Ways to Donate & Fundraise

When you give to the American Red Cross, you are delivering help and hope to people when they need it most. There are many creative ways that your organization can contribute. And, make it easy for your customers and employees to give back, too.

Few organizations—profit or nonprofit—enjoy the worldwide recognition and high regard associated with the Red Cross. According to Young & Rubicam’s BrandAsset® Valuator, an independent study of 50,000 brands, the Red Cross is:

• More trustworthy than 99 percent of brands in the study.
• More socially responsible, straightforward, authentic, reliable and friendly than 95 percent of brands in the study.
• More respected than 98 percent of brands in the study.

*Young & Rubicam, BrandAsset® Valuator, June 2013

Make a Financial Donation

Join other companies, foundations and organizational supporters in helping us build a reliable funding base for our most important mission services. Learn about our giving opportunities.

Donate a Percentage of Sales

Show your customers you care and help drive sales by donating a percentage of sales from your products, services, events or auctions. You must receive approval from and enter into an agreement with the Red Cross before engaging in any third party fundraising activity.

To receive approval, please complete this form.

Before filling out the form, please note:

1. We encourage your interest and support, but approval of your fundraising campaign will in no way constitute an endorsement, express or implied, of your product, service, company, opinion and/or political position.

2. Fundraising activities that support the Red Cross mission and strategic initiatives will be considered. Please understand that the Red Cross cannot approve requests that promote the sale of alcohol, cigarettes, items that are harmful to an individual’s health, adult or pornographic materials, or any items that could be considered, by the ordinary person, to be in bad taste or inconsistent with our humanitarian mission or the fundamental principles of the Red Cross.

Collect Donations from Your Customers

A Customer Donation Program offers an easy, engaging way for you to turn your customers’ compassion into action. Whether it’s in the aftermath of a devastating disaster or at other meaningful times throughout the year, an in-store or online collection effort for the Red Cross can be launched quickly and easily, thanks to our co-brandable, turn-key program materials, including posters, flyers and more.

You must enter into an agreement with the Red Cross before engaging in any donation collection activity. Please select from one of the following options to submit your request to the correct team:

1. If you’d like to apply to host a Customer Donation Program in-store or through the checkout process on your website, please apply here »
2. If you’d like to request a Corporate Vanity URL or Donation Microsite be created for your company to promote donations directly to the Red Cross, please request it here »  
   
3. If you’d like to propose a different type of donation collection, and/or would like a local Red Cross representative to reach out to you to discuss your options, please complete this form »  
   

Host a Workplace Giving Campaign

When you give your employees the opportunity to make a difference, your company gets more —more workplace satisfaction, more enthusiasm and more of the unique team spirit that comes from helping others. Your employees can help out the Red Cross following a disaster, during your annual campaign or at other special times of year.

Engagement Ideas
 

• During Your Annual Campaign - Drive annual campaign participation rates by featuring the Red Cross, a trusted and respected brand with high regard, broad reach and a breadth of employee engagement opportunities.
• During Your Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) - Federal employees can give during the CFC by writing American Red Cross on your pledge card and using our CFC number: 10266.
• During Times of Disaster - When disaster strikes a community where your employees work and live, the Red Cross can provide you with tools to quickly and efficiently raise funds from employees or visitors to your website.
• During Your Special Event Campaign - Throughout the year, you can launch specialized campaigns to channel employee enthusiasm by highlighting different Red Cross services. Support Service to the Armed Forces from Memorial Day through the Fourth of July or host a Blood campaign during summer blood shortage months.
• Match Employee Gifts - Knowing that donations will be matched dollar-for-dollar is a powerful incentive for any donor. Show that you stand by your employees when it matters most by offering a corporate match of their gifts to the Red Cross.
• Volunteer Opportunities - 76 percent of Americans who volunteer through their jobs say the volunteer time makes them feel better about their employers. The Red Cross offers options that require just a few hours or even a few minutes of your employees’ time, including blood drives at the workplace or First Aid/CPR, preparedness training or other safety courses.

Learn More & Make a Difference

With turnkey workplace giving campaign tools and resources - including secure, co-branded online donation sites and educational materials – the Red Cross makes it easy for companies to generate enthusiasm and create stronger teams united by a shared commitment. To get started, contact WorkplaceGiving@redcross.org

Conduct a Radiothon or Telethon

These types of events can be an energizing activity for your company or organization. You must receive written approval from the Red Cross before engaging in any third party fundraising activity. Please complete this form to help our team understand the type of campaign you are proposing.

Sponsor a Local or Regional Program or Event

Red Cross chapters all over the country host a variety of unique and exciting events that build enthusiasm and advocacy, foster collaboration, and offer recognition to business and community leaders who help support the Red Cross in fulfilling our mission. Contact your local Red Cross to find out what types of events they may hold and opportunities for you to participate.

Donations of Products or Services

Have a special product, service or experience you are looking to donate to the Red Cross? Consider auctioning it off through one of our approved charity auction partners, eBay, IfOnly, and Omaze, where the winning bid amounts can go to support the Red Cross. Via each of our auction partners, you have the opportunity to team up with them, create an experience, reach a large audience, and help benefit the Red Cross.

On occasion, the Red Cross will work with corporate supporters to accept uniform bulk supplies based on need. We coordinate directly with donors to accept products and services that align with client needs and Red Cross standards, including proper packaging. Please complete this form to help our team understand the type of products or services you are able to donate. Note that we do not accept or solicit small quantities of donations of items from individuals.

Donations of Airline Miles

You can put your un-used miles to work for the Red Cross through the generosity of several major airlines. The airline partners listed permit their loyalty program members to donate their miles to help our volunteers and staff get to critical areas. Thanks to people like you who donate their miles, the Red Cross can fulfill our mission to prevent and alleviate human suffering in the face of emergencies.  

Honor Colleagues with a Holiday Donation

This holiday season, highlight your commitment to helping those in need by making a financial donation to the Red Cross on behalf of your employees, clients, vendors or customers. This meaningful gesture will say much more about your company values than a tin of popcorn or personalized water bottle ever could. Access our printer-ready holiday card artwork or eCard to tell your recipients about the generous gift you have made on their behalf. For more information, or to get started, contact our Workplace Giving team.