Welcome to the Community Resource Hub! We’re so glad you’re here. This site is your one-stop spot for all things volunteering with Room to Read. It’s our hope that these resources support you and save you time as you serve. Bookmark this page and get to know it. If you find that there is a resource that would be helpful but does not exist, please let us know at volunteer@roomtoread.org.
Community Resource Hub
Hosting an event is a fun and effective way to bring others together to support Room to Read. These resources make planning and hosting events easier!
Planning & Promoting Your Event
She Creates Change
This multi-media storytelling initiative created by Room to Read centers girls' voices in the pursuit of gender equality. Consider hosting a viewing party of these powerful films in your community.
For planning and outreach, we have a kit of campaign materials for your use.
Landing Page | Event Kit | Overview
Step UP for Education
Run this active challenge fundraising campaign at any point in the year to support Room to Read's programs.
For planning and outreach, we have a kit of campaign materials for your use.
School Read-a-Thon
Partner with a school in your community to run a Read-a-Thon fundraising campaign at any point in the year to support Room to Read's programs.
For planning and outreach, we have a kit of campaign materials for your use.
Over the years, volunteers have planned various creative events to raise funds and awareness for Room to Read. Below are a few event kits available to use or spark ideas.
Book Swap | Beers for Books | Costume Party | Small Change for Big Change
As a first step, think about what type of event registration page you need. If you want to sell tickets to your event then you'll need to create a "paid ticketing" event registration page. If you are hosting a free event but still want people to register in advance, then a "free ticketing" event page is the way to go.
Paid Ticketing Events
For creating a registration page for your "paid ticketing" event, we strongly recommend using one of the vendors listed below. These vendors have been closely vetted by Room to Read and we know that they will provide you and us with all the information we need when it comes time to wrap up your event.
- Eventbrite
- Humanitix - Available for events running in AUD, NZD, and USD currencies only. Fun fact! 100% of profits from booking fees on Humanitix go to support their charity partners. And, you guessed it, Room to Read is one of them!
If you decide to use a third-party vendor other than Eventbrite or Humanitix, please understand that Room to Read cannot guarantee that all donors who give through that vendor will be receipted by Room to Read. The reason for this is that most third-party vendors fail to provide the information we need in their donor detail reports, likely due to their privacy policies preventing them from sharing certain information.
Free Ticketing Events
For free ticketed events, since you are not collecting money or donations through the vendor's platform, you are welcome to use Eventbrite, Humanitix, or any other vendor that you prefer.
If you are planning a large fundraising event with a goal that exceeds USD 10K, we can help create an event registration page (for either paid or free ticketed events) on our Engaging Networks platform. Contact us at volunteer@roomtoread.org at least one month before your desired publication date to get started.
Important reminder: Use these internal tools to adhere to branding and social media guidelines when promoting your event.
Branding Guidelines | Social Media Guidelines
After you’ve decided on your event details, it’s time to let the world know! Here are some strategies to help you reach event participants and achieve your fundraising goal.
- Social Media: Share your Engaging Networks campaign link with your friends and family members who use social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, and ask them to share your campaign.
- Partnership: Write personalized emails to organizations, local businesses, and community groups explaining your event and asking for their support. Be sure to give them the link to your campaign. Local businesses you support or groups you belong to are a good place to start.
- Community Engagement: Partner with local schools, churches, and community groups to organize your event.
- Flyers and Posters: Distribute flyers and posters to local businesses, libraries, community centers, coffee shops, and other high-traffic areas. You are welcome to use our Room to Read branded event templates: 34x36 Poster | 18x24 Poster | Flyer | Postcard
- Media Outreach: Email your local newspaper, radio, or TV station. They might be interested in covering your story and featuring your fundraising efforts on a community program or news segment.
- Online Forums: Engage in online forums and communities related to education, literacy, and philanthropy. Share your campaign and ask for support.
When doing any of the above, share personal stories explaining why education and Room to Read’s mission is important to you. Authentic and emotional stories resonate with people and can encourage them to participate and donate.
Important reminder: Use these internal tools to adhere to branding and social media guidelines when promoting your event.
Room to Read can accept donations in the following currencies: AUD, CAD, CHF, EUR, GPR, HKD, and USD. View our country-specific donation forms below. If you are hosting an in-person event, we recommend having printed donation forms available to collect any donations not made directly online.
Information on the form is used to process the donation and, if applicable, provide the appropriate tax acknowledgment letter. Please ensure that the forms are complete and that handwriting is legible.
Donation Forms
Australia | Belgium | Canada | France | Germany | Hong Kong | India | Japan | Netherlands | New Zealand | Singapore | Spain | Switzerland | United Kingdom | United States
Immediately following your event, please mail in the donations you collected, as well as the corresponding donation forms, to your local regional business office. We are unable to receipt donors until this information is received.
