How do I fundraise?
Congratulations! You've signed up to Walk to Green Line over 3 days along the border between Israel and Palestine. This is no small feat! You've also pledged to raise a Minimum Sponsorship Amount of $2500 or 2000€ to support the work of IPCRI - the Israel/Palestine Center for Research and information.
In some ways, the most powerful educational impact of the Walk is the Walk itself - being in Israel and Palestine and seeing the situation from a new perspective. We could ask you to pay a registration fee, cover the Walk's costs, and call it a day. But we don't, because fundraising is central to the Walk's broader impact. The Walk's proceeds work far and wide to create the kind of world we want to live in.
Fundraising is easier and more rewarding than you might think. We hope and intend that these materials will get you excited about raising money to make a difference and give you the confidence that you'll be able to meet-and exceed-your fundraising goals!
Getting Started
It is no surprise that some walkers are intimidated by the notion of raising $2500 or 2000€ (university students only need to raise 50%); . Not to worry, we are here to help you become an expert fundraiser. Now that you have a sense of how the money you raise helps IPCRI in its peace work, you’re better equipped to ask friends, family members and colleagues to sponsor you. Use the following pages to help you with the fundraising process.
Get Excited
Your commitment to doing the Walk is itself significant. Never underestimate the magnitude of this endeavor. People admire and respect those who challenge themselves for a worthy cause. Be enthusiastic about the Walk and share your enthusiasm with others. Your excitement will encourage sponsors to support you and to be generous with their donations.
Set your Target
The minimum sponsorship for each walker is $2500 or 2000€ and $1,250 or 1000€ for Israeli and Palestinian citizens living in Israel or Palestine). However, we encourage you to aim even higher. The higher your fundraising target, the more generous your supporters will be. When you are close to meeting your first target, consider setting a higher one.
Customize Your Website
After you register, we will create for you your own webpage.
We set up some default pictures and text, but you should provide us with information to personalize it with your own picture, and tell your own story about why you are doing the Walk and what you hope to accomplish.
Whom should I ask?
Make a list of EVERYONE you know and have ever known. Israeli-Palestinian peace is a hot topic right now. Most people support peace in the Middle East. Consider including:
Family and Friends
The people closest to you are the most likely to support your efforts. Be sure to include aunts, uncles, cousins and family friends. Don't forget about your old college friends, sorority sisters, youth group connections, and old camp friends.
Your Employer
Many employers are eager to encourage their employees to participate in charitable events. In fact, many corporations offer matching funds for the donations you receive from colleagues at work, or even your total donations. Contact your human resources director to see how s/he can help you.
Colleagues at Work, School, etc.
The workplace is a great venue for fundraising. If you work in a large organization you have plenty of options. Get permission from your employer and spread the word to all the departments in your workplace.
Your Synagogue, Church, or Mosque
These are fruitful places for fundraising. Ask your Rabbi, Synagogue President, Priest, Community Chairman, or the directors of the various clubs where you might most successfully fundraise within the organization of your place of worship. Many Churches and Synagogues, and probably Mosques, too, have a " Discretionary Fund" for the use of Imam, Priest, or Rabbi. Ask your Rabbi, Priest, or Imam to sponsor you. Be sure to utilize the directory of your Mosque, Church, or Synagogue to get the names of people whom you can contact.
Clubs, Committees,Community Centers, Alumni Groups, and Associations
Bring information with you when you go to sports, recreation clubs or other volunteer work. People like to help, and they especially like to help those whom they admire, like fundraisers, especially when the fundraisers have to Walk across a country for to raise the funds!
Business Contacts and Suppliers
If you are in business, you can approach colleagues, clients, suppliers and even competitors to sponsor you. People of all backgrounds care about building bridges in the Middle East and creating a sustainable world for all.
How to contact various kinds of potential sponsors
Go through this list and highlight the names of the people whom you believe are potential major sponsors (donors). A major donor is one who might be able to make a donation of $1000 and over. These are the people for whom a pledge letter and/or phone call is not necessarily appropriate. Take them to lunch or dinner and explain to them why the Walk to Green Line means so much to you. Tell them about the Walk and why you are doing something so challenging. Be serious, enthusiastic and sincere.
Composing your Fundraising Letter
You can download the sample fundraising letters here in Microsoft Word format.
You can send a letter by mail or email-or both. The content of your letter will basically be the same but there are a few things to keep in mind: If you send a letter, enclose a self-addressed stamped envelope so that people can easily send you a check. If you're sending an email, use the web page link, and include the link to sponsor page so donors can get there easily. We recommend including pictures of your self in all of your letters and emails as they are very powerful tools.
