The
American Diabetes Association’s Chicago office will hold its signature
fundraising event, Step Out: Walk to Stop
Diabetes, on Sep. 27, 2014, but it’s never too early to start fundraising.
Raising money for an event isn’t always easy, but the American Diabetes
Association has plenty of resources to help you get started and finish strong.
As a special events intern for ADA, I am able to work closely with Step Out
teams and walkers as they commence their fundraising efforts. I’ve developed five easy-to-follow steps that will help you become a fundraising pro!
Step One: Plan
Set your
personal fundraising goal and make sure it’s realistic. Compile a list of
people you want to reach out to, build your personal fundraising page with
photos and personal stories, and start using Facebook to promote the event, the
cause, and your fundraising efforts.
Step Two: Inspire
Create and
customize donation request emails and write letters for those who do not use
email. Make sure to include why this cause is important to you and why you
decided to walk in ADA’s Step Out: Walk
to Stop Diabetes event.
Step Three:
Fundraise
Send your
donation request emails and handwritten letters to your list of contacts. Find
out if your employer offers matching gifts and ask your donors to do the same.
Step Four: Follow-up
Follow up
with any of your contacts that have not responded to your email or handwritten
letter. Sometimes a simple reminder can make a big difference!
Step Five: Say Thank You
Thank
everyone who made a donation to your fundraising efforts. Send a personal note
or an email and be sure to announce your fundraising results, include a photo,
and share highlights from the walk.
Follow
these five easy steps and you will be sure to succeed in your fundraising efforts!
