Join An Event:

Raising research dollars is the fastest and most direct way that you can help find a cure for multiple myeloma. There are five secrets to your success:

1. Ask Early
   Start soon. Many people will help you – even though it seems like everyone is so busy these days. The sooner you ask... the sooner you will start on the road to reaching your goal. Starting early allows time to circle back and follow up later.
2. Ask Everyone
   Ask friends, family, co-workers and neighbors. Ask the people who you do business with (that decorator who you have given business to, the landscape contractor who you just wrote a check to, etc).
3. Share Your Passion
   Make sure that all of the people you contact know that you are passionate about achieving this athletic milestone to raise money for the MMRF. Many of you are participating in honor of a relative or friend. Others are myeloma patients or myeloma medical professionals. Some of you may have no direct connection to multiple myeloma; however, you are enthusiastic about supporting a great cause and bringing more meaning to your participation in this event. Let your donors know why this is so meaningful to you. If you are not directly connected to myeloma, tell of how the MMRF is making breakthroughs in cancer research (Tell the MMRF Success Story shown below).
4. Set up Your Page NOW
   Your personal donation page will be your best tool for raising money. You will be amazed at how quickly the contributions start coming in once you set it up. View Donation Page Instructions and Set Up.
5. Tell the MMRF Success Story
   
   • The mission of the MMRF is to relentlessly pursue innovative means that accelerate the development of next-generation multiple myeloma treatments to extend the lives of patients and lead to a cure.
   • Since its inception in 1998, the MMRF has raised more than $140 million, making it the world's leading private funder of myeloma research.
   • The work of the MMRF contributed to the FDA approval of four drugs for multiple myeloma in just four years - a track record unparalleled in oncology. Due to their success in myeloma, these same drugs are now being explored as potential treatments for more than 30 additional cancers.
   • Nearly 90% of funds raised by the MMRF directly support research and related programming
   • YOUR EFFORTS CAN MAKE THE DIFFERENCE

Tips for your personal page:

When you sign up for the team you will automatically receive a personal donation webpage that includes the most significant information about the MMRF and our mission. Think of this standardized page as a starting point that you can add to. The best pages are personalized as outlined below. At a minimum, this standard page will provide your supporters with information about the MMRF. For the best, most effective donation campaign, make sure your page follows these guidelines:

• Write a message that tells people WHY you are participating in this marathon, triathlon, or cycling event.
• Tell your supporters about HOW you are connected to Multiple Myeloma
• Explain how much participating in this event means to you and how their support is so important to you.
• Include a picture of yourself or of the person you are honoring. If you do not have such a photo, use a photo or logo of the event you are participating in. This is usually available in the dropdown menu where you can upload photos. If not, email marathon@themmrf.org and we will get you what you need.
• Share the message about how much the MMRF has done to fund research and how their efforts are getting the medical community closer to finding a cure.

For more inspiration and ideas on how to create a good donation page visit: SAMPLE DONATION PAGES

Remember the most successful campaign will be the result of continued communication. The key is to set up a good donation page (See Tip #2 above). Be sure you are investing time in updating your personal fundraising webpage and reminding your friends and family to contribute.

Here is how to take your fundraising efforts to the next level:

1. Post new and fresh information on your page periodically so your contacts stay connected. Do not forget to include a photo!
   
   
2. Send emails on regular intervals. Send out your emails to a large list - friends, family, co-workers, people connected to the myeloma patient, etc - and include the link to your personal donation webpage. Send your emails every 3-4 weeks at first, then every 1-2 weeks to the entire list. Use the emails to update your progress. Tell the recipients how things are going — both with regard to training and with fundraising. The key is to keep those emails going. These emails will serve to thank the people who have already supported you and give them an update. The emails will also serve as a reminder for those who have not yet donated. Here are some sample sentences for you to include:
   
   
   • TRAINING: "Just finished the first of four 20 milers in my training program. It is hard to imagine running 6.2 miles MORE, but I know that by following my program — and tapping into the support of friends and family like you— that I will make it! I also know that the pain and struggling I am experiencing is nothing compared to that of myeloma patients."
     
     
   • FUNDRAISING: "It is 2 months from race day, and I am half way to my fundraising goal. If you have donated already...thank you. If you have not done so yet, please help me reach my fundraising goal by visiting my donation page today and making a secure online donation."
     
     
   • PERSONAL CONNECTION: "I lost my grandmother to myeloma in 2006. Running this marathon to raise money to fund important research that goes directly to finding treatments for myeloma is a way to do something positive in honor of my grandmother."
   
