Supercars attract quite a bit of attention all on their own. That’s why they’re the perfect vehicle for targeted charity work. Not sure how to use your supercar for good? We’ve put together a guide for car club fundraising ideas and more to ensure it doesn’t just look good to own a supercar–it can feel good, too.
Build Excitement for Existing Events
Fundraising with supercars doesn’t have to be complicated. Adding a supercar element to an event can build excitement and boost entry fees. Make sure that the car is on the marketing materials and charge admission for the upcoming ticketed event. You may generate traffic by allowing people to check out a supercar up close.
Make it All About the Supercars
A supercar charity event is a great way to set the focus on the cars and tap into an audience already interested in being there. Bread Charity USA, a nonprofit focused on helping children in poverty reach their potential, has used supercars to fund its efforts since its inception.
The annual Bread Supercar Rally, essentially a parade of supercars, is their main event. They also host a yearly Bread Track Day for supercar owners who hit the race track to raise money for that year’s cause. Their current focus is on using music to reach at-risk kids and youth in the Los Angeles area.
Supercar events are all about bringing in people who are already auto enthusiasts. The charity aspect is an additional draw for those who may have more of an interest in the identified cause.
Participate in a Car Show Fundraiser
Car shows come with a captive audience of spectators to see the latest in supercar technology, classic cars, and even exciting car toys. A supercar charity event doubling as a fundraiser offers guests something a local car show may not. Whether that’s a preview of a new model or raffles with high-value sponsored prizes, they are an excellent way to raise awareness.
The big car show fundraisers have sponsors to help cover the events’ costs so that most proceeds go to the charity of choice. Sponsors can also host mini-events like maintenance demos as part of car shows. Mini-events bring in an even bigger demographic that may want more practical information about the cars they love.
Use Car Decals as a Promotional Tool
Some charities have taken a page out of classic brand promotion by using car decal fundraisers to get the word out about their important work. If you’ve ever seen a NASCAR race, you know how important sponsorships are to funding race teams. If you spot a charity logo on an attention-grabbing Ferrari, it works the same as it would for a for-profit brand. Suddenly, that charity has a fresh pair of eyes on their work and a new potential donor.
Offer a Ride as a Prize
It can be exciting enough to see a supercar at a fundraising event but imagine the excitement involved with someone’s first ride in a supercar. Fundraisers or silent auctions that offer a ride in a supercar tend to have higher donations than events where potential donors are only there to observe. Selling raffle tickets instead of rewarding top donors can keep things fair for those who can only donate a certain amount.
Connect With Charities
Some charities may still need to discover the power of supercars as a carrot for new fundraising opportunities. If you want to put your car to better use, connect with charities whose missions resonate with you and suggest hosting a supercar charity event.
If you’ve always loved working with kids, find local groups that host community events to raise money for impoverished children. Want to make sure your local soup kitchen fares well beyond the busy winter holidays? They likely host events outside those peak times to raise funds when volunteerism slows down.
Joining a car club that already focuses on philanthropy is another way to put your hobby and love for supercars to more beneficial use.
Join a Philanthropic Auto Club
At Fast Lane Drive, we come together because we love our cars–though we connect on a deeper level through our charity work. Philanthropy is a huge component of membership at Fast Lane Drive. If you join us, we expect you to support our mission to make our communities just a little bit better.
We’ve worked to better our local communities through Voices for Children, a nonprofit that supports children in the foster care system, and the Make-A-Wish Foundation of San Diego. We care about our local ecosystems, too. As part of our philanthropy, we’ve partnered with San Diego Coastkeeper, a nonprofit that advocates for community-driven solutions to climate change and persistent drought in the region. Our chapters partner with Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Scottsdale, and Miami organizations as we expand our club.
When new members join Fast Lane Drive, they do so with the understanding that a portion of our proceeds will go to charities chosen by our members as a whole. We tend to prioritize organizations important to our members, whether through personal connections to those causes or an identified and immediate need for assistance. That makes our unique fundraisers more meaningful for us as an auto club.
If you want to build connections with other car enthusiasts and your local community, join us at Fast Lane Drive.
