Difficulty meeting goals

[boxer]

Are any of you having trouble meeting your fund raising goals this year? I've tried everything and I am several hundred short of my goal. I've participated in the Kansas City Bike Ride for Multiple Sclerosis on two previous years and never had this much trouble meeting a fund raising goal. I guess times are really tough? Any last minute suggestions? Please contribute if you can, although I know there are so many worthwhile causes out there.

Best Wishes to everyone,
Michelle Sims



EVERY MILE COUNTS

Please consider donating to the 2008 MS Bike Ride. Thank you in advance.

http://main.nationalmssociety.org/goto/michellesims

[KnottedYet]

There are some pretty creative solutions used by other TE'ers.

Selling homemade cookies is one of my favorites.

I know that if someone is providing something (cookies, flowers, refrigerator magnets, bracelets, ribbons, hugs, handmade seashell Christmas tree ornaments) I'm much more likely to donate. And to donate more than the asking price, of course!

[Blueberry]

We're gonna do cookies this year I'm actually not working ATM, and that's why we haven't had all of the normal sources of funding available. I've been shocked and amazed at the generosity of TE. I truly wish I could support each and every person here.

CA

[boxer]

Thanks ladies for the advice. I finally met my goal, but just barely. However, I'm happy to have met it. I didn't make cookies, because I'm not allowed to "sell" anything at work and that's where I am all the time. I did offer a discount on Avon which I sell, but had no takers. Cookies do seem like a good idea. I might try that next year and do it at my son's soccer games! I like that idea. Best wishes to all of you on your charity rides!
Sincerely,'
Michelle

[Zen]

Businesses and banks.

[spindizzy]

I only do one charity event a year. So people know I will only ask them once to donate. So everyone is pretty good. I also let everyone know everyone who rides this event pays a fee to cover running the event; that 100% of their donation goes to the cause.

[Fujichants]

I am also having a tough time meeting my goals...all my friends have entry-level jobs (we are just 2 years out of college) and don't have much money to donate. Besides, they just don't understand the concept of a charity ride and why I ride so much, despite me trying to explain it to them. In their words: "we'd much rather take you out to lunch than donate!".

Scratching my head What to do? I can only ask my parents and their friends for so much.

I can't even bake cookies because BF's mom is a kitchen Nazi.

[Possegal]

If your friends would rather take you out to eat, then you should try and set up a fundraiser with a local restaurant. I raised $106 with a place in Pittsburgh for my livestrong ride. And I raised $615 in a yard sale. Those are the two things I would recommend first. There are a lot of places out there that will donate money as part of their corporate philanthropy, you just have to do the leg work.

[Blueberry]

Thanks ladies for the advice. I finally met my goal, but just barely. However, I'm happy to have met it. I didn't make cookies, because I'm not allowed to "sell" anything at work and that's where I am all the time. I did offer a discount on Avon which I sell, but had no takers. Cookies do seem like a good idea. I might try that next year and do it at my son's soccer games! I like that idea. Best wishes to all of you on your charity rides!
Sincerely,'
Michelle

I think most workplaces won't let you "sell" them - don't know if it would be too gray for yours, but we usually just bring them in "to thank donors." Folks usually get the idea that you can have them, but you prolly need to donate. Of course, last year half of DH's batch got cleaned out by someone "who was hungry, but didn't want to donate." It's the risk you run.

CA

[uk elephant]

I did the cookie sales at work, and to friends with great success last year. A lot of my friends are still students and can't give much, but are always buying snacks so cookies went down a treat. I'll be doing the same this time around (for alc next year), but this year I am also trying something new. I've booked a table at the local pre x-mas craft fair and am knitting every spare moment I get. I'll be selling traditional Norwegian wooly socks and mittens. And a friend is making earrings for me to sell too. I'll let you all know how that goes....

Other things I did that worked last time around....I e-mailed/wrote to everyone I have ever met that I still had an address/email for, including people from projects I have worked on, friends I have lost touch with, family I have barely seen. Ended up with several unexpeced donations, and as an added bonus got back in touch with a few friends I hadn't heard from in years.

[newfsmith]

I sold my car. It brought more than my baking would.

[Duck on Wheels]

I did the cookie sales at work, and to friends with great success last year. A lot of my friends are still students and can't give much, but are always buying snacks so cookies went down a treat. I'll be doing the same this time around (for alc next year), but this year I am also trying something new. I've booked a table at the local pre x-mas craft fair and am knitting every spare moment I get. I'll be selling traditional Norwegian wooly socks and mittens. And a friend is making earrings for me to sell too. I'll let you all know how that goes....

Other things I did that worked last time around....I e-mailed/wrote to everyone I have ever met that I still had an address/email for, including people from projects I have worked on, friends I have lost touch with, family I have barely seen. Ended up with several unexpeced donations, and as an added bonus got back in touch with a few friends I hadn't heard from in years.

I can't do the cookie sale thing because food sale tables on campus are for student organisations only. So I guess I'll have to put in a couple of days' work loading up all the email addresses in my years and years of emailing. Gasp! Just think of the numbers of students I've emailed over the years! And colleagues, and businesses, and and and. It'll be quite a list! Then compose a letter that works for family, friends, colleagues, and all the way down to folks I've maybe never even met. Then we'll see. Times are tough, and the minimum fundraising goal is up to $3000, but Trek and UK got me hooked so I'll just have to try.

I'll also have to phone back and nag at my gym's publicity manager again. I could hear his eyes lighting up about the publicity possibilities, but he said they didn't have a sponsorship budget so couldn't donate. Hah! They've got a stunt going where for every friend you get signed up as a new member you get one month of your membership free. That's about $55 a pop. If the publicity of me training there for the ALC was enough to light up his mercenary little eyes over the phone, surely that's because he figures it'd bring in at least a few new members! Now if they would promise me say 3 free months, I'll do the promotion and contribute that money in their name -- anonymously if they don't want to set a visible precedent. Then if more than that sign up and mention the publicity thing as a motivator, they're welcome to "donate" more in the same fashion. Whaddaya think, ladies? Does that make sense? Would you be more inclined to join a gym if they featured a 60-year-old lady who'd trained herself in good enough shape there to ride 545 miles in 7 days?

[uk elephant]

makes sense to me....but maybe my brain works on the same brainwave being related and all...

I'm sure you will have no trouble reaching the minimum. Just keep asking everyone you have ever met/e-mailed and keep asking. You've got lots of contacts. And add a little signature on the bottom of your e-mail with a link to your donations page. Maybe mention it to the spinning class you go to too. The other regulars will be supportive of your efforts. Make up a little card to give them all if they ask. And when you get your t-shirt, keep wearing it. Then give out a little card with details on donating when someone asks about it. Worked for at least one donation for me last time...

[Trek420]

Are any of you having trouble meeting your fund raising goals this year? I've tried everything and I am several hundred short of my goal. I've participated in the Kansas City Bike Ride for Multiple Sclerosis on two previous years and never had this much trouble meeting a fund raising goal. I guess times are really tough?

Boxer, some of our best ideas here.

http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=23437

Thanks for riding!