Fundraising & Scholarships

We hope you are very interested in the many opportunities that the Iranian-American Leadership Camp will provide, connecting with other Iranian-American high school students, and in giving back to your community in some way. While we have done our best to keep the financial costs of the program to a minimum, there is no question that it may be a stretch on your budget and that you may need to fundraise and/or seek out scholarship opportunities.

Aside from the Iranian-American Essay Contest, the top prize of which is a full scholarship to the camp, IAAB is committed to assisting you in your fundraising efforts. IAAB's Leadership Camp Team is available to work with you to develop and implement a successful fundraising plan. It is our hope that financial obstacles will not prevent you from participating in our program.

Therefore, we have created this basic guide in order to share with you ideas for raising money and some guidelines to make it easier for you.

Please do not hesitate to ask us for advice. We're here to help you achieve your goals—indeed, we look forward to working with you to help make your participation in this program possible. Good luck!

Tips for Fundraising

Fundraising Letters: This tends to be the most effective means and we've provided a sample fundraising letter below; edit it to fit your personality and circumstances and send to your friends and family.

Use Your School as a Resource: Approach your Guidance Counselor about potential scholarships available at your school/community; you'd be surprised at what you may find!

Contact Institutions in Your Community: Are you connected to other institutions that may offer small grants or financial contributions to support service projects or that may serve as logical sources for funding? Examples include local scholarship funds (for example, non-profit scholarships; also, corporations like Target or Best Buy stores offer scholarships); Rotary Clubs; local businesses; and religious institutions (if you attend a church, synagogue, temple, or mosque, they may have programs designed to fund summer initiatives). If you are not sure about resources available in your local community, you can approach local organizations with a letter or personal visit. Many organizations will consider making donations if you agree to make a presentation about your experience upon your return.

Scholarships, Fellowships, Grants, and Summer Stipends: Conduct an online search of possible scholarships and summer stipens, or ask your Guidance Counselor at school for help: they are a great resource!

Utilize your Local Media: Local newspapers are always looking for new, interesting stories. Approach your local newspaper and ask if they will run an article about your participation in this program. It's a great opportunity to publicize how members of your community can make contributions to your fundraising drive, and it also educates your local community about the Iranian-American community.

Be Creative! There are numerous other ways to raise funds: bake sales, hosting a fundraising dinner at your house, car washes, etc.

Sample Fundraising Letter

Remember, this letter is only meant to serve as a sample, please personalize it to fit your needs and personality!

Dear Friends and Family,

This summer I have an exciting opportunity to participate in the first Iranian-American Leadership Camp through Iranian Alliances Across Borders (IAAB), a non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to issues of youth in the Iranian diaspora. At the Leadership Camp, I will join 60 other Iranian-American high school students from across the nation to learn the important skills of effective public speaking, goal-setting, and organization that will help me become a stronger leader. I will get to participate in a variety of challenging, enriching, and fun leadership activities and hear from a wide array of successful Iranian-American leaders.

I am so excited to have this opportunity to receive leadership training and contribute to discussions regarding my community. This Camp will be an experience through which I can help make a positive difference in the world and increase my knowledge in order to hopefully contribute further in the future. Upon my return, I plan to share what I have learned in order to demonstrate how young people in our community can make a difference in our global society. However, as this program provides a wealth of opportunities, it is also costly. The cost of participation in the program itself is $550, which does not include airfare. I am writing to you to seek your financial support to assist me in translating my academic, extracurricular, and personal interests into reality. I need your support to reach my goal of <State Your Financial Goal Here> in order to participate in the program. Part of the money will help fund my program fees, but the majority of the money will help pay for transportation costs to Massachusetts. Every contribution counts, no matter the size—I am grateful for whatever level of support you feel you can afford – whether it's $25, $50, or $100. Knowing that you support me in my endeavors is what matters.

I invite you to visit Iranian Alliances Across Borders' website at www.iranianalliances.org for more information on the Camp.

If you are interested in making a financial contribution please contact me as soon as possible to make arrangements. Additionally, if you would like a copy of my camp journal to follow my progress at the Camp, please let me know.

Sincerely,