Each year, AICR supporters connect with the Institute by leveraging their personal resources, and crafting innovative fundraisers.
These fun-filled, do-it-yourself events are incredible opportunities to raise money, and connect your friends and wider community to the cause of cancer prevention.
What’s more, they affect real change! With your help, we are able to fund new research, support early-career scientists, and break new ground in the field of nutrition, lifestyle and cancer health.
Ready to Get Started?
We’re thrilled to have your support, and our team is more than happy to help you meet your goals.
Contact the AICR office with questions regarding special events, for permission to use the AICR name, and to request AICR educational materials.
Event Ideas
In case you’re not exactly sure what kind of event you’d like to host, we thought we would share some examples of activities that have been successful in the past:
People love having a good time for a great cause. Some of the simplest ideas for events can be the best. Throwing a cocktail party, tasting, dinner, or bake sale in your own home or at a local venue is an intimate expression of your passion. Teaming with a local hospitality establishment is a great way to showcase their business and support for charitable endeavors.
Quick Tip:
Sometimes your overhead can inflate when you are putting on a social event. Remember to try to keep costs low by searching for goods and services that can be donated. If you are going to do a wine tasting, for instance, team up with a wine distributor who is looking to showcase a new product, and would be willing to donate a few cases for your event. In our experience, people have an amazing capacity to give. All you have to do is ask. Consider one of the following:
- Bowling Night
- Golf Outing
- Concerts
- Cocktail Party or Wine Tasting
- Bake Sale
- Host a Dance
An event with a sporting spirit is a terrific opportunity to engage numerous communities. Participating competitors and supportive spectators become enthusiastic advocates for your cause. Entry fees, seating, team sponsorships, and food and drink all become fundraising opportunities. Get some local businesses to donate prizes for your event’s winning team, and cheer everyone who signs up to participate.
Quick Tip:
To make an athletic event extra successful, try to avoid paying for or renting facilities. See if you can get a sponsor to underwrite the cost, or if the venue itself wants to make a demonstration of its civic spirit and waive their fee for a tax-deductible donation.
- Softball Game
- Kickball Tournament
- Swim Races
- Bicycle Treks
- Community Walk/Run
- Basketball Tournament
- Volleyball Tournament
Are you involved in the arts, or have friends who are? Do you have access to a stage or theater? Putting on a concert, a comedy night, or a show of any kind is a unique, and entertaining experience your friends and community will applaud.
Quick Tip:
If you can get a venue, talent, and food/beverage services to donate some time and/or product, you are on your way to staging a very memorable show.
- Concert/Music Night
- Battle of the Bands
- Comedy Night
- Talent/Variety Show
You’re never too young to start giving back to your community. If you are a parent, teacher, or student, there are endless opportunities for you to organize fundraisers both large and small with your school. Whether it’s a one-night-only event, or a month-long, school-wide effort, the built-in infrastructure and community of your school will provide you with a very special kind of support.
Quick Tip:
One of the great things about school-based fundraisers is the possibility to mix and match events. If your school can commit to a week-long campaign (or multi-week), you can put on a variety show one night, do a basketball tournament another, and organize a dance on yet another. Toss in some bake sales, raffles, and silent auctions, and you have the makings of an extremely successful fundraising effort.
- Scavenger Hunt
- Kickball Tournament
- Dodge-ball Tournament
- Bake Sale
- Costume Party
- School Plays
- School Dance
- Talent/Variety Show
- Battle of the Bands
Want to host an event on behalf of the AICR? Here’s a few things you need to do:
- To use our trademarks and logos, you need to reach out and get approval from our events team. Please remember to reach out early in your process, as it can take time to review your request and ensure you get the proper permissions.
- While you’re contacting us, we’d love to see if we can help you. You’ll find we can provide tips, ideas and even educational materials that can help make your event more successful. If we are able to, we may be able to provide some tangible support.
- If you are asking for attendees / donors to write checks, they should be made payable to “AICR” or the “American Institute for Cancer Research.” (If individuals do not make their checks payable to AICR, it may affect the tax deductibility of their donations.)
Ready to get started?
We’re thrilled to have your support, and our team is more than happy to help you meet your goals.
Contact the AICR office with questions regarding special events, for permission to use the AICR name, and to request AICR educational materials.
0M+
Patients, families and caretakers connected through educational videos and stories
$0M+
Cutting edge research at hospitals, Labs & universities
0+
Partners to spread cancer prevention awareness
0K+
Lifestyles changed through AICR’s New American Plate Challenge
More ways to give.
Thinking of hosting an event and need a little guidance? Here’s a general list of items to consider:
- Pick an event that interests you. Events require time and dedication. They are easier to plan when they are centered on something that you enjoy. Fundraisers work best when they are fun for both the participants and the organizers!
- Give yourself enough time to plan the event. Events take time to organize, obtain sponsors, send out invitations and publicize. Even though it seems like you can toss something together last minute, we strongly recommend planning well in advance. A six month buffer is a good rule of thumb.
- Pick the right time and place for your event. Be thoughtful when picking the date and location of your event. Consider travel, parking, and the weather, and make sure the location is accessible and big enough. If you need a special facility, start by making sure it is available when you need it.
- Ask for help. Many hands make light work – and planning an event can quickly become a fair amount of work. Friends, family, coworkers and local companies can lend resources and fresh ideas. They can also help share the workload.
- Find out about matching gift programs. Make your event go further by seeing if you can fundraise with a matching gift program. If your employer has a matching gift program this is a great opportunity to double (or triple) your donation!
- Don’t forget to publicize your event. Once you secure a date, send a “Save the Date” letter or email to everyone who will want to be involved. Post on social media, and promote things locally , by getting in touch with your l newspapers, radio and TV stations. They are often willing to provide announcements about an event and may be interested in being a sponsor. Get publicity before, during and after your event. If the media does not cover the actual event, follow up with stories and photos. This can encourage additional donations and attract individuals who might be interested in participating the next time.
- Say thank you. Be sure to thank your sponsors, volunteers and participants. If they don’t feel appreciated they’ll be less likely to help again next year.
- Notify AICR in advance of your fundraiser. We can provide complimentary educational materials to distribute at the event. We are also happy to serve as a resource and share ideas with you.
- Let us know when the event is over. When you send your gift, please tell us how things went. We would also love to hear about your experience, see pictures, and possibly feature you on our website!
- Contact AICR. Call us toll free at 1-800-843-8114 or send an email to [email protected].
Ready to get started?
We’re thrilled to have your support, and our team is more than happy to help you meet your goals.
Contact the AICR office with questions regarding special events, for permission to use the AICR name, and to request AICR educational materials.