social problems. Your team can also meet and get inspired by other passionate, like-minded fellows committed to social change.

Unlike selling branded products to raise money, crowdfunding is done all online. The challenge, then, is finding ways to inspire your supporters to donate money towards your project. This approach is great for teams that have established and are looking to grow their operation and impact.

Asking for donations for a cause sounds a lot like some of the traditional charities you might hear about, but crowdfunding works more like a competition – there is a time limit to achieving the goal. First, set the amount you want to raise and you have until the deadline to reach your goal; otherwise, usually your project won’t be funded. Having the deadline helps build momentum and urgency for your project. So it is crucial to figure out ways to reach out to and galvanize your supporters and harness their collective power to get the project funded. 

To beat the time crunch successfully, your team needs an organized plan and Youth Venture will help you develop that. We will also help with the outreach for gathering supporters and donations! 

Every team has different needs and goals, so before you get started, Youth Venture can help you evaluate which methods of fundraising is best . Whether you are just getting started or are already making big, positive impact on the world, in the end, we are all connected by the common goal of creating a happier, healthier, and a more peaceful place to live.

If you want to start fundraising, don’t hesitate to let us know! Contact Rachel in the global office at yvdc@youthventure.org to get your efforts off the ground!