What is a brick engraving fundraiser?

Brick engraving fundraisers may seem a little outside the box, but truthfully, they’re not that much more complicated than your average product fundraiser.

Essentially, during a brick fundraiser, your supporters will contribute to your project by purchasing a brick through your engraving service. Supporters who pay a bit more will have the option to request an engraving for their brick. This can be a name, phrase, or even an image depending on your engraving service. 

Then, once the brick is engraved and it’s time to start your building project, the brick will be used to construct your building, monument, or other structure. Then, when it’s time for your building project’s grand opening, supporters can come see where their specific brick was used in the project. 

Why run a brick engraving fundraiser?

Brick engraving fundraisers are certainly a unique and creative idea, but why should a nonprofit actually run one? If you’re not sure if this is the right idea for you, consider if your nonprofit has: 

• An ongoing or is planning an upcoming building project. Supporters who contribute to a brick engraving fundraiser are patient but they will have the expectation that they will see their brick used in a meaningful building project at some point. If your nonprofit currently has no plans for future construction, it may not quite be the right time to run a brick engraving fundraiser. 
• A cause that fits with a brick engraving fundraiser. Brick engraving fundraisers make more sense for some types of nonprofits than others. For example, brick engraving fundraisers are popular among veterans organizations, which usually have at least some focus on remembering and honoring veterans through memorial statues and other building projects. By contrast, participating in building a new, immovable, permanent man-made structure may not work as well for an environmental organization. 
• Donors who would want to participate. Donors who contribute to a brick engraving fundraiser receive benefits that are hard to describe. In exchange for their donation, they can have a message that means something important to them become part of a project for a cause they believe in and stand the test of time. However, donations to be part of a brick engraving campaign are usually quite high even for small bricks, and while many of your donors might appreciate the symbolic meaning of adding their personalized brick to your nonprofit’s project, others might prefer to participate in a fundraiser where they can take their personally created item home with them. 

If you still have questions about brick engraving fundraisers and if they make sense for your nonprofit’s current fundraising strategy, check out potential providers you could partner with to see what they recommend. After all, brick engraving providers want to work on nonprofit projects they know will succeed!

What are the steps for running a brick engraving fundraiser?

Brick engraving fundraisers are long-term projects, and there are several steps your nonprofit will need to follow to get started and see your fundraiser through to completion: 

• Assess your building needs. What type of structure are you building and how many bricks will you need? To make your display look good and not overly chaotic, you will likely want to plan for a certain number of engraved bricks and leave the rest as normal bricks. For example, you might create an every-other-brick pattern or ensure your engraved bricks are boarded only by normal bricks. 
• Partner with an engraver. Your engraver will handle all of the technical work for you, so make sure you choose an engraver whose designs fit your vision. Research different brick engravers to check their brick pricing, if they have a minimum or maximum order requirement, and any other details. 
• Promote your fundraiser. Spread the word about your fundraiser! You’ll have a set deadline for when you want to start construction on your project, so be sure to give supporters plenty of time to submit their engraving requests. 
• Receive bricks. Once your supporters have submitted their engraving requests, your nonprofit will be able to focus on other parts of your project while your engraver gets to work. Then, once the bricks are done, you can look forward to having them delivered. Make sure to give your brick engrave an appropriate delivery location, whether it’s your nonprofit’s office or your construction site. 
• Include bricks in your project. Share your design to incorporate your engraved bricks with your construction team to make sure they make it into the final project. 

From there, the last thing you’ll need to do is have your grand unveiling when your project is done. When promoting your unveiling to your supporters, consider extending personal invitations to everyone who participated in your brick engraving fundraiser so they can see their finished brick in person.