Fundraising Tips for The Walk for Hunger
Use Online Registration Tools
By registering online you can use many different (new and improved!) tools to make your fundraising easy and maximize your impact. You can personalize your Walk Webpage with your own story and photo, send personalized emails asking for contributions, and track both your online and offline gifts.
Set a Fundraising Goal
Whether you are volunteering or walking as an individual or part of a Team, set a goal. This gives you a target to work toward and allows you to track your progress. And if you raise $500 or more, you will become part of our Heart & Sole Circle!
Ask Everyone to Help
Not everyone you ask will be able to give or they may not be able to give as much as they would like to, so ask a few more. This year we're finding that we need to ask a greater number of people in order to meet the increased need for nourishing food throughout our community.
Bonus tip: people who have pledged you in the past are more likely to donate to you again, so keep track of past sponsors.
Make Contact Three Times
One of our very successful Heart & Sole Walkers makes a point of reaching out to everyone three times. The first email lets everyone know that The Walk for Hunger is coming up, a follow-up call or in-person chat shows the prospective donors how important the cause is, and a final call just before the Walk serves as a thank you to donors who have committed and a last chance for those who have not.
Use Multiple Sponsor Sheets
Track large and small pledges separately. If you use a sponsor sheet with large donations on it, others will feel as though they should match the donations already listed.
Double Your Impact
Ask your sponsors if they have an Employer Matching Gift Program. Check out our online listing to see if their companies will match their gifts and how to apply for the match.
Send a Personalized Thank You
Thank you messages are important. In these tough economic times, it's more important than ever to differentiate yourself by sending a personalized thank you to anyone that donates or helps you reach your fundraising goal.
Raise Money in Creative Ways
In addition to asking people they know to sponsor them, some of our Walkers hold pre-Walk events designed to raise money. These events are fun ways to involve more people in The Walk for Hunger and allows Walkers to reach out to people they might otherwise not ask for sponsorship.
- Pre-Walk parties- many Walkers hold parties as the Walk approaches. Instead of hostess gifts, they ask their gifts to bring donations to sponsor the Walk.
- Bake Sales, Car Washes, and other time-tested fundraisers are a great way to get more people involved.
Every Bit Helps
Not everyone will be able to make a large donation, but remind them that every dollar counts!
- $25 provides a hot meal for 10 individuals at a supper program.
- $50 helps a family purchase $100 of fresh produce with their SNAP benefits at a farmers’ market.
- $75 will subsidize CSA shares for one week for 10 families.
We know how to stretch your donations to do the most good.
- When you raise $200, you provide fifteen families with a hot, nutritious dinner at a weekly supper program.
- When you raise $500, you help support a healthy summer food program for low-income children.
- When you raise $1,000, you help us create innovative farm-to-table programs that give low-income families a hand up, not just a hand out, and that also strengthen their community.
