Third Party Events | Hamilton / Burlington SPCA

How to Host your own Fundraising Event in Support of the HBSPCA

Getting Started

Everything great starts as just an idea - And a great fundraising event is no exception!

There are hundreds of ideas out there and they come in all shapes and sizes. Whatever event you throw, big or small, the impact on our organization will be significant!

Here are a few ideas to get you started:

A barbecue or dinner party
Sporting event or tournament
Bake sale
Garage sale
A-thons - Walk, run, bike, dance, swim, garbage clean up)
Raffle or auction
Festival or community picnic
Car or pet wash
Night in/Movie night
Fashion show
Jeans day at the office
Bring your pet to work day

Inform us and get the "Paws Up!"

All third party events must be approved by the HBSPCA. Tell us what your plans are and when you hope to host this event. Before you begin planning your event, we would like to know a few details. You may fill out our application form online and sed it to us at the shelter:

Mail: 245 Dartnall Road, Hamilton, L8W 3V9

Fax: 905-574-9087

Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The HBSPCA Development Team will be in touch with you as soon as possible when your event is approved.

Plan your event and know The Rules

We want your event to be a great experience so please review our Third Party Special Events Policy and consider some of our helpful tips below.

Tip #1 - Set a Fundraising Goal and Know your Cause

If you plan to host your event on an annual basis, it's a good idea to benchmark your fundraising success and be specific. It will help you promote the event and be clear about your goals, i.e. if you have a goal to raise $5000 to microchip and vaccinate 220 cats and dogs that come into the care of the HBSPCA.

Tip #2 - Get Organized!

Make yourself a checklist of items you will need. From tables and chairs, to AV equipment, cash floats and maybe even some pet supplies for animals at the event (water, clean-up baggies, etc.) - Consider all of the little details of the day.
Manage your time and consider the time it takes to plan your event. Remember the more lead time you give yourself, the better your planning will proceed, which means for fun and more fundrai$ing!
Develop a work-back schedule from the day of the event to your current planning stage. This will help determine what aspects you can plan for adequately and those that may have to wait until next year's event.

Tip #3 - Location, location, location!

Consider the best fit for your fundraising event in terms of traffic flow, attracting people to your event, parking access, washroom access and indoor "Plan B" options if you are hosting your event outside.

Recruit Some Friends

We encourage you to seek support from your neighbours, friends and family. While we cannot promise a full staff of volunteers at a moment's notice (please refer to our HBSPCA Third Party Event Policy), from time to time, we may be able to help you with a few additional volunteers. To request volunteer support, please contact your HBSPCA Event Coordinator.

Communicate Your Event

Spread the word! Promote your event using posters, emails, social media like Facebook and Twitter and most importantly, talk to thers about your event and why you are hosting it. Remember that all communication materials must be approved by the HBSPCA (please see our HBSPCA Third Party Event Policy) and we can help you promote your event too! We can provide support in terms of our logo usage and adding info regarding your event to our newsletters, website and social media accounts like Facebook and Twitter. Communications support is subject to deadline restraints and HBSPCA staff resources.

Host Your Event and Have Fun!

While we cannot guarantee an HBSPCA representative to attend event third party event, you may request to have a speaker or representative at your event and we will do our best to make it happen. The more advance notice we have of your request, the more likely it is we can confirm someone. The HBSPCA is also very grateful for any photos you can provide us of your event and we will continue to promote your event after the fact by posting the photos on our Facebook page.

Collect the Funds

Finally, submit your donation to the HBSPCA! Another great idea is to ask your employer to match your donation or contribute to it. The HBSPCA will provide charitable tax receipts that meet the criteria as determined by Canada Revenue Agency's Guidance on Fundraising. The HBSPCA is also happy to provide tools for tracking donations upon request.

Thank & Acknowledge Your Donors!

The final step in your successful fundraising event is to thank your participants and donors! Inform them about this year's success and what's happening next year.

Please see our HBSPCA Third Party Event Policy for our full guidelines and policies for Third Party events.

To submit your fundraising event for HBSPCA approval, please complete our Third Party Event Application Form and send it to:

Hamilton/Burlington SPCA

Attn. Development

245 Dartnall Road, Hamilton ON L8W 3V9

Fax. 905-574-9087

Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.