Facebook fundraisers make a big difference for us at NAF. More than $200,000 has been raised because people like you took the time to support our cause. Thank you so much! Your efforts will directly impact the Ataxia community. The funds that you raise help us offer Ataxia research grants, provide educational programs for Ataxia families, and offer support services in local communities around the country.

If you haven’t started your Facebook fundraiser yet, get started by clicking this link: https://www.facebook.com/fund/ataxiafoundation. To help you reach your fundraising goal, we put together a few tips about how to host a successful Facebook fundraiser.

4 Tips for an Awesome Facebook Fundraiser

Whether you are new to Facebook fundraisers or an old pro, these tips are simple things that you can do to help you reach your goal and maximize your impact.

1) Customize your fundraiser.

You probably know about the work we do here at NAF, but your supporters don’t. They will be more motivated to support your cause if they know why it matters to you. Tell your personal story and why you support NAF. Include a photo of yourself or your family too. Here are a few things to consider when customizing your fundraiser’s details:

• Set a reachable goal. Start small – you can always increase it later. Your supporters might be more encouraged to donate when they can see that they are helping you reach your goal.
• Include a free option for your supporters. Not everyone is able to donate – and that’s ok! Encourage those who can’t give money to support you by sharing your fundraiser with their friends. It’s a great way to get the word out about your efforts.

2) Post, post, post!

Starting your fundraiser is just the first step. You won’t reach all of your friends on Facebook with a single post. Ask for help and keep in contact with your friends throughout your campaign to reach more of your followers. Don’t limit yourself to Facebook. Get the word out by sending the link to your fundraiser through text, email, or posting on other social media sites too. Here are a few other ideas for you:

• Invite your friends to your fundraiser individually. It can take a bit of time and extra effort, but it is one way to make sure that someone sees your fundraiser. To do this, go to your fundraiser page and click “Invite.”
• Share your fundraiser to your friends at least a few times during your campaign. Set a schedule for yourself. For a shorter campaign, try posting to announce your fundraiser, providing a mid-campaign update, and ask for help again in the final days. For a longer campaign, create a post every few weeks to remind people about your cause.
• Post an event day reminder. If your fundraiser is for your birthday, wedding, or other event – post on the day of the event to encourage people to donate.

3) Thank your supporters.

We’re sure that you appreciate the people that donate to your fundraiser as much as we appreciate you. It feels good when your friends and family support your efforts. Make sure to let them know that! You can comment and write a personal message to each person that donates, or comment with a collective thanks to everyone that gave. At the end of your fundraiser, write a public message to remind everyone about the great cause that they donated to.

4) Toot your own horn.

At the end of your campaign, let your Facebook friends know how it went. What you did for NAF was a great thing! We know it took time and effort. Tell your friends how much you raised and why supporting NAF was important to you.

We hope these tips were helpful and we can’t wait to hear about how it goes. Best of luck with your Facebook fundraiser! If you need any help along the way, feel free to reach out to our Development Associate, Jon Wegman, at jon@ataxia.org or 763-553-0020.

Take the Next Step

We appreciate your support and hope that you will also become a member of NAF (if you aren’t already). It’s free and only takes a few moments to join. Our members will play an increasingly important role in the development of treatments for Ataxia. We connect our members with research opportunities for their type of Ataxia and provide a monthly newsletter. Join our growing community today!