FAQs
You have questions. We have answers. Search by category—if you don’t find what you need, contact us for help: 617-919-6414 or events@chtrust.org.
Registration |
Planning |
Promotion |
Finance
Registration
How do I register?
Click here and follow the prompts to register your fundraiser. Answer a few questions and we'll be in touch with you within a week to go over next steps.
How will I know when my fundraiser is registered?
Your staff partner will reach out to confirm your registration is approved and discuss next steps.
Are there restrictions on fundraisers?
Your fundraiser must align with the mission and image of Boston Children's Hospital for us to endorse it. For example, we cannot endorse fundraisers sponsored by alcohol or tobacco companies. We'll let you know if we're concerned with any aspect of your fundraiser during our initial call.
When can I host a fundraiser?
Whenever you'd like; our program runs year-round. Please note that fundraisers of 100+ participants cannot be scheduled on the same day as an event hosted by Boston Children's Hospital without our prior approval.
What can I name my fundraiser?
Boston Children's Hospital can only be identified as the beneficiary of your fundraiser. For example, it cannot be called "Boston Children's Hospital Comedy Night"; instead, it should be "Comedy Night benefitting Boston Children's Hospital."
Can I designate my funds raised?
Yes! If you have a particular part of the hospital in mind, please discuss this during the initial call with your staff partner. Please note, certain programs might not be available for philanthropic support.
Can the funds I raise cover expenses for a specific patient?
While you can fundraise in honor or in memory of a specific person, Boston Children's is unable to direct funds to cover a specific patient family's expenses. Our social work team works closely to connect families with internal and external resources that can assist them. You may choose to direct your fundraising efforts to the Extraordinary Needs fund, which allows Boston Children's to ease some financial difficulties for families that are experiencing challenging times.
Planning
How do I fundraise?
Take it one step at a time. Log in to your Fundraising Center for helpful tips and tools, and to edit and share your Personal Fundraising Page. Create a budget, set a goal, use social media and engage friends and family. We'll also provide you with staff support and guidance along the way.
How do I access my Fundraising Center?
Go to bostonchildrens.org/fundraise and click the Log In button. Use the same credentials you created when you registered your event. From the Fundraising Center, you can edit your Personal Fundraising Page, send emails and access lots of tools to help you succeed.
Can someone from Boston Children's attend and/or speak at my event or committee meetings?
We cannot guarantee physicians, staff or volunteers at your event.
Are there any guidelines around sponsorship and in-kind donations?
To avoid duplicate solicitations, we ask that you notify us before asking a business or company for a donation, cash or in-kind.
Can I have a raffle at my event?
To legally conduct any gambling activity or "game of chance" in Massachusetts, including raffles, bazaars, and "Las Vegas night" events, your organization must maintain 501c3 status and acquire a permit from the clerk of the city in which the fundraiser will take place. For more information, visit the Office of the Attorney General's website.
What about an auction?
You can host a silent or live auction. As a reminder, when advertising any items in a silent or live auction, you must display the fair market value. No items can be priceless. Boston Children's Hospital will only issue IRS-compliant tax receipts if the donor pays above the fair market value and if payment is made directly to Boston Children's Hospital.
Does Boston Children's provide event insurance?
The fundraising coordinator (that's you!) is responsible for obtaining any permits or insurance.
How do I learn more about matching gifts?
Many companies offer matching gifts for employees who give to nonprofits like Boston Children's Hospital. Increase the impact of your donation by applying for your company to match your gift. Please note: Matching gifts can only be applied to your fundraising page once received and processed by Boston Children’s Hospital Trust.
View our matching gift guide »
Promotion
Will you help promote my fundraiser?
We're here to guide you and we provide tools in your Fundraising Center to help you promote your event. We can't manage your event, provide donor lists, stationary, or promote on hospital property.
Can I use Boston Children's Hospital's name and logo?
Yes, you can download "benefiting Boston Children's Hospital" logos in your Fundraising Center. Whenever you use our logo or name, your final piece (flyer, etc.) needs to be approved by our staff.
Can you post my event on the Boston Children's Facebook page?
We love sharing your success! Contact your staff partner to discuss Boston Children's sharing your event photos and success on Facebook. Please note, we do have guidelines and posts are at the discretion of our social media and marketing team.
Can I set up a Facebook fundraiser for my Boston Children's event?
Unfortunately not. Because of technical changes that Meta (Facebook's owner) has made to Facebook Fundraisers and payment processing, Facebook Fundraisers are no longer compatible with our fundraising systems.
Should I send a personal thank you card to my donors?
Yes, we hope you do! Mail some of your own or email your staff partner to receive branded thank you postcards.
Finance
Do I need to create a 501c3 (non-profit) organization to host a fundraiser for Boston Children's?
No need! You just need to register online for our approval.
Can Boston Children's Hospital issue tax receipts to my donors?
Boston Children's will issue IRS-compliant tax receipts to the full extent of the law, only if a donation of $250 or above is made payable directly to Boston Children's Hospital along with detailed contact information for the donor. Please do not promise any kind of receipts; issuing an inappropriate receipt can hurt our charitable tax status.
Can I pay myself back for expenses I've incurred?
You're responsible for covering event expenses and will not be reimbursed by Boston Children's. If you are paying for expenses, please deduct these from the funds raised prior to sending your donation check to us. Your expenses shouldn't exceed 30% of funds raised. We maintain an average expenses-to-funds-raised ratio of 22% and strongly encourage the same standard.
How do I learn more about matching gifts?
Many companies offer matching gifts for employees who give to nonprofits like Boston Children's Hospital. Increase the impact of your donation by applying for your company to match your gift. Please note: Matching gifts can only be applied to your fundraising page once received and processed by Boston Children’s Hospital Trust.
View our matching gift guide >>
Where do I send proceeds?
All proceeds need to be made payable to Boston Children's Hospital and mailed to us within 30 days of completing your fundraiser. Boston Children's reserves the right to prohibit future fundraising if proceeds are not sent in a timely matter. Please mail your donation with the mail-in donation form found in your Fundraising Center to: Boston Children's Hospital Trust, Attn: Gift Services, 401 Park Drive, Suite 602, Boston, MA 02215
Can I use a third-party online donation site?
We strongly advise that you register and utilize our fundraising pages so we can best support you. Third-party sites take fees from each donation, while 100% of donations made through our fundraising pages comes back to the hospital. We also cannot guarantee that money received from a third-party site will be earmarked in honor/memory of someone or designated to a specific area of the hospital.
