Since 2017, calendars, coffee table books and the donation of session fees have been a staple of fundraising for my animal shelters and rescues in the Quad Cities. Every summer, I would choose an animal shelter to partner with in a themed fundraiser in which I donated session fees from client sessions and the proceeds from the art product that was created and sold.
However, over the last three years, I noticed a decline in the amount of money raised each year. It was clear that it was time to change things up and find a fresh, creative way to make an impact.
Around the time I started noticing the decline, I also became a foster for one of the local animal shelters. It didn’t take long for me to realize just how much time and dedication fosters pour into the animals in their care. They drive them to and from vet appointments for checkups, vaccinations, spaying and neutering. They manage daily feedings, including the around-the-clock bottle feedings for the tiniest ones, Fosters experience emotional highs, lows, love and heartbreak that comes with caring for animals.
My personal experience deeply moved me, and I knew that my next fundraiser needed to focus on fosters. I would highlight their dedication and raise money for supplies to help supplement what the shelter provided.
Instead of the usual fundraiser format, I wanted to create something truly unique. I envisioned an art gala, where large art pieces of animals in foster care could be auctioned to support the foster community, and their fosters could be celebrated. Note that I mentioned auction. When I shared this idea with the director of one of the shelters, she mentioned that they found that more money could be raised through raffles rather than auctions. Since the goal was to raise as much money as I could, I pivoted for the first time.
To bring this vision to life, I invited animal fosters to bring animals in their care to the studio for complimentary photo sessions. We used simple props to create themes. From each session, one carefully selected image was transformed into a work of art, printed through Marathon Press and beautifully framed for display at the gala. Over the course of 3 months, I photographed 20 foster sessions that I worked in around my client work.
Before the event, I partnered with a local company to design and sell Foster Art clothing as an additional fundraiser. Using the words Give Love, Save Lives, Foster Hope, they created wonderful artwork that matched the vision of the fundraiser.
An event like this wouldn’t be possible without support. I reached out to sponsors who generously helped cover the costs of printing and framing, ensuring that each piece was presented at its best. My initial vision was to print and frame these images in 16×20 sizes. However, the sponsorships didn’t quite cover the cost of what I initially planned.
Once again, I pivoted and printed 8×10 images through Marathon Press, matted and framed them in 11×14 frames. In talking with the raffle winners, they mentioned that this size was preferrable for displaying the artwork in their homes.
In addition, raffle baskets were collected, each one thoughtfully paired with a piece of artwork. Donors selected their favorite image and created raffle baskets to complement the theme of the image.
At the gala, guests had the chance to win both a stunning art piece and a carefully curated raffle basket, making for an exciting and engaging fundraising experience. The gala was held at a local taproom that had a huge area for events. They donated the space and worked with me to create cocktails and mocktails for the event. I had volunteers to help setup for the event and sell raffle tickets.
Since dogs were invited to the event, we had activities just for them. Volunteers walked around with pup cups and dogs could create their own artwork. We spread paint on small canvases and then put them in a gallon ziplock bag. Peanut butter or cheese was placed on top of the bag and the dog “licked” to create their artwork. I invited a local dog trainer who gave a short presentation filled with tips on how owners could successfully work with their dogs. Finally, a handful of vendors who sold pet related items were invited to set up tables.
The venue where the gala was held holds many fundraising events for animals throughout the year and average around $3000. Since this was a new endeavor and different from my other fundraisers, I based my fundraising goal on that number, and we raised almost $4000 for the animal fosters. The money raised from the event went directly back to the fosters in the form of much-needed supplies which included food, bedding, medical care, and other essentials that make a world of difference for the animals in their care.
Each foster gave me a wish list and I personally shopped and delivered their items. The amount of money raised was split equally among the fosters. This was the largest fundraiser I have ever taken on and I loved every part of the process. If you’re considering organizing a similar event, I highly recommend recruiting help, especially for gathering and picking up raffle basket donations, and securing sponsors.
Since this was my first time planning something on this scale, I tackled it all on my own. While it was an incredibly rewarding experience, having a team to share the workload would have made a huge difference!
As I reflect on the entire fundraiser, my heart is happy. Fostering Art was more than just an art show with raffle baskets; it was a celebration of the selfless work fosters do every day and a creative way to give back to those who give so much.
