Boost Your 3-Day Fundraising with These Tools

Komen 3-Day appWe’re just a few months away from our first event of the 2026 Susan G. Komen 3-Day® season. Whether you’re just getting started with fundraising or trying to drive more donations, there are a few simple strategies that can help you reach your goal faster than you might think. 

For many participants, fundraising can feel like an overwhelming task. But often, the hardest part is simply getting started and making that first ask.  

Believe it or not, it’s possible to reach a $2,300 goal in two months or less. Just a few intentional steps can help you build momentum quickly: 

  • Start with your own commitment and make a $25 self-donation. 
  • Plan a multi-family garage sale in your neighborhood. 
  • Send out a fundraising email from the 3-Day app to everyone in your family and friends and ask for a minimum donation of $50. Add a note to let them know that even a $25 donation can helps scientists find new ways to prevent, detect and treat breast cancer. 
  • Ask your employer for a company contribution of at least $150. 

One of the easiest ways to put these strategies into action is by using the awesome Komen 3-Day app. If you already have the app, think of this as your reminder to start using its built-in tools to drive your next round of donations. 

On average, participants who use the app raise 27% more than those who don’t. It gives you simple ways to reach people quickly and effectively. 

Here’s what that can look like: 

  • Emails sent through the app bring in an average donation of $193. 
  • QR code donations average $91. 
  • Text messages average $106. 
  • Facebook fundraisers average $113. 

Those numbers add up quickly, so be sure to download the 3-Day app today. 

If you want to find more ways to secure additional donations, take a look at how you can do that in just one month. 

Whether you plan to walk 20, 40 or all 60 miles, every step you take — and every dollar you raise — brings us one step closer to a world without breast cancer. We’re so grateful you’re part of this community. 

Don’t forget!  We also have a long list of year-round strategies in our 101 Fundraising Ideas. 

Cathy’s 20-Year Journey With the 3-Day

Cathy M. and her friend, Benny, who met at the Komen 3-Day in 2004.

Cathy M. has been part of the Susan G. Komen 3-Day® for more than 20 years and still shows up each November ready to walk all 60 miles. 

She has collected the names of 180 people impacted by breast cancer — names she now wears on a pink cape as she walks. 

“The names are of people diagnosed with breast cancer, those we have lost and the names of inspiring survivors,” Cathy said. “I walk for them. The real heroes.” 

Cathy first discovered the 3-Day while sitting at a traffic light in Southern California, where she watched a sea of walkers moving down the coast. Something about that moment stuck with her. Even though she didn’t yet have a personal connection to breast cancer, she felt drawn to be a part of it. 

Cathy M. wears a pink cape that has names of people impacted by breast cancer.

Years later, that connection became deeply personal when her sister was diagnosed with breast cancer, and Cathy wanted to offer her support. 

“My sister didn’t even tell us about her cancer until after her surgery,” Cathy said. “After that, I got my rear off the couch and signed up.” 

Cathy walked her first 3-Day in 2003 in San Diego at the age of 51 and hasn’t missed a year since.  

Since then, she’s become a resource for “newbies” taking on the Komen 3-Day, even writing her own survival guide — playfully titled 60-Mile Walk Survival Guide From an Old Lady Walking — to pass along advice based on her experience. She shares it for free on Facebook. 

“I like to think I get smarter with each event under my feet,” Cathy said with a smile. “The guide is just what has worked for me and my hope is that something in there could help the new walkers.”   

Cathy M. and her team walking the San Diego 3-Team during the 2010 rainstorm.

While Cathy has never had breast cancer, she said she has spent years reflecting on what keeps her coming back to the 3-Day. 

“It just puts life in perspective,” Cathy said. “It grounds me and reconnects me to the Pink Bubble. The people, the atmosphere, it’s so positive. I love meeting everyone and hearing their stories. It really is more than just a walk.” 

When she’s not walking in the 3-Day, Cathy is a caregiver to her 103-year-old mother in Boise, Idaho, a role that reflects the same strength and compassion she brings to the walk every year. Her sister, Terry, is a more than 20-year breast cancer survivor, and Cathy continues to walk in her honor. 

Cathy also shares her 3-Day experiences through a personal blog and has written a book inspired by her journey in the Pink Bubble. For Cathy, the 3-Day is more than an event, it’s a lifelong connection to the people and stories that continue to guide her steps. 

 

National Volunteer Week: Join the Heart of the 3-Day

It’s National Volunteer Week, a time to highlight the incredible impact volunteers make through acts of service. At the Susan G. Komen 3-Day®, volunteers make every step of the journey possible through their commitment to creating an unforgettable experience for participants across the Pink Bubble community. 

Whether it’s managing parking at camp, cheering walkers on with a high-five along the route, or helping participants unload their gear when it gets too heavy to carry and ensure it makes it back to camp, there are countless ways for individuals and groups to get involved and make a difference. 

A volunteer giving support to a walker at the 2025 Dallas/Fort Worth 3-Day.

People like Amy S. and sons are what make the 3-Day so special. After nearly 20 years supporting the 3-Day Crew, Amy encouraged her sons to start volunteering. 

“Over the past four years or so, my sons and their philanthropy group have supported the 3-Day by helping set up tents and serve food,” Amy shared. “I’ve simply tried to model for my boys the importance of giving back and sharing their time.”  

How to Get Involved 

Volunteers at the 3-Day typically commit just a few hours during a single day, with no fundraising commitment. Whether you’re signing up individually or with a group (corporate teams, school and university groups, scout troops, community organizations, faith-based groups, etc.), there are many ways to make an impact, including: 

Volunteers posing near one of the sweeps at the 2025 Dallas/Fort Worth 3-Day.

  • Cheering squads along the route 
  • Hydration station and pit stop support 
  • Camp set-up and breakdown 
  • Finish Line Festival support/T-shirt distribution 
  • Gear transport and participant assistance 
  • Traffic control and shuttle support 

Age requirements vary by role, with many opportunities available for younger volunteers with adult supervision, and others reserved for those 18+ or with specific medical qualifications.

Join the Crew 

If you‘re able to commit to the full 3-Day event weekend (Thursday afternoon through Sunday), consider joining our amazing crew! Crew members take on assigned roles that support participants throughout the entire event and commit to raising at least $100.  

Medical professionals are also encouraged to join the medical crew which is an essential part of the 3-Day, providing medical assistance to walkers during the 60-mile event. All medical crew members must hold current, valid licensure. If you’re interested in joining the crew, register here. 

A member of the Medical Crew assisting a walker at the 2025 Dallas/Fort Worth 3-Day.

The 3-Day is powered by people who show up, give their time and create moments that participants carry with them longer after they reach the finish line. We invite you to be a part of that impact at one of our upcoming 3-Day events: 

Boston (Aug. 21-23, 2026) 

Dallas/Fort Worth (Oct. 23-25, 2026) 

San Diego (Nov. 13-15, 2026) 

Tampa Bay (Feb. 19-21, 2027) 

If you are ready to volunteer your time to do something meaningful, contact us at volunteer@komen.org.