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Fundraising Materials and Summary from our 2007 Fundraising Seminar!

Materials

Results from July 1 Event, “Ride, Say Cheese, Talk, Raise $, and Eat with UW TMMBA BikeMS!

Huge thank you to Tracy Gojdics and the UW TMMBA program for hosting our multi-part fundraising seminar!  Fourteen people participated.  Ron Neal led the riders past team photographer Eric Korn for their action portraits, and then they went out for a ride.  Upon their return, Spruce Cox began the seminar by giving an inspiring talk about living with MS.  Thanks to our chapter for providing input for Amy Reiss’s presentation on fundraising tips and “do’s and don’ts”.  Lisa Leibfried performed a demonstration of the online fundraising tools followed by a live demonstration with Amy and Lisa starring as hiking friends. Lisa as the cyclist and Amy as the potential donor showed how asking in person can be followed up by using the online tools to make fundraising easy and simple to track.

Highlights of the afternoon were the candid discussions about what makes fundraising difficult. Your fellow riders shared strategies to make ourselves more comfortable and successful.  Many people plan to sponsor themselves first, and then make a list of people they feel comfortable approaching for sponsorship.  Making each request personal is also a great tool. 

Thanks to all the riders, we really appreciated the high level of interaction! Group brainstorming ideas follow.

We asked our participants and this is what they said …

What’s hard about fundraising?

  • Our potential donors are bombarded by donation requests
  • Some company policies prohibit workplace solicitation
  • It’s hard to know how someone will react
  • The high minimum is scary for some people

How will we start our fundraising?  What’s the easiest thing to do?

  • Pledge myself first
  • Make a list of people I have a relationship with, who would say yes or no
  • Walk right up to the person and ask
  • Approach the person with a positive attitude
  • Post a picture of yourself in your team jersey next to the NMSS poster
  • Put a donation jar on your desk
  • Keep the attitude in mind that they’re not rejecting you if they say no
  • Ask right after payday
  • Start with your inner circle
  • Educate people about MS, our team, how much fun you’re having, etc. before you ask for a donation
  • Tell people about our corporate sponsors – UW TMMBA facility and refreshments, Center Cycle discount, etc.
  • Wear your jersey on rides
  • Put on an auction and have a live band
  • Keep following up with people
  • Explain where the money goes.  Historically, the NMSS has spent 16-19% on staff and expenses to deliver programs and conduct events, and the rest goes directly to research.

Bibliography

  • “Asking: a 59-minute guide to everything board members, volunteers, and staff must know to secure the gift” by Panas, Jerold
  • “Fundraising made E-Z” by Stier, William F.
  • “How to produce fabulous fundraising events: reap remarkable returns with minimal effort: includes step-by-step guide to the perfect fundraising event” by Stallings, Betty
  • “The concert book: the fund raiser's detailed guide for arranging special events” by Hollan, James Francis