Online Fundraising
The First Giving (formerly Just Giving) website is a quick and easy way to start your fundraising process for The Bell Center. It allows you to establish a personal webpage to share your message, track goals and accept online donations.
3 EASY STEPS
1. Log on to: www.firstgiving.com/bellcenter
2. Click on “Get Started” and select the Mercedes Marathon
3. Create your page
The best way to create a successful page is to make it personal. Share a story about your connection to The Bell Center and your training process including tough days and great runs. Don’t forget to tell everyone about the special child whom is providing the motivation to run. Share their developmental challenges and triumphs as well. And of course, include a picture of you and your Bell Center child.
We will be taking pictures of you and your child at the Kickoff Event: Eat, Meet and Greet on Sunday, October 25th from 3-5pm at The Bell Center.
We highly recommend using both online fundraising and a more traditional letter campaign for the maximum fundraising potential!
Helpful Hints for Fundraising:
- Ask your office manager or local printer/office supply store to donate envelopes, postage and paper for your letter writing campaign. These costs are 100% tax deductible.
- Make it EASY! Include a self-addressed, stamped envelope in your letter – you’ll greatly increase your chances of getting a response.
- Be as creative as possible and write the letter so that it reflects your personality. Here are fundraising letter examples for the PIT and JR PIT participants.
- Be inclusive with both your email and letter writing lists, you can’t get a donation if you don’t ask – think wedding guest list, college friends, neighborhood, alumni club, co-workers, Christmas card list and neighborhood mailboxes
- Turn in your money as you collect it – don’t wait to get it all together. Donors like their checks to be deposited quickly and they like a timely thank you note even more (The Bell Center will handle this).
- You may designate that your funds donated to The United Way be distributed to The Bell Center. Simply indicate The Bell Center’s Federal Tax ID # 63-1244330 and the United Way will be happy to make that contribution minus a small administrative fee.
- Throw a party and ask for donations in order to attend
- Mail 100 letters and request $13.10. Many will give more and you will certainly attain your goal!
- Contact a Boy Scout or Girl Scout troop – they can in turn earn a variety of badges
- Here’s an example of one way a team member reached her goal to raise $500 in one week. If each of the other 4 team members would do the same, within one week the team will have raised $2500.
Sunday She sponsored herself for $25.00
Monday Three family members matched her amount for $25.00 each $100.00
Tuesday Five friends each donated $20.00 $200.00
Wednesday Six co-workers chipped in $10.00 a piece $260.00
Thursday Her company made a $100.00 corporate contribution $360.00
Friday Two businesses that she frequents both gave $25.00 $410.00
Saturday By the end of the week 6 more friends had sent $15.00 $500.00
THE most important Fundraising tip to remember is….A MATCHING GIFT. Many companies match their employee’s donations. If you have a donor that works for one of these companies, ask them to give you a matching gift form to turn in with their check. Maureen will take care of the rest.