Fundraising Handbook

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Fundraising Handbook

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Climb the Wall Fundraising Handbook -1-

What is the BC Lung Association?

Established more than a century ago, The BC Lung Association is one of Canada's oldest and most respected health charities, and the leading organization for science-based information, research, education, support programs and advocacy on lung health issues.

The BC Lung Association works to improve and promote lung health. We focus on chronic lung disease like asthma and COPD, infectious diseases like TB, flu, and pneumonia, and breathing disorders like sleep apnea. We provide reliable and trusted information to both citizens and governments, and we advocate for improvements when lung disease patients are getting inadequate care.

Recognizing that many lung diseases can be prevented, we inform people about the health effects of air pollution, indoors and out. We help smokers who are trying to quit, and we provide educational material and programs to make sure fewer people take up smoking. We encourage governments at every level to create laws and policies that promote clean air and protect our lungs.

We fund world-class medical research to find treatments - and ultimately a cure - for lung diseases. We help doctors and allied health professionals set the highest standards in patient care, and continue to expand their knowledge about lung diseases and treatments.

Our Mission:

The mission of the BC Lung Association is to lead provincial lung health initiatives, prevent lung disease, help people manage lung disease, and promote lung health.

We work together with the Canadian Lung Association as well as the other provincial Lung Association to help the one in five Canadians who have breathing problems.

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About Climb the Wall

The 15^th Annual Climb the Wall: the Stairclimb for Clean Air featuring the Fight & Flight

Challenge is Vancouver’s most unique event. With more than 400 participants on a marathon stair climb up 48 flights of the Sheraton Wall Centre. Climbers challenge themselves and collect pledges in support of the BC Lung Association’s fight against lung disease and for clean air. The Fight & Flight Challenge is an all-new fitness challenge designed for teams of 4 to test your strength, stamina, and lungs. Over the past 15 years, Climb the Wall has raised over

$1,000,000, which has helped fund medical research, asthma education, clean air initiatives, prevention programs, and so much more.

This year’s Climb the Wall will be taking place on February 21^st, 2016.

Where is your money going?

Whether it is a child with asthma, or a senior with emphysema, someone with lung cancer or cystic fibrosis, the BC Lung Association helps people who have difficulty breath.

We fund respiratory research, promote better management of lung disease, and address the effects of smoking and air quality on lung health.

A non-profit and volunteer-based health charity, the BC Lung Association depends on donations from the public to support lung health research, education, prevention, and advocacy.

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Fundraising for Climb the Wall Setting a Goal:

Don’t just set an arbitrary fundraising goal – make sure that the goal you set should be realistic while still taking some work to attain. Setting a goal is a good motivation tactic as well as a good way to track your progress.

Make your goal public to hold yourself accountable. Use email, Facebook, and twitter to make your network aware of your goal and how they can help you attain it. If you reach your goal quickly, make sure to go back and increase it!

Top 10 Fundraising Tips:

1. Ask – Sometimes the first step is the hardest, but if you don’t ask, you’ll never give anyone the opportunity to say “Yes”!

2. Update Your Address Book – Make sure to include your co-workers, friends, family, team or club members, other business or personal associates like customers or suppliers, online discussion groups, your doctor, dentist, lawyer, and accountant. It’s possible they have a connection to lung health that you do not know about

3. Plan Your Ask – Some people might not be able to make a donation at the last minute, so start collecting donations months in advance. Ask for a specific amount and consider your timing when asking for donations: ask either on or after pay day.

4. Fundraise Online – Utilize your personal fundraising page and make it easy for your friends and family to donate to your cause no matter where they are! Post progress updates and upload new photos or videos.

5. Follow Up – As you get closer to your deadline, email, write, or call all the people you contacted originally and let them know you are short of your fundraising target and that you still need X amount.

6. Make It Personal – If you have a personal reason for raising money, let your donors know! Add it to your emails, posts, and personal fundraising page.

7. Give thanks – Make a special effort to say “Thank You” to all your supporters and try to personalize it as much as possible. Let your donors know that they are appreciated and what their contribution meant to you. After the event, let them know how much you and your cause raised.

8. Send updates – To those who supported your cause, or even to those who did not, send progress updates about your personal goals, the event results, or achievements.

9. Get Social – Utilize your social media networks and put regular appeals and updates on Facebook and Twitter. To further engage your social media networks, create a Facebook event and invite your entire Friend List.

