How to Fundraise

Fundraising is easy at CNOY! Follow our five simple fundraising steps below:


Video Fundraising Tips8 quick tips (with cartoons) to supercharge your fundraising - show it to your team!

Step 1: Set up Your Fundraising Page

Your personal Fundhub fundraising page is where donors will go to give to you online. Make sure it's ready by uploading a picture of you smiling (people love that!) and write a short welcome message to explain why you are participating. Your fan club wants to know details - fill them in and post some pics!


Step 2: Write Your Fundraising Email

To fundraise well, you need to ask well. So, take a few minutes and write the email you'll send to each donor personally. Use the email templates in Fundhub for inspiration, and definitely remember to include the link to your personal fundraising page so they can respond online.


A good fundraising email is...

  • Direct: A few words of greeting followed by "I'm emailing to ask for your support" is a good idea
  • Short: Don't exhaust your donor with a 2000-word essay - shorter is always better
  • Honest: Explain why this event is important to you and a little bit about who you're helping
  • Linked: Be sure to include a link to your personal fundraising page so people can click and give


Step 3: Make a List of Potential Donors

Once your email is done, take a few minutes to make a list of potential donors you could ask. Here's a quick list to help you brainstorm below:

Family

Friends

Neighbours

Ask your spouse, parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, brothers, and sisters.

Ask your #BFF, the friend you walk to the gym with, and the dude who sits behind you in lunch. We bet you know lots of friends to ask.

Yup, like the nice couple who live beside you, your yoga instructor, bus driver, piano teacher, or life coach. They are all good potential people to ask.

Step 4: Email Each Donor Personally

Don't send a mass email! Resist the urge to fire off emails to a big group - they almost never work. Take the time to carefully write your email and edit each one personally, even if it's just adjusting something you copy-and-paste. That way, your friends will know you are serious, and will likely respond by giving seriously to you too.


Step 5: Say Thank You!

Make sure you say thank you, whether by email, text, or phone. It's more than good manners - it lets them know that you noticed their generosity and are thankful for their help. It rewards your donors with your gratitude, and may even help them say yes next year when you ask them again!


For more excellent fundraising campaign ideas, click here!

Got questions about the Coldest Night of the Year?
info@cnoy.org | 1.877.743.3413