you get the opportunity to rappel down a TALL building, you'll also be ... There
are TONS of reasons your potential donors should support you; the key is to ...
Rappeller Toolkit
g tall buildings lin a sc to e id gu ’s er The insid SunTrust Center: Richmond, VA October 17-18, 2013
Virginia
Table of Contents Welcome...................................................... 3 How You’re Helping.................................... 3 Getting Started........................................... 4 Fundraising 101.......................................... 5 Top 10 Fundraising Tips............................. 6 Fundraising Resources/Downloads...... 7-8 Where Do the Funds Go?........................... 9 What to Expect......................................... 10 Testimonials.............................................. 11
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Welcome! Welcome to Over the Edge!
You’re about to embark on a mission of epic proportions for Special Olympics Virginia. Not only will you get the opportunity to rappel down a TALL building, you’ll also be supporting Special Olympics Virginia athletes in the process. It’s a win-win! Raising $1,000 can seem daunting at first, so we put together this Toolkit to help you get there. Remember, this isn’t your typical fundraiser…you’ll be surprised how quickly your friends and family will donate to see you dangling (safely!) from the roof of a building!
How You’re Helping Rappelling down a skyscraper is pretty amazing,
but to do it for Special Olympics Virginia is epic. A recent study shows that developmental disabilities affect nearly 140,000 adults and children in Virginia. This includes 71,500 adults and children over age 6 who could potentially benefit from FREE participation in our year-round programs. We currently serve more than 13,000 athletes with intellectual disabilities in the Commonwealth. Every dollar you raise, and every step you take toward the roof of that skyscraper, helps us reach more athletes, families and volunteers as we strive to build a Bigger, Better Community. For more information about the programs Special Olympics Virginia provides, please click here.
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Getting Started
Set up your fundraising page
If you didn’t get a chance to set up your personal fundraising page when you registered, be sure to do so ASAP! Firstgiving should have sent you a confirmation email to verify your registration, and you’ll be able to use that log-in information to create and edit your personal page. Simply visit firstgiving.com/overtheedgeva and sign in.
Raise funds
Now you’ll have a personalized fundraising Web site and link to share with friends and family. Start by sharing your link on Facebook, sending it via email to your contacts, and tweeting it out to the world! For more tips and templates to help you share your link and raise funds, see pages 7-8.
Secure your rappel spot
So you made it to the $1,000 fundraising minimum (easier than you expected, right?!), now what? You’ll receive an email reminding you to secure your rappel time. Rappel spots fill up on a “first-to-$1,000-first-served” basis, so the sooner you reach your goal, the sooner you can snatch up a spot!
Aim high (and earn incentives!)
You’re rappelling off a building…why not aim HIGH with your fundraising goals? All rappellers will receive a snazzy event shirt, but if you’re willing to go above and beyond, we’ll let you bring a friend along for the ride. For every $1,000 you raise, someone gets to rappel.
Go Over the Edge
October 17-18, 2013 will quite possibly turn out to be one of the best (and most exciting, awesome, and exhilarating) days of your life! Check out www.overtheedgeva.com and page 10 of this handbook for day-of logistics. Of course, you can always contact Anita Dean (your friendly neighborhood event director) if you have questions in the meantime.
For every $1,000 you raise, someone gets to rappel. PAGE 4
Fundraising 101 So now you’re probably wondering, “what’s the secret to raising $1,000?” The answer is easier than you think…
JUST ASK!
Your potential donors won’t know about your BIG rappel unless you tell them, and they won’t donate to your cause unless you ask. Really, it’s that simple!
There are TONS of reasons your potential donors should support you; the key is to effectively and consistently tell them why. That’s where this Toolkit comes in…
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So you’ve got your fundraising page set up. Now make it personal. If it’s been a lifelong dream to bring out your inner Spiderman, share your story. If you have a family member with an intellectual disability, share your story. If you have a thing for extreme events, share your story. If you volunteer for Special Olympics, share your story. Your potential donors know YOU and want to know why YOU are crazy enough to rappel down a building. Make your list. Who do you know? You never know who will come out of the woodwork and want to support you! The more people you ask, the more donations you’ll receive.
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Ask. Ask. And, yes, you guessed it, ask again. Once you’ve initially shared your fundraising link with your list (and posted it on all your social media channels), make a plan for how often you want to follow up. Update your friends and family when you’ve made fundraising progress, or if you’ve decided to wear a costume while you rappel. If you have a good reason to update them, your potential donors won’t mind hearing from you often. Share your progress, your thoughts about rappelling, or even ask for costume suggestions.
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Follow up. Some people will just plain forget to donate to you. They have every intention of helping you out, but just forgot (or they are just so popular that your posts are getting pushed down on their Facebook or Twitter feeds). If someone says they want to see you on that roof, make sure you remind them to donate!
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Report the facts. When you’re so close to $1,000 you can taste it, let your donors know that it won’t take much more to (literally) send you Over the Edge. And when you get to $1,000 and know your rappel time, send that information out along with a reminder that you’re still accepting donations and hope they can come out and watch you on event day!
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Yell THANK YOU from the roof tops. In the end, it’s the donor who makes your rappel possible, and who helps Special Olympics Virginia build a Bigger, Better Community. While you’ll actually be able to yell thank you from a roof top, we suggest emailing, posting on Facebook, or making a phone call too!
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Top 10 Fundraising Tips Share YOUR story.
Make your fundraising page as personal as possible with text and photos.
Remember that anyone is a potential donor.
You’re rappelling down a building for Special Olympics Virginia…EVERYONE should know that.
Aim high.
Ask for a $50 donation and settle for $25, instead of asking for $25 and settling for $10.
Donations are tax deductible.
Don’t forget to share this fact with your potential donors.
Use the custom Over the Edge Facebook cover photo. Check out our downloads page for some cool interactive tools.
Ask, remind, follow up.
Regularly share updates about your fundraising progress. If you’ve got something new to talk about, your donors won’t mind hearing from you (remember, they’re your friends, they
