4 Steps to Hosting a Successful Blood Drive

If you’re planning a fundraiser for an organization or charity, we can help you reach your goal through a blood drive. This is an easy way to raise money because for every donor you bring in, BSC will give the donation compensation to your fundraiser. That adds up fast! And not only will you raise money for a cause close to your heart, but you’ll also help researchers who are working on treatments and cures for deadly diseases. Everybody wins!

Here's how it works.

Step 1: Planning

First, choose an organization that you want to raise money for. It could be a charity, church group, little league team—whatever! This is your “partner organization.” Make sure they know about your blood drive, and contact your local BSC center, so we know about your plans as well.

Next, set a goal of how much money you’re hoping to raise. It’s important to choose an amount that will be challenging to reach, but one that isn’t impossible, either!

Now, it’s time to recruit people who will help with your blood drive. This is a big job, and you don’t want to do everything all by yourself! So, reach out to friends, family members, and people in your community and ask them for help. Explain why you’re hosting the fundraiser, what you’re hoping to accomplish, and what exactly you want them to do. The first job for you and your volunteers will be to spread the word about your blood drive.

Step 2: Telling People About Your Blood Drive

To ensure your fundraising campaign is successful, you’ll need people to show up and donate blood! So, you’ll want to tell as many people as possible about the drive and encourage them to make a blood donation. There are many ways you can get the word out, such as:

  • Social media posts
  • Emails
  • Text messages
  • Putting up flyers in your town, office, gym, house of worship, etc.
  • Mailing notices
  • Placing a print ad in a community newspaper

To really spread the word about your blood drive, you may want to consider using several of these methods!

Step 3: Hosting the Blood Drive

On the day of the blood drive, you and your volunteers should create a positive, warm, and inviting atmosphere. One easy way to do this is by decorating your local BSC center with balloons, signs about your partner organization, and anything else that will make the blood drive feel fun! Bring water bottles, a speaker to play music, and some magazines for people to read if there’s a wait.

Have one of your volunteers greet donors when they arrive and have another make sure that people get snacks and drinks after their blood donation. You may want to give a small thank-you gift to your donors—this can be something small and inexpensive, such as a “goodie bag” with candy or a pen with your partner organization’s name. Ask one of your volunteers to give this gift to all your donors. You should also ask donors for their names and contact information—that way, you’ll have a list of people to reach out to if you host another fundraiser!

At the end of the blood drive, BSC will give the money you raised directly to your partner organization. Remember, in the majority of BSC centers, it’s $50 per donor, so if you bring in 20 people, that’s a $1,000 donation!

Step 4: Celebrate Your Success

Once your blood drive is over, you’ll want to celebrate… and you should! Start with a heartfelt thank you to your volunteers; after all, you couldn’t have done it without them! You should also send a thank-you note to your donors, either via email, text, or card. Next, reach out to your partner organization and let them know how much money you raised.

Finally, take some time to reflect on your fundraiser. What went well? What could you improve next time? Did you meet your goal? Why or why not? Remember: it’s ok if everything wasn’t perfect! You worked hard and raised money for an organization that you care about, so you should feel proud of your accomplishment! The point of this exercise is to see how you can be more successful in the future.

We hope we’ve inspired you to host a blood drive the next time you’re fundraising! Contact us online at (833) GO-4-CURE to learn more.
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