Fundraising 101
Have FUN with FUNdraising!
Four easy steps to get you started:
1. Set a goal. Your goal should be at least the minimum requirement ($1,500 for the Half-Marathon, $2,500 for the Triathlon and $4,000 for the Marathon) but don’t be afraid to BE BOLD! Update your goal in your Participant Center so it is proudly displayed on your fundraising Web page and share your goal when asking your friends and family for support. When you surpass your goal, be sure to update your page with a new one!
2. Share your story. Tell everyone you know you are running with the Race to Stop MS team and tell them why.
3. Go Online. There is an entire set of easy-to-use online fundraising tools right at your fingertips! You can set up a personal Web page, send out e-mails, and track your progress. Go to www.raceMSnyc.org to log in to your Participant Center and get started now (see the Participant Center How-To Guide in this guide for detailed instructions)!
4. Be creative! Check out our fundraising ideas and tips in this guide and online. If you need assistance with your fundraising please feel free to reach out to your fundraising coach at anytime Shera Salgado at ssalgado@msnyc.org or 212-453-3253.
Fundraising Ideas:
• Use Facebook and other social media outlets:
• Our Boundless Fundraising tool allows you to use Facebook as an easy and fun way to raise money and awareness among all your friends. You can upload it to your Facebook account through your online Participant Center.
• Get your company involved:
• Ask your boss if they would be willing to grant anyone who gives a donation an additional “dress down” day
• Ask if you can change your voicemail or e-mail signature to include a link for people to donate
• Ask for permission to put a poster and a collection jar in the break room. We can create a custom poster for your fundraising efforts. Just ask!
• Use the holidays - instead of gifts for the holidays or your birthday, ask for donations.
• Hold a raffle - ask people to make a donation to your Race to Stop MS fundraising to receive a ticket for a drawing and ask a local retailer to donate a prize that the winner will receive.
• Offer to do something unusual or embarrassing that you know your friends would love to see if you raise a specific amount - like shave your head or dye your hair a crazy color.
• The best tip we can give is to BE BOLD in your asking:
• Don’t be afraid to share your story and make your fundraising personal. Tell your friends and family why you are passionate - whether it is excitement for the challenge of running a half-marathon or if it is a personal connection to the Society’s mission to help create a world free of MS.
• Sticking to traditional methods of face to face asks, letter writing, and e-mails are sometimes the best methods.