Fundraising Tips

Check out our Fundraising Guide!

Take a look at our comprehensive guide to help you crush your fundraising goals! It includes all our tips and tricks to help you get the ball rolling and craft a compelling ask. We also created a Participant Center intro video (coming soon) to make navigating the fundraising features fun and easy once you register!

Customize Your Personal Fundraising Page

Your community will be more compelled to donate if they understand why the Walk is important to you. Share why you're passionate about raising money for the animals at San Diego Humane Society. You can even include a photo or video of you and your furry friends!

Fundraising At Your Finger Tips

The Walk for Animals now has a free app for iPhone and Android phones to make fundraising for the animals easier than ever! The Walk for Animals App helps you raise more money for the animals at the San Diego Humane Society by:

Providing you with a set of helpful fundraising messages for personal texts, emails, Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter posts
Earning new badges that show your progress
Tracking your fundraising success in the palm of your hand

You can download the new app in the Apple or Google Play store by clicking the buttons below or by searching "Walk for Animals San Diego".

Send Emails

Your Participant Center will be filled with email templates you can use to let your friends, family, colleagues and neighbors know that you're participating in the Walk for Animals — and ask for their support! We've even included heartwarming animal stories for you to share.

If you prefer to send messages from your own email account instead, remember to include a link to your personal fundraising page — just copy and paste the URL right into your email!

Start a Facebook Fundraiser

Use the power of social media by creating a Facebook fundraiser that your entire network can see. Any donations you receive show up automatically in your Participant Center. Facebook makes the process easy and we highly recommend you give it a try!

Log in to your Participant Center and click on the button that says "Connect Fundraiser to Facebook" on the right-hand side of the homepage.
Once your fundraiser is created, you can update the photos and content. Remember to share what the Walk means to you and why you're asking for support!

Donate to Yourself

The easiest way to jump-start your fundraising efforts is to be the first to donate! It's easier to ask for a donation if you can speak from experience, and it shows a dedication to your cause. Make a gift that’s personally meaningful to you — even something small will make an impact!

Set a Fundraising Goal

Setting a goal will inspire your community to help you reach it! We recommend choosing an amount that feels both ambitious and achievable. Share your goal with friends, family and coworkers so they can help you achieve it.

Don't Be Afraid to Ask!

To get started, make a list of people to ask for support, such as:

Family.
Friends.
Neighbors.
Coworkers.
Members of groups or networks you're in.
Businesses you frequent.

It often takes up two to three asks to get a response, so don’t give up right away! Life gets in the way sometimes and a friendly reminder can be key.

Organize a Fundraising Event

Host a Fun Food Event
Hosting a chili cook-off, baked potato party or guacamole contest can be great ways to engage your community. Sell tickets for $5 each, have attendees vote for the tastiest item and raise funds for the Walk at the same time! Food is a great way to raise money, especially with hungry coworkers.

Rummage, Garage and Yard Sales
Ask your friends, family, neighbors or colleagues to clean out their closets and garages and donate items for a collective sale.

Host a Fundraising Night at a Restaurant or Bar
Many restaurants and bars offer fundraising programs for charities. Our event staff would be happy to provide more information or suggestions for this type of fundraiser. Please email walk@sdhumane.org.

Use Creative Ways to Ask For Support

Make Your Pet Do the Talking
Use your Participant Center to send a fundraising email to your friends and family, but instead of having it come from you, address it from your pet!

Have Any Leftover Bottles?
Place change/donation jars or bottles in high-traffic areas at work. One regular-size water bottle full of change can quickly add up.

Use Your Baking Skills
Do you enjoy baking delicious bread, cupcakes or other treats? Ask friends, family and coworkers to donate some baked goods too and you will be surprised by how much you can raise at a bake sale. Or simply ask people for a donation for your freshly baked cookies, cake or other goodies!

Throw a Bingo or Board Game Party
Get some fun prizes donated or find knick-knacks you don't mind parting with. Charge an entrance fee to play and enjoy the good times!

Write a Letter

Old-fashioned? Never! Pick up that pen and personalize your letter with details about yourself and the reasons you're walking — you could even include pictures of your pets! Remember your audience when you are crafting your letter, and customize it for friends, family, colleagues, etc. To make it easy for your recipient to donate, consider enclosing a self-addressed, stamped envelope.

Matching Gifts

Many companies offer matching gifts to employees fundraising for an amazing cause. This is a great way to double your impact! Reach out to your human resources department and check with your supporters to see if their companies offer this.

Say Thank You!

Whether you do it through a handwritten note, face-to-face, via email or by tagging someone in a social media post, be sure to show your appreciation! You can find thank-you emails in your Participant Center that make this quick and easy, and we recommend adding a personal note to make your donors feel even more special. Remember, saving thousands of animals this year would not be possible without generous donors, and of course — YOU!

For questions, info, or more fundraising ideas email walk@sdhumane.org or call 619-243-3493.