Fundraising Tips

So, you’re all psyched to go on the Anchor House Ride for Runaways. That’s great! But remember, this is a fund-raising endeavor. All participants are required to raise a minimum of $750.00 prior to the June All Participants Meeting (the average amount raised is approximately $1,700.00 per person). Without the funds raised by us, there wouldn’t be a House or a Ride. For our rookie riders who’ve never raised funds for a charity (or even for those of us who have) we’ve put together some helpful hints to help make your efforts successful.

• Produce a personalized letter to explain the purpose of the Ride and what the monies raised are used for. Very helpful. Place your AH pledge sheet next to the coffee machine or microwave at work. Place your cover letter next to it as explanation when you’re away. Fill in the first entry with a $25.00 pledge as a guide for coworker donations.
• See if your employer has a gift-matching program in place (see Kathy Drulis for help on this).
• Hit your colleagues up on payday - people are more inclined to give then.
• Have an 8 x 10 photo of yourself and your favorite bike enlarged and place it with a cover letter and donation jar or pledge sheet at your local deli, store, barbershop or bike shop.
• Contact professionals with whom you do business for a pledge! Your doctor, lawyer, accountant, etc. are often great sources of donations.
• Conduct a fund-raiser at work or a local business (guest bartender night, car wash, bake sale, etc.).
• Place a photo of you and your bike on your desk at work. This is helpful if you have clients visit you and a great icebreaker to get business contacts talking about Anchor House.
• Try to obtain pledges from donors who haven’t given to Anchor House before; avoid soliciting from other rider’s sponsors if possible.
• Start the fundraising process early! If you work in an office, sending out a series of e-mails is a relatively painless process. Many people want to contribute but need reminders. In your e-mail, tell them a little about Anchor House, this year’s ride, and give them a date to respond to you by.