Four Steps to Being a Successful Team

As a Team Captain, you have an important and exciting job to raise awareness and promote the work we do at Spectrum360. A Team Captain’s job is to motivate others to join your team, be a coach to your fellow fundraisers, promote the walk, and be a part of the event’s success! You are not in this alone. We have included tips to ensure your success and the Development Department is happy to help or answer questions. Our goal is to ensure your success.

1. Set a Team and Individual Fundraising Goal (You may have already done this)

The success of the Walk For A Lifetime depends on your success as a fundraiser! Set an ambitious fundraising goal and hold yourself accountable for reaching it. Once you know your goal, you can start collecting donations from friends, family and coworkers. Set the bar high but in manageable pieces! We encourage you to break your total goal down into weekly and monthly goals. Aim to raise $100 or $250 each week. Try to raise $1,000 a month. We want you to feel encouraged to continue fundraising! Remember, the more money you raise, the more money Spectrum360 will have to fund our programs!

2. Recruit Team Members

Ask ask ask! Start by telling your friends, family, coworkers, and neighbors why Spectrum360 is important to you and then ask them to join you. The more passionate you feel about the Spectrum360 walk, the more they’ll feel the excitement as well! Sharing your personal story is a great way to motivate people. Many people have been affected by autism, and you may be surprised to learn their personal connections to our cause. Once they have registered online at walk.spectrum360.org encourage them to invite their network of support. Don’t forget local businesses!

Keep these points in mind as you build your team

1. Encourage all of your team members to register online! 

2. When you start a team, there’s is a link given to you that you can promote through emails, social media, and text.

3. Send an email and then follow up a few weeks later; people are busy and sometimes need reminders.

3. Fundraise

Fundraising is why we are here! It can be a difficult task but we have included some templates and other information to make it easier for you. The best thing about Spectrum360 is it almost speaks for itself. Your connection to the organization is the best way to fundraise. If your child is a student, share that! If you are a staff member, share that! Whatever your connection is, share that!

Here are a few resources I encourage you to use:

This “I am Spectrum360” video describes what we do and all of our programs. Share in emails or facebook to ask for donations. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AG_YcGdUjPg&t=2s 

Ask about matching donations. Many companies match gifts so if someone is donating $50 that could be $100 or more depending on their match guidelines. *This could double your total fundraising goal

Example FB Post:

1 in 35 are diagnosed with autism in NJ. Join my team, [team name] or make a donation to my team on behalf of [son/daughter, name/cause] to help raise funds for Spectrum360 programs and services.  Our team/individual fundraising goal is [input goal you made] and we need your help to reach it. Join or donate to my team through this link [include your team/personal page]. #walkforalifetime #spectrum360 #veronapark

Example email:

Please help me make a difference in providing options across a lifetime to individuals with autism and related disabilities at Spectrum360. [Share your connection and why you love Spectrum360 here] Join my team, [team name] or make a donation to my team on behalf of [son/daughter, name/cause].  Our team/individual fundraising goal is [input goal you made] and we need your help to reach it. Join or donate to my team through this link [include your team/personal page]. 

4. Have Fun and Enjoy Walk Day on June 9th!

You have put in a lot of effort to make your team successful. Enjoy the day and all of your hard work! On walk day, make sure your team knows to visit the registration table for your team captain gifts. If there are still donations to be made, they can be made at walk.spectrum360.org. Take some time to have fun and celebrate because you are all making a difference! 

Be sure to follow up with each team member after the event by sending a personal thank you note. Don't forget to encourage your team members to thank their donors. Let them know how much their support makes a difference! You can even plan a post-walk event when the time is right- to share results, thank everyone and encourage future participation.