Every spring, the WITS community comes together to raise money in support of the WITSummer Books campaign. Our Board of Directors, Associates Board, and other community members create peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns to provide brand-new, culturally relevant books to students’ homes and classrooms. Annually, fifty fundraisers create personal pages and ask their friends, family, and co-workers for donations. Peer-to-peer fundraising is a crucial component of WITS revenue strategy. It connects new supporters to the WITS mission, increases our social media presence, and empowers our strongest advocates to raise money for an organization they care about.
Tips for Being an Impactful Fundraiser
- Set a goal: Setting a goal will help motivate and guide your fundraising efforts. Pick a goal that is attainable and share it with your audience.
- Share your why: This is the most important step to being a successful fundraiser. Share the story of why you got involved and what the mission means to you. This will resonate with your audience and encourage others to join in your fundraising efforts.
- Make a direct ask: Posting on social media and event-based fundraising is a great way to raise funds. However, the number one-way people give to nonprofits is because someone asked them directly. This can be either an email, or a direct ask via phone call, text message, or in-person conversation.
- Follow up: Share a mission story or fact about WITS and ask for their support again. We all lead busy lives and a reminder is a great way to keep them updated on the progress of the campaign and the important work the organization is doing.
Fundraising is not all that WITS does, but all that we do depends upon it. The donations we raise through the WITSummer Books campaign creates opportunities for every student in Chicago to be literate. If you want to join the campaign, visit our WITSummer Books site and start your fundraiser today. You too can be a WITS all-star fundraiser!
