Help support artists
Since 1985, many artists working in various craft disciplines, as well as galleries, show producers, guilds, online marketplaces, and other supporters across the nation have orchestrated successful events in support of the Craft Emergency Relief Fund (CERF+). From social media fundraising to independent galleries and artists donating a portion of their proceeds from a special sale to online and in-person auctions for CERF+, there are a wide array of creative opportunities to support CERF+ through an independent fundraiser.
If you, your business, or your organization are interested in hosting a fundraiser or need to submit a request for promotional materials to spread the word about CERF+, please complete this form or contact us at [email protected]. Please specify the dates of your event, the type of fundraiser you are planning, and any other important details you can share along with your contact and mailing information. Our Advancement staff can help by providing promotional materials, content for programs, and some helpful tips and links.
We thank you in advance for your support. Together, we can continue to make a significant difference in the lives of craft artists and the cultural continuity of craft as an art form.
The Independent Fundraising Toolkit
Introduction
About the Craft Emergency Relief Fund (CERF+)
The Craft Emergency Relief Fund (CERF+) was founded in 1985 by craft artists for craft artists. CERF+ advocates for the well-being and thrive-ability of craft artists and the craft field by supporting the craft community across the U.S. and its territories through disaster relief, preparedness grants, resources, and education. Guided by principles of objectivity, equity, generosity, inclusion, and care, the organization plays a vital role in disaster management for the arts and culture sector and equips craft artists to prepare for and recover from emergencies.
Independent Fundraising at the Craft Emergency Relief Fund
Independent fundraising (also known as peer-to-peer fundraising (P2P), peer-based fundraising, third-party fundraising, or crowdfunding) is “any fundraising effort that relies on peers (supporters) reaching out to each other on behalf of a cause. Supporters do this by reaching out to their social networks.”
We would love to hear about your upcoming independent fundraiser and help in any way we can to make it a success. If possible, please contact our Advancement team before you start planning by completing this form. Providing this information will allow our team to work with you, provide marketing materials, and promote your fundraiser.
Purpose of this toolkit
- Help interested parties design, plan, and execute their independent fundraisers.
- Make fundraising for the Craft Emergency Relief Fund easy and accessible.
- Empower CERF+’s supporters to spread the word and increase awareness amongst their friends, family, and local community.
Ideas for Fundraising Events and Campaigns
Below are different ways to fundraise for the Craft Emergency Relief Fund. The ideas below were inspired by previous independent fundraisers and work for online or in-person events. You are not limited to these ideas, and we encourage you to find creative ways to fundraise that best suits your capacity. Any amount you raise or choose to donate is meaningful and supports the Craft Emergency Relief Fund’s mission.
It is important to inform donors that they are contributing to a fundraiser for the Craft Emergency Relief Fund. If you have any questions about fundraising for the Craft Emergency Relief Fund, feel free to reach out to the Advancement team at [email protected].
Social Media Fundraisers
Raising funds for CERF+ is simple on Facebook and Instagram. If you are celebrating your birthday or honoring a special event, and you are an existing user of Facebook and/or Instagram, you can create a unique fundraiser that supports the Craft Emergency Relief Fund almost immediately. The links below are instructions on creating a fundraiser on these platforms.
Also, don’t forget to tag CERF+ when promoting your Facebook or Instagram fundraiser!
- How to create a nonprofit fundraiser on Facebook
- How to create a birthday fundraiser on Facebook
- How to create a nonprofit fundraiser on your Instagram bio
Online Peer-to-Peer Fundraising (P2P)
The Craft Emergency Relief Fund offers an online platform via Give Lively for our supporters to create their individual online fundraising page. Creating an online peer-to-peer fundraising page is a great way to raise funds for CERF+ during a special event, in memory of, or in honor of someone special.
- To get started, visit CERF+’s donation page and click on the “Start a Fundraiser” button.
- Create your account by filling in your first and last name, email, and password. Once finished, click on “Create Account” at the bottom.
- Verify your email by logging into your email account and following the instructions that Give Lively emailed to you.
- Once verified, log in to your fundraising page using the email and password you used to create your account in step 2.
- Once logged in, click on “Confirm Creation of Your Fundraising Page.”
- Personalize your page by adding a page name, why you are fundraising for CERF+, a fundraising goal (optional), and images. Once complete, click on “Save” at the bottom of the page.
- You should be redirected to your newly created donation page. Click on “Copy Link” on the left to share the link to your donation page with your friends and family.
Unfortunately, Give Lively does not allow CERF+ staff to create peer-to-peer fundraising pages for supporters. If you need help creating your online fundraising page, check out Give Lively’s article, “How do I build an individual Peer-to-Peer Fundraising page?”, as well as their FAQ Topics on peer-based fundraisers.