10. Lead by Example – Get your fundraising going by making the first donation, showing potential donors that you’re giving in addition to asking.

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Workplace Fundraising

One of the best places to get donations is within your everyday workplace. There are many ways which you can get your boss and colleagues involved in your fundraising.

Here are just a few ways to raise support in your workplace:

Organize a Raffle

Raffles are an excellent way of raising funds, either as an activity in their own right, or to supplement another event. For each $10 someone donates, for example, they will be entered into a draw.

Loose Change Jar

Ask your workplace if it would be ok to put a loose change jar at reception or in a communal area like the lunchroom. Contact us for a template or make your own. Watch the change pile up!

Tacky Tie Day

Hold a special ‘tacky tie day’ and encourage everyone at your office to wear the tackiest tie that they own - in return for a donation to the BC Lung Association. You may want to offer a small incentive prize to the winner to encourage participation. For example, a coffee on you

for the week.

Coffee Morning or Bake Sale

Organize a bake sale by asking colleagues to bring in their tastiest treats (or just bring your own) to sell at your workplace. Sell freshly brewed coffee on the side and you’ll be surprised how the money adds up!

Start a Team!

Encourage your colleagues to join you in your fundraising efforts. Create a team in your workplace and work together or compete against each other, for example, accounting against marketing, to raise money for the BC Lung Association. Working in a team gives you the

opportunity to raise money and have a great time working with others! Plus, if you have a team of four or more, you get a free t-shirt with your team name on it!

“Matched Giving”

Many companies have donation programs where they will either match or donate a certain percentage of what you raise to charity. Check with your Human Resources Department for more information.

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Community Fundraising

Auction of Promises

Instead of goods, promises of peoples’ time, labour and talents are auctioned off to the highest bidder. Auction lots could range from two hours of dog walking to theatre tickets, meals in a local restaurant or mowing your neighbours’ lawn. You could hold it at home or in a local venue and charge a small entrance fee.

Book Sale

Ask all your co-workers, friends, and relatives to donate their old books. Advertise your book sale by means of posters and flyers. Set up a table and sell books. If there are leftovers, you can always give them to a needy library, shelter, or school.

BBQ

Organize a barbecue evening with friends and family. Charge $10 per head and take out $3 per head costs. Donate the profits to the BC Lung Association.

Pub Night

Contact your favourite local pub. They will usually be happy to help you out and provide a burger and beer to your supports for $10 a person. Create tickets for a burger & beer and sell them at $15 each to your friends and at the door. You can also use the tickets for door prizes.

Don’t hesitate to give us a call if you need any help or inspiration!

Co-workers at the James Hogg iCAPTURE Centre for cardiovascular and pulmonary research, Stephanie Warner and Jacqui Brinkman, organized a fundraiser held at the Roxy in downtown Vancouver. They raised close to $1500 in support of lung health research.

Garage Sale

Organize your own or a neighbourhood garage sale and help out a great cause while de- cluttering your home.

Sporting Event

If you are part of a sports club, golf club or fitness centre, you could organize a charity football match, golf day or volleyball match.

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Online Fundraising

To help you meet and exceed your fundraising goals, we’ve provided you with your own personal fundraising page! For more information about how to use your online fundraising page, check out our Online Fundraising

Guide!

How to access your personalized web page:

• Click the ‘Login’ icon at the top of the event page

• Enter your Username & Password

• Click ‘Continue’

• Access your ‘Participant Center’ to explore the features of your account.

Never before has it been so easy to contact people, update them on your progress and collect sponsorship without having to leave your computer.

Email Tools

By emailing your supporters your web page link, they can sponsor you directly by credit card or cheque in only a few minutes. Once an online donation has been made, our system

automatically thanks your donors and sends them a tax receipt, while maintaining an up-to- date record of your fundraising progress!

Offline Donations

The site can also be used to keep track of donations you may be collecting in person - “offline”.

To add an offline donation:

• Login using your user name and password

• Visit your ‘Participant Center’

• Click on ‘Enter New Gift’ icon on the left hand column and follow prompts

Although your personal website is ready to go, take a few minutes to personalize it by uploading your own photo, setting a fundraising goal and adding your own message!

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Sample Fundraising Plan ($500 in One Week)

• MANOR MONDAY: Hit the pavement and ask five of your neighbours for a donation of

$10 each.

• TRANSACTION TUESDAY: Ask two businesses you frequent for $25!

