Welcome Spring! 3-Day Fundraising Ideas

3DAY_2017_SD_MDER_1306

Spring is here at last! The weather might not quite be reflecting it yet in some parts of the country, but we are more than a little excited about blooming flowers, sunshiny days and more walks outside. This change of season also allows for new fundraising opportunities, and we have them rounded up all in one spot. Get outside and make the most of the season!

Spring Cleaning Garage Sale

This one is a no brainer, and helps you in more ways than one! Spring cleaning your house, closet, kitchen and beyond will help de-clutter your life. This can also help de-clutter your emotions and even be a de-stressing technique. Throw away or donate what you need to, but save as much as you can, then hold a garage sale with the proceeds going to the 3-Day!

3DAY_2017_SD_MDER_2157

April Fool’s Day

Lots of people play April Fool’s Day pranks – Why not take advantage of it? Partner with local comedians or radio hosts to set up a “you donate and we prank” fundraising movement. You can have them make prank calls or even prank “deliveries,” and ask your friends and family to donate for the right to send a prank on the funny holiday.

Spring Spa Day

Ask local salons, spas and hairdressers to donate products like lotion, nail polish, or scrubs and host a spa day at home! Ask for donations from your friends in exchange for “services” like scalp massages, manicures or hand scrubs. It’s the perfect way to spend a Sunday with your friends.

Flower Delivery

Those florists and local gift shops you worked with to send Valentine’s Day flowers? Call them up again! See if they would be willing to donate any extra flowers at the end of each week, then you can make special deliveries to potential donors. Who could say “no” to a fundraising letter that comes with a bouquet?

Earth Day or Arbor Day Hike

Ask people to sponsor miles of a hike you will take in honor of the many Mother Nature-related holidays in April. Every mile you walk means more funding for the 3-Day! It will double as a good training walk, and could be used as a team building or recruitment exercise as well! Asking your friends to walk with you gives you plenty of time to tell them your 3-Day story…they might just join you!

Get Outside

Offer lawn care services and car washes,to people in your neighborhood in exchange for donations! You probably have all the materials you need right at home, so all it will cost is your time. It will also give you a great excuse to get outside!

What are your spring fundraising plans? Tell us in the comments!

May Fundraising Calendar

Hooray, it’s May! Hopefully we have seen the last of April showers, and have only flowers to look forward to for this coming month. We also hope your fundraising efforts will be blooming, thanks to new and creative ways to take advantage of warmer weather.

Plus, there are all kinds of holidays and events happening in May. Let’s get moving!

May is a big month in terms of honoring all things fun and festive, and there are plenty of ways to use those holidays to your advantage:

National Photography Month: It’s time for team photos! Take shots of your team to use on your social media pages when you promote your fundraising goals. Also, send out the photos in your fundraising letters, so potential donors can put a face to all the amazing work you and your teammates are doing. You can include photos of the people for whom you are walking as well.
National Recommitment Month: This means it is the perfect month to re-evaluate your goals and get back at it! Circle back with potential donors that you haven’t reached out to in a while, or whom you haven’t heard from yet. You can also recommit to your training goals as well!

National Barbecue Month: This one is a no brainer! Host a barbecue for your team, and work with local restaurants to help donate or subsidize the food. Invite friends, family, neighbors and previous donors, and ask for a donation to attend. It’s also National Hamburger Month, so you can encourage guests to bring recipes for their best burger, or the most unique one.

National Bike Month: While we are all about walking, biking is also a great to get in cardiovascular training for the 3-Day. Grab your teammates for group ride over a weekend, and ask donors to pledge a donation for every mile you ride as a team. National Bike Week starts in the third week of the month, so you can hold a long group ride then and raise money for the 3-Day.

There are a whole heap of training walks, New Walker Meet-Ups, Get Started Meetings, Video Conferences, and more happening in May. You can check out all the upcoming walks, meetings and more on our website. One to surely keep on your radar is our Get Started Meeting Video Conference, which will be available across the country online. This is great for any 3-Dayers who don’t live in the same city as their team, or who are new to the 3-Day.

16602945_10158188211785392_6742203616637006412_n

Other key days this month include:

Kentucky Derby (May 6): Host a fun and fancy brunch at your house for friends and family! Encourage people to wear their Churchill Downs best, and keep the races on TV so you can keep an eye on the races…and the fashion! Have guests vote on their favorite hats, snack, and enjoy the afternoon. This is a great team event for fun bonding, and a perfect event to invite potential donors to so they can meet the rest of your team.
Mother’s Day (May 14): Show all the moms, aunts, grandmas and wonderful ladies in your life some love! Send out pink cards or flowers to remind the women in your life that they are loved on that holiday and always.