   
   

   For more inspiration on how to write good emails visit: SAMPLE EMAILS TO DONORS

3. Ask your contributors to pass on your message and web page to their friends and family (they can do it right from your donation page by clicking on the link at the top of the page that says "INVITE OTHERS TO DONATE" or they can simply cut and paste your link and include it in an email)
   
   
4. Keep people informed about your fundraising goals and progress by discussing them on your page.
   
   
5. If you get close to your donation goal, increase it! Donors are most likely to give more if they see you are a ways from your goal.
   
   
6. Include your donation page information in your email signature. By adding a short blurb to your signature, you are reminding your friends, family and coworkers how important this cause is to you and how they can help. Here is an example:
   A proud member of the NYC MMRF Team on Nov 1!
   Visit my website and join my team!
   http: //www.active.com/donate/2009NYCMarathon/kendragoffredo

The more effort you put into your fundraising campaign, the more money you are likely to raise for the MMRF. You can have fun and make your emails energetic and informative.

Do not be shy about sending emails. Remember, this athletic event is a big thing in YOUR life right now, but your friends and family are busy with their own lives, and may have forgotten to make a donation. Your friends, family and co-workers support you — they just might need to be reminded of what you are doing, so that they can follow up and make their donations.

Do not make assumptions about who can give or how much they can give. People will not contribute more than they can... You will be surprised who will come through for you that you did not expect. Most of your friends, family and coworkers will want to support this amazing effort you are making to accomplish a milestone of finishing this event. They will want to support your dedication to this important cause that is funding critical research for treatments that are extending lives. Remember that the MMRF is making breakthroughs in CANCER research - not just myeloma.

We promise you that this method works! We hear all the time how easy this is if people follow our directions. Do not put yourself under undue pressure. Start now!

Ask your friends, family members and co-workers to sponsor a specific mile of the race. Early miles “cost” less. Hills and other tough spots in the race have a higher value. Big spenders can sponsor the final miles or the finish line.

We have created “By The Mile” fliers for some of our bigger upcoming events, but feel free to create your own if you are participant in a race other than these six. If you think this would be a great fundraising tool to use, please contact EnduranceEvents@themmrf.org and we will make one for you.

• By the Mile: New York City Half Marathon
• By the Mile: Boston Marathon
• By The Mile: ING New York City Marathon
• By the Mile: Bank of America Chicago Marathon
• By the Mile: Marine Corps Marathon

It is very helpful to set a fundraising goal and break target amounts into smaller more manageable increments. To get you started, here is a simple yet eye-opening strategy for raising $2,500 in just nine days.

• Day 1: Start by sponsoring yourself for $100
• Day 2: Ask six family members to sponsor you for $100
• Day 3: Ask ten friends to each contribute $50
• Day 4: Ask seven co-workers to each contribute $50
• Day 5: Ask five neighbors to each contribute $25
• Day 6: Ask ten people from your place of worship to each donate $25
• Day7: Ask your boss for a company contribution of $200 (or find out if your company will match what you raise)
• Day 8: Ask five businesses with which your company works to sponsor you for $50
• Day 9: Ask five businesses you frequent (for example your barber/hair stylist, dry cleaner, veterinarian, coffee shop, restaurants, etc.) to contribute $25
• Day 10: Check out your fundraising page: You did it!

Many schools today encourage kids to do community service projects, so your kids might find that working on a project that has to do with myeloma is a great way to honor a loved one and get that service commitment under their belt at the same time. Others are looking to do service in conjunction with a religious milestone like their Bar Mitzvah or Confirmation. Your child’s friends might want to get involved too, and can make it a bigger event. Here are some fun ideas you can use (or come up with some on your own):

• Hold a 26.2 lap event or a 2.62 mile “mini-marathon” and get others to sponsor the runner. Similar events can be staged to mock the Century Ride or a triathlon. Get donors to sponsor the child by the mile or the lap.
• Have a swim-a-thon, a spin-a-thon, or a dance-a-thon.
• Host a party at a teen center.
• Collect coins in a bottle at school. Arrange to spread the word during the morning announcements.
• Have a car wash or bake sale.
• Sell handmade jewelry.

