Holiday Fundraising Ideas

joanna-kosinska-453785

The holiday season is in full swing and the year is almost over to boot! Let’s use these last few days of the year to get into a festive fundraising spirit. Giving, both to charity as well as to family and friends, is on everyone’s mind. So, it’s the perfect time to encourage your potential donors to help a good cause, and support family and friends like you! How can you give your fundraising efforts the holiday treatment this year? We have some easy ideas!

kira-auf-der-heide-475626.jpg

A simple trick is just to check out the 3-Day website! We have special holiday card inserts that can help you to ask for donations in lieu of gifts this year. They’re easy to download, for both walkers and crew, making it a snap to mail them out, or leave them by the fireside for Santa to see.

brooke-lark-176360

You can also include these inserts in your holiday cards! It you’re going to be mailing out a family photo, season’s greeting or year-end wrap-up to far off family, add the insert in to your card! Or, make your cards personalized with details of what you raised this year, and your goals for the coming year. Letting this year’s donors know how much their contribution meant will help motivate them to donate again.

georgia-de-lotz-473655.jpg

If you want to spread the 3-Day spirit through song, go caroling for a cause! Put a twist on traditional canning, and recruit your team to sing door to door for donations. This gives a wonderful personal touch, is a fun team activity, and will surely put a smile on peoples’ faces.

ali-inay-2273

If you’re in a warmer climate, or just love the chilly winter temperatures, host a holiday training walk! Have donors sponsor different miles or milestones along the walk, then hit the trails! This is also a great activity for a team, and you can dress in your holiday best to really stand out while you step into the holiday season.

mira-bozhko-172999

One of the biggest holiday traditions for most families is to partake in lots of feasts and treats this time of year. So, while you’re making your usual holiday cookies, cakes and other sweets, put a 3-Day spin on them! Add touches of pink frosting or sprinkles, and include donation information alongside your treat. Who could say “no” to desserts for a good cause?

annie-spratt-178364 (1).jpg

To really end the year on a high note, remind your potential donors of your goals on the last day of the year. December 31st is historically one of the biggest days of the year for online giving to charities, and it also boasts the highest average donation amount! That makes it the perfect time to ask donors to make one final contribution for the year. It will help you end this amazing year on a high note, and set you up for an even better 2018!

Susan G. Komen 3-Day Fundraising Dollars: See Your Impact Locally with Our Infographics

In 2016 Susan G. Komen announced a Bold Goal to reduce the number of current breast cancer deaths in the United States by 50% by the year 2026. That means that each dollar raised, and each step walked in the 3-Day is working towards that Bold Goal.

Dollars raised by 3-Day participants also go towards funding local research grants community health programs. This year, Komen announced $30.7 million in research funding for 98 research grants nationwide, which will predominantly focus on discovering new treatments, as well as improving our understanding of the most lethal forms of breast cancer. These grants and research are critical in helping us move closer to achieving Komen’s Bold Goal.

To fully understand your direct impact in our work, Komen released the direct impact that local research dollars has in all our local 3-Day markets. Last year, fundraising dollars contributed to the  160 total research grants in the state of Pennsylvania, and funded 186 career investigators in California.

To see the direct impact of the 3-Day in 2017, and all your hard work, look up your home state in the infographics below. These are also great informational resources to share with potential donors, or to send to donors from this year’s walks to show them just how much their support means.

Michigan

Michigan_2017_Page_1

Michigan_2017_Page_2

Minnesota

Minnesota_2017_Page_1

Minnesota_2017_Page_2

Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania_2017_Page_1

Pennsylvania_2017_Page_2

Washington

Washington_2017_Page_1

Washington_2017_Page_2

Georgia

Georgia_2017

Texas

Texas_2017_Page_1

Texas_2017_Page_2

California

California_2017_Page_1

California_2017_Page_2

How have you seen fundraising dollars at work in your local market? Tell us in the comments!

3-Day September Fundraising Calendar

photo

In September, we will be walking in the Seattle 3-Day! As fall approaches, it’s the perfect time to get in some final fundraising for your fall 3-Day, or even get a jump start on your 2018 fundraising! Luckily, we have plenty of ideas to help you get started.

First, make sure you are encouraging your donors to send you mail and sweet treats if your 3-Day is this month! They can also come cheer you on along the route! All the needed information can be found in the Spectator Info section on our website, listed here for the next two events:

race_3021_photo_44702680 (3)

September is Better Breakfast Month and Self Improvement Month, which are great for training and fundraising ideas:

  • In honor of Self Improvement Month, look at what goals you have for September. Whether that includes goals for the 3-Day, or otherwise! Write down your goals for miles walked or dollars raised or local events attended and stick to it. Writing goals down can be a helpful reminder not to miss a walk or send out another round of letters!
  • In honor of Better Breakfast Month, get your team together for an early morning weekend walk, and then host them for a fun breakfast afterwards! Or, make easy on-the-go breakfast packs to give to donors when they hit a certain dollar amount. It was help them start the day on the sunny side.

There are some workshops happening this month. You can find the complete list on our website here. We will also be calling out more local events on our Facebook page, so keep an eye out. Also, don’t forget to follow your local coaches’ page for more information and inspiration!

September Fundraising Calendar 2

Other key days this month include:

  • September 10: Swap Ideas Day: Fundraising is an ongoing effort, and sometimes a little creativity can help! Talk to your teammates, post on the 3-Day message boards, or ask you coaches for new ideas. We also have 101 Fundraising Ideas on our website!
  • September 13: Fortune Cookie Day: We hope your fortunes are always sunny and bright – and you can share the same wish with your donors! Fortune Cookies are easy to get from your local Chinese restaurant, so attach your own “3-Day Fortune” with inspiring quotes to the cookies, and drop them with your donors as a thank you! Need ideas? Check out our Inspiration Page for quotes, statistics and fun images.

Photo 2

  • September 17: National Women’s Friendship Day: You love your friends and they love you! They’re the family you choose, so reach out and remind them about your fundraising goals for this year and even next. You could get your next big donation, or even recruit a pal to walk with you on your 60-mile journey.

Photo 3

  • September 21: World Gratitude Day: “Thank you” are words you can never say enough, especially to your donors. They support you before you even attend the Opening Ceremony, and help us raise such important funds towards research and local efforts by Susan G. Komen. Remind them how important their donations are on World Gratitude Day! Thank those who have already donated, and share with those who haven’t yet, just how far their donation can go.
  • September 28: National Good Neighbor Day: Be a good neighbor, and help raise money for your 3-Day walk! Offer your services near your home for chores like mowing the lawn, raking leaves, cleaning windows etc. for donations. Don’t forget to wear your 3-Day pink while you work to spread awareness!

Photo 4

Also, make sure to join our 3-Day Social Stars! This is an easy-to-join group that’s part of our social media community, where you can earn prizes for interacting with the 3-Day on social media. Talk, connect, and share with us! You can also pick up good fundraising ideas from your fellow 3-Dayers.

Are you walking in our Seattle 3-Day? What are your fundraising and training goals for September?