QR codes are a great tool for sharing specific links at an event. Each code is unique and can be placed anywhere, such as a printed program flyer, auction catalog, poster, etc. When scanned with a mobile phone, the QR code will lead to a specific link of your choice. We recommend this method for events as a way to lead attendees to donation or auction pages. This site is one that we recommend to generate unique QR code(s) for your needs.
When using a free QR code generator like the one above, please note that the code may expire after a certain amount of time. Look for details on the site you are using and plan accordingly.
If you would like to include an auction or raffle at your event, please refer to the local laws and regulations in your market. There can be licenses and fees associated with auctions and raffles, so these will need to be considered before proceeding. If you decide to move forward with an auction, before you approach companies for possible donations, please review our Top Funder List. If a company is on the list or if it is a large national or multi-national company, email volunteer@roomtoread.org before proceeding.
Our preferred and recommended site for auctions is GalaBid. GalaBid is a free website that can be used to host a silent or a live auction for virtual, hybrid, or in-person events and can be set up for bid donations go directly to Room to Read. Contact volunteer@roomtoread.org for more information or to set up a GalaBid account. Set-up requires connecting your event to Room to Read’s Stripe account so we will work with you upfront to ensure that the bids get processed correctly.
Can you send the founder, CEO, or Room to Read staff to speak at my event?
Due to the limited availability of staff, we typically cannot accommodate requests for speakers. We encourage you to complete your Annual Plan and share your event plans and needs with us in advance.
People sometimes feel they need to be a pro to speak about Room to Read. We couldn’t disagree more. You need to be passionate about the cause and be able to personalize a message (why did you get involved, what has impressed you about this organization, etc.). And guess what? As part of our volunteer network, you are passionate! To prepare any talking points, see the Media section of the Room to Read website, or the Communications tab on this Hub.
Where will event donations go?
Gifts will be used where and when most needed, allowing us to deliver a comprehensive and holistic approach to education. Your gift, combined with those of other donors, is a powerful means to provide the skills and confidence young students need to escape poverty and build brighter futures for themselves, their families, and their communities. Don't worry, if you notify us about donations that you solicit, we will give you credit in our back-end systems.
I/we want to run a big fundraiser. Can you send funds for the cost of the event?
Unfortunately, we cannot send funds for the cost of volunteer events. We take great pride in our financial efficiency, our transparency, and our accountability to investors and the communities we serve. We keep our overhead below the industry average to maximize the percentage of your contributions that go toward our programs, and we spend our program funds wisely so that millions of children may benefit from our work. To learn more, visit the Financials section of our website.
Can I pay for an event using funds raised at the event?
Any donations received at the event must be treated with the highest integrity and cannot be used to cover event expenses. However, there are a few creative ways to ask donors for event support and keep your costs as low as possible.
1) Find sponsors or vendors (like venue or catering) to underwrite part of the cost of the event. Many of our volunteers partner with venues to bring in business through the event on what would otherwise be a slow night. In fact, many bars and restaurants have programs where they will offer a portion of the proceeds to a charity for a night. Look for opportunities for gifts-in-kind, i.e. donations for food, beverages, or other elements of the event.
2) Some volunteers also "sponsor" the event, paying for a portion or all. Depending on the details, often a gift-in-kind tax receipt can be offered for such sponsorship details. Let us know the details and we’ll get back to you to let you know what would and wouldn’t qualify.
3) You can designate a portion of pre-event ticket sales to cover event costs. Be sure that the language you use to sell tickets is very clear so it does not give ticket buyers the impression that the cost of the ticket is a direct donation to Room to Read. You'll also need to share your language with Room to Read so we can receipt donors only for the amount donated to and received by Room to Read.
Remember, likely, one of the reasons you chose to support Room to Read is because much of the funds we raise go directly towards our programs (roughly 85%). This means for every $1 raised it takes $0.10 to $0.15 to raise it. Events that benefit Room to Read must be cost-effective and viewed as appropriate to the community. If your costs are a large percentage or more than what you know you can raise, that means you are investing a great deal of resources (time, effort, money) with very little to no return.
Can you send me Room to Read branded materials for a local event I am hosting including banners, posters, and your children’s books?
Unfortunately, we're not able to ship banners and posters. However, templates are available here for you to print.
The children's books we publish are printed in-country and used for Room to Read programs in those countries, so unfortunately, we are not able to send books for your event. However, our digital platform Literacy Cloud hosts a large number of our books in many different languages – and it’s free to access!
Wrapping Up Your Event
We'd love to celebrate your event with you! Complete the Event Wrap-Up Form so we can cheer you on!
After following the directions above under "Donations at Events", please email a donor list to volunteer@roomtoread.org to ensure that all donations are tracked and credited to your fundraising total for the year.
Through your service, you are a part of equipping students around the world to change their futures. As you share in your local community about Room to Read, you’re expanding the network of supporters who believe that we can create a world free from illiteracy and gender inequality.