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FUNDRAISING RESOURCES

Ignite Your Torch believes that lack of funds should never stop a teen from attending. 

We are committed to providing resources to help teens and their families raise the money needed to come to Ignite Your Torch. Below are a few resources to help you and your group.

 

  • Group and Personal Fundraising Pages: With our free tool, in just minutes you can set up a fundraising page for your group and individual teens. Click here to learn more.

  • Parish Budget: Many parishes have funds available in their budget to subsidize and/or to provide financial aid for attending events such as Ignite Your Torch. Ask your pastor or youth minister if funds are available for your group. If not, you may use this sample letter to request funds from your parish’s finance committee. Here are some tips:

    • Be sure to collaborate with your pastor and/or youth minister when making this request.

    • It is also often helpful to meet with your church administrator and/or a member of the finance committee that you may know and ask them to be your advocate.

    • Find out when the parish budget is drafted and approved. Budgets are usually drafted and approved in the spring for the new fiscal year that starts July 1.

    • The conference will allow a seven-day extension (July 7) for parishes that need to wait to use money from the new fiscal year’s budget to pay for the balance of their registration fee. 

  • Fundraising Letters to Family Members and Parishioners: The first place to start when asking for funds and prayers are your extended family members and family friends. Grandparents, godparents, aunts, uncles and even family friends are often very willing to offer prayers and financial support for you, even if they are not Catholic. Even if they are not in a position to offer financial support, it is good to send the letter to at least request their prayers as prayer is the most powerful support anyone can offer. The second place to go is parishioners you know. Tips:

     

    Use this sample letter to family members and parishioners and customize it as you see fit.

     

    When writing letters to parishioners, coordinate with your group leader or youth minister to make sure that several people are all writing the same parishioner asking for support. In this instance, the leader may wish to customize the Group Request Letter as a way of asking on behalf of several people.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Include a prayer card in each letter. Download it here and print front and back.

  • Be sure to include the part of the letter that mentions how you are also trying to raise more than the required registration fee to help the religious come to the conference.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • You can leave the request open by not mentioning a dollar amount or you may use a standard dollar amount such as the $100 ($100 is a sacrifice, but is a realistic amount for many people). If you request an amount, you can adjust this amount for each letter based on the person’s known resources.

  • If you are having a chili cook-off use this letter.

  • Requests to Organizations or Groups: Organizations such as The Knights of Columbus, Ladies Auxiliary, parish groups such as women’s, men’s and senior groups and even community organizations outside the parish are often willing to support sending students to events such as Ignite Your Torch. Tips:

    • Group leaders and youth ministers may wish to make requests on behalf of the entire group, so be sure to coordinate with them.

    • If you know people who are members of a group or organization, talk to them personally about the trip.

    • If you do not know them, use the Group Request Letter below as a way of introducing yourself or your group.

    • It is recommended that you use this Group Request Letter even if you know someone in the organization or group, as they often need a formal request. Include a prayer cards for members of the group.

    • Follow up the letter with a phone call and email.

    • Find out when they meet and ask them if you can make a presentation to the group on the trip. In the presentation you can use the request letter as a source of speaking points and if A/V resources are available, show the Promo Video.

  • Chili Cook-off Fundraiser: While selling products (such as bake sales, candy, food, etc.) are often successful in raising money, we recommend doing a fundraising dinner(s) where the food is donated. This keeps overhead costs down, helps spread the word about the trip in the community, fosters fellowship and gives people a way to participate in Ignite Your Torch. Specifically, we recommend a chili cook-off dinner/contest (with potato and salad bar) as a fun and competitive way to raise money for your trip.

How to Organize a Parish Chili Cook-off:

  • A group simply organizes a chili cook-off for their own parish.

  • They may wish to get a speaker on their own or may have the event without a speaker.

  • All funds go directly towards that group and their expenses.

  • Sponsorships from Groups or Organizations: the Chili Cook-off provides a great opportunity to request for funds from Organizations or Groups because it sets a deadline and an opportunity for them to be recognized in the event program. Tips:

    • Modify the Group Request Letter to include a request for sponsorship and the benefit of listing them in the program.

    • Groups that are participating in a Regional Chili Cook-off should present them the Sponsorship Opportunities. Groups that facilitate sponsorships will receive the scholarship portion to apply directly to their students. Example: if the group facilitates a Co-Sponsors ($975.00 – This amount sends One Religious for $650 & Provides One Full Tuition Scholarship at $325) the $325 scholarship portion can be credited toward that group.

    • Groups that do their own Parish Chili Cook-off can come up with their own list of sponsorship levels. All funds would go towards sending their own teens.

  • Other Fundraising Ideas:

    • Rent-a-kid: Modify the Sample Letter to be a request to do jobs (such as lawn work or house work) for neighbors or parishioners in exchange for a donation that will go towards the trip. Note: If this is coordinated through a parish liability and safe environment policies must be followed.

    • Traditional means such as Bake Sales, Car Washes and Selling Discount Cards

  • Conference Financial Aid: Click here for details.

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