Finding Sponsors & Fundraising
Though hosting a fundraiser for your Destination Imagination team is a great way to cover costs for your journey to Global Finals, another key fundraising opportunity is to reach out to local businesses for sponsorships. Sponsorships not only help your team cover event costs, but are also a marketing investment for any companies that are sponsoring your team.
Fundraising Ideas from a DI Alum
In this recording from DI’s Ignite 2023 Conference, hear from a DI alumna on how her team raised the funds to make the trip to Global Finals — not just once, but three times!
We have put together this comprehensive guide to help teams plan their sponsorship efforts:
To help your team make a compelling case, we’ve put together a few resources:
These resources are editable and will help your team convey what Destination Imagination is all about, the skills your team has learned, and what your Challenge solution entails. Once you’ve downloaded these resources, meet as a team to collect and discuss your ideas and priorities, as well as to customize and complete your sponsorship presentation. Then it’s time to show them your awesome presentation skills so they can invest in your future!
Is your team fundraising for Global Finals? From fun runs to trivia nights, there are a variety of creative options to help your team raise money. Check out 10 popular ideas below.
- Crowdfunding
Go to where a lot of people are–online! Use a crowdfunding site (e.g., GoFundMe) to set up a donation page for your Destination Imagination team. You can even offer a tiered system. For example, for $10 a donor could receive a special update on your team’s experience. For $30, the donor could receive a team t-shirt or other team-created gift. - Fun Run or Walkathon
Get moving with your community for a great cause! Depending
on the type of fun run or walkathon you would like to host, you can charge participants a flat fee or find friends, family and neighbors to pledge a certain amount of money for every lap you’re able to complete. Since fun runs and walkathons can take more time and effort to coordinate, try to organize your event at least a couple of months in advance. - Yard Sale
As they say, “one person’s trash is another person’s treasure.” Have each team member gather items to sell and use social media (including Facebook groups) to promote your event. You can even use social media to host your yard sale virtually. - An Evening with Local Celebrities
Find some local celebrities, such as your mayor, a local author or band, a television personality, or a journalist, to guest star at your event. You can charge a fee for community members to attend and even have some of your local celebrities help you fundraise throughout the evening. - Bake Sale
Bake sales have long been one of the most popular types of fundraisers. In addition to baking your own goodies, you should reach out to local bakeries and restaurants to see if they will donate desserts, bread, and other goods to your fundraiser. - Trivia Night
Everyone loves to test their knowledge through some friendly competition! You can do a general trivia night or make it a themed event (e.g., movies, music, etc.). - Student Art Sale
Talk to your school principal about hosting a student art sale. You can have students from your school and community contribute different pieces for the event. You can have set prices for each piece of art or do an auction. - Silent Auction
A silent auction can be done as a standalone event or as part of another fundraising event. From fun outings to tickets to a museum or play to restaurant gift cards, you can provide a range of items up for auction. To avoid spending too much money on prizes, work with local businesses on donations that will help bring them business in return. - Car Wash
Car washes are popular moneymaking events in virtually every community. Consider a high-traffic location with good visibility, and create a few attention-getting signs to alert drivers. And make sure you have a reliable source of water! - Donation Letter Requests
This is a great opportunity to let your community know about the important work your team is doing! Reach out to local businesses, as well as friends and family, and ask for a monetary donation or items for an upcoming fundraiser you’re hosting.
- Teams are encouraged to collect funds directly from their supporters first and then make payments to Destination Imagination, Inc. (DII) to cover any registration fees.
- All team registration payments are payable to Destination Imagination, Inc. and must include the Team Number for which they are intended.
- All checks can be mailed to:
Destination Imagination
ATTN: Global Finals
141 S. Black Horse Pike, Suite 203
Blackwood, NJ 08012 - Payments will be applied to the team’s account and all payments will be subtracted from the team’s account balance. Team Managers and Team Coordinators can log in and view any payments posted to their account.
- If the Team Number is not clearly indicated, DII will treat the funds as an unrestricted donation to the organization and process it as such. The funds will not be applied to a team’s Global Finals registration.
A team cannot use the DII EIN (Employee Identification Number) for any funds they independently raise, unless that team decides to fundraise on behalf of DII and plans to forward 100% of funds raised to DII for the purpose of making a donation to the organization to be used as part of its annual fundraising program.
A team may not, under any circumstances, set up a bank account using the DII EIN number.
Q: I work for a company that matches my donations to any organizations that have 501(c)(3) nonprofit status. Can I use my donation and the company’s match to cover the cost for a specific team to attend Global Finals?
A: No. These kinds of workplace donation practices are not eligible to cover the cost of registration for a Destination Imagination team to attend Global Finals. If DII receives a donation from any company, or through a 3rd party on behalf of a company or employee, the total donation amount will automatically be applied to Destination Imagination Inc.’s annual fund.
Q: I work for a company that will make a donation to a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization if I volunteer for a certain number of hours. Can these donations be used towards the registration fees for a specific team to attend Global Finals?
A: No. These kinds of workplace donation practices are not eligible to cover the cost of registration for a Destination Imagination team to attend Global Finals. If DII receives a donation from any company, or through a 3rd party on behalf of a company or employee, the total donation amount will automatically be applied to Destination Imagination Inc.’s annual fund.
Q: Can I write off the payment of a team’s registration fee as a donation to Destination Imagination, Inc?
A: Questions regarding the tax treatment of such payments should be directed to a tax professional. As these payments are considered fees for services, DII will not provide a tax acknowledgement letter to the payor. DII is only permitted to issue tax acknowledgment letters for donations made directly to DII for the organization’s operational expenses — not for payments to directly cover team registration fees.
Q: Can my team set up its own independent fundraising program to raise funds to pay for Global Finals registration?
A: Teams are encouraged to engage in independent fundraising. If a team wishes to take in tax deductible donations, they should work through a booster club or other organization with 501c3 status.