As soon as I decided the Friday FundRAISER series was coming to an end, I stumbled up tons (OK, a bunch. Not literally tons) of ideas. So I had to share:


* How 'bout them cupcakes? Have a bake sale for breast cancer. Bake cupcakes of various sizes from very small “mini” size to very large. Put 2 cupcakes together and wrap in clear plastic wrap. Sell as cup size “A” cakes, cup size “B” cakes, cup size “DD” cakes, etc. The larger the cup size, the more charged for the pair. Then host a cupcake party for your friends and neighbors. (From 3-Day Coach Kristin Harris in the 3-Day's April news)


* Gift wrapping: Around the holidays, utilize a large space, such as a church basement, for a gift-wrapping service. Donors can bring packages for you to wrap for a donation. Offer a television (or two) and snacks so donors can occupy themselves while their packages are being done. This saves them the time and trouble of wrapping presents out of sight of the kids. (From a new, but loyal, ChaiLattePlease reader)


* Temporary tattoos: A blogger I enjoy reading is having a quirky fundraiser: Donate at least $25 in a specific timeframe, and she'll write your name on her body the day of the event --- and provide photographic evidence! Check it out here.


* Raffles and whatnot: Before you get creative, keep in mind that states and local communities have laws governing many fundraising activities, including raffles, auctions and other promotional activities. Compliance is the responsibility of each participant, and the 3-Day for the Cure cannot render legal or tax advice on these matters. Web sites like http://rafflefaq.com/united-states-raffle-laws/ provide links to raffle laws for each state, to help you with your research. Please also review the 3-Day for the Cure fundraising policies. (From the 3-Day's March news)

Last spring, all I could think about was boobs. And walking. And money.

Much of my spare time went into planning a wine-tasting fundraiser - plotting about food, publicity, raffle prizes, etc. I solicited prize donations from area businesses and strangers on Etsy. I even made a few brassiere purses myself (which I still think are super-cute). Food was a cheese and cracker tray, a fruit tray and a bunch of cute pastries from a local shop.


The event was held at a local wine shop, which charged me $5 a person and allowed me to keep anything above that in ticket sales. The owner was really nice and helpful, and he also donated a portion of the wine sales from that evening to the walk.

On the day of the event, I lived in fear that NO ONE WOULD COME. Except my aunt and (then) boyfriend, who kindly wore a T-shirt I had bought him that said "Real men wear pink." (Is that a relationship test or what?) Anyway, people came. 18 people. Not as many as I would have liked, but at least I wasn't standing there by myself.


In the end, I came home with most of the fruit and cheese and crackers and $465. $50 of that was money I had contributed for change at the door, and I took out another $100 for the food. So, that left $215 to fight breast cancer. Better than nothing, but certainly not as much as I had hoped for after weeks of work.

But, in retrospect, I could have used my resources better. If I were to do it again, here are some things I would keep in mind:

1) Publicity is king. I spread the word through Facebook, work friends and a short blurb in the newspaper. That probably wasn't enough, especially if the event is in a location that doesn't have much traffic. In retrospect, I would suggest using fliers, newspaper resources, church bulletins, friends, etc. at least 6 weeks before the event. Don't spend any significant amount of money on your promotional efforts, but make sure the materials tell people how to donate if they can't make it to the event. And repeat the publicity efforts as much as possible up until the day of the actual event. Publicize until you are sure you are annoying people. (Because, honestly, people are busy. You probably aren't annoying them.)

2) Apparently people buy wine in the fall, not the spring. The shop owner pulled my boyfriend aside half-way through the event last May and mentioned that he gets most of his sales in the fall leading up to the holiday season, when people tend to drink more wine and use it as gifts. So, depending on when your particular 3-Day event is, a wine-tasting might a good option for your first event of the fundraising season in late October (Breast Cancer Awareness Month) or early November.

3) Don't go overboard on food. I could have done with half (or less) of the food I had. The food ate into the proceeds, and if I had run out, I'm not sure any of the guests would have been disappointed. They were there for wine and to support breast cancer ... and the wine portions were not so large that I felt people needed to consume food or risk leaving intoxicated.

4) Spend more time on publicity; less time on raffle prizes. I sold raffle tickets, so of course I needed raffle prizes. I ended up having 10 packages - and yes, because I had 18 people come, more than half the people who came won something. You need something for people to look at and talk about, but your time is probably better spent trying to get people in the door that trying to get prizes for the prize tables.


