Start a fundraiser for study lights

Why a fundraiser helps

One light is $5.17 in parts, so a small group can fund a lot of lights. A class drive or an office collection that raises a few hundred dollars becomes dozens of finished lights. The event itself also spreads the word: everyone who gives learns about the program, and some go on to tell their own circles.

Because the lights are built and placed through partner organizations that know their communities, a fundraiser ends somewhere concrete — with named partners, delivered lights and photos to share back with everyone who took part.

What the money does

The $5.17 is the full parts list: a 3D-printed case ($1.10), a 5V solar panel ($1.50), a rechargeable battery ($1.65), a TP4056 charge board ($0.45), two 5 mm LEDs ($0.12) and a slide switch ($0.35). Student interns build the lights for free; shipping is separate. So $52 covers the parts for 10 lights, and $517 covers the parts for 100.

Each light charges in about 7 hours of sun and gives up to about 12 hours of reading light. By our estimate a student uses it about 6 hours a night, and it is built to last 1–2 years. Partner organizations receive the lights free and choose the students who get them. So far, 72 lights have been delivered: 42 to Brighten Haiti, 15 to Loksadhana in India and 15 to Malaika in the DR Congo.

Flash Forward Foundation is a 501(c)(3) public charity (EIN 39-3605570), so gifts are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.

Ideas

• A school club or class drive
• A birthday fundraiser
• A workplace collection
• A bake sale or an event table

How to start

Email us directly at about@flashforwardfoundation.org. Tell us what you have in mind — a club drive, a birthday, an office collection — and the team will help you plan it and explain how to send the money. The online donation form is still being set up, so we will walk you through it.

Email the team to start a fundraiser