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FUNDRAISING FOR YOUR NHI EXPERIENCE


We deeply appreciate Sofia Garza-Serreli's dedication and creativity in developing the Fundraising Kit for all NHI members. Her work not only provides practical tools, but also inspires our community to Create the Opportunity for themselves—empowering every member to take ownership of their journey to join and thrive within NHI. Special thanks to NHI alumni, Paola Hernandez and Efraín Córdova, for their resources and support in creating this project, and to Audrey Williams for providing her student testimony.

HOW TO FUNDRAISE:

Offline
Fundraise Offline
  • Set a personal/family goal.
  • Always thank your supporters and update them on how much you’ve raised; also thank parents and friends who shared your info.
  • Remind people what you are raising money for and why it’s important to you.
20 from 20 fundraising campaign
  • Reach out to your circle of friends and family.
  • Find 20 people to donate $20 to raise $400!
Garage Sale
  • Gather sellable items from around your home.
  • Make a flashy banner and post flyers at neighborhood entrances.
Clean out your closet
  • Sell clothes, shoes, jewelry, or anything in good condition that you no longer use.
Bake Sale
  • If you enjoy baking, sell baked goods to raise funds.
  • Ask friends to join to expand your menu and reach.
Lemonade Stand
  • Perfect for warm days and neighborhood foot traffic.
  • Pair it with another event like a garage sale to attract more buyers.
Host brunch or dinner
  • Invite guests to your home and charge a small fee.
  • Ask for food donations to reduce your cost and increase proceeds.
Bingo or Lotería night
  • Print bingo cards and use your phone to draw numbers.
  • Invite friends, charge admission, and have fun!
Dog Wash
  • Offer dog washing services.
  • Create a signup sheet and wash multiple dogs in one session.
Used Book Sale
  • Sell books you no longer read.
  • Ask friends and family to donate books to your sale.
  • Add bookmarks, lemonade, or baked goods for extra value.
Ask, ask, ask!
  • Go beyond friends and family—ask neighbors, teachers, or local businesses.
  • Offer a service if they’re hesitant to donate money directly.
Create your own art gallery
  • Sell your artwork or host a gallery for you and your friends.
  • Charge admission or take commissions.
Stickers
  • Create and sell stickers (hand-drawn or digital).
  • Market them for laptops, bottles, and more.
Friendship bracelets
  • Use thread or beads to make bracelets and sell to friends.
Photograph
  • Offer to take photos for events like prom, graduation, or portraits.
Homecoming or promposals
  • Design posters and get paid to help others ask their dates to events.
Makeup
  • Offer makeup services for events like prom, Halloween, or graduation.
Hair styling
  • Offer braiding, dyeing (even temporary), or styling services.
Nails
  • Offer nail painting for casual or special occasions using what you already have.
Birthday donations
  • Instead of gifts, ask friends and family to donate towards your NHI tuition.
Car Wash
  • Offer mobile or scheduled car washes to raise funds.
  • Example: 5 cars x $20 = $100!
Carpool
  • If you can drive and know someone who needs a ride, offer to carpool for a small fee.
Tutoring
  • Offer tutoring or academic support on subjects you’re strong in.
  • Or sell old textbooks and study materials.
Fundraise Online

Tips:

  • Set a personal/family goal.
  • Generate a list of potential sponsors and investors you plan to share your goals with.
  • Share a personal email/note or link with your sponsors, investors, as well as your parents’ networks.
  • Put a timeline with a deadline and send occasional reminders to your networks.
  • Create a “Thank You” message and make sure that you personally thank and follow up with each contributor.
  • Always thank your supporters and update them on how much you’ve raised; also, remember to thank your parents and close friends who shared your information and helped even get you some investors.
NHI’s donation page

Donors can contribute to your tuition directly through the donation page on the NHI website: www.nationalhispanicinstitute.org/donate. Share this link with potential donors. Remind them to put your full name, program, and NHI user ID in the donation description so NHI can add the funds to your tuition. Consider creating a compelling bio, power image, and personal statement as to why you are starting or continuing your NHI journey. Post this on your social media with a link to NHI’s donation page. Ask your parents or a few close friends to share your story as well.

Text-to-give

Generate a list of potential donors that you can reach out to directly. Send them a text explaining what NHI means to you and why they should invest in you. They can make a direct contribution through your NHI account on Wild Apricot.

Internet auction

Put old clothes, shoes, books, trading cards, or even jewelry you’ve made– anything you don’t need, but could still be used by someone– on sale using an internet auction site like eBay. Consider asking friends and family to donate things for you to sell. Also consider letting your bidders know that your sales are going towards your fundraising. If they know they’re donating to a good cause, they may feel more inclined to buy your items.

Sales through social media

Do you have some shoes you’ve grown out of? Are you good at making jewelry? See if there’s anything you can sell, and post about it on your social media. Look at the next tab for more ideas of what to sell.

