Feeling Frighted about fundraing?
To some, the word fundraising may be intimidating. It’s understandable – asking friends and family to donate to your ride may feel a little uncomfortable, especially if you have never done it before.
But there’s no reason to worry about meeting your fundraising minimums! Did you know that most of our riders not only meet but exceed their fundraising goals? If you’re worried about meeting your goals, or if you’re looking for new ideas on how to better maximize your fundraising potential, check out these tried-and-true tips from our riders:
1. Emails
Never underestimate the power of an email. Send a high-energy email to your friends, family, and work colleagues sharing how excited you are to be participating in a great event and supporting a wonderful cause. Be sure to share Pan-Florida Challenge’s mission and why the cause is important and impactful to you. For most riders, if you send an email to a decent-sized group of people, this alone will fulfill your fundraising requirement. Once you register, you will be given the opportunity to create a personal page. You will also be given access to email templates for “asks” and thank you notes to help you get started, but be sure to personalize them and let your personality shine through. Making sure each one feels like it was individually written for the recipient will help increase your chances of receiving donations.
Always remember to send a thank you email after you receive a donation and after your ride. Be sure to express your gratitude for their contribution and share more about where their dollars are making an impact. In addition, taking the time to send a heartfelt thank you will help you stay connected with your donors for any future fundraising.
2. Social Media
Connect a Facebook Fundraiser to your personal page and make it easy to reach your followers. When a donation is made to your Facebook Fundraiser it will be credited to your personal page in the Participant Center.
Social media is a great tool to stay connected with your donors. When you’re training for the ride, jump on Instagram and Facebook stories and share information about the cause to encourage donations leading up to the big day. On the day of the ride, you can also share progress updates and more about the Pan-Florida Challenge’s mission with your followers. Kristina Coppolino, a 2022 rider, loves to engage with her followers on Instagram stories during her ride. In a previous charity ride, she posted in real-time and accrued an additional$2,000 from her followers! Leveraging social media channels is so important, and it gives you an opportunity to stay in constant communication with potential donors.
3. Text Messages
Pan-Florida Challenge gives registered riders a personal webpage to promote their ride. It is easy to cut and paste your personal page link into a text message. Personalize your messages and use fun content – like emojis – to keep the conversation light. Be sure to include details about Pan-Florida Challenge’s mission to help your potential donors connect with the cause. Texting is an opportunity to connect on a more personal, one-on-one level with your potential donors.
4. Telephone Calls
Telephone calls are another terrific way to engage your friends and family to tell them what you’re doing and how important the cause is to you. Don’t be shy about picking up the phone and making a personal pitch.
5. Host a Fundraising Party
Host a fundraising party or similar event and watch the donations roll in. Invite your friends, neighbors, and family members to celebrate your ride with you. Get creative when you’re planning your party – hold a ping pong tournament, organize a potluck at your community center, plan a wine tasting, or make a presentation to your homeowner’s association. There are endless ways to have fun and educate your donors on the cause.
6. Selling Something
Selling something, especially consumables, is a great way to encourage donations. Put a giant container of chocolates or peppermints on your desk and charge $2-$5 each. Do you like to bake? Sell your best homemade treats such as bread, cookies, cakes, or pies. Organize a neighborhood yard sale and get others involved.
7. Corporate Gift Match Programs
Some employers offer matching programs for fundraising. This is a great way to maximize your fundraising potential to the fullest extent. 78% of donors who are eligible for a donation match are unaware that their company offers a matching program! Since so many people are not aware of this opportunity, encourage your donors to check with their companies to see if they offer a similar program. Check with your own company! Even if they do not offer a gift matching program, they may be willing to donate to your cause.
When people donate to PFC through your personal page, they will be automatically connected to PFC’s matching gift program, Double the Donation. There, they can look up eligibility and requirements for their company. PFC already receives matching gifts from many large employers including Bank of America, Texas Instruments, Cisco, GE, and more.
8. Cool Signatures
Add a signature line to your personal email. You can add it automatically to your emails by going by into your email settings and modifying your account signatures. You can also insert your fundraising page link in the highlighted area and copy and paste it to the bottom of your emails.
9. Raffle Something Awesome
Memorabilia from sports events or famous people are often popular raffle items. Ask a local sports or cycling shop to donate items to raffle, such as wheel sets, bike lights, computers, helmets, or tools.
10. Use Your Noodle
Go for that crazy idea that keeps popping into your head. The sillier your idea, the more attention it will bring to your effort. One rider organized a “Pie Me in the Face” fundraiser where people donated money to buy a whipped-cream pie to throw at him. Beyond the event, the organizer shared photos on social media to bring more attention to his cause and bring in more donations.
Don’t let fundraising scare you! We are happy to help you with your fundraising journey, and we even offer useful guides and templates when you register for the ride. Every dollar donated goes directly towards our mission of preventing and fighting cancer. To learn more about about fundraising for the Pan-Florida Challenge Cancer Ride visit www.panfloridachallenge.org/fundraising.