1. Start early! You are going to have a lot on your plate. If your page is up, you can start the donations coming in while you are getting those runs in!
2. Do not think of fundraising as asking for money. You are working to help fund extraordinary cancer research that is not only extending the lives of myeloma patients, but is contributing to the treatment of 19 other cancers as well.
3. Do not make any assumptions or leave anyone out. You will be surprised who will come through for you. You are doing an extraordinary thing – and YOU are the one running the marathon, competeing in the triathon, riding in the cycling event! Others will want to support your effort. Don't make assumptions about who can give what. Just put the request out there...and you will find that people will do what they can. This is key and will make your fundraising donations come in quickly.
4. Count on your friends! Have your buddies spread the word for you! Also, your friends may want to throw you a party! You can suggest a donation at the door, add a raffle, be creative and you will see the efforts payoff in your total funds raised.
5. Carry MMRF donation cards in your purse or wallet. Create your own MMRF donation cards to carry in your purse or wallet. Using your computer, take a template for a business card and personalize it with your name, event, and a link to your personal donation page. Inevitably, the subject of your race comes up and people will tell you that they want to support you. Have your donation cards handy and follow up with their offer by handing them a card that directs them right to your donation page! Download MMRF Donation Cards for some of our larger events.
6. Ask your boss and your co-workers to support you. Also check to see if your company has a "Company Matching Gifts" program – Read the FAQs for more on this.
7. Use different strategies – emails, letters, word of mouth, host a party... the most successful fundraisers use multiple methods to raise funds.
8. Network! If you belong to a book group, a running group, a playgroup, a church group, etc., let them know what you are up to. You will be surprised how many people you know who will support your efforts. Donations do not have to be big. Many successful campaigns are founded on $1 per mile donations. It all adds up!
9. Collect cash and checks if offered! Many donors are interested in giving on the spot. Read the FAQs to see how to deposit your cash and check collections into your personal donation page so it can be reflected in your total.
10. Ask! Ask! Ask! You are doing an incredible thing. You are training for an awesome and challenging athletic event to fund research for a terrible disease that has one of the lowest survival rates of any cancer. The MMRF is helping to extend lives and to find a cure for myeloma. Further, the treatments being spearheaded by the MMRF are helping in the treatment of 30 other cancers as well.

Easily share your personal fundraising page with your social network.

Recent research shows that people eho use social networks increase their fundraising by 40%!

Take advantage of the ActiveGiving's new Facebook Application that will help you reach your fundraising goal more easily and quickly. It is free and can be used by anyone with an ActiveGiving.com fundraising page and a Facebook account.

• A status bar widget displays your goal and how much money you have raised to date on your Facebook profile, with a direct link to your ActiveGiving donation page.
• Donors, family members and friends can support your cause by sharing the link to your donation page on their own Facebook profiles, which will also appear in the Facebook newsfeed.

Fundraise on Facebook: Add the new Facebook app to your profile NOW!

You can add your donation link to your LinkedIn, Twitter, Ning or any other social networking site you belong to. If you have not yet joined an online social network...well...this just might be the time — and the reason to do so!

Tell your supporters that all donations of $100 or more (or $50) will buy them a spot on your race day jersey. Their names will carry you through the race! This is a very simple and effective way to get you to your fundraising goal.

Use email marketing software like CONSTANT CONTACT to send your message with a catchy, professional and effective email.

Try a program like Constant Contact. Constant Contact offers easy to use software that can create a high impact, visually appealing, email that you can send to prospects. (Constant Contact offers a free 60 day trial – after that the charge is $9.99 per month). You can imbed your message in the HTML email and choose from 100's of templates. See a sample here: TEAM BOB IS GROWING

Once your email has gone out, your contacts will be saved in your address book. You can add more as you have more prospects. Change your message and send additional emails with updates and reminders at the touch of a button. You can send these directly from the Constant Contact site, or you can email yourself a 'preview' and then send as an email with a short note attached at the top. (Note: when you send from the Constant Contact site, you can monitor who has opened your email, if an email has bounced, etc).

Create a blog that you update regularly for your supporters. This is a great way to update your donors on your progress and remind those who have not yet donated to do so. The idea is to tell your story, and then initially send the link in an email to your supporters so that they can then follow your progress as you update it.

There are many sites where you can create a blog at no cost. Google has an easy to use free blogsite: http://www.blogger.com. No matter the blog source you use, it is a great way to keep your supporters up to speed with your progress – both from a fundraising perspective and a training one. When you involve your supporters they will know how much this means to you and help you reach your goals!

