Fundraising Tips

You have the passion to run, let’s use that same passion towards fundraising!

The San Francisco Marathon Fundraising Handbook

Step 1	Who are you fundraising for? Choose a charity that you believe in and start reading Look up their website, who do they serve, what programs will your donations go towards Get to know your charity; you are going to be talking about it to all of your family, friends and new supporters
Step 2	How much do you want to raise? Write that number down on a sticky note and paste it to your bathroom mirror That is your goal. It is set. Tell everyone you are determined to reach it!
Step 3	How are you going to do this? Grab your calendar, count backwards from your event marking the Monday before as Week 1, then Monday before Week 2, and so on until you are back to today. That is how much time you have to reach your goal. Don’t freak out, you can do this! Take a piece of paper and write down everyone you know. EVERYONE. Put the letter A beside the names of family & close friends, put a B next to the names of people you talk to once a month, and put a C if you haven’t spoken to that person in 1-5 years. Email the A’s a personal note of your race aspirations and your fundraising goal. Be sure to explain why you chose this charity. Email your B’s an update on your life and add the race aspirations and your fundraising goals with a good explanation of your charity of choice. Email your C’s a big ‘hello’ from their long lost friend and your race/fundraising aspirations. Be upfront about your donation request, people will respect your forthrightness.
Step 4	Contact your HR department Check to see if your company has a matching gift program Get the program information, fill out what you can and send the rest to your charity
Step 5	Do one grand gesture Think of something you are talented at doing; Baking, hosting dinner parties, drawing, knitting, bringing friends together, etc. Now, write it down Using your already prepped calendar, choose a date a few weeks before your race Plan one event, one fundraiser on that date. It could be a bake sale or bringing coffee and bagels to the office for donations. Speak to your favorite local restaurant about hosting a party or for a percentage of the funds to be donated from their busy nights Work on the logistics of your fundraising event. When do the invitations need to be sent out? When do you need to buy the baking ingredients? Who will help you get it done? What can you do today to get ready for that fundraising event?
At Last!	A ‘thank you’ goes a longggggggggggg way… Hand written or in an email, THANK YOUR DONORS. Everyone loves a thank you and it shows that you respect their time and money. Lastly, you are an ambassador of your charity when you choose to fundraise for them. First time donors are potential life long donors, allowing your charity to thrive and support their cause. Good luck out there, you can do this!