Fundraising Tips for Charity Bike Rides

These tips are tried and true. Stick to these methods, and your success is guaranteed!

#1: Start early.
The sooner you start asking, the more money you will raise. It takes time to ramp up your fundraising efforts. As soon as you register to become a fundraiser, get organized and start asking!

#2: Set a challenging but attainable goal.
Your fundraising goal should be a stretch, but doable. If you are getting close to your goal, then raise it so people continue to donate. (You want to avoid the situation in which prospective donors decide not to donate because you have almost reached your goal.)

#3: Develop an exhaustive list of prospective donors.
Start with your email address book, then your regular address book and member lists from clubs and organizations you belong to. Check with your employer regarding soliciting donations in the workplace. Create a separate list of of people whose email address you don't have (Grandma?) and should receive a letter in the mail. Use the Offline Donation Form link on the Climate Ride website. Then, contact everyone you know. You'll be surprised who gives!

#4: Customize your emails. Make the email template yours! Include a personal story, why you're participating and raising money, why it's important to you, and where the money goes. Include key points such as what Climate Ride and the beneficiaries are all about, and how their donation will help. Include the link to your fundraising webpage. (Use a URL shortner, like tinyurl.com to make your own short and personal link!)

 #5: Create an email schedule and stick to it.
Set dates to send a first email announcing your participation, a second email thanking those who have donated, and asking others to still donate, an third update email thanking those who have donated and asking others to still donate now, and a fourth 'last chance' email. You can also segment your list of donors into groups (e.g. past donors, new list of members, family, fellow members of a club) and send different emails to each audience.

#6: Ask, ask, and ask again.
In addition to following the email communication schedule, you will need to ask, ask, and ask again at every possible opportunity. People can only make a donation if you give them the opportunity. During face-to-face interactions or phone calls with friends, family, neighbors, or other prospective donors, mention your progress and your goal. Don't be shy about asking more than once. People need to be reminded! Of course, leave the ultimate decision up to them.

#7: Customize your personal fundraising webpage.
The most compelling fundraising pages include text, a personal story about why you are participating, along with photos. Convey your passion in a way that motivates visitors to make a donation! Text on your page should be aligned with your email communications. Update your page periodically with information about training, progress, or challenges so that visitors can stay informed and engaged throughout your fundraising effort.

#8: Add social media to the mix.
Use status updates in Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn to update friends in your fundraising and provide a direct link to your fundraising webpage. Use these tools to subtly encourage your friends and family to make a donation. Social media is a great way to stay in front of people without making a 'hard ask'.

#9: Get creative.
Add the URL for your fundraising webpage to your email signature. Give out "piggy banks" and ask people to save their change for a month. Create business cards or handbills to give out during face-to-face interactions. Hold an auction. Throw a party!

#10: Join a team.
Need help to staying motivated? Join a team for camaraderie, encouragement, and friendly competition. Teams aren't for everyone, but there's something to be said about power in numbers!

#11: Stay focused.
At times, all this can seem overwhelming. Remind yourself of why you are participating in the event, and the how money you will raise will help others do important work. Turn to other Climate Riders for inspiration and ideas about how to raise more money.

#12: Send a personalized thank you.
After you've completed your fundraising and the event is over, send your donors a note thank them for their generosity, how much you raised, and what your participation in Climate Ride meant to you. In addition to 'closing the loop', you are setting the stage for future donation appeals. Donors will be more likely to give again if they feel that their donation was appreciated and valuable. You might need their support for Climate Ride again next year!

Is there a significant date coming up on the calendar? Time it right to take advantage of the occasion:

• April is a great time to host a tax-return party
• In May, celebrate Memorial Day with a barbeque; ask your friends to support you!
• Memorial Day, July 4th, and Labor Day weekend barbeques are a great place to convene friends and ask for their support
• Have a birthday coming up? Rather than getting gifts, and for birthday donations
• Have friends who are interested in bike racing? The Tour of California, Giro d'Italia, Tour de France, and Vuelta de Espana happen in May, July, and September, respectively. Great excuse for a bike party!
• Earth Day is April 22nd, and Bike-to-Work day is the third Friday in May. Car-free day is September 22nd. More environmental dates can be found here.

There are hundreds of ways to boost your fundraising. Here are some ideas to keep you going. If you do something that's not here, let us know so we can add it!

Sell your crafts- Make something unique or personal-- pottery, knit hats, pins, posters, t-shirts, postcards, jewelry, woodwork. Find something small or large that people would love to make a donation for. 

