Fundraising Tips
We’ve provided easy-to-use online fundraising tools that will help you to create fundraising pages for you and your team. Your online Participant Center will do the work for you! Email friends and family, collect donations online and track your progress.
Your fundraising tools are just a click away.
8 Steps to Start fundraising Now!
- Design your own Personal Page! (link to participant center) You can change the layout of the page, write your own personal appeal, upload a photo or use one of the ones we supply. Start by viewing your Personal Page now to see what your potential donors will see.
- Make a strong personal pledge first! (link to participant center) Your friends, family and co-workers will be more apt to sponsor an event that you are committed to yourself.
- You’re walking to create a world free of MS! Tell everyone you know! Send reminder and solicitation emails to friends, family and co-workers about your participation in Walk MS.
- Track your individual ongoing fundraising progress and update your fundraising goal
- View reports on who & when your team members make a donation
- Send follow-up messages and thank-you emails to your supporters
- Educate yourself and your sponsors about MS.
- Matching Gifts: Some employers match your charitable gift so your gift may actually double in size! Don’t forget to ask your employer about your Matching Gift Program.
How to raise $1,000 in 9 Days
Day 1: Start by sponsoring yourself for $50.
Day 2: Ask four family members to each sponsor you for $25.
Day 3: Ask ten friends to contribute $20.
Day 4: Ask ten co-workers to contribute $10.
Day 5: Ask ten neighbors to contribute $10.
Day 6: Ask your boss for a company contribution of $50.
Day 7: Ask five people from your place of worship for $20.
Day 8: Ask five local merchants to sponsor you for $40.
Day 9: Ask four old friends to contribute $25.
Here are some other fun fundraising ideas for you and your team!
- Ask people in person- this is the easiest and most effective method!
- Write a Letter and start with everyone on your holiday card list
- Host a party at your home: a BBQ, a Manicures and Martini’s night… use your imagination! You can even invite a representative from the National MS Society to help explain the mission
- Collect change – put a piggy bank on your desk and ask everyone to empty their pockets at the end of each day
- Set a really high goal, and tell everyone you’ll do something drastic (Shave you head? Shave your legs?) if you reach it!
- Host a Bingo Night, Bowling Night, Trivia Night, Car Wash or any other event you can think of with proceeds that benefit your team!
- Casual Dress Day – Determine if your office will allow employees to dress down in return for a donation to your team
- Chili Cook-off – Charge an entry fee for the cooks, and a tasting fee for the testers!
- Golf Tournament – Hold a golf tournament where the entry fee is donated to your team
- Guest bartender – All tips from the evening go back to the team!
- Raffle or a Silent Auction– this can be held in conjunction with a dinner party or other event. Get items donated from local community businesses and friends and family members
- Host a bake sale, book sale, yard sale or sell MS wristbands
- Ask if your company has a matching gifts program (more information below).
- Ask your corporation to make a donation.
- If your business has heavy street traffic, ask customers to contribute their spare change.
- Contact your company's vendors and ask them for a donation equal to one percent of the annual business you give them. This one is easier than you may think.
- Conduct your own fundraising events like dress down days, bake sales, car washes, Brown Bag for MS, drawings, auctions and more. You'll be surprised how the smell of popcorn or nachos can motive people to make a donation of a couple of dollars. These events can also raise awareness about MS and your team efforts.
- Put a giant bottle in your company lunchroom to collect change. It can add up fast.
- Don't forget holidays. Sell roses on Valentine's Day and shamrock-shaped cookies on St. Patrick's Day.
- Promote the MS Walk on paydays by stuffing a flier into each paycheck envelope.
- Write friends and family members and ask them to participate in the event or make a donation.