The cost associated with the adoption process can be expensive. In fact, the cost of adoption is one of the most common reasons for families to decide not to adopt. It’s understandable – most families don’t have the necessary funds on hand for this process. But, that doesn’t have to stop you.
Over 25 years of working with amazing adoptive families, the team at American Adoptions has seen hard-working, creative parents find ways to make adoption happen. There are many adoption financing options to look into, like adoption grants and loans. One of the most common routes to get adoption financing underway is fundraising.
There are so many different ways to fundraise for an adoption. It takes some effort and preparation. Oftentimes, families will use more than one fundraising idea over the course of the adoption process. If you stay positive and keep working, adoption fundraising can be a meaningful step toward a fully-funded adoption.
Here are 10 great adoption fundraising ideas to get you started:
1. GoFundMe
You’ve probably seen some amazing GoFundMe campaigns pop up on your Facebook feed in the last few years. There’s the 7-year-old brother and sister who raised more than $10,000 for a homeless shelter, or the child who raised more than $50,000 for her friend in speech therapy. The amazing thing about these campaigns is that they are made up of hundreds of small gifts — a community of people coming together around a cause that matters.
You can harness the power of online fundraising for your adoption. Create a GoFundMe page and tell your story in a compelling way. Share it on social media, and ask your friends and family to do the same. Who knows what your campaign will do?
2. Noonday Collection
Noonday Collection is a jewelry company with a mission: to create an opportunity for women around the world and support important causes, like adoption. Noonday’s jewelry is hand-crafted by artisans across the globe and a portion of proceeds goes toward supporting adoptive families. As a family considering adoption, hosting a Noonday Collection party is a great way to bring your community together and raise funds for your adoption costs.
You can learn more about Noonday Collection and partner with Noonday to support your adoption.
3. Birthday Campaigns
A little over 10 years ago, a man named Scott Harrison decided that instead of birthday presents, he would ask his friends to donate toward a cause that mattered to him: clean water. You see, one in 10 people still don’t have access to clean drinking water around the world. Instead of presents, Scott used his birthday to help others. The idea was a huge success, and it turned into charity: water — one of the most successful global nonprofits.
You can take Scott’s idea and apply it to your own adoption. Instead of birthday presents, ask for donations to support your adoption. If they’re up for it, invite your family and friends to give up their birthdays, too. Many of us already have enough stuff. This is a way to make birthdays really matter.
4. Community Potluck
It takes a village to raise a child — and sometimes it takes a neighborhood to help a child come home. Hosting a community potluck, and leaving a basket by the door for suggested donations, is a popular adoption fundraising idea. It’s economical — everyone else brings the food — and it’s the perfect opportunity to bring your community into your adoption journey. A strong support network, both in terms of fundraising and emotional support, can go a long way toward improving the adoption process.
5. March Madness
The biggest basketball tournament of the year is right around the corner, and you can use it for your adoption fundraiser. March Madness is a great chance to have some fun while raising funds. Invite as many people as you can to join your tournament challenge and fill out a bracket. Charge $10-20 per bracket, with all the funds going toward your adoption.
Some good options to host your bracket tournament:
6. Both Hands
Some families feel uneasy about adoption fundraising because they don’t believe in asking for money. Why not give something in return? Both Hands is a Christian organization based in Tennessee that gives families a way to raise money while also doing a good deed.
This nonprofit is inspired by James 1:27, which says, “Look after orphans and widows in their distress.” They see the two sides of this verse as going hand in hand: do something for a woman who has been widowed while raising funds that will help a child come home to a family through adoption. To participate, you can sign up with Both Hands and get started.
7. Coffee Fundraisers
Do you love coffee? If you’re an American, you probably do. So do your family, neighbors and friends. Thanks to Just Love Coffee, there’s a way to meet this love for coffee and make it support your adoption fundraiser. Just Love partners with families who are adopting. You can sign up to sell their coffee, and a portion of each sale goes toward you adoption funds.
8. Facebook Fundraising
Facebook is the largest social media platform in the world, with nearly 2.5 billion users worldwide. That’s more than 25 percent of the world’s total population. For many people, “the internet” is synonymous with “Facebook.” If you want to raise funds for your adoption, it’s good to go where the people already are. Recently, Facebook made fundraising easier with a specific tool to help people support causes they care about. You can set up your own Facebook fundraiser and share it with your friends. Ask them to share it too and generate even more support.
9. AdoptTogether
AdoptTogether is the largest adoption-specific fundraising site on the internet. It’s similar to GoFundMe in function, except AdoptTogether is a nonprofit organization and is entirely made for families fundraising to cover adoption costs.
When you set up an AdoptTogether page, you can tell your story and add photos and videos. People can donate directly on the page and help you spread the word on social media.
10. Craigslist Purge
You may not be Marie Kondo, but you can still embrace minimalism and tidiness. Why not raise funds for adoption and declutter at the same time? A Craigslist purge can get you closer to your fundraising goal while getting your home ready for a new baby by clearing up some much-needed space.
Hopefully these ideas can get you started toward a successful adoption fundraiser. Check back soon for even more fundraising ideas, and make sure to tell us some of your favorite fundraisers in the comments.
