Well done for making the decision to run for charity! Sponsored events are the largest source of income for many charities, making them reliant on people like you who are willing to make an effort. Any amount of sponsorship money you raise will make a big difference!

Fundraising can seem like a marathon task (pun intended!), that’s why we’ve put together some tips on how you can raise funds easier:

1. Start as soon as possible: the sooner you start the more money you can collect.
2. Be prepared: plan your fundraising as you do your training, being prepared and planning how you’re going to raise funds will make the task a lot easier. Keep a sponsorship form with you at all times.
3. Get other people to help: encourage family, friends and colleagues to help raise funds on your behalf, try to target organizations and businesses where you have contacts.
4. Learn more about the charity you’re supporting: you can elicit more funds if you can tell your sponsors about the charity you’re supporting and what difference their money can make.
5. Set a target: people will ask you how much you’re planning to raise, if you set an ambitious target it will prompt them to give more. It will also remind them what a worthwhile task you’re undertaking.
6. Be prepared to target sponsors: make a list of your family members, friends and colleagues you want to approach and how you want to approach them. Start your sponsorship sheet with those you think will give the most generous donation, this will encourage the others to follow suit. Also be prepared to prompt people with an amount for which you would like them to sponsor you.
7. Make it personal: if you feel strongly about the charity you’re supporting it will make it easier to talk about it in casual conversations and make your request for sponsorship more real.
8. Raise funds face to face: your sponsors will be prompted to give more generously if you approach them face to face. However, if you’re unable to meet them in person, send them an email or a letter with a tear-off reply.
9. Matched giving scheme: if you’re approaching a company or organization, ask the boss if they would run a “matched giving scheme” whereby they can match the total amount raised by the employees. Give them the choice of matching 100% of the funds raised or setting a cap. This works especially well if you’re running as a company team.
10. Have a high profile: meet as many potential sponsors as possible, contact your company’s newsletter and get your friends to tell their friends as well. You can also add a line to your email signature prompting people to contact you if they’re interested in sponsoring.
11. Be creative: sponsorship is not the only way to raise funds, here are a few more ideas: host a pre-race dinner party and charge a small admission fee and tell your friends it’s going to charity, take donuts or muffins to work and leave a sign that reads “Please take one, leave a donation”…
12. Plan your collection: the sooner you collect the more you will collect! Try to collect as you go wherever possible and you can collect cash or checks. Checks can be addressed to you and you can then write one check for the whole amount, or you can get the checks to be addressed to the organizers directly.
13. Build a mailing list as you go: collect email addresses and contact details from your sponsors and keep them informed about your progress. This will give you the chance to thank all those who supported you and encourage others to do the same.
14. Be proud: you are doing something that will make a difference in the lives of many people!
15. And remember… Persistence really does bring results, so don’t give in!