• CO-WORKER WEDNESDAY: Ask five co-workers to sponsor you for $10 (and don’t forget to ask your company if they have a matching gifts program!)

• SELFLESS THURSDAY: Sponsor yourself for $25.

• FAMILY FRIDAY: Ask three family members to sponsor you for $25 each!

• SOCIAL SATURDAY: Put a call out on Facebook and tag 15 different people (maybe people you’ve donated to in the past) and ask for a $10 donation! Alternatively, you could send emails to 15 different contacts using the email tool in your fundraising HQ.

Remember to link to your fundraising page!

• SIDEKICK SUNDAY: Get 5 friends to support you $15 each.

Sample Fundraising Plan ($250 in 5 Days)

Day 1: Sponsor yourself $20. Leading by example makes it easier to ask others to match, or even beat, your own gift.

Day 2: Ask three family members to sponsor you $25. Suggest cooking them a meal or making their lunch for a whole week

Day 3: Contact five Facebook friends and ask them to sponsor you for $10. Make sure to thank them on you Facebook status.

Day 4: Ask three coworkers to sponsor you for $10. Suggest that you will take the company stairs for a week if they do!

Day 5: Send 15 emails to friends/social groups and ask them to sponsor you for $5.

One of the keys to fundraising success is ASKING. Don’t be shy – friends and family often want to give but are not provided with the opportunity. Send an email to your friends and family sharing your story, your motivation, and your reason to Climb the Wall.

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Sponsor Checklist

Did you ask you…?

 Mother?  Electrician?  Repairman?

 Father?  Grocer?  Best Friend?

 Sister?  Pharmacist?  Best Friend’s Boy/Girlfriend?

 Brother?  Clergy?  Brother/Sister’s Girlfriend?

 Cousins?  Classmates?  Facebook Friends?

 Aunts?  Boss’s Boss?  Barber?

 Uncles?  Boss’s Boss’s Boss?  Shoe Repair Guy?

 Doctor?  Fraternity Brothers?  Real Estate Agent?

 Boyfriend/girlfriend?  Sorority Sisters?  Personal Trainer?

 Ex-Boy/girlfriend?  Guy at the Deli?  Analyst?

 Teachers?  Book Club?  Bus Driver?

 Professors?  Yoga Class?  Pediatrician?

 Choir Director?  DJ?  Orthodontist?

 Coach?  Personal Shopper?  Dermatologist?

 Teammates?  Mechanic?  Day Car Teachers?

 Roommates?  Principal?  Doorman?

 Veterinarian?  Guidance Counselor?

 Dentist?

 Butcher?  Hair Stylist?  Doctor?

 Neighbour?  Coffee Barista?  Friends?

 Godparents?  Brunch Buddies?  Grandparents?

 Co-Worker?  Dry Cleaner?  …rself?

 Lawyer?  Coffee Cart Guy?

 Accountant?  Landlord?

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Fundraising Materials Sample Tweets

1 in 5 British Columbians are affected by lung disease. Help me make lung disease history by donating for me to do @stairclimbvan! <link>

Help me become a Stairmaster this Feb. 21^st and donate to my @stairclimbvan cause! <link>

Lung disease is on the rise and so am I! Support me as I climb 48 stories of the Wall Centre for

@stairclimbvan on February 21^st! <link>

Email Template

Here is an example of an email you can send to your employer, colleagues or peers.

Make sure to personalize it as much as possible by choosing an amount for elevator passes, and adding your personal webpage link.

Hi Everyone!

I am participating in the BC Lung Association’s Climb the Wall: the Stairclimb for Clean Air 2016.

I’ll be climbing the 48 storeys of the Sheraton Vancouver Wall Centre Hotel in support of the fight against lung disease. I would love for your support as I raise funds for this meaningful cause. The money I raise will contribute to medical research, asthma education, clean air initiatives, programs to help young people live tobacco free, and so much more! Any contribution is greatly appreciated!

[insert personal reason for participating here]

Click the following link to make an online donation to my personal webpage:

[copy & paste your personal webpage link here]

Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions!

Thank you so much for your support!

insert your name here

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Planning a Fundraising Event for Climb the Wall Choosing an Event

Beyond soliciting donations, there are many ways you can raise money for Climb the Wall.