Seek Supportive Roles For Others

Tips:

  • Set a personal/family goal.
  • Always thank your supporters and update them on how much you’ve raised; also, remember to thank your parents and close friends who shared your information and helped even get you some investors.
  • Remind people what you are raising money for and why it’s important to you. They will be more likely to participate if they see how much you care about it.
See what places are hiring

Do some research. See if there’s any jobs you can easily get. Could any of your friends’ parents use some help around their office? Do you remember driving past any help wanted signs? A lot of places offer jobs to 16 year olds; some even offer jobs to 15 year olds.

House-sit

Is someone you know going out of town? Offer to water their plants while they’re gone. Are there any other chores they need help with that you can get paid for?

Baby-sit

Do you have any little cousins or family friends that need baby-sitting? What about your teachers’ kids? Think about who you know, and see where in your community you can help.

Pet-sit

If not baby-sit, then what about pet-sit? Is someone you know going out of town soon? Do they need someone to feed and walk their dog?

Cook for a friend’s family

If you have cooking skills, see if you can get paid to cook a meal for a friend’s family.

Help with chores

Offer to mow a neighbor’s lawn, walk their dog, do their dishes, cook a meal for your friend’s family. Ask what they need help with, see how many days you can help them or how many of your neighbors you can help. If they paid you $10 to help around the house for 10 days, you could get $100 dollars.

SEEK SPONSORSHIPS:

Great Debate sponsor letter

Lorenzo De Zavala Youth Legislative Session sponsor letter

Collegiate World Series sponsor letter

Feel free to make a copy of any of the letters to edit your messaging. If you’re interested to see how you can change the messaging to target different audiences, click here.

Seek sponsorship from your school or school district

Our recommendation is to be strategic about approaching your school or school district. Some tips are:

  • Make a list of school officials who decide about school funds (ex. principal)
  • Create a support group of teachers and counselors to endorse you
  • Determine the amount or percentage of the tuition you need help with
  • Write a bio about yourself to give to officials, as well as copies of NHI literature, your acceptance letter, and NHI’s sponsor letter
  • Formally present yourself to school officials with a detailed explanation of how you and the school/district will benefit from joining NHI
  • Remember to thank officials for their dedicated time and support
  • If you want to take it an extra step, feel free to follow up with school representatives by including your NHI testimony and any program pictures
Seek sponsorship from local businesses

The same tips provided for sponsorship for schools or districts can apply to community organizations and local businesses. The challenge is to identify more sponsorship options. Focus on local or smaller businesses that do not require permission from their corporate office for approval. Also, seek smaller amounts with a minimum of $50-$100. Consider connecting with banks, churches, doctors, dentists, attorneys, restaurants, and local civic groups. Consider searching for local chapters of the following organizations in your town:

  • Hispanic/Latino Chambers of Commerce
  • Association of Latino Professionals for America
  • Prospanica, formerly NSHMBA
  • National Hispanic Professional Organization
  • Civic groups such as masonic lodges, Kiwanis, Lions, Optimist, or Rotary clubs
  • Local corporate Employee Resource Groups
  • Local Economic Development Groups
Benefit night at a local restaurant

It’s likely that a restaurant in your community, such as your local Chick-fil-A, already has a program in place to help you fundraise. Investigate which local restaurants may be willing to host a fundraising event in which they donate a portion of their sales to your cause.

Learn from Audrey Williams, an NHIer who was able to fundraise her entire CWS tuition:

When I first joined NHI, I didn’t know what to expect. Like many high school students, I was used to being comfortable, but NHI changed that. It pushed me beyond my comfort zone, placing me in environments where I had to speak up, connect, and lead. Whether it’s the Great Debate, LDZ, or CWS, each program offers a unique experience; however, one thing remains constant: the deep passion and ambition that motivates participants to be the very best version of themselves. 

But, I am also aware of one thing that can be a drawback for most families: the cost of tuition. While NHI is arguably one of the most affordable student leadership organizations available, the reality is that, in today’s society, additional expenses can be a tough and sensitive topic. 

This past summer, I had the opportunity to participate in the Rocky Mountain CWS, marking my final step in my NHI journey. However, I can say getting there was not easy. This year has been challenging for me and my mom, and I know many families can relate, but rather than letting those obstacles stop me, I decided to find a solution: I chose to fundraise. I created digital flyers, sent text messages, made phone calls, and posted on social media to gain traction and share my story. I’m incredibly grateful to have friends and family who not only understand our circumstances but also believe in the value of my NHI experience. More importantly, they believed in my future. It was intimidating at first, and yes, I had my doubts, but I only had one goal in mind: I had to get to CWS no matter what. In the end, I made it, not just because of the support of others, but because I refused to give up.  

What I have learned from this experience is that money may be a barrier, but not a dead end. The memories, lessons, and knowledge you gain from NHI are permanent. As NHI Fundamental #17 says: “If it’s meant to be, it’s up to me.”

- Audrey Williams; 2023 Texas 4-day Great Debate Cross Examination Sweet 16, 2024 Colorado LDZ Chief Justice, 2025 Rocky Mountain CWS All-Star


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