FUNDRAISING 101 - GETTING STARTED
So you’ve set up your fundraiser and are excited to get started! What next? Here is a quick list of things you can do—and resources available to you—to jumpstart your efforts.
kids walk
fundraising tips
Fundraising is easier than you think! You will be surprised at how generous people can be when you are asking them to support a cause that is important to you. Everyone has been touched by cancer in some way and your donors will be happy to know that every dollar you raise goes directly to funding programs provided by Childhood Cancer Foundation. Thanks to your efforts, we are making progress in providing HOPE during the fight against this devastating disease.
Tell Your Story
People are emotional beings and respond to stories that touch their heart. Personalize your fundraising page, draft compelling emails and social media posts, and be confident in telling your story. As any successful fundraiser will tell you, telling your story is the best way to inspire others to donate.
Make a List
Take a moment to draft a list of everyone that you’d like to reach out to. Decide whether you’re asking for donations or recruiting for your team.
Connect with Your Community
Sharing your story is a crucial aspect of fundraising but it will only work if people actually hear your story. Using a variety of methods to communicate like email, Facebook, Twitter, texts, letters and phone conversations, is important. Think about how you typically interact with your potential donors and then start out by reaching out to them in that way.
Offer Regular Updates
Make all of your supporters aware of your progress. Not only is this a way of showing people what you’re doing and what they’re supporting, it also acts as a reminder to those who have yet to donate.
Say “Thank You”
The final, and crucial, step is thanking your donors. Send a thank you note to everyone who donated. Recognizing people’s generosity lets them know how much their support means to you.
using social media
Did you know that the average person checks Facebook a whopping 14 times a day? A recent Pew poll found that 70% of people engaged with Facebook on a daily basis, with 45% engaging several times a day. With numbers like that, it’s clear that social media is a great way to connect with potential donors or recruit for your team fundraiser. Use the tips and tricks below to get the most out of Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and more!
Use Hashtags
Hashtags are important to help people find your posts, but you need to know which ones to use to attract the right audience. For platforms like Twitter, try keeping your hashtag use to two per post. While for Instagram, you can use up to 30, but best practices recommend somewhere between 6-11. Some hashtags you may wish to include in your posts are: #TogetherForGOLD #childhoodcancerawareness #childhoodcancercommunity #CCFSoCal #ChildhoodCancerFoundation
Tag Childhood Cancer Foundation
We want to see how you’re getting the message out, so remember to tag us in your posts! Use our handle in your post on the following platforms: Facebook & Instagram: @CCFSoCal — Twitter: @ccf_socal
Ways to Share Your Fundraiser
Once you have updated your fundraising page with your story and ready to share why you are raising funds for Childhood Cancer Foundation, there are a number of ways to reach your community of potential donors.
Social media: There are links in your RunSignUp Profile Fundraising Dashboard to help make sharing your story and fundraising progress a snap! Facebook is always a great vehicle for quickly getting your story out to your network. And don’t forget about Twitter and Instagram as well.
Email: Email is a great way to get your story out to many people at once. And, it’s easy to include a link to your fundraising page!
Create a slideshow: A picture tells 1,000 words! You can upload your photos to your fundraising page.
Mail: Who doesn’t love getting mail? Write a personal letter to share your story and your fundraising plan. This works especially well with people who are not on social media and/or don’t check their email regularly.
Call or text: These days our cell phones are always nearby. Take advantage of that fact!
Be creative! Don’t be afraid to really think outside of the box and come up with new—and fun—ways to connect with your community.
How to Raise $500 in 10 Days
The key to success is simple—you just need to ask! Tell your friends, family, and colleagues why you want to help Childhood Cancer Foundation raise critical funds and awareness for our mission. And be sure to remind them 100% of their donations go directly to childhood cancer support programs.
DAY 1 Set up your fundraising campaign page and explore all the tools available in your Fundraiser Dashboard. Then make your own donation to really kick things off!
DAY 2 Ask three family members to donate $25 or more.
DAY 3 Hit up 5 friends to donate $20 each.
DAY 4 Get social! Share your page on your favorite social media site. Once you get the word out, you’ll be surprised at who will support you—a high school friend, a college roommate, or a former co-worker.
DAY 5 Ask a business that you regularly frequent to donate $25. If they can’t donate cash ask if they’d be willing to donate a gift card you can use as a raffle or incentive for your donors.
DAY 6 Ask five co-workers to sponsor you for $20 each (or a weeks’ worth of latte’s) See if your company offers a matching gift program to really drive up your donations.
DAY 7 Speaking of your employer, why not request a company contribution of $100 or more?
DAY 8 Choose five people from your gym, your child’s school, or local community group and ask for a donation of $10 each.
DAY 9 Ask someone whose cause you have supported for $25 or more. That’s the beauty of giving!
DAY 10 Send a fun campaign update to everyone you’ve reached out to who has yet to donate. Showing them the progress you are making as a friendly reminder to show their support.
Before you know it your fundraiser will be on it’s way to hitting $500!
DAY 2 Ask three family members to donate $25 or more.
DAY 3 Hit up 5 friends to donate $20 each.
DAY 4 Get social! Share your page on your favorite social media site. Once you get the word out, you’ll be surprised at who will support you—a high school friend, a college roommate, or a former co-worker.
DAY 5 Ask a business that you regularly frequent to donate $25. If they can’t donate cash ask if they’d be willing to donate a gift card you can use as a raffle or incentive for your donors.
DAY 6 Ask five co-workers to sponsor you for $20 each (or a weeks’ worth of latte’s) See if your company offers a matching gift program to really drive up your donations.
DAY 7 Speaking of your employer, why not request a company contribution of $100 or more?
DAY 8 Choose five people from your gym, your child’s school, or local community group and ask for a donation of $10 each.
DAY 9 Ask someone whose cause you have supported for $25 or more. That’s the beauty of giving!
DAY 10 Send a fun campaign update to everyone you’ve reached out to who has yet to donate. Showing them the progress you are making as a friendly reminder to show their support.
Before you know it your fundraiser will be on it’s way to hitting $500!