Creative Fundraising Ideas

  1. Change your answering machine and/or voicemail message to mention your participation in the MS Bike Tour.
  2. Create return address labels that read: "I'm riding in the MS Bike Tour. Will you sponsor me?"
  3. Leave "Have you seen me riding?" letters or packets on front doors to get donations from neighbors.
  4. Ask your hair stylist if he/she would donate $2 of each haircut over a weekend.
  5. Create a rolling screen saver on your work computer as a reminder to your co-workers who haven't sponsored you yet.
  6. Ask your auto mechanic, doctor, dentist, veterinarian, chiropractor, insurance agent, massage therapist, etc. for a pledge.
  7. Wear an MS Band of Hope or MS Ribbon of Hope to initiate conversations with people who see you wearing it.
  8. Every time someone at work says "y'all" or "you guys," they ante up $1 to the pledge jar.
  9. Put a message on the Employee Bulletin Board, your SharePoint Team Site, or Exchange. Send respondents a pledge form. You could also use a physical bulletin board.
  10. Raffle off a PTO day or a choice parking spot.
  11. When asking for pledges, mention "my average pledge has been around $XX. Will you sponsor me?"
  12. In lieu of a gift on your birthday or other occasion, ask family and friends to sponsor you.
  13. Post a message on an Internet chat room with an E-Pledge link. Some participants raise more than $1,000 this way from people across the country. Also, include this link in your auto signature on your email accounts.
  14. Rent me or my team. Offer your services for a day of babysitting, house sitting, cleaning, lawn care, car washing, or moving.
  15. Have a sale or auction and donate the proceeds (Garage, eBay, or Bake)
  16. Identify one corporate sponsor to ask for a large donation.
  17. Host a party.
  18. Create a challenge between or within any group of people to exceed the sponsorship of another person in the group or another group. For example, another team in your office location, golf buddies, book club, dinner groups, or gym pals.
  19. Enlist a go-between or delegate. Take advantage of the networks of your friends.
  20. Remind your sponsors to use matching gifts. Many companies match their employees' donations to non-profit organizations. This is a great way to double pledge dollars.

Wachovia will match gifts for employees up to $1,000. Be sure to direct them to the "WE Give" section after they log in to HR Online. For more information about the program, Wachovians can visit the Matching Gifts page on the Community site on Exchange.

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