Fundraising Friday: Winter Tips to Heat Up Your Fundraising

Winter is here! There has been quite a bit of snowy and chilly weather across the country of late, and we understand that this can make it difficult to get out of the house for training or fundraising. Don’t worry though, we have you covered! Here are some fun ways to jump start your fundraising…and you don’t even have to leave the cozy indoors to get started!

FROM WORK

Corporate Matching: This one is super simple! Ask your company if they have Corporate Matching Program and take advantage of that if you can. Many of your donors may also work for companies that have a program like this, so their donation could double simply by filling out a form from their Human Resources department and following the steps to submit a matching gift. Remind them to check with their company as well!

Email Chain: Email your department (or whole company!) and ask everyone to forward your fundraising email to 10 more people!

Candy Jar: Put out a jar of candy at your desk at work and ask for a 3-Day donation each time someone takes a piece.

FROM HOME

Adopt a Mile: Cozy up on the couch and send some fundraising emails! Ask donors to adopt a specific mile of your walk at a suggested price. For example, a donor could adopt mile 52 in memory of her mom who lost her battle with breast cancer at 52. Every mile makes a difference after all!

Donation for Days: You’ve made a commitment to the 3-Day. Now, ask friends and family to donate an amount per each day of that 3-Day commitment. Instead of one $25 donation, encourage them to make three $20 donations! Remember, they can pay and donate over the course of multiple months. Having of the option to donate over time is a great way to increase the size of donations (just keep in mind that donations can only be paid over the course of 4 months max).

Take Advantage of Tax Season: Tax season is coming up, so while you’re checking numbers and (hopefully) getting that return…remind your attorney that they can donate to the 3-Day, too. Also, after tax filing, send out a fundraising letter asking people to donate their return money to the 3-day!

Profile Photos: Change your Facebook profile or cover photo to a 3-Day image. Get one at The3Day.org/Logos or pull it from our 3-Day Facebook page. Then ask for donations in your status updates!

TV Show Party: Host a party in celebration of the premiere of your favorite TV show or even the Academy Awards! Serve donated hors d’oeuvres and drinks and make the event as festive as you can. Then, ask for a suggested donation at the door.

Play Tickets: Ask your local playhouse to donate tickets and then auction them off. Better yet, ask them to donate season passes!

FROM THE GYM

Spinning Class: Hit up your spinning class instructor and classmates. Set a goal at the beginning of the class, and if it’s met, everyone donates $1 per mile—or $1 per minute. Or see if you can host a sponsored class, where everyone who comes to ride commits to donating a certain amount to the 3-Day in order to come and ride!

Ask Your Trainer: Ask your yoga instructor, class teacher, or personal trainer for a donation. Or ask if you can post information about the 3-Day at the front of the gym or at check-in so that you can also get potential donations from other class members.

If you want more fundraising ideas, for winter or otherwise, check out our list of 101 Fundraising Ideas perfect for the 3-Day!

April Fundraising Challenge: Raise Funds to Benefit the Susan G. Komen Treatment Assistance Program

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Throughout the rest of April, we will be running a fundraising challenge to support the Komen Treatment Assistance Program. All dollars raised through the 3-Day from today through the end of the month will provide financial assistance, education and support services to low-income, underinsured or uninsured people undergoing breast cancer treatment as part of the Komen Treatment Assistance Program.

So, we’re challenging YOU to boost your fundraising efforts and help us reach our goal of $500,000 for the Komen Treatment Assistance Program so that we can help more women and men facing breast cancer. Please share the great work we can do through this program with as many donors as possible, and encourage them to help our cause.

Not only will you be reaching your 3-Day fundraising goals, you will be continuing to help people in need.

You already know using tools like email and social media help you earn donations — now, here are a few suggestions on how to fundraise even more. They are simple and effective steps that will make a big difference!

Share as often as possible on all your social media platforms, and be sure to include a link to your fundraising page.
Email your network a minimum of twice, especially remembering to email them in the final days of the challenge so they don’t forget.
As people donate, tag them and thank them on social media, like this: “[Insert Name] just donated on my behalf to the Susan G. Komen Treatment Assistance Program, which helps eligible breast cancer patients who have limited financial resources get the treatment they need. She is providing support to those who need it most. Won’t you join her and donate to the 3-Day today? [link to your personal page].”

If you need help crafting your posts, here are some ideas for Facebook:

Example #1

From April 16 – 30, all the funds I raise for the Susan G. Komen 3-Day will go directly to Komen’s Treatment Assistance Program, which helps eligible breast cancer patients who have limited financial resources get the treatment they need. I’ve challenged myself to raise $500 this week to contribute to an overall goal of $500,000 for the Treatment Assistance Program. Can you help us reach this goal? Donate now!

