About Fundraising:
Q: Why should I fundraise? Isn’t walking in an Optimism Walk enough? Awareness is important.
A: You are correct, awareness IS important. But it is the funds raised at Optimism Walks that keep the doors open for the support groups and service programs for people with Parkinson’s and their families. Those funds also help researchers continue their work. These funds are critical. The more funds we raise, the more people we
can help and this is why it is important for all Optimism Walk participants to fundraise.
Q: How can I ask my friends for donations? I’ve never fundraised before. It’s awkward.
A: Fundraising can seem daunting if you’ve never done it before, but it’s a LOT easier (and fun) than you think! And we give you some great tools to make it even easier for you to become a fantastic fundraiser – your own fundraising webpage, email templates, social media posts, and more! Remember, you are not asking them to give YOU money, you are asking them to support a very important cause (that you care about a lot) and you’re giving them an opportunity to easily get involved. And remember, the more funds we raise, the more people we can help.
Q: How can I start fundraising with Text Giving?
A. Participants can set their own personal text giving keywords. When a donation is made to their keyword, it will go toward their personal fundraising goal. Similarly, team and classification captains can set keywords for their teams and classifications. Donations made to those keywords will go to the associated fundraising goal. A participant can set their own keyword by clicking the Text Giving tab and then the Get Started with Text Giving button from their personal fundraising dashboard.
Q: Where does the money raised go?
A: Funds raised by Optimism Walks go towards APDA’s mission help everyone impacted by Parkinson’s disease live life to the fullest, especially those in your local communities. The money you raise will help fund local education, referrals, support, and public awareness programs that can improve quality of life for families, care partners, and all those impacted by the disease. The funds also allow us to invest in cutting-edge research that is searching for a cure.
Q: What is a matching gift and why does it make a difference?
A: A matching gift is when an employer will match an employee’s charitable contribution. For example, if your friend donates $50 to your Optimism Walk, if her employer has a matching gift program, they will also donate $50 to your Optimism Walk. In some cases, they might even double or triple the donation! (Details vary by company.) Remind your donors to check with their company’s Finance or Human Resources departments to find out if they have a matching gifts program – it could significantly increase your fundraising!
Q: How does team fundraising work*? What’s the difference between my fundraising goal and the team
goal?
A: Every participant, whether on a team or not, gets a personal fundraising page and sets a personal fundraising goal. This is YOUR individual goal that you’re hoping to raise through donations you receive from your friends, family, etc. As you receive donations, you’ll see your personal fundraising total grow (which is a lot of fun and exciting to see!). If you are on a team, the Team Captain will set an overall TEAM fundraising goal – the amount he/she hopes the team will collectively raise together. If you are on a team, your individual fundraising will feed into the team’s fundraising total. In addition to individual team members raising funds that contribute to the team total, people can also make a general donation to your team which will add to the team total.
Q: How do I send out emails and where do I go to see sent, drafts, recipients, etc ?
A: To send out an email to family and friends through your Dashboard. You can access it through the Quick Start “Send a Fundraising Email” or through the “Share Event” tab on the side bar.
