The best thing about raising funds for the Atlanta 2-Day Walk is that every single dime stays in Georgia. More than 70% of all funds raised go right back to Georgia-based grantees working in the breast cancer community. As a walker, you are ready to go, but how can you creatively raise money? Take a look at these 10 fundraising tips to help meet and exceed your fundraising goal.
1. Facebook Fundraising
If you’ve got 100 friends on Facebook, send each one a message asking each of them to give up a lunch out and donate $10 (and if you’ve got 200, well it just got easier for everyone to give $5). Use your status updates to let your friends and family know where you are in your fundraising goal. Be sure to include the link to your donation page on www.2daywalk.org.
2. Divide and Conquer
If you’ve got 8 weeks until the event, divide each week and divide up your friends, family, and coworkers. Ask each group to “sponsor” a week and help you raise $125 that week (about $18/day). If everyone succeeds, you’ll have raised your goal in 8 short weeks. Find fun ways to share who’s got the sponsored week through email, photos, YouTube videos, or other social channels.
3. Stimulate the Economy
Go to your local restaurants and shops and ask if they’ll donate a portion of the day’s sales to your fundraising effort. Many restaurants like Chic-Fil-A, Applebees, Willy’s, Coldstone Creamery, Boardwalk, and others will allow you to host a night of fundraising. You’ll get permission and then encourage everyone you know to dine out or shop in and support your fundraising.
4. Make Work, Work For You
Ask your manager to send out an email to the company (or put it on the company intranet) sharing what you’re doing to raise money for breast cancer in Georgia, and ask for their support – the request should include the link to you personal 2-Day web page in the letter or email.
5. Ask the Pros
You know that every year you spend money with your primary doctor, your gynecologist, your dermatologist, the veterinarian, your kid’s pediatrician, your dentist, your hair stylist (or colorist), your accountant, and countless other professionals. Send each of these people a letter letting them know that while they keep you healthy and happy, you are raising funds that will help Georgia’s breast cancer organizations help women and men in need. Be sure to ask for a specific amount and include a link to your online donation center.
6. Tunes for the Ta-Tas
Ask your local bar or a friend with a great living room, a wine bar and a karaoke machine to host a fun-filled fundraiser. Hosted on evening, your friends pay a donation to sing or to stop someone from singing with all proceeds going to your fundraising efforts. Bonus if your YouTube video gets one of your friends an audition for a real singing gig. By the way, we’ve seen success with wine nights, knit-ins, tango and tapas nights, breast-y brunches and more, so feel free to make your own fun party to raise funds.
7. Auction Your Name
Not your real name, auction off naming rights to your walking team name. Offer for friends and family to name your walking team to the highest bidder. All bids, even losing bids, are donated to your fundraising efforts.
8. Raffle Rouser
While these seem old-school they work really well. Buy or ask for a donation of an iPad 2 (or other lust-worthy item) and then raffle it off. Announce the raffle to friends, family, co-workers, your Twitter stream, anyone really. To enter, they’ll make a $10 donation (multiple entries allowed!) and the winner will be picked at random at the date you pick.
9. Sell the Shirt Off Your Back
If you’ve got a fun team name, or a cool design idea, head over to Zazzle.com or Threadless.com to design your t-shirt and print it up. Then, with t-shirt in hand, go to the people who know you, or even a local park or gathering spot and sell your shirts. It’s also a good idea to wear your t-shirt when selling or training, and if people stop and ask, you can sell them one “right from the trunk of your car.”
10. Bare It All
This might be extreme, but it works really well. Send a note to friends, family, neighbors, anyone you think might support your fundraising. Make a deal: if you can reach your fundraising goal by a certain date, you’ll shave your head and post pictures to prove it. If you want some inspiration, here’s a link to celebrities who shaved their heads and they weren’t even walking 30 miles like you.
Share with us – what other fundraising ideas have helped you?
