Fundraising Tips & Ideas
Asking people for donations can be difficult if you aren’t prepared. Following are some basic ideas which will help you be more confident in making your fundraising asks. If you are struggling please reach out to your Fundraising Coordinator for help and encouragement. If you are not sure where to start then ask some close friends and colleagues first, allowing you to work on your technique (ask them close to pay day). Below you will find an email template you can use to help with your email asks.
Individual Fundraising Requests:
- Personalize your request
Mass emails and Facebook posts for support only go so far. Your will see a significant increase in your support requests if you send them a personal email or Facebook request. This means a little more time on your part, but the personal touch is proven to yield much larger results since it is much harder to say “Oh, I didn’t see your post / email”. If you receive an email directed just at you, you are much more likely to reply. Ask them for a specific amount you think they can afford.
Personal asks work. They are more effective every time.
- Tell me a story
There are hundreds of charities with great causes asking for people’s money. People are more likely to give to yours if they understand why it is near and dear to your heart. Give them clear concise points about the charities. Never apologize for asking them, this isn’t for you it is for a community charity. If you tell the story of why you are asking, they will respect you even if they don’t give.
People give to people, rarely to causes.
- Reminders
We all get a hundred emails a day, a few dozen Facebook , Twitter and Linkedin messages. If your contact didn’t get back to you, they may have simply missed or forgot your message. SEND A REMINDER OR CALL. Unless they have already said NO to you, then reach out to them by phone to see if they had a chance to look over what you sent them and ask for their commitment.
You never want to hear, “I feel so bad, I wanted to give but forgot about it”
- Appreciation & Event Recap
“Thank You”, these two simple words can go a long way to getting a sponsor back for next year. It makes next year so much easier when you can spend more time finding new sponsors, because your past ones didn’t go anywhere. A Thank You doesn’t need to be anything elaborate, even a quick (personalized, not mass “Thanks everyone”) email will work. In the same message give them a quick update on how the event went, including details like: did you meet your goal, how was the event experience and how your team did.
Think of this like a business relationship. Your sponsors are your customers, so take care of them.
Team Fundraising Activities:
Want to take some of the pressure off your teams individual fundraising efforts? Try holding a few team fundraisers in the months leading up to the event, in addition to money you can raise you will also help raise awareness for the event and its charities.
Not sure what to do? Here are some tried and true ideas listed below. If you come up with some new ideas, feel free to share them with us to pass on to other teams.
All fundraising activities must be registered and approved by the event manager to ensure compliance with brand name usage (generally covered by a simple phone call). We will provide you with marketing tools and logistical support for your event whenever possible.
- Challenge Your Team Practice Event
Have your co-workers, family or friends pay a fee to challenge you in your own personal back yard competition to give you some practice while raising funds.
- Prize Raffle (i.e. prize basket, movie tickets)
- BBQ
- Yard Sale
- Car Wash
- Bake Sale
- 50/50
- Auction
- Office Casual Day Fund
- Office Coffee Fund
- Office Swear Jar
- Poker Night
- Spaghetti Supper
- Karaoke Party
- Trivia Night
- Wine Tasting