Event Planning

Over the years, we have found that fundraising allows families to channel their grief and emotion into something positive.

Raising awareness and generating funds to support the mission of the SUDC Foundation while celebrating the life of your child can be rewarding and uplifting in your journey of healing.  To continue in our mission and to help support the growing needs of the foundation, we are grateful to families who choose to host a fundraiser to benefit the mission of the Foundation.  No event is too big or too small. Each one helps us in reaching for a future free of Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood. 

The SUDC Foundation currently receives no public funding. All of the work it does is supported through private donations and revenue generated by event planners like you. In fact, approximately 85 percent of the Foundation’s revenue comes from fundraising events. We include event planners in the Fundraiser Host Ambassador program and encourage you to take some time and learn more about becoming a Fundraiser Host Ambassador. 

Responsibilities of Fundraiser Host Ambassadors include: 

  • Being a registered member of the SUDC Foundation and completing the training process to be a Fundraiser Host Ambassador 
  • Understanding the mission and work of the SUDC Foundation 
  • Understanding and showing a willingness to speak using the SUDC Foundation’s Key Messages 
  • Coordinating with the SUDC Foundation to ensure you have the most accurate and current information regarding SUDC and the work of the Foundation 

The resources on this page have been provided to help you prepare and plan your fundraiser. Our staff is also available to help guide you through the event planning process and further explain these resources to help ensure your success. If you have any questions please contact our Director of Development at [email protected] or the Ambassador Program Coordinator at [email protected].  Thank you for your participation in the Fundraiser Host Ambassador Program. The Foundation truly could not do its work without you. No matter what type of event you are planning, please contact us today. We look forward to working together! 

International Resources

 
 

Resources Available from the SUDC Foundation

SUDC staff assistance and/or guidance through regular and as-needed event support calls. Support calls often include an initial planning and brainstorming call with the Director of Development, monthly check-in calls and weekly check-in calls the month prior to the event. 

SUDC Foundation’s IRS Determination Letter. As you are requesting donations or sponsorships, you may be asked to share the Foundation’s IRS Determination Letter. This letter is proof of the SUDC Foundation’s 501c3 status, which is a designation from the United States Internal Revenue Service that the Foundation is a not-for-profit organization and is tax-exempt. Your donors or sponsors may need this letter for filing their taxes and for record-keeping purposes. Please be sure to speak with a representative of the SUDC Foundation before you use this letter. 

SUDC Foundation Financial Information. You may also be asked to share financial information on the SUDC Foundation as you are requesting sponsorships and donations. The SUDC Foundation believes in complete transparency with respect to its financial information. The Foundation will provide past and present financial documentation, free of charge, for anyone who would like to see it.   

Guidance navigating local fundraising laws. If you plan to use raffles as part of fundraising for your events, there may be different laws or regulations they are subject to depending on where you live. No matter where you live, SUDC Foundation staff can assist you in researching and helping you adhere to local raffle regulations. 

Assistance with the creation of online registration site for your event.

 
Credit card processing. The Foundation also has access to mobile credit card readers you can borrow for your event. In the event a mobile card reader is not available, the Foundation’s event team will instruct you how to process credit card payments directly to the SUDC Foundation.

Inclusion of your event in SUDC Foundation communication channels including the Foundation’s website (sudc.org), monthly e-news, Facebook page, Twitter and Instagram accounts and other printed materials. Free memorial websites for any registered family to remember a child lost to SUDC. The site is hosted on the SUDC Foundation’s website and features an optional page to publicize any event you host in support of the SUDC Foundation’s mission. To request a memorial website, please fill out a Memorial Site Request Form. Event planning email group for open communication with other SUDC Foundation supporters Press releases written specifically for your event.

Digital files of the SUDC Foundation logo, photos and first names of children lost to SUDC whose parents/guardians gave permission for their use in fundraising and memorial activities. (Please note that in order to obtain permission to use digital files, the Fundraiser Host Ambassador must sign a Memorandum of Understanding provided by the SUDC Foundation). Copies of SUDC Literature including flyers outlining SUDC and the work of the SUDC Foundation for general or medical audiences, newsletters and Frequently Asked Questions brochures. SUDC Foundation promotional materials including bags, pens, event banner and quilt, if available SUDC Foundation videos including: Explaining the Unexplained: A short and poignant video that captures facts on SUDC and its raw, emotional cost. The Faces of SUDC: A video featuring children taken far too soon from SUDC. Love Beyond Reason: An 8-minute documentary depicting the challenges the medical community faces as it tries to understand this classification of death and the heartache of parents and families who have experienced the sudden loss of a thriving child with no medical cause or explanation. Additional event planning toolkits including branded artwork and more resources for specific types of fundraising events. 

Contact Us About Event Planning

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The information is provided as a service to members and the social work community for educational and information purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. We provide timely information, but we make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained in or linked to this Web site and its associated sites. Transmission of the information is not intended to create, and receipt does not constitute, a lawyer-client relationship between NASW, LDF, or the author(s) and you. NASW members and online readers should not act based on the information provided in the LDF Web site. Laws and court interpretations change frequently. Legal advice must be tailored to the specific facts and circumstances of a particular case. Nothing reported herein should be used as a substitute for the advice of competent counsel.

Event Planning Resources

Samples & Templates

Publicizing Your Event

Suggested Vendors

The Foundation does not have a financial relationship with any of these companies, however they provide a high quality service or product and occasionally will offer discounts.

Printing/Supplies
PaperMart, Staples, 
VistaPrint, CustomInk, 
IronMark USA, DesignCrowd

Crowdfunding
Network for Good, 
JustGiving, FirstGiving, 
RunSignUp, Booster, 
Facebook

Promotional Products
4Imprint, Vistaprint, 
CustomInk, IronMark USA

Event Planning Toolkits

Post Event Templates

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