Exchange your time- Offer to walk your friend's dog, babysit, wash a car, tend a garden, tidy a garage.  Spend time helping friends and family in exchange for their support

Matching Grants- Be sure to remind your donors to ask if their company offers a matching grant program. Get your donations doubled!

Donation Jars- create a few jars that you can leave by the register at places you frequent-- your favorite coffee shop, bike shop, health food or grocery store

Fun "business" cards- go to Zazzle.com, where you can create cards of all types.  Add a photo of you on your bike, with the link back to your fundraising page (make your own custom tinyurl here). Be sure to put a clear "ask" for support on them! Hand them out to everyone you see. Feel free to use images from the Climate Ride website. 

Pint Night- Ask your local brew pub to host a pint night to your benefit! See if they will donate $1 per pint purchased. Choose a mellow night of the week, when they are happy to have more customers, then invite everyone you know

Poker Night- Who doesn't love playing cards, and for a good cause? Invite your friends over for an evening, and all winnings support your ride.

Bake Sale- Spend a day baking with your friends, and trade your goodies for donations

Garage, Attic, Tag Sale- Got years of clutter piling up on shelves and in corners? Now's the time to clean it out, and be sure to let prospecters know that all proceeds from your sale benefit your ride! Not only will they haggle less, but you might even get donations from complete strangers! 

eBay- If there are real winners in your attic, post them on eBay, and let buyers know you're selling it to raise money. 

Handyman- Offer your skills. If you're handy, there's always someone who needs plumbing, mechanical work, electrical wiring, help painting, cleaning gutters, and other fix-it house work.

Raffle- Ask your local businesses for prizes-- then have a party and raffle them off. 

Email Signature- Instead of a quote, inspire people with your committment to ride 300 miles. Put it in your signature, and link back to your fundraising page

YouTube- Create a video of your personal story, and why you're riding. Post it to YouTube, Facebook, your fundraising page, attach it to your email signature. 

Commuter "wars"- Pit your driving friends vs. your biking friends, by asking them to pledge based on how they get to work. See if you can get your friends who commute by bike to out-donate your friends who drive to work!

Piggy Banks- Make fun change jars and hand them to your friends and family, for them to collect their change for a month

Spin for a Day- Do a spin-a-thon with your teammates at the gym. Put up fliers to let other gym members know why you'll be doing a spin-relay all day. Ask if you can set up a table next to the spin bike with donation forms, a donation jar, an info sign-up sheet, and fliers or postcards about the ride

Voicemail Greeting- update your voicemail greeting to let people know your doing Climate Ride and that you need their support

Sit down with a pen and a piece of paper, and write down the names of everyone you know, and all the groups you're connected to. You'll be surprised at the length of your list. Then prioritze who to contact first.  Use this list to to help. Many Climate Riders tell us that reconnecting with so many long-lost friends was the most rewarding part of their fundraising. 

Friends from...

--grade and high school, college, university, continuing education

--work, and not just your current job

--health club, cycling club, spin class, yoga, skiing, climbing

--Kiwanis, Lions, and Rotary club

--church

--parents of your kids' friends

--your community garden

--book club

And how about...

--doctor, veterinarian, therapist, dentist, chiropractor, yoga instructor, hairdresser, car or bike mechanic, neighbors

Family...

Don't stop at parents. How about aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, children, in-laws, godparents

Broadcast it wide...

--contact your local radio station, newpaper, and other pulications to see if they'll write a story about your efforts

Social Media...

--Update your Facebook status when you register, when you go for your first 10, 25, and 50-mile training rides, Tweet about your slick new bike, or how much you love your old clunker, or when you reach fundraising milestones. Share your experience of getting ready for Climate Ride.  Social networking pages allow you to make the soft ask. Your followers will be excited by your courage and new adventure, and many will be inspired to donate

Want to win the New Belgium Cruiser? It's possible!
Your fundraising efforts can add up quickly...how quickly? Check this out...here's how to raise more than $1000 in just a week:

1. Sponsor yourself for $25.
2. Ask six family members for $50.
3. Ask five friends to contribute $40.
4. Ask four co-workers to contribute $25.
5. Ask your boss to sponsor you by contributing $100.
6. Ask six businesses you frequent to donate $50 each.

So far, the average donation to 2010 Climate Riders is $87, and the most common donation is $50. There are people out there who want to support you. Consider your relationship to your potential donor, their support for clean energy and cycling, and tailor accordingly. Remind yourself of the importance and significance of what you are doing, and why you are riding in Climate Ride, and then ask. And remember, donations often come in from the least-expected places, so don't be shy!

See below for a list of ideas that might prompt you for people you could ask for support.

Prospective Donors