Susan G. Komen 3-Day: March Fundraising Calendar

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Happy March to one and all! The 3-Day Series starts less than six months from now, which means it is time to kick fundraising into high gear. No matter where you are in your fundraising efforts, there is still plenty of time to grow your goals, or help your friends and team members grow theirs. With that in mind, we are starting a monthly blog post with new, creative fundraising ideas to keep your efforts fresh and fun each month.

There are lots of holidays and other events happening in March, so get ready to be inspired!

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March is Women’s History Month, Craft Month, and Nutrition Month, among others, and there are plenty of fun ways to use those holidays to your advantage:

We have tons of fun craft ideas on our Pinterest page that you can use to raise funds.
Or host a craft night for your team to bond, exchange ideas and have a little fun!
Nutrition Month is the perfect time to amp up your training by asking for donations for every mile you walk this month, with proceeds going towards your fundraising.

March 15^th also marks six months to the start of the Seattle 3-Day, so if you’re walking in that event, it’s the perfect time to remind friends and family to donate to your goal.

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Other key days this month include

March 1: Peanut Butter Lover’s Day: Unofficially known as Grahamwich Day in the 3-Day family! Volunteer to make school lunches for donations, and be sure to include a PB&J sandwich.
March 9: Popcorn Lover’s Day: Host a movie night, complete with popcorn bar, and ask attendees for donations! You can create fun flavored popcorn with sea salt, cinnamon and sugar, BBQ rub and more.
March 12: Daylight Savings Time: We may gain more sunshine hours, but we still “lose” an hour in the day. Ask for donations of $23 (or $230!) for the 23 hours in that sunshiney spring day.
March 17: St. Patrick’s Day: We will be sharing festive fundraising ideas specific to the holiday, but feel free to get creative on your own!
March 21: First Day of Spring: Here’s a challenge from us! For every $50 you raise “spring” over something and take a video, making your jumps taller and taller each time. Start with small jumps like a shoe box, then work your way up to “springing” on your bed. Just be sure to leap safely!
March 23: Puppy Day: Have a furry friend? Hold a puppy kissing booth! Even if you don’t own your own pup, you can offer dog walking services or make homemade dog treats for donations.
March 26: Make Up Your Own Holiday Day: Celebrate your team, your cause, or anything you love most, and ask your friends and family to share the love with a donation.

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What are your fundraising goals for March? How will you work to achieve them? Share here to brainstorm with fellow walkers or reach out to your local coach for more ideas!

Can’t-Miss 3-Day Fundraising Graphics

If a picture is worth a thousand words, shouldn’t these cute, shareable 3-Day fundraising graphics equate at least that many fundraising dollars? We think so! Whether you’re just starting your fundraising efforts, or have already hit your goal, you still have plenty of time to raise more.

Whether it’s in an email, shared on social media or printed on a letter or flyer: Team captains, send these out to your walkers. First timers, use these to hit your goals in no time. Veterans, blast them out to hit a new fundraising high.

No matter who you are, check ‘em out! And see how you can use them to help you reach (and then celebrate) your goals! Happy Fundraising Friday!

Need to get started?

Post this, and ask someone to make your day with your first donation!

Surpassing goals left and right?

Share this to your Facebook page, and tag those who helped you get there:

Just need just one-more-donation to help you meet your goal?

This one’s perfect for that. You’ll exceed your goal in no time!

Friends need a gentle reminder that you’re still fundraising?

This one will do the trick!

Fundraise your way right past that goal you set?

Raise it, and post this one to encourage people to keep on giving! #cantstopwontstop

Thanking your donors publicly is a great way to entice others to do the same!

Don’t forget to tag your donor once you hit your goal!

These graphics can also be printed and used in your other fundraising efforts. Print them on stickers and attach one to a follow-up fundraising letter to catch potential donors’ eyes. Make them into buttons and have team members where them at your fundraising event to brag about hitting their goal, or encourage people to keep contributing.

How would you use these fun graphics to help with your fundraising?

Valentine’s Day Themed Fundraising Ideas

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With one week until Valentine’s Day, the countdown to love is on! Aside from all the fun and romance of the holiday, this time of year is also perfect for 3-Day fundraising efforts. Spread the love, and help raise funds for the fight to end breast cancer, by tailoring your fundraising efforts to the holiday. We have some ideas from our team to get you started!

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Send out unique fundraising letters:

Take your 3-Day fundraising letters up a notch with a special Valentine donation request! These pasta-decorated cards are easy to make and will put a smile on everyone’s face.

You can also sell the cards for people to send as their own Valentines.

Spread love you can wear:

Make and sell festive paper flowers or hair bows that you can wear throughout your 3-Day walk. Encourage people to buy a pin or bow and then you can take photos of yourself sporting the donations over the course of 60 miles.

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Try some puppy love:

If you have a pooch, set up a dog kissing booth in your front yard! You can always do your own, personal kissing booth too, but people will love a kiss from your furry friend. Accept donations for a smooch, and put them towards your 3-Day goal. Thanks to coach Joanne Taylor for this fun idea!

Or kisses of a different kind:

Eileen Barnick, Twin Cities 3-Day coach, suggests filling small mason jars with a variety of Hershey’s Kiss flavors and selling them as sweet Valentine fundraisers. You can even decorate the jars and accompany them with notes like:

“Hugs and Kisses just for you!”

This idea can also apply to chocolate heart shaped candy, cinnamon heart-shaped candy or even candy hearts (which come with ready-made notes).

Photo via Martha Stewart

Get your foodie on:

If you’re an expert baker, or general culinary extraordinaire, you can try any number of love-filled cupcakes and host a bake sale next weekend…right before Valentine’s Day! If you’re not as comfortable in the kitchen, you can still spread sweetness with this Oreo cookie bark recipe.

You can then take a leaf out of Michigan coach Ann Love’s book and ask for an extra donation to hand deliver the baked goods to loved ones for the holiday. Baked goods are the best kind of snail mail!

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Personalize your Participant Center emails:

There is a special email template in your Participant Center with a Valentine-themed fundraising message and photo. Log in to your Participant Center, click Compose Email in the right-hand menu, then select “Create Your Own Message” and the “Valentine’s Day Fundraising Ask” layout. Add your personal message and a sweet Valentine’s note and photo will appear at the top of your emails.

How are you celebrating the holiday? Tell us your fundraising ideas, or just spread some love, in the comments!

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