fundraising kit
Welcome Kit: Table of Contents Welcome Message 2 About Connected in Motion 3 Getting Started 4 Sample Fundraising Page Message 5 Tips & Ideas 6 Using Social Media 8 Email Campaigns 9 Sample Emails 11 Offline Donations Form 14 Thank You! 15
WELCOME Thank you for supporting Connecting in Motion by fundraising as part of this year’s Scotiabank Ottawa Race Weekend! Since 2010, the Connected in Motion (CIM) community has been participating in Ottawa Race weekend under the banner of Team CIM. In 2014 Team CIM was 50 members strong, raising awareness about active living with Type 1 diabetes. A dozen of those participants also volunteered to raise funds as part of their participation in the races. In total, this committed group raised $13,000! These funds have been critical in helping CIM moving forward. If you’re reading through this document you are also interested in how you can support Connected in Motion’s programming through fundraising. We’ve put this kit together to help you figure out how to build your own successful campaign, maximizing your efforts to benefit the CIM community. Thank you for your time, effort, and enthusiasm in supporting Connected in Motion now and into the future! Don’t hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions or issues along the way… we’re here to assist you through each step of your race and fundraising goals!
Connected in Motion: History Connected in Motion (CIM) is a Canadian-based registered charity, whose mission is to foster a community of people living with Type 1 diabetes through peer-based experiential diabetes education, physical activity, and outdoor adventure pursuits so that they may inspire one another to live life without limits. CIM was started in 2008, when a group of young adults with Type 1 diabetes got together for the very first Slipstream retreat at Camp Wanakita, in Ontario. Since then, the organization has grown exponentially each year. We now organize multiple Slipstream events each year and, in 2010, added multi-day backcountry canoe trips to the roster of events we offer each year. Further, Connected in Motion puts on several single day events, designed to introduce adults with Type 1 diabetes to a wider array of physical activities. (Connected in Motion is registered with Revenue Canada under the title of The Experiential Diabetes Education Group, charitable number 850324658RR0001)
WHERE WE’VE BEEN
W H Y SU PP OR T PROGRAMS Connected in Motion? There are 300,000 people in Canada living with Type 1 diabetes. 80% of people living with Type 1 are adults, yet CIM remains the only organization dedicated to providing programming and support for this demographic. Without Connected in Motion, many people would be left to face Type 1 diabetes on their own.
What We Do
We call what we do experiential diabetes education
1 2 3 4
Day Programs
Opportunities for individuals to connect with the Type 1 community and be introduced to outdoor adventure and activity.
Slipstream Weekends
Multi-Day, experiential education programs merging skill development with the opportunity to expand comfort zones with relation to outdoor adventure, active living, and diabetes self-management.
Adventures
The next step. Opportunities for individuals to step outside of their comfort zone and learn through outdoor adventure.
2008-2014
Total Number of Programs
Number of 3630 Participants
Total Days Running Programs
182
Participant 5648 Days (Total) Since 2008 1,129 Followers
SInce 2008 2,211 Likes
Online Community
Fostering an online community of individuals living with Type 1 diabetes, along with their support networks. Providing opportunities to stay connecting during the ‘down time.’
88
SInce 2012 315 Posts 298 Followers
GETTING STARTED Signed up to fundraise and looking to build your personal fundraising page? This page should set you up with everything you need to get started!
PERSONALIZE YOUR PAGE Pages have a default greeting and set of photos when they’re first set up, making them all look the same. Make your fundraising page stand out by uploading your own photos and videos! Let people know what Connected in Motion does as a charity, and why you felt moved to support the organization through fundraising.
SET A GOAL
- We suggest that individuals establish a minimum $250 fundraising goal, but feel free to aim higher! - You can make things more interesting by tying your goal to something more personal and relevant to diabetes. Maybe it’s a dollar for every injection you take through the course of a year? Or ten dollars for every year your best friend has been Type 1? - Or, maybe you prefer to raise funds based on your race: Running a half-marathon? A great goal could be raising $25 for every kilometer of the race!
COMMUNICATE
- Once you’ve set up your personal fundraising page online, and have chosen a fundraising goal, it’s time to spread the word! - Send a link to your fundraising page through email or post it to social media... and don’t forget to let people know in person as well! - Don’t forget to follow up with people, letting them know how your fundraising efforts have progressed. - Highlight and thank those who have given donations on your social media channels. This will acknowledge those that have already given to your campaign, and motivate those you have not yet donated.
