Resources for Setting up a #GivingTuesday Fundraising Page
If you want some suggestions for setting up a #GivingTuesday fundraising page, here are some resources and strategies.
You can set up a simple page on our online giving platform in less than five minutes. Here’s what’s involved:
- Click on this link to get to our online platform
- Click on the button “Become a Fundraiser” and complete the form
- Personalize your page with a picture and a little bit of text
- You’ll receive a link to your page and dedicated text message code to send to your friends and family
Resources and Strategies
A general rule of fundraising is to keep your message and your content simple and to speak from the heart. You’re launching a fundraising page for UWC-USA so you have strong, positive feelings about the school and the UWC mission. Make sure that comes across at every turn!
Here are some images of the school that you can use to customize your page. Using your own pictures, however, personalizes your page.
There is some text that autoloads into your fundraising page as it is generated. Feel free to personalize it – but make it short and sweet. Here are some suggestions:
I’m fundraising for UWC-USA because they do amazing work, and I’m inviting friends like you to support my campaign. Thanks for taking a moment to check it out!
There are many worthy causes that deserve our support on #GivingTuesday. But I’m supporting UWC-USA because we need more students like the amazing young people who graduate from this great school every year. I hope you’ll join me as I raise funds to support scholarships and programs.
The mission that drives UWC-USA and the students – making education a force to unite and bridge differences between others – is a mission that I want to get behind. I’m donating and raising funds for scholarships so more students can attend UWC-USA.
Obviously social media is an important way for you to reach potential donors and get them to your page. Try to keep your social media posts short and to the point. Here are some options.
For Facebook or Instagram:
I’m supporting UWC-USA this #GivingTuesday and I invite you to join me. Learn more about why I’m raising money for scholarships for students from around the world and chip in a few dollars toward my $250 goal.
This #GivingTuesday I’m raising $500 for scholarships for students to attend UWC-USA. Students who attend UWC-USA are dedicated to being the next generation of global leaders and changemakers. I want the world to be a better place and this is one small way i can help out. Check out my fundraising page and chip in a few dollars if you can.
For Twitter:
This #GivingTuesday I’m supporting #uwcusa and raising money for scholarships. Learn more and help out!
Once your page is up and running, you’ll be able to direct your friends, family, and coworkers to it by sending them the link or sending them a code to use via text message. Both the link and the texting code are unique to you and will direct people to your fundraising page. You can share the link or the text code any way you’d like. Here are a few suggestions:
- Write a short email including the link to your giving page and send it to those who might want to give. Explain why you are supporting UWC-USA.
- Write an even shorter text message to close friends and include the text messaging code for them to respond to.
- Share the link on social media – Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter have been the most effective in the past.
- Call a few people and ask them if you can send them the link or text code.
The process is really very simple, but if you get stuck or have technical issues, we are happy to help!
Alumni should reach out to Reed Baumgarten – alumni@uwc-usa.org
Everyone else should reach out to Olivia Kuykendall – olivia.kuykendall@uwc-usa.org
Other Resources
Some additional resources are available below – but don’t make this too complicated. It’s really about sharing your enthusiasm for the UWC mission with your friends.
1. Suggest setting an easy goal and raise it later. Start with a goal of $200 and once this is hit raise the goal! Beating the goal is something else participants can share on social encouraging more donations. Suggest a couple of easy campaign steps to help them raise that first $200.
2. The first donation should be their own. An opening tally above $20 is a great start, and leading the charge of donations by example has an escalating effect on the final dollar amount.
3. Encourage them to ask for set amounts. If they ask for $30 donations they’re likely to achieve $30 donations as opposed to $5 or $10 donations. Use the power of setting dynamic donation amounts. They work!
4. Use social channels and email. I’ve said it before, peer-to-peer fundraising and social media are a match made in heaven, however it is only a part of the campaign story. Email asks can achieve more fundraising success than social. This is all trial and case by case, but don’t forget to ask by email.
5. Have them tell their story about why they chose you and your cause. So many participants have a personal connection with the cause. The story of why they got involved can make the difference with their friends, family and coworkers. Making the story personal will connect with more potential givers.
6. Don’t forget to tell them to have fun. Fundraising is not supposed to be a task. With a positive attitude, they’re likely to achieve high results and come back again and again.
Adapted from frontstream.
"We are a learning and practicing community, embracing our shared responsibility for personal growth, constructive engagement, and leadership in service of the common good. By holding ourselves accountable to this approach, we bring to life Kurt Hahn’s insight: 'We are crew, not passengers, strengthened by acts of consequential service to others.'”