How to Fundraise

Fundraising is easy if you do it the RIDE way! Follow our five simple fundraising steps below...


Step 1:

Set up Your Fundraising Page

Your personal fundraising page is where donors will go to give to you online. Make sure it's ready by uploading a picture of you smiling (people love that!) and write a short welcome message to explain why you are participating. Login to Fundhub to do this - when you've logged in, click Profile on the left menu bar.


Step 2:

Write Your Fundraising Email

To fundraise well, you need to ask well. So, take a few minutes and write the email you'll send to each donor personally. Use the email templates in Fundhub for inspiration, and definitely remember to include the link to your personal fundraising page so they can respond online.


A good fundraising email is:

  • Direct: A few words of greeting followed by "I'm emailing to ask for your support" is a good idea
  • Short: Don't exhaust your donor with a 2000 word essay - shorter is always better
  • Honest: Explain why this event is important to you and a little bit about who you're helping
  • Linked: Be sure to include a link to your personal fundraising page so people can click and give


Step 3:

Make a List of Potential Donors

Once your email is done, take a few minutes to make a list of potential donors you could ask. Here's a quick list to help you brainstorm below:

Family

Friends

Neighbours

Ask your spouse, parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, brothers, and sisters.

Ask your #BFF, the friend you walk to the gym with, and the dude who sits behind you in lunch. We bet you know lots of friends to ask.

Yup, like the nice couple who live beside you, your yoga instructor, bus driver, piano teacher, or life coach. They are all good potential people to ask.


Step 4:

Email Each Donor Personally

Sending a mass email is easier, but sadly, they almost never work. Take the time to carefully copy and paste your email and edit each one personally. That way your friends know you are serious and will likely respond by giving seriously to you too. If they don't respond right away, don't assume they're saying no - ask one more time to remind them.


Step 5:

Say Thank You

Make sure you say thank you by email or phone. It's more than good manners - it lets them know that you noticed their generosity and are thankful for their help. It rewards your donors with your gratitude, and may even help them say yes next year when you ask them again!


For some excellent fundraising campaign ideas, click here!

Got questions about the Ride for Refuge?
info@rideforrefuge.org | 1.877.743.3413