Fundraising

[alice]

Now that I've got a fast (to me) bike, I'd like to get out and push my limits a little bit in terms of distance, and a charity ride seems like a nice way to do that. That being said, I'm more than a little worried about fundraising. I have a grand total of two family members, and all of my friends are just out of college and even more broke than I am.

Any advice on this challenge? For rides that don't have a fundraising minimum, are people who don't raise much looked down on?

[Blueberry]

There are lots of creative ways to raise money - depending on what you want to do/which groups you ride with. Some MS Rides have other fundraising rides or runs during the year, and you can get credit for volunteering. You could have your buddies over for a chili potluck (they bring sides, you cook chili) and ask for a $5 per head donation. I've always been surprised that the people who really couldn't afford to give much gave in much higher percentages. TE folks have been very generous to me in the past. Lots of ways to get it done.

There are certainly charity rides that have no donation minimums (they usually don't really focus on fundraising other than the registration fee). I've not felt pressure at those to fund raise. Another option would be to find an organized ride near you that's not necessarily fundraising. Our local bike club does one - the proceeds from the registration fee are donated to charity, but they don't seek additional donations to my knowledge. If you don't really care about the charity and you're just doing it to have support, this is probably your best option IMO.

[ny biker]

For rides that don't have a fundraising minimum, are people who don't raise much looked down on?

No one outside of the organization running the fundraiser will know how much you raised unless you tell them.

I usually raise the bare minimum for charity rides. No one gives me any grief for it. They're happy for anything you can bring in.

[shootingstar]

Perhaps for motivation long-term on cycling, you might be better off to keep a cycling diary that logs mileage each time you bike per day. The total mileage can really cumulate!

[Karma007]

I'm fundraising for the LIVESTRONG ride right now, and feel your pain. I've hit up my Facebooker's, parents, and anyone else I've ever bought a school fundraiser from. Tomorrow I'll be bringing in goodies to work- not for sale, but more as a bribe. Little by little.....

[Jen12]

It's slightly frustrating, isn't it? I'm fundraising for Team in Training and I sent out 89 messages between emails and Facebook. Nine of them have donated and three more said "soon." It's interesting that the people I thought I could count on the most haven't responded at all, and some people who I never expected to contribute (including some people from this forum who I've never even met) have made very generous contributions. You just can never tell.

I'm pretty sure the key is to be persistent, and a whole lot of creativity doesn't hurt either! Good luck!

[Crankin]

People don't respond because they may be constantly getting hit up for $. For example, DH is director of a division of 210 people or so across the world. They are a pretty fit bunch; if he gave to just one of them, he would have to give to all. He gets at least one e mail a day for money from people he works with. So, he doesn't give to anyone.
This is why I don't do charity rides, except for the kind that just have a registration fee with no obligation to raise more. The only one I did with huge fund raising commitments was paid for by DH's employer. I just can't ask people for money. I *do* give a contribution to the few people that have asked me over the years... maybe 3?
The whole thing about raising money to ride 50 or 100 miles leaves me uncomfortable. I am not sure why, as I do choose to give to various charities on my own.