trek, bike or climb: take your fundraising to new heights...
TRANSCRIPT
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Congress 2015 Case Study Shanan Spencer-Brown & Carly NeillRoyal LePage Shelter Foundation
Trek, Bike Or Climb: Take your fundraising to new heights with an inspirational challenge trip
Session Overview
• About the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation• Profile of Our Supporters• Our challenge trip: Machu Picchu Challenge for Shelter• The Results• Project Timeline• Challenge Trip vs. “-athon” Events• Determining Organizational Readiness• Choosing Your “Challenge” • Logistical Concerns • Skills/Mindset of the Fundraising Professional• Lessons Learned
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Royal LePage Shelter Foundation
Profile of Our Supporters
• Goal-driven and competitive• Enjoy networking and meeting people• Like “new”• Appreciate recognition • Community-oriented• Use philanthropy in their business• History of using personal challenges
(weight loss or running a marathon), e.g. Grouse Grind for Shelter
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Our organizational challenge
How could we harness our supporters’ desire to get noticed, to network with their peers and to challenge themselves to reach an ambitious goal?
Seeing an online ad led us to exploring a fundraising challenge trip.
This is where the journey began…
Machu Picchu Challenge for Shelter
• Worked with specialized travel company • Chose Machu Picchu (“Bucket List”)• Physical demands were difficult, but not too difficult• Trekking fit family violence theme • Participants had to raise $5,000 plus cover own travel
and majority of trek costs • $1,000 from the funds raised would cover trek costs • Supporting women’s shelter in their own community
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Machu Picchu Challenge for Shelter
Our goal was to recruit 30 participants and raise $150,000.
So, what happened?
Machu Picchu Challenge for Shelter
75 people responded to the call!
• We ended up with 60 people (3 groups) for an 8 day “trek” to Machu Picchu
• Started in Cusco - 2 days to acclimatize to the altitude
• Spent 3 days hiking through mountains in the remote Lares Valley region
• Experienced high altitude, cold weather, camping, local people
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Machu Picchu Challenge for Shelter
Machu Picchu Challenge for Shelter
• After the Lares Valley region, we hiked the last segment of the famous Inca Trail arriving at the Sun Gate
• Explored Machu Picchu and celebrated our success • Final day back in Cusco and return travel
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Machu Picchu Challenge for Shelter
Notice the branded t-shirts, hats and “buffs”!
Machu Picchu Challenge for Shelter
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The Results
Phenomenal fundraising results! 60 people raised $500,000
• Great bonding experience • Physically and emotionally challenging• Had a big impact on participants • Greater connection to our cause• Heard from others that they wished they had participated!• Post-Challenge: very rewarding being able to present
funds raised to their local shelter
Project Timeline
Before our Challenge - In months:
Pre-Challenge Research phase14 to 16 months Launch and promote12 to 14 Select participants and prepare6 to 12 Communicate, connect and cheer on 4 to 5 Focus on readiness2 to 3 Order participant gifts1 Packing tips and last push for fundraising
Week before departure
Final reminders, announce fundraising winners, video message from VIP
Note: Your timeline may differ depending on destination, number of participants and other factors
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Challenge brochure and logo
Challenge brochure and logo
We set up a private group for participants
We invested in video equipment.
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Personalized fundraising pages
What’s similar?
• Provide tips and motivate participants to stay on track with fundraising and physical training
• Requires peer-to-peer fundraising software• Recognition (e.g. prizes and contests)• Requires staff time in planning and implementation
Challenge Trip vs. “-athon” Events
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What’s different?
• Fewer participants and higher fundraising commitment • More intense cultivation • More risk to participants • Unique story may draw more media attention • More third-party (participant-run) fundraising events• Requires no volunteers
Challenge Trip vs. “-athon” Events
Do you have…
• Core group of supporters interested in adventure travel and capable of raising thousands of $$$
• Staff willing and able to personally take on the challenge• Board support • Corporate/industry supporters that would be willing to
put together a group • Any high profile donors (e.g. celebrities, CEOs,
professional athletes) who you could put with a group of “regular” folks
Determining Organizational Readiness
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Your team must understand…
• This is a “high touch” and “high stakes” initiative• Your job is to make sure that people feel connected to
the cause, successful and happy• You must create an “experience of a lifetime” • Depending on number of participants, make this a key
focus of your development plan • You need to resource it effectively • Dedicated staff time – Carly and finance coordinator
spent 10 hours per week for 12 months (could be less if you have fewer participants)
Determining Organizational Readiness
Things to consider…
• Location – High-profile or more rugged and remote?• Duration of trip • Distance and travel time to get there• Best time of year for your participants to travel• Ideal time for your organization • Type of activity (hiking, biking, climbing, etc.)• How physically fit and motivated supporters are to train • Financial cost to participants, e.g. trip cost, airfare
Choosing Your Challenge
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a.k.a. Always be prepared!
• Due diligence – speak with other organizations that have done the same challenge
• Establish clear policies – tax receipt rules for participants; what to do with funds raised by drop outs
• Address whether they can apply existing gifts to the challenge during the fundraising period
• Let the travel/tour company be just that – the charity should not act as a travel agency
• While you are away, ensure emergency contacts are left with someone in your office
Logistics and Planning
• Organized and good at developing systems• Very good listener and motivator/coach• Patient• Accept that you can’t always control things• Be able to have difficult conversations – you can’t always
say yes!• Realize that you’re forging what can become a long-term
relationship that goes beyond the trip
Skills/Mindset of the Fundraising Professional
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• Time spent “hand holding”• Will be drop outs so sign up more people than the
number you want to end up with• Clearly communicate the costs involved • Make sure you understand the contract you’ve signed
with travel company• Recognize that some people just won’t take in (or
read!) everything you send to them• Do a one-on-one phone or web meeting with each
individual followed by a written sign off
Lessons Learned
Lessons Learned
• Social media to connect participants in advance • Be prepared to manage/moderate the conversations
they have on a public forum like Facebook • Plan to maintain momentum upon return from the
challenge
To be determined…
• Whether our supporters stay as connected as we’d like and take part in future challenges
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The last word
A challenge trip can be very exciting and add momentum to your fundraising, but it has pros and cons.
Only you can determine if your organization is ready to profit from such a challenge.
Good luck!Bon voyage!
The last word Shanan Spencer-Brown, Executive Director
Carly Neill, Fundraising & Communications Coordinator
416-510-5750