Be a catalyst for life-saving MBC research.
Anyone can raise funds for METAvivor—and your initiative, big or small, drives groundbreaking research on metastatic breast cancer. Whether you raise $100 or $1 million, your support powers high-impact grants that give real hope. Nearly half of our research funding comes from people just like you who lead fundraisers to support our community.
And the possibilities are endless! You can choose to fundraise entirely online, or host an in-person event. You can ask family and friends to donate to MBC research in honor of your birthday, or celebrate the life of someone special through a memorial fundraiser. You can organize a sports fundraiser such as a 5K, bike-a-thon or memorial golf tournament or invite people to make a pledge when you participate in such an event—either on your own, or with a team. You can also start a fundraiser with a club or group you belong to, and host a social night, craft sale and more. Check out our online fundraising portal to get inspiration from our community.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where do our donations go?
90% of individual donations will directly support research efforts, while 10% will be allocated to essential operational needs, including program management, outreach, administrative support, and partnership development.
80% of corporate donations and sponsorships will go to support research, and 20% will support administrative needs.
What’s the best online fundraising platform for me to use?
We encourage you to use METAvivor’s dedicated fundraising tool, which will walk you through a few easy steps to create your own fundraising page and start collecting donations—either on your own, or with a team. Your page can be personalized with photos and video, and will show a running tally of raised funds. It will also channel online contributions directly to METAvivor, while providing donors with an automated tax receipt when they make a gift.
Alternatively, you may choose to use a third-party fundraising platform like Facebook, GoFundMe or Kickstarter. Please note, donors making a gift through these platforms may not automatically receive tax deduction letters, and these platforms typically charge fees.
Are there limits on how I can fundraise for METAvivor?
If you plan to use our trademark name and/or logo, you must first contact us at info@metavivor.org. For fundraisers that use our name / credentials:
- Your fundraiser must comply with local, state, and federal laws, including payment of sales tax if you are donating proceeds from merchandise sales. METAvivor will not accept donations resulting from illegal activity.
- Your METAvivor fundraiser cannot be used, in full or in part, to help pay for an individual’s medical bills or other personal expenses, as this could jeopardize METAvivor’s nonprofit tax status.
- We reserve the right to disallow the use of METAvivor’s name, logo and/or other credentials at any time for any reason.
Additionally, your promotional materials must comply with the following:
- Transparently and explicitly state the percentage or dollar amount that will be donated to METAvivor (for instance, “30% of proceeds after expenses” or “$5 from every t-shirt sale”).
- Written consent must be obtained before using board members’ images or other pictures from METAvivor’s website.
- The METAvivor logo may not be modified or altered without written consent.
- Include the statement: “Metastatic breast cancer ribbon logo used by permission of METAvivor Research and Support, Inc.”
- No profanity.
- No slang or euphemisms for breasts (e.g., “ta-tas,” “boobies”)
- No copying or lampooning other organizations’ designs or slogans
- No use of hashtags associated with other organizations
- No use of copyrighted or trademarked materials without permission
If you are fundraising for other nonprofit organizations along with METAvivor, you must get explicit approval from both parties.
NOTE: If you are not advertising that your fundraiser will benefit METAvivor, and are not using METAvivor’s trademarks in promotional materials, you may conduct your fundraiser as you wish and simply make a donation afterward.
Will METAvivor help cover my event expenses?
Fundraisers generally cover their own expenses, and donate net proceeds to METAvivor. For large-scale events, you have the option of having METAvivor pay/reimburse expenses, sign contracts, and provide receipts. In this case:
- Expenses must be limited to 25% of total event proceeds
- An application must be submitted for reimbursement
- Sponsorships can be sought, but national pharmaceutical sponsorships are reserved by METAvivor
Download our fundraising guidelines to learn more and get started.
What if people want to contribute to my fundraiser by check?
We welcome their donation! Checks can be made payable to METAvivor, Inc. and mailed to:
METAvivor
7780 Elmwood Ave, Suite 130
Middleton, WI 53562 US
If you’re sending a paper check and would like the gift to be credited to a specific fundraising page, please include a note indicating this so we can apply your donation to the intended page.
What if people participating in my fundraiser ask for a donation receipt?
METAvivor is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization and donations are tax-deductible within the guidelines of U.S. law. If an online gift is made to METAvivor through our dedicated fundraising tool or our donation page, donors will be emailed an automated tax receipt. If they make an offline gift and need a donation receipt, please contact us at info@metavivor.org for support.
Fundraisers may not issue donation receipts on behalf of METAvivor. If a donor has contributed an in-kind gift for your event, you may send a thank-you letter, but should not assign a monetary value to donated items.
