We’re checking in regularly to see what the endurance community is doing to keep the industry running forward in the midst of the coronavirus crisis. For more ideas, view creative virtual events, and virtual challenges. This time, we’re taking a look at a few creative solutions for raising money in communities across the country.
Downtown Boulder Employee Assistance Fund Virtual Run Series
Like many communities, Downtown Boulder has seen many employees laid off, furloughed, or otherwise impacted by shutdowns. In response, the Downtown Boulder Foundation (DBF) created a support fund to provide on-time gifts to eligible employees, and setup the Downtown Boulder Employee Assistance Fund Virtual Run Series.
Run. Fundraise.
The virtual run is free, with no automatic swag. It’s simply a starting point to get people engaged with the true mission – raising money! Runners can purchase a shirt ($15 of the $25 benefits the organization) if they want on, and results are reported via the RunSignup’s Enhanced Virtual Results Submission. To make it easy, they have included a custom page on their website with clear, concise directions for submitting results.
Everyone is a Fundraiser!
All runners who register automatically become fundraisers and have a fundraising page automatically created for them. From there, they can share their page with friends and family and encourage them to donate.
But it’s not JUST Runners…
The virtual run is a nice hook, but the organization wants to get everyone involved. They creatively renamed their action buttons to be “Race Sign Up” (aka, the standard “SignUp”) and “Giving Portal” (aka, the standard “Donate”). Through the Giving Portal, anyone can either donate to a current fundraiser, or become a fundraiser themselves – no running required.
Creative Prizes
The prizes given aren’t for the fastest runner. Rather, a $250 gift card to a downtown business of choice will be awarded to the top fundraiser each month, along with a monthly random drawing of five $100 gift cards for additional fundraisers.
Moorestown Neighbors Helping Neigbors
In Moorestown, NJ, where RunSignup originated, the Moorestown Rotary Clu and Moorestown Parks and Recreation Department are working together to assist their local at-risk residents with their Moorestown Neighbors Helping Neighbors fund.
A Donation Website
Moorestown is skipping the running (this time) and going straight to the heart of the matter: collecting donations for groceries and other necessary items. Their super-simple Donation Website has a clean, easy donation page to collect money as efficiently as possible – as well as a Donation Form that can be shared.
Want to Be Like Moorestown?
If you’re a 501(c)3 nonprofit (or are setting up something for a 501(c)3), you can be like Moorestown, too! Get an overview of Websites that you can use for non-profit events and then watch the webinar on Donations and Fundraising in the era of COVID-19.
Live Give Run Virtual Race Challenge
Charm City Run is also supporting their community with their Live Give Run Virtual Race Challenge to support the Maryland Food Bank and the University of Maryland Medical System. In the challenge, runners can chose between a 5K, 10K, and Half Marathon race distance and complete their race between 4/17-4/30.
Result Count!
Results for each race can be submitted through Enhanced Virtual Results – and to make it easy, they’ve linked the results page directly from the Race Info Page – and the submission button also shows when they go to the Results tab of the website. To keep it interactive, selfies are also encouraged with the hashtags #livegiverunvirtualrace and #charmcityrun.
While many virtual races don’t offer prizes for winners, this one will! To ensure the integrity of the race, the top three men and women will be asked to verify their times with a photo of their treadmill report, GPS time, etc – a nice solution for events that want a true winner, but don’t want to verify hundreds of results. Winners are eligible to win Under Armour Machina shoes, a Charm City Run Gift Card, or an MVP subscription to MapMyRun .
Swag, with a heart.
There is swag: all participants receive a specially designed “Maryland Heart” pin for the event. However, to maximize the donatable proceeds from the event, all runners have the option to cover the $3 cost of manufacturing and shipping the pin.
Pick your Team
In a truly cool twist, Charm City Stores across the region are engaging in a battle for the highest participation level. The race used the Groups/Teams feature to make each Charm City Run Store a “Team” – and runners can pick their side (or team) during registration. The Store with the most participants earns a $10 store credit for the first 200 participants registering for that store’s team!
Tell us what YOU’RE doing!
Doing something creative and fun to help your community? Let us know!