Some great ideas include:

• Bake Sale • Raffles (gaming license required) • Comedy Night

• BBQs • Sports tournaments • Movie Night

• Silent Auction • Car wash • Dunk Tank

• Pub Night • Mow lawns • Block Party

• Garage Sale • Bottle drive • Lemonade stand

Budget & Expenses

Try to keep expenses as low as possible. If you do require items, ask individuals or local companies to see if they can donate supplies or offer discount on material. If you require an official letter of endorsement from the BC Lung Association, we’d be happy to provide one.

Gaming Licenses and Forms

If you want to hold a raffle or any other gaming activity, please ensure that you apply for a license from the BC Government’s Gaming Branch. For more information, visit them online at http://www.hsd.gov.bc.ca/gaming/index.htm.

Recruiting Participants

Write a list of people to invite – including friends, family, coworkers, and neighbours. If you need some volunteers the help you with your event, ask friends and co-workers and give them specific roles and provide them with written details about their roles and responsibilities.

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Promoting a Fundraising Event for Climb the Wall Social Media

Social media is a great and free way of getting the word out about your event. Here are some ways to utilize it:

• Create a Facebook event or event page with all the details and link it back to the BC Lung Association Facebook page. Invite all of your Facebook friends and ask them to invite their friends as well.

• Use Twitter to tweet event details and how to support the event to your followers. Give progress reports as well as your personal connection to the cause. Tag @stairclimbvan in your tweets so that we can retweet you and help you spread the word!

• Start a blog using free sites like Wordpress or Blogspot to give more information about the event and have a place to direct people you talk to who are interested. Give updates on your fundraising (and training) progress and post about why you are fundraising for the BC Lung Association.

News Releases

Get the word out about your event even further by getting the local media involved. Contact your local paper and let them know what you are doing and why. To get more information about the BC Lung Association, contact [email protected].

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Post Event

Submitting Funds Raised

Submit all funds (cash, cheque, offline credit card) raised in person to the BC Lung Association after the event has finished. You can do this by either:

1. Mailing all cheques and the accompanying donation pledge form (for tax receipting purposes) to:

ATTN: Stairclimb BC Lung Association 2675 Oak Street Vancouver, BC V6H 2K2

*please do not send cash donations via mail

2. Calling the BC Lung Association and donate the funds via credit card. If your donors have requested a tax receipt, please send all of their information (full names and

contact/address info) via mail or email.

Thanking Sponsors and Donors

It’s important to thank your donor and sponsors well after the event to know that their donation was appreciated and how they helped. Send thank you notes, publicly tag them on Facebook, or give them a call.

Post event totals and photos on Facebook, Twitter, blog, and personal fundraising page. If you have a lot of photos, you can use photo-sharing sites like Picasa or Flickr.

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Tax Receipt Guidelines

BC Lung Association adheres to the provisions outlined in the Income Tax Act.

Official tax deductible receipts will be issued for the following:

• Monetary donations from identified individuals or organizations;

• Donation of services under the following circumstances:

o If a charity pays a service provider for services rendered and the service provider then chooses to donate the money back (all or a portion), the charity can issue a receipt for the monetary donation (cheque exchange). In such circumstances, two transactions must occur:

o a person provides a service to a charity, provides an invoice, and is paid by the charity for that service; and

o that same person makes a voluntary donation back to the charity

• Bequests from estates, or premiums paid for life insurance policies assigned to the BC Lung Association;

• Donation of inventory if an appropriate invoice is provided, and a cheque exchange is made;

• The donation portion of a ticket price for a fundraising event. Canada Revenue agency only allows receipts for the ticket price less the value received by the donor.

Receipts will NOT be issued for:

• Donation of services i.e. donated time, skills or efforts without a cheque exchange;

• Purchase of merchandise (such as Golf Privilege Books);

• Purchase of auction items;

• Donation of used equipment, etc;

• Donated items for which the fair market value cannot be determined.

Official receipts will be issued by the Lung Association upon receipt of:

• The full donation amount;

• Full name and address of the donor/organization;

• Supporting documentation as needed

• To save on costs, official receipts for income tax purposes are automatically issued for amounts $25 and greater; however a receipt for any amount will be issued upon request.

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Climb the Wall: the Stairclimb for Clean Air Contact:

Marissa McFadyen & Noelle Yeung Special Events Team

BC Lung Association

2675 Oak Street, Vancouver, BC V6H 2K2

Phone: 604-731-5864 Fax: 604-731-5810

Email: [email protected] Website: www.stairclimb.ca

Facebook: Climb the Wall: the Stairclimb for Clean Air Twitter: @stairclimbvan

Fundraising Handbook