Fundraising Tips
Whether you're a first-timer or an experienced fundraiser, we’ll help you meet and exceed your goals. And we’ll reward you too. Why? Because we know it takes hard work and because your support is essential! Register for the Climb, set up your personal webpage, post your photo, and tell your story. Then email your page link to your friends and family so they can donate and support your climb. Check out our fundraising prizes and incentives!
Fundraising made easy – click on this cool tips sheet for some inspiration!
You can also download a pledge form to collect and keep track of your pledges.
Set a team goal
For each member of the team challenge, a minimum of $250 must be raised or contributed but this is just a start. Check out our fundraising incentive prizes and keep these in mind as you work towards your goal. Think of fundraising as a part of the challenge of climbing the Tower.
What will your fundraising goal be?
- $500? $1000?
- $1 for each step you climb?
- Beat last year's goal by 10%?
Create your list of possible supporters and donors
Friends, family, teachers, co-workers, doctors, hairstylists, dentists, mechanic, or classmates. And don’t forget everyone who has ever asked you to sponsor them for a charity event. Be creative. Everyone has a stake in protecting vulnerable species and protecting our planet! The easiest way to ask is through an email from your personal fundraising page.
When asking for pledges, mention that "my average pledge has been around $X. Can you sponsor me?"
Take Full advantage of your online fundraising page
Sign up online and create your very own team and personal webpages from which you can e-mail all your friends to ask for donations. We give you the tools to create your own page – it’s easier than you think!
Pass the link around
Once you have created your webpage, publicize it everywhere. Include it on your social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, and tumblr. Text it to your friends. Remember to post it to your site more than once. It will show up often in your friend’s newsfeeds. Ask your friends to forward the link to their networks too.
Have some fun
- Enlist your colleagues in a workplace fundraiser with ideas like "dress down day”, collect loose change for a month; or ask for donations for the coffee and tea that is usually free.
- Eating for the Environment: bake sales and lunch and learns can all be fun, sociable venues for raising funds to support the work of WWF.
Many companies have matching gift programs. Show your boss how ambitious you are by asking your company to match the donations you have collected.
Don’t forget about your company e-bulletins or newsletters!! Ask your company to place an article about your participation. And of course, many companies are already fantastic supporters of the climb! Thank you!!
Use WWF online materials
In the months and days leading up to the Climb, post links to WWF online resources like our expert’s own blogs - sometimes scientific, but easily clear and concise. Send around environmental tips and use the materials already available online from WWF. Doing this will add variety to your posts and give you enough material for regular online activity and show potential donors how committed you really are. Best of all, you will definitely raise awareness as you raise funds!
Say “thank you” to your donors
WWF will send you emails to let you know when people donate to your page. Follow up to your donors by sending them a “thank you” email. Share updates on social media thanking donors for their support in helping you reach your goal.
Remember, your supporters might like to hear how things unfolded at the Climb and how much you raised in total. Make sure to send an email after the climb thanking them for their work in helping to save the planet
Don’t forget the deadline
Both your online and offline donations received by WWF on or before. Thursday April 25, at 7am will count towards your eligibility for incentive prizes as well as any donations you bring to the climb.
Helpful hints:
- Tell potential sponsors that they will get a tax receipt for donations of $20 or more.
- Update friends and family on your training progress.
- Change your voicemail and e-mail signature to include your participation in the climb.
- Post a quick YouTube video about your participation in the climb and ask people to donate. Share this link with your networks.
- Download the CN Tower App on your smart phone so you can collect donations everywhere you go.
- Use upcoming gatherings with family and friends as opportunities to fundraise, such as Family Day, March Break, Good Friday and Easter Monday.
- Start a fundraising piggy bank and gather your loose change in it- it will add up quickly.
WWF is happy to offer fundraising incentive prizes for our climbers who fundraise $300 or more. These incentives include prizes and the Dr. Scholl’s Team Challenge Party. So challenge yourself to raise as much money as you can!
Check out our fundraising FAQ for more great info.
Read some great stories from our climbers and volunteers.