Facebook Fundraising FAQs

Pedaling for Parkinson's team gathers before starting Ride The Rockies

Did you know that you can fundraise on Facebook? 

Recently, we've had several people raise money for the Davis Phinney Foundation through Facebook, and their campaigns were a huge success. So, for those of you who have rides and other fundraising events coming up soon, and you haven't tried it out yet, we're going to give you the A to Z on how to get it done. It's much easier and faster than you'd think.

Start a Fundraiser on Facebook

How do I start a Facebook fundraiser?

  • Open Facebook in a browser on your computer, scroll down on the left side under the Explore section. There will be an icon labeled fundraiser. Click that and you’re on your way to creating a Facebook fundraiser for the Davis Phinney Foundation.
  • Once you’re on the fundraiser page, click “Raise Money for a Nonprofit Organization”.
  • From there you’ll need to search and select the Davis Phinney Foundation as your nonprofit to support.
  • Facebook will then give you options to select how much you’d like to raise and when you want your fundraiser to end.
  • The next step requires you to explain why you’re raising money for the Davis Phinney Foundation. Feel free to make this as personal as you would like.
  • Once you've chosen a photo for your fundraiser, you can launch it and begin fundraising for the Foundation! 

I’m participating in a Team DPF event.  How do I link my Facebook fundraiser donations to my Team DPF fundraising webpage?

Make sure your Team DPF fundraising page is set up first, then let Lauren know, and we’ll ensure your facebook donations are properly credited to your Team DPF fundraising page.

What should my fundraising goal be?

Your fundraising goal should be whatever number you feel comfortable with; however, don’t be afraid to reach for the stars! Your posts and stories, along with the mission of the Foundation, will inspire people to give.

How do I get people to donate to my fundraiser?

  • In order to get people to donate to your fundraiser, you have to make sure they know about it. Share the link to your fundraising page often. Each time you do so, you can include a different anecdote about your experience with the Foundation or detail another reason why the work the Foundation does is so important. 
  • Share pictures of yourself attending a Davis Phinney Foundation event or of yourself doing something connected to the organization. For example, you might share a picture of yourself at a Victory Summit event. You can link your fundraising page to these pictures as well.
  • Share a post from the Davis Phinney Foundation blog that you found especially helpful, or you think will resonate with your Facebook friends. Don’t forget to link to your fundraising page!

How can I connect with specific people about my fundraiser?

Writing a note about why you support the Davis Phinney Foundation and sending it to individuals via Facebook messenger is a great way to connect with people on a more personal level. You can also ask them to share the link to your Facebook fundraising page with their networks.

Am I eligible for Team DPF fundraising incentives?

Yes! Please let us know about your efforts so we can acknowledge them and send you incentives as a thank you.

Is there anything else I should know before I start my fundraiser?

First, let us know about it! Email Lauren to fill her in on your fundraising details. We want to cheer you on and answer any questions you have. 

Second, don’t forget to say thank you to your donors! Whether it’s in the form of a Facebook message, a phone call or a hand-written note, everyone should be thanked in some way. The more personal the better. Include details of what their money goes to support and let them know they’re making a difference.

How does this affect taxes?

Since the Davis Phinney Foundation is a US nonprofit, donations are tax deductible.

Will donors receive an acknowledgment letter?

When someone donates through a Facebook fundraiser, a receipt is sent to the primary email address on their Facebook account. The receipt includes the organization’s name, logo, mission statement and EIN. This should be sufficient for tax purposes.

Any donor who sends us their mailing information will be mailed a thank you/acknowledgment letter from the Foundation. If someone specifically requests an acknowledgment letter, they can reach out to the Davis Phinney Foundation’s development officer, Claire Herritz, at cherritz@dpf.org or 303-953-4978. We’re happy to send one via USPS or email.

If I need help getting everything set up, what should I do?

For one-on-one support with your Facebook fundraising efforts to benefit the Davis Phinney Foundation, email Team DPF here.

How do I hook people in and keep the momentum going on my Facebook Fundraiser?

Below are some templates/guidelines that you may choose to use while creating and supporting your Facebook fundraiser for the Davis Phinney Foundation.

Story

Below is a template for the Story portion of your fundraising page.

This summer I/we have decided to start a fundraiser to help support the Davis Phinney Foundation. I’ve chosen to support this organization because of the important programs, tools and information they provide to the Parkinson’s community. Their mission is to help people with Parkinson’s to live well today. All of the Davis Phinney Foundation’s programs are available free to the public because of support from people like you.  Please help me support the Foundation by making a donation today!

Facebook Post

Below are a few templates for Facebook posts you can use to help publicize your fundraiser and draw attention to the work of the Davis Phinney Foundation.

Post #1

This summer I’m supporting the Davis Phinney Foundation through a Facebook fundraiser. The Davis Phinney Foundation provides programs like The Victory Summit® to the Parkinson’s community free of charge. The Victory Summit Parkinson’s symposium is a national educational event that features dynamic presentations from leaders in the Parkinson’s community. It’s an upbeat event that fosters a sense of community and connection. These events motivate people to be involved in their treatment and to improve their quality of life and are made possible through support from people like you. Please consider making a donation to the Davis Phinney Foundation today!

Post #2

For people living with Parkinson’s, it can be difficult to find practical and reliable information on how to maintain and improve their quality of life. The Davis Phinney Foundation saw this need and accepted the challenge of filling it by creating the Every Victory Counts® manual. The Every Victory Counts manual is the gold standard resource to help people with Parkinson’s live well today. This important resource is available to the public free of charge because of donations from supporters like you. Please join me in making a donation to the Davis Phinney Foundation this summer. Thank you!

Post #3

Recently, the Davis Phinney Foundation launched a new program called Sidekicks™. Sidekicks is an intergenerational program that brings together youth and people with Parkinson’s. Through art projects and thoughtful discussion, they are able to connect and learn from each other. Both the youth and people with Parkinson’s are able to connect with a group of people that they may otherwise have never had the opportunity to. Help me support the Davis Phinney Foundation and their exciting, heartwarming and thoughtful programming. Please consider making a donation today!  

Email Template

Below is an email template you can use to encourage people to help you fundraise with Facebook. You could potentially send this out to friends, colleagues, work partners, etc.

Subject: Help us support the Davis Phinney Foundation today!

Email body:

Dear [Name], 

I'm reaching out because I've decided to start a Facebook Fundraiser for The Davis Phinney Foundation, and I’m hoping you might be able to help. The Davis Phinney Foundation leads the way in offering information, inspiration and tools to help people with Parkinson’s live well today. The Foundation is able to offer valuable resources to people living with Parkinson’s free of charge because of support from generous people like you.

Here's the link to my Facebook fundraising page: [Insert link to fundraising page here]

If you’re able to support my fundraiser by making a donation and then sharing it with your network, I would be so grateful. Please know that any contribution helps support a great organization!

If you have any questions, please feel free to call the Davis Phinney Foundation at 303-733-3340 or email their development officer, Claire Herritz, at cherritz@dpf.org. You can find out more about The Davis Phinney Foundation’s mission by visiting their website at https://www.davisphinneyfoundation.org/about-us.

Thank you for taking the time to consider a donation.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]

Good luck and let us know how it goes! Every Victory Counts®.

 

Want more tools and templates to help ensure your fundraising success?

After hosting hundreds of events over the years and coaching a wide variety of fundraisers, we’ve come up with a kit to help you achieve your fundraising goal in less time and with less stress. With sample letters, timelines and more, you’ll have everything you need to raise money and help people with Parkinson’s live better today.

Request Your Complimentary Fundraising Kit Now

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