Online Fundraising
Five words: Utilize Your Online Participant Center!
Your Bike Participant Center is your one stop fundraising shop! After logging in with your username and password you created during registration, you'll have access to many different online tools. You will be able to create a personal and team webpage, send fundraising and recruitment emails, and check your progress - ALL IN ONE PLACE, YOUR PARTICIPANT CENTER!
- Create a personal webpage by adding pictures, text, and updating your fundraising goal. Team captains can also create a team page to showcase team pictures, accomplishments, and inspirational stories!
- Send fundraising and recruitment emails. You will have many "stock" emails to choose from. Don't like the text, change it.
- Check your progress online. You can check your fundraising progress in a glance. Check out our graphs and charts!
Fundraise through Facebook
Extend your fundraising efforts to your social network on Facebook using our Boundless Fundraising application. Through this application, you can do a variety of cool things. You can donate your profile picture by adding the Walk MS logo to spread awareness. You can also post messages to your news feed to ask your friends to support your efforts by donating online.
To add & use this application, follow the steps below:
- Go to www.facebook.com and log in or create a profile if you don’t already have one.
- Log into your Participant Center using the username and password you used/created during registration.
- Click on the fundraise with Facebook button on your Participant Center homepage.
- Follow the directions on the Boundless Fundraising page to donate your profile picture or share a story in your news feed.
- Once you navigate away from the application, you can find it on the left hand side of your facebook homepage. The application will simply be called National MS Society.
- Once a week, open the application, choose a way to “Get the Word Out” & watch the donations come in!
Face-to-Face Ask
Be BOLD! Tell your friends, family, and co-workers about the event and why our mission—to create a world free of MS—is so important to you. Then, educate them about the disabling effects of MS and how their financial support will enable the National MS Society to fund MS research, programs, services, and advocacy for people living with the disease.
Letter Writing
Grab your holiday card list or your wedding invitee list and begin writing! Letters can expand your donor base to people you may not see on a regular basis. We have sample fundraising letters available in the resource section of our website for your convenience. If writing your own letter, use these tips:
- Include a self-addressed stamped envelope with your letter (your address, not ours).
- State your fundraising goal.
- Provide a description of MS and/or tell your story - show your passion for our mission.
- Consider adding suggested donation amounts (e.g. $50, $75, or $100) to your letter.
- Ask donors to make checks payable to the National MS Society and include your name and “BikeMS” in the memo line.
- State where the money goes—MS research, programs, services, and advocacy.
- Send thank-you notes as soon as people donate.
Mini Fundraising Ideas
- Include a plug for your fundraising efforts in your voicemail and in the signature of your email.
- Use special occasions (big sporting events, birthdays, etc.) to host a pledge party. You can ask for donations in lieu of gifts or just ask for donations!
- Host a bake sale, craft sale, or garage sale at your local place of worship, school, or in your neighborhood.
- Get local companies involved. For example, ask a restaurant if they will host an MS night where a portion of the sales goes toward the mission. Or, ask local retailers or service providers to donate a product or service that you can raffle off.
- Plan a tournament—bowling, golf, tennis, poker, pool, etc.—where the proceeds go toward your fundraising goal.
- Additional fundraising ideas.
Matching Gifts—Double Your Fundraising!
Many companies have matching gift programs where they match up to 100% of their employees’ charitable donations. Be sure to ask your company and prompt your donors to ask their companies about matching gift programs. After applying for any available matching gifts, please submit a copy of the form/email confirmation to the National MS Society in your money collection envelope.
Sell Street Banners
- Approach local businesses (restaurants, medical offices, small retailers, service providers, etc.) and offer them the opportunity to advertise on a street banner that will be displayed in New Bern before and during Bike MS. Their cost - $250 per banner.
- All street banners will display Bike MS artwork and the company’s name.
- All orders must be placed by July 1, 2012. Click here for an order form.
- Following the event, the banner will be given to you, so you can give it to the purchaser. It’s a great way to thank them for their support!
Sell Sponsorships
Gain fundraising credit by selling event sponsorships. We are always looking for more event sponsors – cash and in-kind. Sponsorship opportunities range from $1,000 to $35,000. Visit our Bike MS sponsor page for more information and to download our sponsorship packages. You will receive fundraising credit for all sponsorships you sell!