How to Make an “Ask”:

• Make a list of your potential donors – immediate and extended family, friends, and neighbors are a good start! Then, prepare your ask. Why do you care about animal welfare? Why are you participating by raising money and awareness? What makes The Anti-Cruelty Society important to you?
• Ask for a specific dollar amount, and to utilize the BARK Fundraising Toolkit to show how far each dollar goes! Our shareable graphics provide details on how each donation makes a huge difference to the animals at ACS.
• Keep in mind: The biggest reason people say they haven’t donated to a cause is because no one ever asked!
• Consider what someone is passionate about. Is it animal companionship? Mental and emotional health? Animal behavior education? Connect what they care about to the mission of animal welfare.
• Sometimes, one ask is not enough! Make sure to follow up with potential donors – all they need is a little reminder.

Team fundraising ideas:

• Talk to HR - Post a notice in the common areas of your workplace and ask the company HR department to help you get the word out or donate to the team directly.
• Happy hour – Ask a local bar or restaurant to donate a portion of sales during a specific time frame to your fundraiser.
• Host a lunch-in – Invite people to bring their lunch and donate the amount they otherwise would have spent to your team goal instead.
• Get the boss involved – See if your boss will help the team by promising a reward when you meet the goal. Who wouldn’t want to see the boss host the next all staff meeting dressed like Batman?
• Bake sale – Invite your teammates to bring in baked goods and sell them to either your coworkers or others in the building, with proceeds going towards the team goal.
• Staff cook-out – Gather up the hot dogs, buns, and condiments and host a cookout over lunch hour, with proceeds going towards the team goal.
• Used book sale – Encourage your team to clean out their bookshelves and host a book sale. Set a price for each book with all proceeds going towards your team goal.
• Jeans day – In exchange for a one-day relaxed dress code, ask your colleagues to donate $5 or more to the team goal. 
• Department Wars – encourage your different departments to go head-to-head on who can donate the most to BARK. The winning department gets lunch in or special recognition at the next All Staff Meeting.
• Employee Match Programs – check with your HR department if your company will match your donations through a Corporate Match program. This easily doubles your donations!

• Rely on your own furry friend – Do you have a dog at home? Get your pooch in on the effort by posting pictures of your pup with each update on your progress.
• Movie night – Invite people over for a movie night in exchange for a donation. Provide popcorn, snacks, and drinks.
• Spare change jar – Put a jar on your desk and ask anyone to contribute their spare change between now and BARK.
• Use your talents – Consider making a gift for every donor to your fundraiser who gives over a certain amount. Is your thumb particularly green? Why not repot a few houseplants and give them to anyone who donates $50 to your campaign. 
• Craft time – enjoy making things with your hands? Consider selling them with all profits going to your fundraising! If you can knit, sew, paint, sketch, or create something from scratch, consider promoting it to your friends and family for donations.
• Self-donate – people are inspired to give when they see others doing it. Why not get the ball rolling by donating to your own campaign? 
• Gab at gatherings – now that people are gathering more, it’s the perfect time to strike up a conversation about BARK! Let people know that you’re striving towards this goal, and you may receive some in-person donations.