AIM HIGHER
Keep track of your progress in reaching your goal. If you reach your final total, aim higher! Raising your fundraising goal is a proven way to maximize your total donations.
Fundraising Sample Personal Letter Welcome to my fundraising page! Help me support Connected in Motion by making a donation. The process is fast, easy, and secure. I truly appreciate any support you can provide. It will benefit a great cause! What is Connected in Motion, you ask? Connected in Motion is a community of individuals who share a vision: To create a culture of support and engagement in diabetes self-management through peer-based experiential diabetes education, physical activity and outdoor adventure pursuits. By creating a community that is motivating, supporting and inspiring individuals to take charge of their health today, CIM is helping to improve the quality of life for people with diabetes now and tomorrow. If you can’t make a donation at this point, help me reach my goal by sharing this page on Facebook and Twitter! Or, even better, send an e-mail to friends you think might be interested in contributing and include a link to my page! Thanks so much for your support and generosity! Connected in Motion is a registered Canadian charity... that means that 100% of any Canadian donation of $20 or more is tax deductible! A charitable tax receipt from Connected in Motion will be emailed to you in early 2016 (just prior to tax season.) Questions for Connected in Motion? You can get in touch with the CIM Team at info@connectedinmotion.ca With Thanks, NAME EMAIL ADDRESS
Fundraising Tips and Ideas Don’t Be Shy!
Direct people to your fundraising page by posting the link on Facebook, Twitter, or including in an email to friends, family, and coworkers. Keep posting- sometimes people fully intend to donate, but your post or email caught them at a busy time. For those friends and family not on social media, consider giving them a call!
Advertise Your Training!
Let your friends and family know how hard you are training! If running a 5k, 10k, half-marathon, or marathon is new for you, let people know about your progress as you work toward that goal!
Use Numbers for Impact.
7 2008 85%
It has been seven years since Connected in Motion’s inaugural Slipstream event. The year Connected in Motion was founded. 85% of people living with Type 1 diabetes are adults— yet few supports exist for this population. Connected in Motion is one of the few organizations in North America that focuses on programming for people over 18 years of age.
Host a Garage Sale. We all have items lying around that we’d love to see to a new home—consider hosting a garage sale and having the proceeds go to your fundraising goal.
Spare Change Jar.
Spare change shows up around the house like used test strips! On the floor of your car. Between the cushions of the couch. Sometimes even in your shoe! Gather the spare change you find and collect it in a jar, with the total going toward your fundraising goal. Tell your friends and family about your spare change jar fundraising idea and encourage them to do the same!
Host a Bake Sale! Everyone loves a good bake sale! Host a bake sale at work, with the funds raised going toward your goal.
Sponsor a Kilometer
Ask your friends to sponsor a kilometer of your race. If you got just $20 for each kilometer that you will run, the results quickly add up!
Host a Movie Night or Wine Tasting at your Home
Who doesn’t love a good movie night or some wine tasting? Host an evening in your home and charge admission in the form of a donation!
Run a Virtual Happy Hour
Challenge your work colleagues to buy one another a ‘virtual drink’ on Friday afternoon. Get creative and put together a drink menu with donations as prices.
And most importantly, don’t forget a THANK YOU! Thank your donors publicly through social media- don’t forget to link it back to your fundraising page. Everybody loves get a little thank you note—consider a handwritten thank you for your donors.
Fundraising Using Social Media Advertise your training and fundraising efforts regularly.
Some items that you may want to update your friends about include: Why you’re running with Team CIM Why you’re raising funds for Connected in Motion How your training is coming along Progress in your fundraising efforts Thank you notes to people who have donated, along with a link to your fundraising page Some points to remember: photos, videos, and links attract people’s attention more than a basic status update. Try to include these in your status updates about your efforts in order to maximize exposure. Many of the same status updates that you make on Facebook are great for Twitter too! Remember to include hashtags. The Ottawa Race Weekend tag is #TORW2015 Team CIM’s hashtag is #TeamCIM If you want to mention Connected in Motion, our Twitter handle is @ ConnectinMotion Attaching a photo to your tweet makes it more likely that people will see and pay attention to your post when it comes up in their timeline. Tweet often, especially on weekends when Twitter’s traffic tends to be at its peak. Posting photos of your training is a great way to connect with people following about your fundraising and race efforts. Instagram won’t post functional links, but you can create a short memorable link to your fundraising page using bit.ly that you can include in your post. People can then find your fundraising page manually, by typing the link into their browser’s address bar. You can tag Connected in Motion in your Instagram photos using our Instagram handle, @ConnectinMotion
Fundraising Email Campaigns Sometimes social media posts get lost in people’s timelines, but sending emails to friends, family, and coworkers is a sure way to let your social circles know about your training and fundraising efforts! Here are some thoughts about constructing fundraising emails:
Subject Heading Be sure to get your email seen by including a subject line that is concise and direct Including the event and cause help get to the point of the email Eg. Help me support Connected in Motion as I complete my first half marathon!
