Fundraising Tips
There are hundreds of ways to raise funds for Take Steps! Pursue some of these strategies to beat our national fundraising average of $120 per walker, or take things a step further to become a member of our "Loud & Proud" Top Fundraising Club by raising $1,000 or more.
Start with the basics!
Take advantage of your personal fundraising web site:
When you register for Take Steps, a personal fundraising page is created just for you. It’s an easy and proven way to raise funds! You can even customize the page with your own personal story, message and photos, or just use the existing content. E-mail a link to your page to everyone you know, then watch as each donation brings you closer to your goal.
Write a letter:
In addition to emails, sending personal letters is a great way to invite your friends, family, coworkers or business contacts to donate to the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation. If you are participating through your company or work with company vendors, this can be a great way to earn donations from businesses, which tend to be larger than personal donations.
Be sure to include the link to your personal fundraising page for anyone who would like to donate with a credit card and a mailing address for those who prefer to send a check. Ideas of people to ask and sample letters are available through the following links:
- Whom to ask
- Tips for a successful letter-writing campaign
- Sample fundraising letter
- Sample letter to company vendors
Earn matching gifts:
No matter how you are raising funds, be sure to take advantage of corporate matching gifts programs. If these programs are available to you or to your donors, this is an easy way to double or even triple donations!
Check to see if your company will match employee contributions and encourage your donors to do the same. To take part in a matching gifts program, request an application from the benefits manager or human resources department. Send the completed form to your local chapter, and CCFA will verify receipt of your gift and complete the process.
Step 2: Get creative!
As a team captain or a walker, you can be as creative as you want to turn your resources, contacts, skills and interests into a way to earn big bucks for research, education and support! In addition to raising more money, creative fundraising ideas like these can also build team spirit.
Here are some ideas to get you started…
- Dress-down for the day: Allow employees to wear jeans or dress casually, in exchange for a $5 donation.
- Competition and prizes: Get departments or groups within your company or team to compete with one another. Report progress frequently to create a competitive environment, and offer prizes for the top fundraising individuals and teams. Time-off or lunch with the boss are great incentives within a company.
- Everyone loves food: Consider inviting coworkers to a bake sale, barbeque, ice cream social or a meal. You can seek food donations or purchase supplies.
- Team t-shirts: Create your own Take Steps t-shirt for your team members to wear at the walk, and sell these shirts to team members and other employees to raise funds. Download the Take Steps logo and artwork.
- Plan a special event: Plan a party at your home or office and suggest that guests bring a donation to CCFA. Or, if you have a birthday or anniversary or another special occasion coming up, ask for donations to CCFA, in lieu of gifts. Take it one step further and plan a golf outing, a concert or another unique fundraising event.
- Executive car wash: Convince corporate executives to wash their employees’ cars on the lunch hour.
- Relaxation day: Bring in a massage therapist to offer neck and back massages, in exchange for a donation to CCFA.
- Holiday promotions: You can raise funds for Take Steps throughout the entire year. Sell holiday-specific items, like teddy bears or flowers for Valentine’s Day.
- Manager cook-out: For a donation of $10, employees can enjoy lunch prepared by the management team.
- Auction: Get items donated from local businesses, and host a live or silent auction to raise funds.
- Clean out the closets: Hold a yard sale, or sell extra corporate promotional items.
- Internal kickoff: Host a kickoff event just for your team! Provide a snack or treat and show the Take Steps video and share the goals and plans for your team, as well as these ideas. Then, register walkers or encourage walkers to set their own fundraising goals. An internal kickoff is a great way to recruit and motivate team members to do their own fundraising!.
Raise $500 in just five days!
Remember the golden rule of fundraising: you can’t get donations if you do not ask!
| Day 1 |
| Sponsor yourself for $25 or more | $25 |
| Ask three family members to sponsor you for $25 | $75 |
| Day 2 |
| Ask 5 friends for $10 each | $50 |
| Ask 5 coworkers for $10 each | $50 |
| Day 3 |
| Ask 5 neighbors for $10 each | $50 |
| Days 4 and 5 |
| Ask 5 businesses you frequent for $50 each | $250 |
| Total: | $500 |