Ideas Handbook

There are many ways that you can support women in the developing world! Here are just a few. You can either keep reading or download the Ideas Handbook in PDF format. We always enjoy connecting with our supporters so don't be shy, give us a call, send us an email!

Spread the Word

Join us on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn by click the buttons on the sidebar to get connected to us. Then help others you know to connect to us too. Spread the word! Why not share the newest content from our blog or Flickr and tell people why it matters to you?

Setup a Giving Page

CanadaHelps processes our online donations. Their site makes it easy for anyone to set up a special page which will help you to reach out to others and get them to donate to Impact First International.

The reason can be any one you choose. Maybe you’re getting married (or it’s your birthday, graduation, whatever) and you would rather help run a Mobile Health Clinic in Peru than get socks, or a new blender. Create a Giving Page which will have its own unique website address, then tweet or send out an email or Facebook message asking people to make a contribution through your Giving Page instead of buying you a present.

Creating a Giving Page is straight forward. Sign up for a free account and then use the wizard to make your page. All of these are optional but you can choose to include:

Your name
Why you’re receiving the donations (e.g. asking people to make a contribution if you run a race)
A short description of Impact First and/or the project you’ve selected to designate the donations towards
A thermometer graphic showing how close you are to a target you’ve set
The amounts that each person has donated
Pictures (yourself at your event, pictures from our website of the work you’re asking people to support)

Simply designate the beneficiary charity as Impact First International (Charitable Business Number 12703 3124 RR) and CanadaHelps will process all of the donations and send them on to us, as well as issuing a tax receipt to everyone who made a contribution through your Giving Page.

Become a Monthly Donor

Any donation, no matter how small, if made regularly can have a significant impact on the lives of women and their families in the communities we serve. You might choose to support one of our projects, or contribute even a small amount towards a new microcredit automatically each month. It is simple to setup monthly giving online through CanadaHelps or over the phone by calling our office. See Donation Methods below for more details.

Hold an Event

Raise awareness among your family, friends, coworkers, neighbors, teammates, or community about Impact and donate the proceeds from your event towards our work. Use your imagination, be creative, and have fun!

These are just a few ideas to get you thinking, but the possibilities are endless. So go for it already!

Alberta-based musician Amy Wood felt inspired by the work of Impact First and wrote a song about it (free download here). She and other volunteers held a concert to benefit women in Guatemala.
Get local artists together to show paintings and sculptures, charge an entrance fee and give away swag bags of donated items
Host a party with the theme of one of our countries. Cook food from the area and have games where people can learn about the issues there. Maybe they will have to pay $5 for each multiple choice question they answer incorrectly.
Have a co-ed sporting event and charge entrance for each team
Hold a Street Garage Sale or your own Yard Sale
Coordinate a Company Used Book Sale or Church Bake Sale
Syndicate your pledge -- form a group that commits to donating a certain amount each year for 2-5 years
Ask your favorite local merchant (candle/soap maker, pet shop, used book store, coffee shop, toy store, etc.) to provide you with a donated or discounted product to sell to co-workers, gym mates, aunts and uncles…
Organize your own Gala with silent auction and food
Start a talent show
Hold a Wine Tasting or Martini party
Coordinate a Poker Run, Road Race or Mountain Biking event
Organize a lecture, a series of lectures or a book reading or poetry evening
Have a dog walk-a-thon and get support from local businesses and friends
Arrange to do simple chores in your community if the recipients will agree to make a donation to Impact First

Whatever you decide to do, take pictures of your fundraiser and send them to us! We’re always glad to see our supporters in action.

If you need help with your event feel free to Contact Us and we’ll be happy to talk to you about it.

Things to Keep in Mind about Events

Set a fundraising target and keep the focus on the reason you’re having an event, to start a bank or support a project you feel strongly about. This will help everyone involved in organizing and giving to stay enthusiastic and to want to be a part of your event!

Have a structure. This may be one person acting as the chair or lead organizer of the event, or may require you to set up a multi-person committee. It is important to decide on who will do what and to plan ahead. You will be surprised how many little things are required to make your event as successful as you want it to be.

Help Out Don’t forget to spread the word! Try everything to get the message out about your event: contact local TV stations, newspapers, magazines, clubs, and of course use your social media tools.

Please contact us before using our logo for your event, and make sure to explain to people that you are not a paid fundraiser or working for Impact First.

In order for Impact First to be able to issue tax receipts to the various donors at your event, make sure to keep an accurate list of each donor’s name, address, how much they gave, and what they received in return, including its value (e.g. $20 worth of wine; a prize pack with $5 worth of truffles and a $10 T-shirt). Then when you send in the money you raised, just remember to include this list. It is our policy not to give out tax receipts for in-kind donations made to supporters of third party events. Only those who donated cash, for which a proper record has been kept, are eligible for a tax receipt.

Start a Lending Team

Ideas handbook We are all familiar with sponsorships of various worthy charitable causes. However the idea here is to start a group that with make a sponsorship of a sustainable microlending Bank. Our Women First Banks (WFBs) are comprised of a minimum of 25 women each receiving microloans, savings, and a very basic insurance. During meetings we add value to these services by giving our clients business skills training and health education. You can learn more about our methodology and Women First Banks on our website.

We need you to help us open a new WFB. Start your own Lending Team at work, in your neighbourhood, with your sports club or with your friends. If your Lending Team can raise at least $5,000 it can pay for the first 25 clients to open a Women First Bank. Contact us with your Team’s name and to make your donation. To help you understand the importance of your Team’s support, we will provide you with monthly updates about the WFB your group is supporting, and the businesses and progress of its clients.