Making the Ask Fundraising Tips
Fundraising Step By Step

Be creative! Be fun! Be enthusiastic … you are making a difference!

Here are a few ideas to get you started.

1. Set up a Web page and fundraise online. It’s free, easy and it works. Online fundraisers raise twice as much.
2. Set a lofty goal. Then pledge yourself. This motivates teammates and people who donate to you.
3. Host a “free” doughnuts and bagels breakfast at your office or place of worship. Place goodies in high-traffic areas and ask for donations. Sometimes local bakeries will donate the goodies.
4. Have monthly team challenges for your teammates. Prizes can be small: new socks, sunscreen, etc. This works for fundraising and recruiting.
5. Put a pot o’ gold at your desk.  Set up a donation jar at your desk during MS Awareness week, March 2 to 8. What better way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day than filling a pot o’ gold for a good cause?
6. Have a mow-a-thon, snow-a-thon, whatever-a-thon in your neighborhood. Offer to mow, remove snow, etc., for a donation. This is a great way to involve the entire family or team.
7. If you are participating in honor of someone, get their permission to include their photo and story in your pledge letters and Web page.
8. Fundraise and recruit members at your local fitness center.
9. Spare Change Donations - Give your friends and family homemade donation jars. Each day they can put their spare change in the jar. Before the deadline, collect all the spare change donations and count them. You could also invite everyone to help you count and celebrate the results together.
10. Delegate - Have your friends and family help you raise money by giving them their own set of donation forms to pass out to their personal contacts.
11. Auction - Find local artists or artistic friends to donate art to be auctioned off. You can also auction: jewelry, pottery, antiques, clothing, etc. 
12. Yard Sale - Have your friends and family help you put together a yard sale and donate the profits. Place signage in local businesses informing the public about it.
13. Personal Phone Messages - Leave messages on your home/cell voicemail to let people know you need their support. Also, send personalized text messages asking your contacts for their support. 
14. Ask your local restaurant/bar/waiter/bartender - Ask your local restaurant, bar, waiter or bartender to donate a portion of their tips. Create signage for the location informing customers about where the donated tips go. Make your presence known around the location by introducing yourself to people and personally informing them about the tip donations.   

______________________________________________________________________ Remember:  No one can say yes unless you ask!   Five ways to maximize online fundraising Make it personal. On your Personal Page and in e-mails, share your story and connection to multiple sclerosis. Update your content regularly to give donors something new to experience every time they come to your Personal Page. Having trouble managing your online campaign? Check the detailed help menus or contact us for assistance at 502-451-0014 ext 222. Schedule a few minutes every week to thank donors who’ve contributed to your campaign and remind others that you haven’t heard from them. Have fun with it. You can keep in touch with your friends and family to keep them involved in the growing movement to end MS.

__________________________________________________________________________________________ Corporate Support When you create a list of people to ask for donations, do not forget corporate donations. Think about different companies you deal with on a daily basis (including the one you work for and past employers) and consider them as possible contributors. People and companies that you do business with on a regular basis are great prospects. Many companies have a matching gift program for employees who make charitable contributions. Be sure to ask your contributors if they work for a company that has a matching gift program you can receive a match from their company, as well as yours. When receiving matching gifts, you must turn in gift forms with pledges on the day of the event to receive prizes. Clubs and organizations that have charitable gaming licenses are good sources for large contributions. Consider asking a local organization such as a veterans’ or fraternal club to sponsor you. All you will need to do is have the donating organization fill out an LG270 form. This form must be signed and dated by the National MS Society. Contact the Kentucky Chapter to request this form. If you have specific questions, please contact the Kentucky Chapter.

__________________________________________________________________________________________ Plan an Event Host a Pledge Party When done right, these parties have proved to raise significant funds. When you send your invitations, let guests know that they will be asked to make a donation to the MS Society for your event. Contact the MS Society and ask a staff member to speak at your party. At the party, tell everyone about the event you will be participating in and why. Share your personal connection to MS. If you are riding for someone, perhaps he or she can attend and speak about how MS has affected his or her life. Next, welcome a National MS Society staff member to speak about MS and why each person's contribution is important. If you don't want to ask for the pledge, we will. We can also offer receipts to people and take credit cards. Some Party Ideas: Host a party and ask for a donation to attend Car wash party A theme party Holiday party Pot luck Golf outing Scavenger hunt Super Bowl party At Work Ideas: Donate $5 to dress down or coordinate a bake sale Sell hearts, candy, flowers, goody baskets or singing telegrams to co-workers Serve lunch and take donations once a month at work. Have proceeds go toward your pledges (great for teams). On Halloween have a costume contest at work or sell trick-or-treat goody bags.

Raising Money Has Never Been Easier!

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