The national toolkit.

Fundraise

1. 01Why your chapter fundraises

   Watch Why your chapter fundraises

   Everyone. HF Buddy opens the series: what HFSO fundraising pays for, the verified 2025 total, and the one rule this tutorial teaches. Pick the format by your time, budget, team, school, and goal, then send every gift through Humanity First.

   1. Welcome. I'm HF Buddy, and I'll help you plan your chapter's fundraiser.
   2. HFSOs help fund Humanity First programs in health care, clean water, and food security.
   3. Together, HFSOs raised $148,317 for Humanity First USA programs in 2025.
   4. Whatever your situation, this guide shows which fundraiser fits your chapter right now.
   5. Choose by time, budget, team, school, and goal. Then start wherever you are.

2. 02One program, one goal, one page

   Watch One program, one goal, one page

   Chapter boards. The foundation of every fundraiser: choose one Humanity First program, set one goal people can picture, get HFSD approval before promoting, and collect every gift through the official Humanity First giving page so every donor receives a receipt.

   1. Strong fundraisers start with one Humanity First program.
   2. Give people one clear goal they can picture and feel good about.
   3. Get your fundraiser approved through HFSD before you promote it.
   4. Every gift goes through the official Humanity First giving page.
   5. Never use a personal payment account. A chapter app needs HFSD approval first.
   6. That way, every donor receives a receipt.
   7. Put the page link in your Instagram bio and its QR code on flyers.

3. 03If you have one week

   Watch If you have one week

   Chapter boards. The one-week plan: a small sale or drive tied to your goal. Approval and a table on day one, a flyer with the QR code, a suggested-gift sign ($5, $10, or $25), tabling in pairs at a busy spot, and thanks within 48 hours. Food follows your school's rules.

   1. With one week, run a bake sale, chai bar, or snack cup table.
   2. Check your school's food rules, label allergens, and keep food covered.
   3. Give a free treat to anyone who donates eyeglasses or hygiene items.
   4. Post a suggested gift of $5, $10, or $25 beside your QR code.
   5. Table in pairs, then warmly thank supporters and share your total within 48 hours.

4. 04If you have one month

   Watch If you have one month

   Chapter boards. The one-month plan: a campaign around one program goal with a visible progress tracker and two or three small events, or a give-back night with a local restaurant or cafe, with outreach three to four weeks ahead and every agreement in writing.

   1. With a month, build a campaign around one program goal.
   2. Hold two or three small events, all pointing to one visible progress tracker.
   3. Or partner with a local restaurant or cafe for a give-back night.
   4. Start outreach three to four weeks ahead.
   5. Ask each business for a reply within four days.
   6. Put every agreement in writing. It protects everyone involved.
   7. Ask the vendor to send their gift through the Humanity First page.

5. 05If you have a semester

   Watch If you have a semester

   Chapter boards. The semester plan: a charity lunch or dinner as your signature event, in six steps. Design and book the room, secure every school approval, bring in partners, advertise, run the day on one itinerary, and follow up.

   1. Have a semester? A charity dinner can become your signature event.
   2. Book a large room and get every school approval first.
   3. Ask businesses for food trays or a share of proceeds. Licensed caterers are simplest.
   4. Choose a ticket with a meal, or free entry with gifts encouraged.
   5. Present the cause with approved Humanity First stories and photos, then serve.
   6. Run the day on one shared itinerary, so everyone knows their part.

6. 06Match your budget and your team

   Watch Match your budget and your team

   Chapter boards. Start where your resources are. Zero-cost formats such as a panel or screening with a donation QR code and an eyeglass collection box, written approval before any spending, never your own money, co-hosting for new chapters, shared outreach for established ones, and matches only once confirmed in writing. Larger formats are planned with HFSD.

   1. No budget? Host a panel or screening with a donation QR code.
   2. Ask a local eye clinic to host a collection box.
   3. Get written approval before any spending. Never use your own money.
   4. Newer chapters can start small, and co-host with a larger club for support.
   5. Established chapters can share outreach and plan larger formats with HFSD.
   6. Announce a match only once the donor confirms in writing.

7. 07Fundraise for a specific program

   Watch Fundraise for a specific program

   Chapter boards. Match the event to the program you are funding: kit packing nights and white coat photo booths for Gift of Health, eyeglass drives with optometry or pre-health clubs for Gift of Sight, an education panel that recruits tutors for The Education Project, and your own chapter page for the current national campaign.

   1. For Gift of Health, try a kit packing night or a photo booth.
   2. Co-host with pre-health clubs. Gifts go to the student medical missions campaign.
   3. For Gift of Sight, run an eyeglass drive with optometry clubs.
   4. For The Education Project, host a panel and recruit tutors.
   5. For the national campaign, join with your own chapter page.
   6. Medical missions run through HFSD. Please ask the national team first.

8. 08High school and university chapters

   Watch High school and university chapters

   Everyone. The principles are the same; the approvals differ. University chapters can use campus rooms, club funding, and campus vendors. High school chapters start with school-approved sales, drives, and awareness tables, plan every event with their faculty advisor, and follow school rules on permission forms and off-campus activities.

   1. University chapters can use campus rooms, club funding, and campus vendors.
   2. High school chapters start with school-approved sales, drives, and awareness tables.
   3. Plan every event with your faculty advisor. Follow school rules on permission forms.
   4. Check your school's food and fundraising rules before you announce anything.
   5. Ask before using your school's name, and use only the logo files HFSD provides.
   6. Wherever you study, every chapter sends gifts through Humanity First.

9. 09Spread the word, fill the room, invite gifts

   Watch Spread the word, fill the room, invite gifts

   Chapter boards. The growth loop from the Awareness, Attendance, and Instagram workshop: announce two weeks out on every channel the same day, collab post with partner clubs, send every RSVP a personal reminder the day before, use a 30-second pitch (the need, the program, the result, the ask), put the QR code on every flyer, table, and slide, and follow the Protocol Agreement in every photo.

   1. Announce two weeks out on Instagram, group chats, and email, the same day.
   2. Invite partner clubs to collab post so you reach both audiences.
   3. The day before, send a personal reminder. It works better than a flyer.
   4. Use a 30-second pitch: the need, the program, the result, the ask.
   5. Put your QR code on every flyer and slide.
   6. Share an approved Humanity First story, with dignity, before the ask.
   7. Every photo follows the Protocol Agreement your president signed.

10. 10Close the loop

    Watch Close the loop

    Chapter boards. Gratitude and reporting earn the next gift and the next partner: thank every donor and business within 48 hours, post the recap within a day, record totals in the monthly report and the finance report, keep contact details only with permission in the chapter's shared drive, debrief as a board, and invite everyone to the next event. The end card links every next step.

    1. Thank every donor and business within 48 hours. Gratitude goes a long way.
    2. Tag partners and share your verified total, with thanks, within a day.
    3. Record your totals in the monthly report and your finance report.
    4. Keep contact details only with permission, in your chapter's shared drive.
    5. Never share them with sponsors. Their trust comes first.
    6. Debrief while details are fresh, and warmly invite everyone to the next event.
    7. Thank you for serving. We're grateful for you. Every next step is below.