Artstigators’ Creatives* Happy Hour Bake Sale and Raffle
The Artstigators organized the Creatives* Happy Hour bake sale and raffle in October 2024 to support CERF+’s Hurricane Helene emergency relief efforts. Organizers Amy Unell and Annie Maynard utilized the Give Lively online peer-to-peer fundraising platform. Local businesses donated items for the bake sale, and local artists donated pieces for the raffle. All proceeds from the bake sale and raffle were donated to the Craft Emergency Relief Fund via the Creatives Happy Hour peer-to-peer fundraising page.
Donating a Percentage from the Sale of Artwork, Auction, or Raffle
You can raise funds for the Craft Emergency Relief Fund by donating a percentage from the sale of artwork, auction items, or raffle tickets. This is a great way to engage in a conversation about CERF+ and increase visibility for the organization. Additionally, attendees can learn about the work of CERF+, and buyers can feel good about supporting CERF+ while also directly supporting craft artists.
Jan Schachter’s Booth at the Annual ACGA Clay & Glass Festival
Jan Schachter, past board member and long-time supporter of CERF+, participated in July 2024 as an artist in the Annual Clay & Glass Festival hosted by the Association of Clay and Glass Artists of California (ACGA). Jan and another ACGA artist worked with ACGA to have a booth displaying information about the Craft Emergency Relief Fund at the Annual Festival. On the morning of the Festival, ACGA volunteers collect donations of ceramic and glass pieces from artists participating in the Festival. The donated artwork is sold at the CERF+ booth, alongside CERF+ palm brochures and a donation jar. The money from the sale of the donated artwork and donation jar goes to the Craft Emergency Relief Fund. Jan says that this is a great opportunity to not only contribute to CERF+, but also to educate the public and ACGA member artists about CERF+.
Ephraim Pottery
In November 2008, Ephraim Pottery raised funds for the Craft Emergency Relief Fund. Two Ephraim artists, Laura Klein and Becky Hanson, designed and created Siberian Vase for CERF+, a series of 100 limited-edition vases. Prospective buyers entered a drawing for a chance to purchase a vase for $228.
RVA4CERF+
Jaydan Moore, artist and CERF+ Board Chair, with artists Christine Orr and Deb Rice, organized an exhibition and online auction to support the Craft Emergency Relief Fund. The exhibition, RVA4CERF+, was held at the Visual Arts Center of Richmond in the True F. Luck Gallery from January 21 - 24, 2025. Over sixty Virginia-based artists donated 69 pieces of artwork for the exhibition and online auction.
The organizers created an RVA4CERFplus Instagram page to promote the online auction. Proceeds were donated to the Craft Emergency Relief Fund to assist craft artists affected by Hurricane Helene.
Donating a Specific Dollar or “Round-Up” Amount from Membership Dues
If your organization wishes to donate to CERF+, consider donating a specific amount or percentage from membership sales or admission purchases. This can be done by asking members/buyers to add a donation to their membership renewal or purchase by “rounding up” (e.g., if a membership costs $29.50, ask buyers to add a $0.50 donation to support CERF+ with their purchase).
Promotion
Promotion is key to the success of any fundraising effort. We would like to share your fundraiser with the broader craft community.
Logos and Branding Guidelines
CERF+’s logo and branding guidelines are fundamental pieces of our visual identity—symbols that reflect our commitment, connections, and work. Independent fundraiser organizers who would like to use the Craft Emergency Relief Fund logo(s) must use our authorized logo(s). Logos and downloadable content may not be altered. For further information about our logos and branding details, please visit our "Logos and Branding" page.
CERF+ Social Media Links
Please tag us on social media when promoting your independent fundraiser. When fundraisers tag CERF+ in their posts, this will help us share your fundraiser’s information when we can on CERF+’s social media page(s).
Suggested Hashtags
- #CraftEmergencyReliefFund
- #CERF+
CERF+ Promotional Materials
Printed Materials
If you would like to feature printed materials at your event, we have CERF+ palm cards available. You can submit a request that includes the amount you would need, shipping information, and the date of the event. Please allow two weeks for shipping.
We also have printable materials available. If you wish to download and/or print informational flyers, please click here.
Merchandise
If you would like to have CERF+ branded items such as pins, stickers, T-shirts, hoodies, laptop sleeves, mugs, notebooks, and more, you can purchase these through our Redbubble store. This is an easy way to show your support when you’re fundraising for CERF+, and a portion of these sales support the Craft Emergency Relief Fund.
After the Event/Campaign
The Craft Emergency Relief Fund would love an update on the success of your independent fundraiser. We welcome any post-event information and feedback you can share with us.
If you would like to share information about your independent fundraiser, please contact our Advancement team at [email protected] with any of the following:
- Collection of stories, testimonials, photos, and feedback
- Attendee and/or donor contact list (if applicable) so that CERF+ can thank donors and invite them to join our mailing list
- Total amount donated or raised for the Craft Emergency Relief Fund
Donations and donors’ information will be kept confidential and will not be shared or sold to third-party organizations. Photos submitted may be used in the Craft Emergency Relief Fund’s marketing communications, social media posts, website, and e-newsletters.
Other ways to help
If hosting a fundraiser's not possible for you, there are lots of other ways to support our work!