Personalize Your Email
Just as personalizing your fundraising page will relay why donating to Connected in Motion is important to you, personalizing your email messages will help draw people into your fundraising efforts If you wrote a short story about why Connected in Motion is important to you, consider including all or part of it in your email Including your training progress and/or regime is another element you can include in your email—this shows the recipient how big of a commitment your are making
Talk about Connected in Motion If you’re not keen on sharing your personal story to illustrate the work that Connected in Motion does with the Type 1 diabetes community, give them more information about the organization generally Ex. There are approximately 300,000 people living with Type 1 diabetes. 85% of those living with Type 1 are adults, yet Connected in Motion is the only organization specifically dedicated to offering programming and support to this community.
Fundraising Email Campaigns Talk about Connected in Motion
If you’re not keen on sharing your personal story to illustrate the work that Connected in Motion does with the Type 1 diabetes community, give them more information about the organization generally Ex. There are approximately 300,000 people living with Type 1 diabetes. 85% of those living with Type 1 are adults, yet Connected in Motion is the only organization specifically dedicated to offering programming and support to this community.
Share a Link to your Fundraising Page
Share the link to your fundraising page in your email, so that people don’t have to do extra work and search for your donation page online If you’re worried that folks won’t want to make an online donation, there are options to collect offline donations
Ask People to Share Your Email
People may not be in a position to give to your campaign, but if they can share your message with their contacts it will expand your fundraising network.
Sign Off with a Thank You
Thanking people for taking the time to read through your request is a great way to end off your email
Frequency of Emails
If you’re emailing out a series of emails detailing your progress (we highly recommend it!) consider leaving two to three weeks in between emails
Fundraising Sample Campaign The next few pages outline a sample email campaign that you are welcome to modify and use as part of your fundraising efforts. You might want to send more emails than the ones outlined, but these four represent a bare minimum email campaign.
Introducing people to your running and fundraising
EMAIL # 1
Hi [Insert Recipient’s Name]! I’m writing to let you know that I am participating in the [5K/10K/ half-marathon/full marathon] with Team CIM at this year’s Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend in May! I have also decided to also raise funds for Connected in Motion (CIM) as part of my race efforts. Why am I supporting Connected in Motion? It’s an outstanding organization that works to provide peer-based experiential diabetes education and support to adults with Type 1 diabetes. [The second paragraph can be a personal message about your ties to Connected in Motion and why supporting the organization is so important to you. Perhaps you have Type 1 diabetes and have benefitted from the programming offered by Connect in Motion? Or, maybe a good friend has Type 1 and has talked a lot about how great the organization is to them? Below is an example: As you know, I have had Type 1 diabetes for over 20 years. Like a lot of other adults, I found it hard to find others dealing with Type 1. I was so happy when I found Connected in Motion, and was finally able to connect with others dealing with Type 1 diabetes! On top of getting to try out new activities (like canoeing!) that helped me keep active and manage my diabetes better, I was able to find people who understood the ups and downs of life with Type 1. There is an estimated 300,000 people living with Type 1 diabetes in Canada, and 85% of these individuals are adults; however, Connected in Motion is the only organization dedicated to serving this population. Your support would truly be making a difference and would mean a lot to me. Please consider making a donation to my fundraising page here: [Insert Link] Thank you in advance for your support and generosity! Every little bit helps as I make my way to goal of [Insert Fundraising Goal]. Sincerely, [Your Name] Want to know more about Connected in Motion? Check out their website at www.connectedinmotion.ca!