Your fundraising letter is, above all, a letter from you to people you know and care about. The most important thing to keep in mind when writing your fundraising letter is your recipient. Who is going to be reading this? What would they like to read? There is no single magic fundraising letter but there are a lot of ways that you can make your letter great to help you raise more money.
Read all the tips below to get prepared. Write your base letter (or start from one of our sample letters on pp.14-15), then read the tips again. Did you forget anything? Can you make it better?
1) Be Personal
Your letter should be personal and specific to you. Tell your potential funders what the Walk is all about, and tell them why you're so excited to do it. Don't write "Dear Friends," or "Dear All," - write "Hi Debbie!"
Attach your picture if appropriate and possible.
Make it clear that you have given some thought about the person to whom you are writing your letter. Add at least one personal line ("I'm going to be in town…").
2) Tailor the length of your letter
In general, shorter is better; but sometimes there's someone whom you feel may want more information. For your friends who are interested in walking, include more information about the Walk. If you think they would be more interested in peace causes in Israel/Palestine, tell them more about IPCRI.
3) Be specific
Give simple and specific instructions about how they can sponsor you. Include the link to your personal page that we will create for you (see below).
In case they decide to mail a check, include your home address, as well as your self-addressed, stamped envelope.
Include your fundraising goal, and make it ambitious. Put it boldly! The more you ask for, the more people give.
Share what your personal financial commitment will be. People are often inspired to see your personal financial commitment and might even be willing to match it. "In addition to training, I am pledging $500 towards my fundraising goal."
Ask for a specific amount and aim high. Say "Please consider a gift of $180"-they can choose to do so, or choose to give you more/less.
4) Be confident and assertive
Send to everyone you know - especially relatives, even if you haven't talked to them in a long time. Expand your circle of giving by including friends of friends and your children's or parents' friends. They will be thrilled to hear from you.
People will be happy to support a cause you think is important. Remember that you are not asking for money for your morning coffee. You are giving your friends, family, and colleagues the opportunity be a part of creating solutions to conflict in the Middle East.
Remind people about your letter when you see them, and talk to them about the Walk.
A volunteer fundraiser for a similar event this past year from another NGO received donations from more than 90 people. When asked the secret of his success, he said, "I sent out an email asking for money - and I kept on emailing people until they gave!"
If you are running an email campaign, send out two additional emails. Tell the people on your list about your plans, or thank those (by name) who have already given - and encourage those who haven't yet ("Oh, Aunt Martha gave-I should too!") Seeing names of others who have given encourages others to give.
Include the Walk to Green Line website (http://www.walkthegreenline.org ) on everything. Remind people that they can donate to you directly through this site.
Sample Letters
We have created two examples of a fundraising letters - one that is more appropriate for work colleagues or less-close acquaintances and one more appropriate for closer friends and family. You can download the sample fundraising letters here in Microsoft Word format.
Timeline
Some folks will respond immediately, but after the initial few donations, what happens next? Your fundraising campaign is actually a series of communications: your initial letter, follow up letters and updates, and a thank you letter after the Walk. Mark these timeline goals on your calendar to help you plan your campaign from now until the Walk … and beyond!
Today
Send out your first round of emails/letters.
Make a list of 10 people you're going to approach in person, and start with one a week.
Four weeks later
Send out another round of emails (to everyone). Tell them about your plans, new things you've learned or are getting excited about, and thank those people by name who have sponsored you (this will encourage others to follow suit).
Check your list of individuals whom you plan to approach: How are you progressing? Keep up your good work!
Four weeks after that
Send out another email/letter update. How much money you have raised? How close are you to reaching your goal?
Two weeks before the Walk
Send out a quick reminder email to folks who haven't yet responded.
One week after the Walk
Write a thank you note to your sponsors. Like your fundraising letter, this note should be personalized. Tell your donors what the Walk was like, your personal highlights, how you felt, what you learned, and so on. The sooner you write this after the Walk, the easier it will be-all your stories and emotions will be fresh. Include photos, if you have them.
Go for it! Fill out your participants form:
CLICK HERE to download the participant form
Using the Walk the Green Line Web Site
After you register, we will create your own personal webpage for you. We will set up some default pictures and text, but you should provide us with information to personalize it with your own picture, and tell your own story about why you are doing the Walk and what you hope to accomplish. Set up your personal web page information and send it to us - and then start your campaign. The earlier you start, the easier and more relaxed you'll be.
We'd love to hear about your progress: please contact us by email at walkthegreenline@gmail.com or call us at +972-2-676-9460.
We thank you in advance for all your hard work. The funds that you will raise will make a huge difference, helping us to make progress towards a real peace in Israel/Palestine.
