Your online Fundraising Page Information:
Once you register for Barb’s Race you will need to create a fundraising page.
Personalizing your web page by adding a nice photo and personal note to
describe your cause can significantly affect the success of your fundraising
efforts. Sending a personal email to all your friends and social network with a
description of your cause and a link to your page is also essential for a
successful campaign. So what are you waiting for? Help out your team by going
to your personal Campaign HQ and exploring the tools available to help you
make this a successful campaign.
How do I access and personalize my fundraising page?
1. To personalize your page go to http://www.active.com/donations
2. Enter your username and password to access your Campaign HQ.
What web url address do I use to share with friends and family so they
can make a donation to my fundraising campaign?
Your personal web page address will be emailed to you once you create your
online page.
In addition to customizing your online fundraising page with a personal story,
pictures, and sending it out to EVERYONE, try these…
Easy Ways to Raise $100
1. Ask 20 friends for $5.00 each.
2. Ask 10 friends for $10.00 each.
3. Donate $20 yourself and ask 4 friends for $20 each.
4. Send a letter to family and friends, explaining what Barb’s Race is and who the money
raised will support. Suggestion: Always ask for more than you expect. Example: If you want
$25, ask for $50. Be sure to include a return by date. Another tactic is to ask for $10
because it is a more feasible amount to donate.
5. How Sweet it is! Put a jar of jellybeans on your desk and charge $1 for collegues to
guess how many are in the jar. The winner gets the jar of jellybeans and you get the
money for your cause!
6. Let the Good Times Roll! Get your gambling friends together. Charge an entrance fee,
and have a fun evening, asking that every "pot" be split with your Fit For Equality
fundraising. Individuals win and so do you! The possibilities are endless: Bunco, Poker, Wii
tournament…
7. Spare Change Bucket! Ask 5-10 people to save all their change for 3-5 months. You
save yours. Count it at the end of the prescribed time. Or if you work at an office, create a
spare change bucket office and ask everyone to donate the spare change they have in their
wallets. Do this weekly and watch the coins stack up!
8. Let it Be Known! Post a flyer at your work or businesses in which you have
connections.
9. Movie night! Show a favorite movie at your house and invite friends over. Let them
know it’s a fundraiser and charge $5. Make sure to have plenty of popcorn or snacks
available!
10. Garage Sale! Ask friends, family members, co-workers, and neighbors to donate
unwanted items and have a garage sale. Go around to your neighbors and tell them you
will take their stuff outside and sit with it all day to sell it if they will donate half or all of the
proceeds to your group.
Six Tips for Writing a Donation Letter/Email
1. Be personal Don't use a generic greeting such as "Dear Friend". A greeting like that is
impersonal. Think about what mail you read and what mail you toss. For fundraising, you
often need to send out mass emails to everyone you know, but you still want your letter to
speak to people on a personal level.
2. Put the cause in terms in which people can relate People want to give to help people.
Explain how the donor’s gift will be put to use to help your worthy cause. Being informed
about Barb’s Race & the Vineman Charities and which local organizations to whom we
donate the funds, will help greatly in your efforts. Be sure to include a link to the Barb’s
Race and Vineman Charities pages. So instead of saying “we need $10,000 for our general
fund,” speak from your heart and say “the funds raised through the Vineman Charities
supports local cancer related organizations and the funds raise directly support people with
a cancer diagnosis”.
3. Appeal to their hearts People want to help if they know what it is you are doing and why
you are doing it. Build your request around your excitement and enthusiasm for the sport of
triathlon and for Barb’s Race and the Vineman Charities. Donors give to causes that win
their hearts. Briefly explain the event you are participating in and why you are choosing to
support this cause. Personalize it. Are you participating in it to honor a friend or family
member, or to make the world a better place for all? Emphasize how their contribution is an
important part of the solution.
4. Ask for a donation
Asking for donations may appear intimidating, but in fundraising, if you don’t ask, you won’t
receive. In addition, offer donation options like student, individual, family, or business level,
or an option for whatever they can donate. Make sure to include the link to your personal
fundraising page.
5. Encourage them to check us out!
Provide prospective donors with links to the Barb’s Race page as well as your personal
fundraising webpage. Social networking sites such as Facebook can be beneficial in getting
the word out as well.
6. Send a donation thank you letter
Always follow up with a thank you letter right after you receive a donation. The generosity of
others should always be acknowledged. It shows your appreciation and makes future
support more likely.