Fundraising Tips
Your fundraising will help families with mental health needs in the GTA navigate the mental health care system by connecting their youth in need with the right treatment at the right time. Thank you for reaching out to make a difference for this important cause!
Top Tips
Start early
The sooner you start asking for donations, the more money you will raise. As soon as you register to participate in the RBC Race for the Kids, get organized and start fundraising!
Make the first donation yourself and lead by example.
Once your friends, family and coworkers see that you made the first donation, they'll be more likely to donate too!
Customize your personal fundraising page
Similar to customizing your emails, make your personal fundraising page personal. Include a story about why you are running and raising money for youth mental health, include photos, videos or any other information you want people to know.
Send email
Make the email template yours! Include a personal story, why you are running, why raising money is important to you, where the money is going and who is benefiting from the funds.
Ask, ask, ask!
Don’t be shy — it’s okay to follow up with people. Sometimes they need a reminder. Give a short deadline to create urgency for people to respond.
Take it social!
Share a status update, ‘sweaty selfie’ or post about your participation in RBC Race for the Kids. Share your fundraising progress and ask for donations.
Send an immediate thank you
Once the event is over and you have completed your fundraising, send the results to your donors and thank them for their support so they know where their money went you might reach out to them for support again next year!
Fundraising ideas
- Email signature: Put a note in your email signature with a link to your personal fundraising page.
- Yard sale: Clean out your basement or garage and hold a yard sale in support of your race.
- Car wash: Set up your hoses, buckets and sponges and hold a car wash. If you charge $10 per car, you’ll meet your fundraising minimum in no time!
- Bottle drive: Collect empty bottles and cans that you can return for deposit and put the proceeds toward your fundraising goal.
- Corporate matching: Your company might match your fundraising—be sure to take advantage of corporate matching gift programs!
- Casual or dress down day at work: Coordinate a ‘dress down’ day at work where your colleagues get to wear their favourite jeans into the office in exchange for a donation.
- Bake sale: A classic bake sale is always a hit!
- Summer BBQ: Host a summer BBQ and ask guests to make a donation in exchange for a burger hot off the grill.
- Donate your birthday: Ask for donations in lieu of gifts.
