Fundraising Tips

  1. Donate to yourself- Make a small donation to your swim, it is much easier to ask your friends and family to join you in donating!
  2. Ask for help- Reach out to your family, friends, or coworkers and ask them to support your swim! Ask them to secure two donations each from someone they know.
  3. Personalize your page- Tell a story! It only takes a few minutes to personalize your fundraising page with a picture and a paragraph about why you are swimming. Personalized pages get an average of 20% more donations!
  4. Matching gifts- Many employers match charitable gifts made by employees. Ask yours if they’ll match your donations, or even sponsor the swim. Don’t forget to ask your donors if their companies will match their gifts, too!
  5. Bottle drive- Ask your family, friends, and coworkers to collect their bottles to be redeemed!
  6. Social media- Make sure to share your fundraising page on your social media pages! It is a great way to raise awareness and toot your own horn!
  7. Birthday- Is your birthday coming up? In lieu of gifts, consider asking your friends and family to make a donation to your swim.
  8. Tribute donations- Encourage donors to make their gifts in “honor of”, “support of”, or “memory of” someone they know.
  9.  Spare change jar- Ask your family and friends to collect all their spare change and donate it to your swim, it will add up fast!
  10.  Hair salon- Ask your hair salon if they will donate $2 or $3 from each haircut over one week to your swim!
  11.  Use your talents- Offer any talents you have for a small donation; design, make-up stylist, dog walker, babysitter, baking, sewing, landscaping, computer skills, etc.
  12.  Fitbit challenges- Challenge your family and coworkers to a step challenge! Everyone pays $20 to enter and the winner gets a gift card or baked good.
  13.  Swim-a-thon- Have your donors choose an amount to donate per lap while you train. Send weekly progress reports on how your training and fundraising are going.
  14.  Virtual Happy Hour- Invite your friends and family to a virtual happy hour where you teach everyone how to make your favorite snack or cocktail! Share your Peaks to Portland story and ask for donations to join.
  15.  Letter writing campaign- Write notes to your loved ones and send them in the mail! Everyone loves receiving mail and you can include your fundraising information.
  16.  Game night- Organize a game night virtually! Charge to join and split the profit with the winner.

Still looking for help fundraising?  Contact us at peakstoportland@ymcaofsouthernmaine.org