How to start a cancer fundraiser

Creating and managing a fundraiser demands a lot of time and energy, particularly for those who have received a cancer diagnosis. Focusing on any kind of task while undergoing treatment can be difficult, which is why the help of a dedicated fundraising team can make a world of difference.

We recommend nominating a trusted friend or family member to manage your fundraiser and assemble a team to promote your cause. This crew of supporters can also help to create a fundraising plan, utilizing GoFundMe’s team fundraising feature to share responsibilities and make the workload lighter for everyone.

Once you’ve got a trusted team rallied around you, here’s how to create a GoFundMe for your cancer fundraiser.

1. Tell us the basics

When you first click on ‘Start a GoFundMe’, you’ll be asked to share some basic information about your fundraiser. This includes:

  • Where you live
  • Your chosen cause
  • Who you’re fundraising for

This step allows you to choose the currency your fundraiser will operate in and the country your donations will be sent to. Choosing a category allows donors to find your fundraiser more easily, while sharing who you’re fundraising for lets us know who donations should be transferred to.

2. Set your fundraising goal

After you’ve set out the basics, you’ll need to come up with a realistic fundraising goal for the total amount you’d like to raise. Remember to factor in all expenses – medical and otherwise – to your goal, and take inspiration from similar GoFundMe success stories to determine what an achievable fundraising target might look like.

Medical authorities like the Mayo Clinic provide tools that help to estimate the total cost of your cancer treatment, but keep in mind that your fundraising goal can be changed at any time. You don’t need to hit this goal in order to receive your funds, and your fundraiser won’t automatically end once your goal has been reached.

3. Write your story

A compelling story is vital to any successful fundraiser. It’s important to be as open and descriptive as possible when writing your fundraiser story, so feel free to share your unique situation and personal relationship with the cause being supported.

Be as direct as possible when communicating how donations will be used, and how reaching your fundraising goal will positively impact your life. Add some personal anecdotes to give donors an accurate idea of your current situation, and include pictures for that all-important human touch.

4. Start sharing

Once you’ve provided all the relevant information and clicked on ‘Complete Fundraiser’ – congratulations! Your fundraiser is now live and ready to start bringing in donations, but the work isn’t over yet.

You’ll need to start sharing your fundraiser in order to reach the most amount of people possible. Whether in-person, through e-mail or across social media – sharing your fundraiser with friends, family and even complete strangers is an important part of successful crowdfunding.

Cancer fundraiser ideas to make a meaningful impact.

With crowdfunding across social media becoming such a useful tool for many, there’s no end to the creative fundraising ideas that can be used to boost your efforts.

From organizing community events to hosting charity sales, engaging online to recruiting some corporate help – here are our top cancer fundraising ideas to take your fundraiser to the next level.

1. Community events

When it comes to crowdfunding for cancer – or any worthwhile cause – traditional fundraising ideas are still hugely effective. Engaging your local community with in-person events allows you to create a sense of urgency and solidarity among attendees, while potentially reaching a massive amount of donors if your event attracts media attention.

If you feel like your cancer fundraiser could benefit from the unbeatable power of community, consider organizing some of the following events:

  • Community Concerts
    Nothing brings people together like music, and organizing charity concerts is a great way to attract a wide audience while raising valuable funds for your cause. Contact local venues and equipment providers to see if they’ll partner with your fundraiser, and minimize spending by inviting local talent to perform.
  • BBQs
    Offering a laid-back, sociable atmosphere at a relatively low cost, community BBQs are a great way to attract local donors through the unifying power of food. Delegate the heavy lifting to volunteers or your fundraising team, and maximize donations by charging a reasonable entry fee.
  • Movie Nights
    One of the most cost-effective fundraising ideas of them all – a community movie night only requires a public location, a basic projection system and comfortable seating. Just make sure to secure any permits you might need, and boost donations by setting up a simple concessions stand.

While the beauty of community-based fundraising ideas is in their simplicity, there are plenty of modern ideas that will make your event feel more unique. Scavenger hunts provide a great opportunity to partner with local businesses and raise funds through registration fees, while Geocaching events allow you to use new and existing geocaches to theme your event around your chosen cause.

2. Walk-a-thons and bike-a-thons

If team members have the availability and energy, walks and races to fundraise for cancer awareness come in all shapes and sizes. Plus, they allow you to meet with your team in-person to collectively come together to spread awareness and raise money for cancer treatment or cancer research. The Susan G. Komen organization and the American Cancer Society have online resources that make finding an event near you simple.

If you’re participating in a cancer-related race, walk, or bike ride, there are several things you can do to raise donations before the event.

  • Notify your network of the date, route and all other details about your race as early as possible to build anticipation for your fundraiser.
  • Share your online fundraiser on TikTok to spread the word about your race and why you’re doing it.
  • Ask friends and family to donate to support your cause.
  • Share updates on your training progress so supporters stay involved and invested in your race.

Teammates who can’t participate in the race can still help raise money at the start or finish line. Here are a few different ways they can get involved:

  • Take and share photos of the event as it progresses to keep donors involved and updated, or go live on Instagram to show your progress.
  • Add the name of your fundraiser, team name, and hashtag to any photos shared.
  • Wear a team shirt with the URL or QR code to your fundraiser printed on the back, encouraging people to make donations in real time.

3. Sales-based fundraisers

Organizing a sale can be a great way to spread awareness for your cause while attracting a large pool of new donors. You can seek sponsorship from local businesses for your sale, and even request donations of items to sell on the day. Remember that you may need to get permission if you’re planning to hold your sale in a local park, community center or other public location.

