FUNDRAISE

We make it easy for you.

“Fund-raising to end hunger wasn’t just a job or a fad or a political statement for me. It was an expression of my own soulful commitment, and as such, I could only do it in a way that would call on people to reconnect with their own higher calling, or soulful longing, to be the kind of people they wanted to be, the kind of difference they wanted to make, and see how they could express that with their money.”

— Lynne Twist, The Soul of Money

Start by creating your campaign through our preferred platform: Zeffy.

Easily share a link where people can donate to your fundraiser.

3 EASY STEPS:

  1. Click on a program below.

  2. On the campaign page, click on the “Fundraise” button.

  3. Create a team or raise funds by yourself—totally fee-free!

Raise General Funds

Fundraising through Facebook & Instagram (Meta)

What we like about Meta fundraising:

  1. Automated notifications to your network

  2. Easy to share & comment

  3. Birthday fundraising features

However, the main drawback is that they take fees from received donations.

If you choose to hold a birthday fundraiser, Facebook and Instagram automatically notify your network about your upcoming birthday and what you’re raising money for. We recommend setting this up two weeks before your birthday to allow enough time for people to see their notifications and respond.

Check out our 14-Day Fundraising Blueprint

Ready to get started?

Click on the links below.

Take your efforts further.

Check if you can double the impact.

CORPORATE MATCHING

Many companies have programs that match their employees' donations and volunteer hours. Use the search box below to explore if your company, as well as the companies of your donors, offer such programs.

Tips for Fundraising

Here’s how you can make your fundraiser successful.

Make the first donation.

Contributing to your own campaign demonstrates your commitment to the cause and can encourage others to donate.

Personalize your fundraising page.

Creating a video that highlights your personal connection to the cause can be a powerful way to engage potential donors by projecting your message through your voice and connecting with them directly.

Get personal.

Direct personal messages, emails, and in-person asks are crucial as they allow for direct engagement and can increase the likelihood of receiving donations from potential donors who may not have otherwise contributed through general appeals to the public.

Frame your ask.

Explain your connection to the cause and why it's important to you. Describe how the cause has touched your life. This is the most important element of your message.

  • In a sentence or two, explain the good work Trek Relief is doing to support the cause. This helps potential supporters understand where their money is going and what it would be used to accomplish.

  • Be clear to potential supporters about what you are looking for; make a direct ask for financial support.

  • Include a link to your fundraising campaign page.

  • Thank your contacts for their time and support.

Gauge your audience. If a one-line message would work best, do it. If a longer personal message would work better, do that.

Prioritize.

Send individual messages to your 5 closest contacts and ask them first for donations. Getting your "inner circle" to donate to your page will help you build up some momentum. Studies show that as you make progress towards your fundraising goal, others become more likely to donate. Success breeds success!

Think about your fundraising strategy like peeling an onion from the inside out. The best fundraisers start by asking their closest contacts first (the core) and then progressively working outward to more distant contacts (the outer skin).

Provide updates.

Maximize the potential of social media by utilizing platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, and incorporating relevant hashtags to expand your reach. Instead of solely focusing on fundraising, share positive updates and news about your cause to engage your audience, and regularly update your progress to pique their interest and foster a connection with your efforts, leading to increased involvement and donations.

Thank and tag your donors.

When you tag someone on social media, your post gets shared in your activity feed as well as the tagged person's feed. This also sets the frame that people are already donating to your page (remember success breeds success!). As your friends see you recognizing more and more donors—people that they likely also know—they will be more inspired to get involved. 

Follow up with people who don't initially respond.

Don’t be afraid to reach back out to non-responders. Remember, people can easily miss or skip over your initial outreach!

  • Include progress updates in your follow-up messages and add any inspiring stories or personal anecdotes you have about the cause.

  • Continue to use social media! This is a softer medium for communicating with your contacts and is more acceptable for frequently posting updates.

Offer an incentive.

Consider offering levels of rewards for various backers. This works especially well when the gifts are personal to the fundraiser. Gifts that require the fundraiser’s particular skills or services tend to inspire more donations because they demonstrate the participant’s commitment to the cause. Offering souvenirs from the trip is also enticing.

Host a fundraising event. 

Host a dinner, run a bake sale, or share your story at an event. It’s a great way to help spread our mission, rally family and friends around a trip, and raise awareness and money in support of our programs. People will be touched by how much you care, and you might be surprised at how much you enjoy the process!

“It could be said that a great fund-raiser is a broker for the sacred energy of money, helping people use the money that flows through their lives in the most useful way that is consistent with their aspirations and hopes for humanity.”

— Lynne Twist, The Soul of Money