Example #2

Today I’ve challenged myself to get 10 donations for @The3Day, to help fund Komen’s Treatment Assistance Program as part of a goal to raise $500,000. So far, I have 3 donations (thank you [tag] [Insert Name], [Insert Name], and [Insert Name]!); can you help me get 7 more before the end of the day? Make your donation now! Or if you’ve already donated, please share this request!

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Or, you can use one of these ideas for Twitter:

Example #1:

Today’s Challenge: 10 donations to fund Komen’s Treatment Assistance Program! Donate today: [personal page web address] #The3Day

Example #2:

Support me with a donation: [personal page web address]. All funds raised April 16-30 benefit Komen’s Treatment Assistance Program #The3Day

Example #3:

Donations now through 4/30 to @The3Day benefits @SusanGKomen and their lifesaving Treatment Assistance Program. Support my 60-mile journey: [personal page web address] #The3Day

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We are so excited for this first-ever fundraising challenge and look forward to the possibility of expanding this across multiple 3-Day funded programs in the future!

Good luck and get ready to fundraise! As always, if you need any fundraising support or advice, reach out to our 3-Day Social Media team or your local coaches. We are always here to help!

3-Day Quick Hitting Fundraising Tips

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We are officially less than 24 weeks out from our first 3-Day of the year. 2018 is flying by, and if you haven’t started your fundraising yet, now is the time!

To make it easy for you to kick-off, or really jump start your efforts, we polled our resources – from our website to our coaches and beyondto find the best ideas for you.

Your first stop should be our Donations 101 page on The3Day.org! There you’ll find donation forms, frequently asked questions, and help fundraising “The 3-Day Way.” It’s a gold mine of information!

From there, you can head to the Fundraising Idea Library, where you can search for ideas based around events, holidays and more! All of these ideas were submitted by past 3-Day participants. If you have any awesome ideas of your own, please enter them into the library. It’s a great place to find the best approach for you.

Another collaborative community is our 3-Day Message Boards, where you can post and chat with other walkers nationwide. This is a favorite spot of our coaches!

If you’re more of an in-person brainstormer, ask teammates or other walkers! Here’s a super simple tip from one of our participants, too! Kathleen B. sent us this idea on Facebook: Fill a leftover 20-ounce bottle full of dimes and you’ll have almost exactly $100. Post about it on social media, and ask people to save their dimes for you to help change a life!

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We also have tips from some of our coaches. They’ve been working to help participants reach their goals for years, and all these ladies have walked in the 3-Day themselves, as well!

Coach Tisho, Fundraising & Support Coach, Twin Cities & Philadelphia:

For repeat walkers, look at who donated to you in previous years and send them an ask again. In your Participant Center, in the Email and Contacts section, you can send an email to a specific group. The group “Past Donors Who Have Not Donated This time” is automatically in there for you. If you can’t find the list of your past donors in your Participant Center, your coach can pull it for you. Another unrelated tip is that if you’re planning to do any sort of event that involves a raffle/bingo/auction it’s a good idea to check on the local jurisdiction requirements before you get too far in the planning phase. Sometimes you have to request or purchase a permit for those events so that’s good to know earlier rather than later.

Coach Susan, Fundraising & Support Coach, Atlanta:

I do all my fundraising on Facebook! It’s my favorite! I like to set a goal, then divide it by my number of Facebook friends so set a specific request. So, I let people know that if only 10 of my friends contribute today, I will have raised X amount of money or be X percent of the way to my goal.

I also challenge my Facebook friends! By using phrases like, “I want to raise $100 today, who will be my first donor?” you create urgency and remind people to donate. Once someone makes a donation, tag them in a thank you post on Facebook. This pushes your post to the top of your friends’ feeds, and your donors’ feeds as well, creating excitement.

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Coach Gayla, Programs & Local Events Coach, Seattle & Dallas:

It helps me to think of it in steps!

Pick your goal ($2,300 or more!) and spread it in to equal payments.
For example, think about asking 23 people to donate $100 each or 100 people to donate $23 each. It makes the bigger goal seem a lot more manageable.
Choose a deadline, like a holiday, birthday or when training begins!
Send a personal request to individual donors detailing the following:
1. What you’re doing: EX: “I’m walking 60 miles in 3 days to end breast cancer.”
2. Why you’re doing it: Think about who or what gave you goose bumps when you signed up to walk. Tell your personal story and share the meaningful reason.
Ask for a specific amount: “Will you please donate $100 by May 12th? I need 23 people to donate $100 each by May 12th to reach my goal.”
Include a link to your page and remind people that it’s tax deductible!

Or, print your donation form from your personal fundraising page. Then, attach it to a personalized donation request letter along with a self-addressed stamped envelope back to your house. You can even make a copy of the donor’s check and the donation form and mail it to Komen’s address on the form. Make it as easy as possible for your potential donors!

What are your top fundraising tips? Do you have any simple steps to reach your donors? Tell us in the comments!