17203145_10158332998665392_5360588626436648132_n

Flower Day (May 20): Sell bouquets, or even single flowers with a message explaining why you are walking the 3-Day. It’s a simple and sweet way to encourage donors while also brightening someone’s day.
Memorial Day (May 29): Need a date to host your National Barbecue Month event? Memorial Day is the perfect time! Everyone has an open day on their calendar, and what a better way to spend their day off than on a good cause like the 3-Day?

What are your fundraising and training goals for May? How will you work to achieve them?

April Fundraising Calendar

It’s a new week and a new month and we are very excited to see the start of April! Spring is hitting its stride, which means a lot of outdoor fun is coming in terms of training walks, fundraising events and more. The Susan. G Komen Greater Fort Worth Race for the Cure and the Komen Mid-Michigan Race for the Cure are also taking place this month, and plenty of other exciting events for you to gather your 3-Day family around.

Plus, there are all kinds of holidays and events happening in April, so let’s get going!

April is National Poetry Month and Humor Month, among others, so there are plenty of fun ways to use those holidays to your advantage:

Give your next round of fundraising letters a twist, and write them as a poem! It will make your potential donors smile, and help you stick in their minds as the 3-Day comes closer.
Gather your team together to go to a comedy show! Make it a reward for hitting training goals, and use laughter to bond together as a team.
You could also go to a poetry reading or a beat poetry slam for a more out-of-the-box bonding experience.
Also, keep an eye on our Facebook page for jokes, memories and maybe even a poem or two from our coaches.

There are a whole heap of training walks, New Walker Meet-Ups, Get Started Meetings, Video Conferences and more happening in April. What can we say, we’re happy it’s spring and wanted to get moving and learning with you all! Some of those events are highlighted in the calendar above, but 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.

For any Texas walkers, April 22^nd also marks our Susan G. Komen Greater Fort Worth Race for the Cure. It’s the perfect event to gather your team for an extra special training morning that still supports breast cancer research. If you’re in the area, there is even a team of 3-Day participants who will all be racing together!

Then on April 23^rd, there will be the Komen Mid-Michigan Race for the Cure in Lansing, MI, which also has participants from the 3-Day! You can donate, or join the team and get some easy training steps in.

Other key days this month include:

April 1: April Fool’s Day: Did you fall for our joke this year? Check out the blog for more fun graphics sure to make you smile!
April 7: Walk to Work Day: If you have co-workers on your team, this is the perfect time to get them together for a training walk to or from the office. It’s also a great opportunity to recruit more of your work friends, or even friends who work nearby, to walk with you.
April 16: Easter Sunday: Looking for a fun and festive fundraising event? Host an Easter Egg Hunt at your house! Ask neighborhood families, as well as your friends, to make a donation to be a part of the hunt, and make all the eggs pink in 3-Day spirit!
April 17: Income Tax Due Date: This is hardly a holiday that most people get excited about. However, it’s also the perfect time to thank donors from last year who haven’t donated to your 2017 3-Day yet. Remind them to file their donation from last year on their taxes, and let them know you’ll be walking again!
April 20: Volunteer Recognition Day: The 3-Day would be nothing without our amazing volunteers, and other supporters who take time out of their days to make your 60 miles truly special. If you know a 3-Day volunteer, send them a thank you note! If you don’t, it’s still a great time to remind people of the value of service and giving back to the community…maybe by walking or crewing a 2017 3-Day! Also, keep an eye on our social media channels as we will be celebrating volunteers all week long, from Monday, April 23 through Friday, April 29 by sharing stories and inspiration from our very own 3-Day volunteers.
April 22: Earth Day: Throughout the next few months, we will be showcasing all the beautiful sights and spots along all our 3-Day walks. We know we’re very lucky to be hosted by just some of the beautiful cities in America! In honor of all the beauty of nature, in our 3-Day cities and beyond, hold a training walk and extend it to non-3-Day walkers too! Everyone will love the chance to get moving outside, and you might even recruit some new team members or donors in the process.

What are your fundraising and training goals for April? How will you work to achieve them?

The 3-Day Blog

Tag Archives: spring

Welcome Spring! 3-Day Fundraising Ideas

May Fundraising Calendar