Fundraising Tips

The Women's Cancer Resource Center would like to help you in raising your donations for the Swim A Mile. Here are some helpful fundraising hints that will make reaching your $350 goal a snap. Fundraising is always a challenge, and asking for money is, well…not always the easiest. But asking 14 people (family, friends, etc.) for $25 to support you in helping women with cancer may be an easier ask!

It helps to know all the services of WCRC prior to asking people to sponsor you. View a quick synopsis of WCRC's services to the community (pdf).

A good thing to remember is that people give money to people – they don't give money to causes. Or, another way to say it is that they will give money to you, because they trust your judgment, because you support the cause, and because you asked.

Here are some pointers to get you started raising your $350.

  • Be clear about why you are doing the Swim A Mile. When you ask for contributions, share your personal reasons for getting involved in advocacy for women with cancer and their families and friends. View a script that could help you ask for donations (doc).  You can also post your reason for doing the Swim A Mile on your personalized Swim A Mile website.
  • Develop an email/mailing/phone list. Think of everyone you know. Include family, friends, classmates, work associates, individuals in clubs and organizations you belong to, neighbors, people from your religious group, companies and corporations you are connected with, community businesses where you spend money (doctors, dentists, salons, delis, grocery stores, drug stores, health clubs), anyone who owes you a favor. If you are on Facebook it might help to browse through your Friends list to see who you could ask. Don't make up reasons to keep someone off of your list.  Next to the names on your list write down the amount of money you're counting on them to donate.
  • Let them decide if they want to contribute or not. Most people are interested in supporting worthy causes, and if a monetary request comes from a friend, coworker  or familiar face, they should be all the more willing to donate.
  • Be sure to ask the people on your list! 

  • Raising your $350 doesn't have to mean asking a person for money face to face. Many swimmers have found success in sending a letter asking for support via email or regular mail (if you are using snail mail, it helps to send a self-addressed, stamped envelope with your letter so they can mail a donation back to you). If you are using email, be sure to send them your Swim a Mile webpage link; that way, they can learn more about why you are doing the Swim A Mile and donate online!

  • You can use your Facebook page to let your friends know that you are swimming a mile for women with cancer.  Your status updates could alert friends to your fundraising and swim training progress. Please see the below example of how to use your status updates thanks to swimmer and WCRC contractor Christine Sinnott. In addition to status updates you can also post a note and “tag” your friends in it.”

      Please see the below example of how to use your status updates thanks to swimmer and WCRC contractor Christine Sinnott.

    1. Please click on the links below to view letters authored by some of last year's swimmers (all names have been removed).
    2. When you have a sponsor's support, be sure to follow up. This will let your sponsors know you are committed to this event. Send updates or newsletters about your training and/or fundraising progress. Make phone calls or send email updates.
    3. Find out about the Matching Fund Program at your job or that of your sponsors. Employees will donate by matching the amount of money donated by an employee. These programs are a great way to meet and beat your own goals. If your employer doesn’t have a matching program, simply ask them for $50. Many corporate cultures encourage employee participation in charitable causes and are more than happy to support them through monetary contributions.
    4. Carry your donation tracking sheet with you at all times and remember, it really doesn't hurt to ask . . . you will find donations and generosity in some unexpected places.  Here are a few creative ideas:
      • Ask local community groups such as churches and professional organizations if you can make a brief presentation and pass out donation forms at their next meeting. Many groups have newsletters in which you can print an announcement.
      • Hold a bake sale at work. Ask friends to bake goodies for you so you don't have to do all the baking yourself.
      • Ask the waiters in your favorite restaurant if they will donate a percentage of one day's tips. Or, if you work in a restaurant, ask your colleagues to donate tips to a donation jar.
      • Hold a dinner party with a special theme for 10 of your friends. Donation: $50 a head. Spend no more than $20 a head on food and you'll have over $300 in donations!
      • Delegate. Give 10 friends 10 pledge forms and ask them to get pledges for you.
      • Send letters to the parents of kids on your child's sports (soccer, baseball, etc.) teams.
      • Contact the national chapter of your college fraternity or social organization to ask for a big donation. If you did not belong to a fraternity or sorority, ask someone who did to make the contact.
    5. Be sure to send a thank-you letter after the swim thanking your sponsors for their support and letting them know how you did. The WCRC will send an acknowledgment letter too, but sponsors would love to hear from you directly. We have created Swim A Mile thank-you stationary (doc) for this specific use.

Resources to Help You Create a Fundraising Plan

Here are two articles that you might find helpful in creating a fundraising plan:

Throw a Houseparty to Fundraise!

If you are interested in a quick and easy way to raise your $350, throw a house party! The House Party Manual (doc) describes how to organize a successful house party, a useful and FUN fundraising tool. If you are unable to have a house party at your home, or a friend’s home, we might be able to offer the Women’s Cancer Resource Center’s facility located at 5741 Telegraph Ave. in Oakland (subject to availability).  And don’t worry a staff member from WCRC will be there to talk about WCRC!

Additionally, if you decide to put together a house party, WCRC's house party liaison will be available to help you along the way. If you would like to talk this option over, please call Ali Vogt at (510) 527-1918 or email ali@wcrc.org.