Fundraising Tip – Maximizing Your Personal Networks
1. The Donation Challenge
Ask family members, friends and/or colleagues if they will challenge others to meet or beat their donation. This reinforces your ask by having others championing the cause and can help increase the average donation value. It also serves as a great follow up to the letters and e-mails you have already sent to those who have not yet donated. For example, your colleague can challenge others in your office via e-mail or poster, your friends can challenge each other on facebook or a family member can present the challenge in person at the next family gathering.
2. Your Networks’ Networks
Tap into the networks of your friends and family. There is a good chance they know someone through work, a service, or sports club, or other activity that has been directly impacted by diabetes. Make the process easy for them by providing a letter or e-mail template they can personalize and forward to their networks on your behalf. This will connect you with potential donors you would not otherwise reach. A number of team members have received donations from $50 to $500 this way so it is worth the ask!
3. Matching Donations
Many companies have matching donation programs so in addition to asking your employer, as your friends and family members to ask their employers to make a matching donation. For example, if your friend donates $100, they then ask their employer to match their donation. This one ask turns your $100 donation into a $200 one!