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FUNDRAISING TIPS

Introduction

Fundraising is fun, rewarding and your effort will help to provide vital services for our clients throughout Queensland. It can seem challenging at first, but with a little creativity and commitment your fundraising goals will be realised. If you have any comments or queries about anything in this guide, feel free to

the MD Qld Fundraising Team at events@mdqld.org.au or call 3607 1800.

Getting Started

Organising the Fundraising Activity Work out who can help you with the event – how many volunteers do

you need to help you organise it?

Promoting your event o Contact your local newspaper and ask them about writing an

article about you o Check out all the ‘what’s on’ website listings for events –

which ones can you get listed on? o Send emails to all your friends, family, work colleagues etc o See if the event can go in any local newsletters/work

updates/school newsletters etc o Setup a Facebook page and tell everyone you know! o Send us the marketing information and we may be able to

promote it through the MD Qld Facebook page!

General Tips

Personalise your event Dollar for dollar: Ask your employer or local business to match all the donations you raise. Get family and close friends involved. If they write their donation amount on your website, they’re likely to be the most generous and set the standard. Market the event as widely as possible! Email all of your colleagues to let them know what you are doing and ask them to support you. Know where the money is going – check the MD Qld website for background information, or if you want more, just let us know! Be enthusiastic and passionate about why you are raising the money – people always want to know where their money is going.

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Everyday Hero As part of the registration for the Ride4MD you are automatically allocated an Everyday Hero page. Add the URL to your email signature, upload the link and a little blurb to Facebook and get your friends to share it around – the more people that know about your efforts the better!

Electronic Upon registration you automatically receive an Everyday Hero fundraisers’ page. On this page you can explain why you’re fundraising, post a photo, and request donations. When donors go to your page, they can read your donation request and donate right there online. Your Everyday Hero page automatically tracks your fundraising balance, so you and your donors, and others visiting the Ride4MD website can watch the fundraising progress. Add this link to your fundraising page to your email signature and send our an email asking family, friends and colleagues to help you reach your fundraising goal.

Corporate Ask your company to support you. Talk to your boss or HR manager. Once you get the boss on board your co-workers will follow. Ask your company to match what you raise. Will they sponsor and support a fundraising event? Will they publicise your fundraising efforts in the company newsletter? If there are other riders from your workplace will they sponsor a corporate team?

Following Up If you haven’t received a response from someone, follow up! Make a phone call or send a quick note to make sure that they haven’t forgotten about your request. A good way to keep people involved in your adventure is to send updates; keep supporters informed of your progress and the progress of the Ride4MD as a whole. After the event, you could send a quick email with some photos, and an additional thank you for your donors’ support. If you’d like to make a request or send a written thank you please feel free to contact the MD Qld Fundraising Team and we’d be more than happy to send you sample letters for your information.

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Got enough gifts in your House? .

Fundraising Ideas We have themed ideas below into different sections based around community/workplace fundraisers; entertainment events; sports fundraisers and ‘all the rest’. This list is by no means complete, so come up with your own creative ideas!

Take your community or workplace for a ride! Movie Night: Ask your local cinema to host a charity screening. Charge a little extra for tickets for that screening. Fantasy Football! Organise a sweepstake for this season’s NRL or AFL matches. Dress Up/Down Day: You could also have a crazy hat, tie or sock day - Those who take part are asked to donate $1, those who don't pay a forfeit of $2. Late for Meetings Penalty: Why not charge a penalty for anyone who arrives to a meeting after its planned commencement? - $1 per minute late! Trivia Night: How clever are your friends or colleagues? Contact a local pub or larger venue and charge per head to enter. You could also do this as a lunchtime quiz at work. Pampered People: Organise beauticians and massage therapists to provide complimentary treatments in your home to your friends. Charge an entry fee.

Foody events BBQ: Australians love a good Barbie! Hold a fundraising BBQ at your local sporting event or Bunnings! Dry Cereal Challenge: We all loved to eat dry cereals as a kid…didn’t we? Set up a line of people and bowls of cornflakes and bet who will finish their bowl first. Cake Sale: Always a popular one at school, work or in your local community centre. Persuade your friends or colleagues to bring a cake and buy another. Yummy! Guessing Competition: Fill a jar with lollies, seeds, shells or your own invention and charge $5 per guess. Give a prize to the winner.

Sporting Events Pub/Club Support: Ask a local pub or sports club if they can arrange a 24-hour sponsored event such as pool, darts, squash, badminton etc. Lawn Bowls: Arrange your local club to give you a discounted group rate and arrange a group of friends to pay to participate! Poker Challenge: Do you know any card sharks within the work place? Ask them to help organise a poker night with profits going to Muscular Dystrophy QLD Scrabbleous Scrabbling: Hold a scrabble competition – who is your local wordsmith? Ten-Pin Bowling: Hold a sponsored bowling tournament and see who can bowl over the most money for Muscular Dystrophy QLD!

Outside the Box - ideas that don’t fit into another box! Got enough gifts in your House? Rather than receive etc more gifts that will end up at the Charity shop, ask friends to donate money to Muscular Dystrophy QLD for special occasions such as birthdays. Sales: people are always on the lookout for a bargain – hold a book, cake, chocolate, or car boot sale. Fundraising Favours: Offer your services to your school friends or colleagues for a week and charge for every favour you do them. Washing Marathon: Cars, windows, bikes…get some friends to help out and set a few dates when you’ll be available – get your colleagues to book you in! Mobile Madness: Charge a penalty for anyone who receives an audible call or text during a meeting