Of course, everyone learns through experience. And most 3-Day walkers do not have business or marketing degrees. My attitude throughout fundraising was to simply to keep at it and avoid putting all my eggs in one proverbial basket. After one fundraiser, I already knew I would be working on another so it was easy to keep the pressure light.

Anyone else have any suggestions on strategies to keep in mind while planning a fundraising event?



P.S. Want to make your own brassiere purse? I made a few more after stumbling upon a clearance rack at Wal-Mart. I'll post some instructions on how I put them together next Friday :)

All the garage sales I've ever had essentially: 1) allowed me to get rid of stuff I didn't want to move, or 2) were exercises in carrying stuff outside ... only to carry it all back inside two days later. So, when I saw another 3-Dayer talk glowingly about her garage sale fundraiser, I asked for tips. Here's what Lynna said:

I kind of wish I could quilt. An ex-boyfriend bought me a sewing machine for my birthday last year - and it was the perfect gift. But I've only used it once, because I've been too busy to dedicate myself to any major craft project. Especially one that involves learning how to work new equipment. (Just figuring out how to thread the thing involved about an hour and harassing my roommate's grandma.)

But I secretly suspect I will be involved with the 3-Day in one capacity or another for years to come. So, I asked a former Ms. America Tata how she handled a quilt raffle last year, JUST IN CASE I have tons more time next year. Here's how it went, in Shelli's own words:

What better way to tell your mother (or the mother of your children) that you love her than by donating to fighting a disease that will strike one in eight women? Really, who needs flowers? Donate to a Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure walker instead!

I tried that pitch last year with admittedly limited success, but I still really like the idea. You can offer personalized letters, cards, or other small gifts for people who make donations in their mother's (or someone else's mother's) name. That way, the person has something to physically hand the special lady on her special day.

Mother's Day is May 9 this year, so you have about a month to plan and execute this fundraiser. Here's a sample of the letter I used last year. Good luck (and happy Mother's Day!)

P.S. If you are a loyal ChaiLattePlease reader and aren't raising money to walk in the 3-Day yourself, may I suggest donating to one of my lovely team members? Linda, Molly, Vicky, and Jennifer are still working to reach the $2,300 minimum goal.

P.P.S. I'm running a little late this morning, so I'll post the new giveaway later today. But as always, you can comment on this post to enter the giveaway (if you're eager to enter before you know what it is :)

Next week's Friday FundRAISER will feature a pretty successful quilt raffle.

So if this isn't a fundraising idea that will RAISE you up, I don't know what is. It might, in fact, inspire you to host a PG-13 rated bake sale ... but I guess the world could use a few more of those :)

Everyone needs socks, right? And if you're walking tons and tons of miles, you don't just need any ole socks. Some people swear by super thin socks, but I've gotten hooked on Thorlos thick socks. Last year in D.C, I started out with their thicker walking socks each morning and switched to a thinner (although still well padded) sock after lunch. Everyone should try a few different types of socks out to see what works for them and their feet.

The bad news is: These socks aren't cheap (which even BlackJack can tell, as he seems extra-excited when he manages to steal one.) The good news is: Thorlos offers a fundraiser in which $7 of the $15 per sock cost goes toward your fundraising goal. You simply collect orders among your team/friends, pay $8 per sock, distribute the order when it comes in, and donate the $7 per sock to your fundraising goal yourself.

The minimum order is 12 pairs. I did this last year, because after a few Internet searches, I figured I couldn't find another source for these socks for that much less than $15 a pair, and it was easier to pay that much for a good sock if part of the proceeds were helping my own fundraising goal. Of course, some of your neighbors and friends might want to purchase a few pairs themselves if they are active :)

You can download a flier and order form here. (You have no idea how excited I am that I stumbled across AND figured out how to use this digital dropbox. I feel almost like a computer nerd :))

Anyway, if you have any further questions, e-mail me at jillianduch at hotmail dot com and I'll pass on the contact info for the Thorlos employee who helped me. I didn't want to broadcast her info across the Interweb, but I'll certainly share it in a more private manner. Good luck!

Next week on Friday FundRAISER: A Bubbles for Boobies party that dished up some fun-shaped cookies ;)

I don't think I've ever verbally asked someone for a donation. I've sent tons of letters and e-mails, but I've never initiated a conversation seeking a 3-Day donation. I just have hard time doing it. And last year, I felt a little guilty asking people for another round of donations after my family and friends had been so generous the first time around.