Fundraising Sample Campaign Hi [Insert Name],
EMAIL # 2
Gently reminding family, friends, and coworkers of your efforts
I am [X Number of Weeks] away from running the [Insert Distance] race in Ottawa with Team CIM! I am really excited about my training and fundraising progress, with [Amount Raised ] already contributed to my goal of [Insert Fundraising Goal]! [Insert several sentences summing up why this race and your fundraising efforts are personally important to you.]
Your generosity truly helps make a difference in the lives of adults living with Type 1 diabetes. By supporting Connected in Motion and its peerbased experiential diabetes education initiatives, you are supporting one of the only spaces where adults with Type 1 diabetes can come together, network, and learn about managing their diabetes through physical activity. [It is a good idea to highlight those who have supported your fundraising efforts to date; you can either name them personally, or just give a general shout out to all that have contributed to your campaign thus far!] [Reminder: If you are organizing any sort of offline fundraising event, don’t forget to inform your network in the email!]
If you have not yet contributed to my fundraising campaign, please consider making a donation by clicking the following link to my fundraising page: [Insert Link]. Thank you so much for your encouragement and support! With your help, I know I will reach my goal of [Insert Fundraising Goal]! All the best, [Your Name] Want to know more about Connected in Motion? Check out their website at www.connectedinmotion.ca!
EMAIL # 3
It’s Almost Race Time! Dear [Insert Name], I can’t believe race day is almost here! Over the last few weeks I have received so much support for my training efforts and my fundraising goal of [Insert Fundraising Goal]. Thank you so much! I am truly grateful for all the encouragement. [Insert information about how your training has gone so far: Has it been a difficult journey, but you’ve pushed through and shown perseverance? Or, has it been easier than you thought and you realized a new found love for running?] [Insert information about your fundraising progress. Have you received new donations? Perhaps you’ve even reached your goal? Convey your pride in your fundraising efforts thus far, and let people know how thankful you are for their contributions!] There is still time to support me and my fundraising efforts for Connected in Motion! If you have not yet contributed, people consider making a donation to my efforts. You can click on the following link to my fundraising page to make a secure, tax-deductible donation: [Insert Link]. Thank you again for your encouragement and support! I look forward to sharing my race day experiences with you! Sincerely, [Your Name] Want to know more about Connected in Motion? Check out their website at www.connectedinmotion.ca!
Fundraising Sample Campaign Dear [Insert Name],
EMAIL # 4
Race Day Recap and Thank You I am now officially a finisher of this year’s Ottawa Race Weekend [Insert your Distance] race! I cannot thank you enough for your support! Your encouragement helped me reach my goal of [Insert Training Goal] and my fundraising goal of [Insert Fundraising Goal].
[If you would like to share some highlights of the race weekend, consider inserting them here. You could share your thoughts leading up to the race and how you felt afterwards. Or, maybe you took photos throughout the weekend and would like to pass them along so people can see how great your weekend was with Team CIM! Did you meet others dealing with Type 1? Were you inspired by your teammates? Did you learn something new along the way? Those are all great things to include in this email to your supporters!] As of today, I have raised [Insert Fundraising Amount] for Connected in Motion. Even though the race weekend is over, it is never too late make a donation! If you missed supporting this great organization through my fundraising page, please consider making a donation today to their general fundraising page here: https://www.canadahelps.org/dn/19197 Thank you again for your support and encouragement! I could not have made these awesome accomplishments without your kind support! Sincerely, [Your Name] Want to know more about Connected in Motion? Check out their website at www.connectedinmotion.ca!
Offline Charitable Donation Form First Name: Last Name: Mailing Address: City: Province: Postal Code: Date: Email: **Please Note: Charitable Receipts will be provided electronically via email unless otherwise requested. Please ensure you have provided a valid email address.
Donation Amount: $ Please make cheques payable to: Connected in Motion Donations made in Canadian Currency and over $20 are tax deductible. Please forward all donations to: Connected in Motion 201 - 55 York Street Toronto, Ontario M5J 1R7 905.931.2214 donations@connectedinmotion.ca
THANK YOU!
A huge and heartfelt thanks to you for supporting Connected in Motion’s mission through your fundraising efforts and run with Team CIM on race day! If you have any further questions regarding your fundraising campaign, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. We’re always here to help make the journey to your goals a fun and successful experience!
Connected in Motion 201-55 York Street Toronto, Ontario M5J 1R7
p: 905-931-2214 e: jen@connectedinmotion.ca www.connectedinmotion.ca