Here are some creative sales events that you can use to support your cancer fundraiser:

  • Themed t-shirt and merchandise sales
    Creating personalized merchandise that reflects your fundraiser’s theme is great for spreading awareness while boosting donations. Online design and print-on-demand platforms allow you to create and manufacture your own merchandise at affordable prices. Stage a photoshoot with your fundraising team to advertise your merchandise, and Include QR codes in your designs to make donating even easier.
  • Bake sales
    Selling delicious baked goods is a tried-and-tested fundraising method, and is a great way to involve and engage your community. Seek contributions from baking enthusiasts in your local area, and come up with a catchy theme or name that you can use to market your bake sale online.
  • Flower sales
    The symbolism of flowers can be used to add depth and meaning to your cancer fundraiser. Organize a flower sale where you provide bulbs, bouquets and blooms which represent certain emotions and cancer types. Sunflowers can symbolize hope, while the color pink is often used in breast cancer fundraisers.

4. Tree planting and lantern release events

Organizing a tree planting or lantern release event can be a meaningful way to honor cancer fighters you know while gaining donations for your own fundraiser. These events can take place at either your home or any suitable location in your community.

For tree planting events, you can set up a table with saplings and sell them to people interested in supporting your cause. Encourage the community to plant these saplings in their backyards to create a meaningful reminder of your fundraiser while being kind to the environment.

Lantern release events can be a powerful way to promote your cancer fundraiser and honor past patients, but it’s important to choose eco-friendly lanterns that won’t harm the environment in the process. You can also set up an additional table for guests to make extra donations or purchase snacks and drinks to raise more money.

5. Online fundraisers

The power of the internet shouldn’t be underestimated when planning your cancer fundraiser. Online crowdfunding has the potential to supercharge awareness and donations when used correctly, spreading your story to a broad range of donors that can be tough to reach otherwise.

Make sure to share information about your fundraiser over e-mail – use our fundraising email templates to get started. Also share your fundraiser on social media, creating accounts across various platforms and updating your donors with regular messages about your progress. You can even create a personalized hashtag for your fundraiser, or use trending topics to reach a wider audience.

Photo and video content is particularly powerful in engaging potential donors, so it’s worth having a dedicated photographer – even if they’re an amateur – among your fundraising team.

Check out some of the successful medical fundraisers that have been run through GoFundMe in the past, and take inspiration from how they used online platforms to reach their goals.

  • Online fundraising events
    Once you’ve spread the word about your cancer fundraiser online, there’s great potential to boost your efforts with digital fundraising events. There are many online platforms which enable you to host digital fundraising events, whether it’s an auction, a quiz or even an online wellness class. Keep your attendees engaged by enabling live donations and providing real-time updates throughout the event.
  • eCards
    Designing and sharing digital greeting cards will make your online fundraiser more meaningful, allowing you to send personalized messages of outreach and gratitude to your fundraising network and beyond. Many eCard platforms allow you to include a share function on your card, encouraging donors to share your digital message with a much wider audience.

6. Corporate partnerships

Local businesses, charities and even your own employer can provide powerful support to your cancer fundraising efforts. When seeking potential corporate partnerships, look for companies with a history of providing charitable support to fundraisers. Reach out with a personalized message detailing the benefits of the partnership for both sides, and provide some creative ideas as to how they might support you.

Here are just some of the ways that corporate partnerships can be used to boost donations and increase awareness of your fundraiser:

  • Corporate gift matching
    Some companies run programmes where they match the donations made to particular fundraisers or other charitable causes. Ask if your employer is willing to match proceeds to your fundraiser, and encourage your friends, family and fundraising team to do the same. Communicating and staying engaged with your corporate partner is essential, and you may end up doubling or tripling your donations as a result.
  • Community business partnerships
    Stores, restaurants and other local businesses can massively benefit your cancer fundraiser by making donations and raising awareness in your community. Approach local restaurant or bar owners and ask if they’ll sponsor your fundraiser, or host dedicated nights where a proportion of sales is donated to your cause.
  • Round-up programmes
    Some businesses may agree to a sponsored round-up programme, where customers can choose to round up their purchases to the nearest dollar in aid of your fundraiser. Round-up programmes make it quick and easy for people to donate to your cause, while generating a positive public image for the business involved.

Seeking financial support for your cancer fundraiser

While crowdfunding and grassroots cancer fundraising ideas like those discussed above can be immensely impactful, it’s important to ensure that you are receiving the structural financial support that you may be entitled to.

US government initiatives may be able to offer some financial aid. Medicare provides medical grants to Americans over the age of 65, while the Medicaid programme helps to cover treatment costs for disadvantaged and low-income patients.

Non-governmental services like CancerCare and Family Reach provide financial and co-payment assistance for cancer patients in the US. While they can’t cover the entire cost of your treatment, they offer limited financial aid to cover related costs like transport and child care. Similarly, the National Patient Advocate Foundation operates across the country to help patients struggling with their medical bills. They advocate for patients’ rights and support you with insurance claims and sourcing additional aid.

The American Cancer Society provides a full list of medical grants that are currently available to cancer patients, so it’s worth checking if financial support is available in your home state.

Start your cancer fundraising journey today

Wherever you are and whoever in your life has been affected by cancer, it’s important to remember that you’re never alone. A cancer diagnosis is one of the most traumatic and difficult challenges that we can ever face, and asking for help is completely understandable.

By seeking top-level financial support and getting creative with crowdfunding, you can help to bring hope to those in need. Using the ideas outlined above will not only bring joy to your community, but attract meaningful financial support to ensure that your cancer fundraiser is successful.

Start your GoFundMe fundraiser today, and make a meaningful difference in the lives of cancer patients.