The reality, though, is simply asking for and receiving direct monetary donations is the easiest way to reach your fundraising goal. When you have to worry about training, hydrating and all the other things that go with the 3-Day, it doesn't hurt to save yourself some time and energy when it comes to fundraising.

So, I turned to my team captain from last year, Cari (who was a superstar fundraiser!) for some advice on how to ask for money. Here's what she had to say:

Fundraising is never easy. Most people enjoy making a difference. They either put money aside and make donations, volunteer their time to a cause they feel is in need or simply do an act of kindness. The people who donate money usually donate to something that has touched them. If they know you are doing something that requires a lot of effort you would be suprised how many will donate to you.

But the most important thing to remember is "It is not about you." It is about ending breast cancer. You are just the vehicle that helps put their money in the right hands to help cure breast cancer. You will be surprised at the people who you think will donate, and don't. But more surprising are the people who make little money or who you barely know, who do.

In my experience their are two good ways to ask for donations. The first is to write a heartfelt note to every person you know on cute stationary, telling them why you are doing this. Include the name of the organization and explain what it requires of you to join this group. Also, include a donation form and a return envelope to make it easy. Mail this to every single person you know, including your friends' parents, your parents' friends, your hairdresser, your doctors, and your holiday card list.

I have found that people will make a donation if they can and won't if they can't. It is that simple. They are not offended by your asking, because it is not directly affecting you. (Well, it really is if it saves you from getting breast cancer). It is not like you are asking for money so you can go buy a new wardrobe for your new job. Having something in writing, that they actually have to make an effort to throw away, seems to tug at their hearts.

The other way to ask for donations is via the Internet. The younger crowd seems to prefer this way, but it is very easy for them to hit that darn delete button and never think about it again. Make sure you include all of the information that makes it easiest for them to donate.

Don't forget to ask everyone you know. You will be surprised how appreciative people are that you are doing such a noble task. Last year, I received a donation from a brother of the friend I had sent a letter. The brother was visiting from out of town, saw my catchy letter about saving boobies and donated $200.00.

Don't forget it is not about you it is about saving breasts. We all have them, including men, and they must be saved.


From Jillian: You can see some sample fundraising letters here. And don't forget to enter this week's giveaway.


Next week's Friday FundRAISER will showcase a Thorlos promotion that allows you to donate $7 to the 3-Day for each pair of socks you sell.

So, I'm starting a new series on Chai Latte Please that will feature a specific fundraising tip or piece of advice each Friday. I know what you're thinking - the 3-Day site offers a million (er, at least 101) ideas, and other online ambassadors have already posted about this. Why are you wasting space on the Interweb with such talk?

Because the more we all talk about it and the more we exchange ideas, the more likely a certain idea is to spark inspiration. And the less intimidating the whole thing will be.

So, each Friday (until it doesn't seem fun anymore), I'll post a new idea and offer a giveaway for those who follow the blog, re-tweet the fundraising post or offer their own idea in the comments section. This week's giveaway is a little pink picture frame with a pink ribbon on it. Perfect for work desk or other small area.




- Leave one (and only one) comment here or on the next post about your favorite fundraising tip.

Last year, one of my teammates stood outside an upscale grocery store collecting donations and found herself asking men if they enjoyed boobies. She got a lot of donations -- some men even said they thought about her comment while they were shopping and decided to donate on their way out.

(I think that's how it went, anyway).

Obviously, a certain amount of fundraising success is capturing people's attention. Everyone has a certain comfort level, and one must respect trademarked and copyrighted slogans. But you should think about how you're going to get people's attention long enough for them to write a check or type in their credit card number.

One way is to send update letters/e-mails to your closer friends and family, whether or not they've donated, as a subtle reminder to donate if they are procrastinating. And a nice way to keep them informed on your training and fundraising progress either way.

For casual acquaintances/strangers, a good slogan might do the trick. My favorite, which I actually found in a 3-Day idea list, is : Save a 'pear,' support breast cancer research. I plastered it all over notecards (which sadly, did not sell well) and thank-you notes. I sold little pear-shaped candles. I even considered selling real pears (which was the 3-Day suggestion).

How else can you use it? Maybe make little magnets or business cards with the slogan and include your fundraising page URL as a reminder for people who are considering donating.

What's your favorite breast cancer slogan?