Top Tips for FUNdraising Success!

 

It’s springtime in Central Texas, which means wildflowers, outdoor events, and Bowl for Kids fundraising! Wait, did we lose you on that last part?

It’s easy to miss the FUN in fundraising. Even a great event like Bowl for Kids, which involves having fun with your friends while raising funds for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Texas, can be intimidating. Especially if you’re focused on the wrong thing.

To help make your fundraising efforts a little easier, we wanted to provide a few handy tips:

 Be creative –

• Use fun incentives to get people to donate to your cause. This can be an easy way to increase engagement without being expensive. Even small things like sending a silly picture of yourself to supporters after they donate, or agreeing to have chocolate poured over your head (pick whatever you are comfortable with, of course) once you reach a funding milestone can help create buzz and generate contributions.
• Extend a challenge to other departments in your office, other businesses in your profession, or vendors you work with to see who can raise the most money.
• Plan a unique fundraiser. A lot of teams have success by hosting fundraisers for friends, family or co-workers. Examples of successful fundraisers include: happy hours, garage sales, a backyard BBQ where you bring donations instead of a side dish, etc…
• Or, new to BFK this year, host a Netflix Watch Party or a Trivia Night party! You can make these activities extra special by buying Netflix or Trivia Night Party Packs from BBBS as well. 100% of the purchase price of each pack goes to support our life-changing work.

Tell your personal story. Tell your sponsors why you support Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Texas. Let them know about the amazing outcomes and personal experiences you may have had with BBBS.

 Use Online Fundraising Tools. When you join Bowl for Kids, creating your online fundraising page is easy and fun. You can set your fundraising goal, write a personal message, and track your progress. Participants who use their web pages to raise funds typically raise more money because it’s easy for supporters to pay with a credit card online. You should direct all your contacts to your personal web page.

 Use Facebook, Twitter, and Email. Make sure to utilize social media and email. It’s easy to post your web page’s URL directly in your posts. The average online gift is $45! Thank your donors publicly on social media to generate buzz, and make sure to include your link.

 Ask about company matches. Many companies will match an employee’s contributions to a charity. Ask your HR Director or Office Manager if your company participates in a company match program. If so, your donation will go even farther.

 Shoot for $25 donations or higher. The quickest and easiest way to meet the $125 individual fundraising goal is to ask 5 people to sponsor you for $25 each. Make your own personal pledge the first one listed on your sheet. Put together a list of potential donors. Think creatively here. Do you have neighbors, doctors, sports club members, etc. that might support you?

 Try asking face to face. Ask the friends and family you see on a regular basis to support you by donating. Dinner parties, soccer games, church, family reunions, etc. They are all great opportunities to make in-person asks. Remember, it’s difficult for people to say “no” if you speak with them in person.

 Ask for help. We are here to support you and your team! Contact our event staff at development@bigmentoring.org for assistance.

And ultimately, remember the cause. There’s a reason why you are supporting Big Brothers Big Sisters. Make sure to remember that and bring that same energy to your fundraising efforts. As you reach out to your friends and family, include a message about why you’re supporting the cause and what the fundraising effort means to you. Big Brothers Big Sisters matches at-risk children with caring, adult mentors. Kids who have Bigs are more likely to graduate from high school and college, less likely to use drugs and alcohol, and have higher self-esteem than their peers. Tell potential sponsors about the mission behind the event and they will be more willing to donate.

100% of funds raised through Bowl for Kids are used locally to create and nurture life-changing friendships between at-risk youth and caring adult mentors.

Your contribution can truly help change a child’s life for the better, forever.