Whether or not this is your first fundraising event, you may feel a little intimidated asking people for money. However, raising money for a great cause is not as hard as you might think.
Nearly everyone has been affected by cancer in some way. If you’re a survivor or caregiver, or if you’ve been touched by the experience of friends and loved ones with cancer, it’s easy to find people who want to support your efforts by making a donation…all you have to do is ask!
To help you get started, we’ve included a few fundraising tips below.
Sign Up Online Start your own team, or join an existing team. Signing up is fast and easy, and best of all, there’s no paperwork!
Set Up Your Personal Web Page
When you sign up for Relay online, a personal Web page will automatically be created for you. It’s best to customize this page by adding a photo and story and explaining your reason to Relay. The tools in the Participant Center will walk you through simple steps on how to add these personal touches to your Web page.
Send Emails to Friends, Family, and Co-Workers
The number one reason people donate is because someone asked them. So don’t be shy! Email everyone you know asking for support. You will receive an email every time someone donates to you online, and you will quickly see your fundraising thermometer rise.
Make a Personal or Team Donation
Kickoff your own fundraising efforts by making a donation to yourself or to your team. Sometimes it just takes one person to start the ball rolling. Encourage your team members to follow your lead.
Additional Suggestions:
Facebook: Send 20 messages asking for $5.00 a piece. You can now link your facebook page directly to your own Relay site!
Restaurant Night: Team members find local restaurants willing to sponsor a night in which 25%-50% of the money made that day goes to your Relay. Volunteer your team members to help serve or bus the tables. Have team members/servers wear Relay gear and make sure to send an e-letter from your event’s website asking all registered participants to support your efforts that night!
Ask everyone you meet: Even if you mailed letters, be sure to carry a luminary/donation form with you so when you talk to people about Relay, you can ask to donate right on the spot.
Baby-sitter Service: Baby-sitters are always a commodity. Send a letter to all your faculty members letting them know you are baby-sitting for a cause.
Labor auction for faculty: Create a letter and send it out to as many faculty as possible asking for donations of either $10.00/hour of work or donate an afternoon of your teams time to help with some large project at their home.
Sports Tournaments: Organize your teams for bowling, dodgeball, hockey, basketball, and soccer tournaments.
Double Your Money Through Matching Gifts
Many employers offer matching gift programs. Your $50 donation could turn into $100 just by asking your human resources department if they have a matching gift form and reminding friends and family who support you to do the same. For more information, please visit our Matching Gifts page.
For more fundraising tips, ideas, and tools, visit RelayForLife.org or http://www.mwrfl.org/