We have seen great success when team members host a party a few weeks before race day. You can do it in many ways, but it is easy to use Evite, Facebook, email or traditional means (MAIL/PHONE) to let your friends and family know about the event. Invite your friends, family and co-workers to celebrate and support your physical and fundraising efforts at a local restaurant, bar or someone's home. Try to keep your expenses to a minimum so you can deliver your funds raised to the research. Ask for a "suggested donation" at the door. Two of our NYC Marathon runners had a party of this nature last year with great success. They also solicited prizes from local businesses and held a raffle and silent auction. Their effort was extremely successful – raising $5K in one night! ($2,000 of it came from the silent auction and raffle). They also had a chance to have fun with their friends, family and supporters.

A Boston team member hosted a Latin Night Theme Party at her home a month before the marathon, billing it as "An evening of fun, friendship, music and food". Her friends provided the food and beverages - basically throwing the party in her honor to support her efforts. Again, a donation amount is suggested on the invitation. She raised more than $2000 in one night.

Another good idea: Get the office involved: Throw a mid-day munchies party at your office and ask everyone to make a donation at the door – or in a 'kitty' for some snacks.

Be sure to 'pool' cash donations so that you can submit one check to the MMRF.

USE YOUR IMAGINATION TO COME UP WITH CREATIVE WAYS TO REACH YOUR FINANCIAL GOAL! These examples show how you can make it FUN for your donors to celebrate your upcoming athletic accomplishment help YOU raise money for the MMRF!

Many companies offer a Matching Gifts program, whereby employers match contributions made by employees. This is a BENEFIT for the employees. Be sure to use it!

The MMRF has a quick and easy tool to help determine whether your employer - or the employer of your donors - has a Matching Gifts program. Click the button below and follow the directions. If you do not see the company you are looking for on the list, call their Human Resources Department. The database is sensitive to exact wording, so if the company name is not immediately found, it cannot hurt to make a phone call to double check.

MMRF Matching Gifts Database

Once you get the information, here is all you have to do:

1. Have employee fill out the Matching Gift form from their employer — it will either be an online form or can be obtained through the employee's HR department
2. After completing the form, either forward the confirmation to EnduranceEvents@themmrf.org or if it is a form that needs to be processed by the MMRF, fax it to Alicia O'Neill at (203) 966-8381.
3. We will take it from there!

One great tip is to check the Matching Gifts database whenever you receive a donation. If you find that the donor's employer is one that has a Matching Gifts program, copy the information on your findings and send it to your donor when you send them a thank you email. For example:

"Dear Tom,

Thank you so much for your generous donation of $100 to my NYC Marathon fundraising campaign. It means a lot to me since my father is battling multiple myeloma and the MMRF is doing so much to advance critical treatments.

Did you know that your employer, Bank of America, has a matching gifts program? They will match your donation dollar for dollar if you complete the form below and send me a confirmation! Here is the information:

Matching Gift Form: https://www.cybergrants.com/boa/branch.html
Matching Gift Guidelines: http://www.bankofamerica.com/foundation/index.cfm?template=fd_matchinggift
Minimum Amount Matched: $25.00
Maximum Amount Matched: $5,000.00
Gift Ratio: 1:1

Thanks again for your donation. I hope you will take a minute to submit the matching gift request and forward the confirmation to me so that I can get closer to achieving my fundraising goal of $4,000!"

Remember that if you receive a donation from a couple with a joint checking account, and one of them works for a company that matches and the other does not, you can still submit a matching gifts request to the company that does match.

You might be thinking of "just writing a check". That is certainly OK, but know that by creating your own personalized fundraising webpage and reaching out to friends, family members and coworkers, you are giving them a way to support you and show support for myeloma patients. You may not like asking for donations, but many people WANT to give... You are the one doing all the training and pushing yourself to the limit on race day. "All" they have to do is support you!. So don't be 'selfish' and keep this all to yourself. Let your loved ones and colleagues share in your effort! Believe me, you will feel their energy and love on race day!

Also – many of the people in your life will want pay tribute to the multiple myeloma patient you are running in honor of. And, we hear time and time again how empowering it is to the MMRF team member AND THEIR SUPPORTERS that they can finally 'do something' to help and a loved one. This is a real and substantial way that your friends, family, co workers and loved ones can honor your multiple myeloma friend or relative.

Encourage your friends, family and local businesses to donate their spare change every day. It all adds up! This is a great one for the whole family to join in on!

• Put a change jar in a central location in the house, like the kitchen. Ask your family members to empty their pockets daily.
• Set up a change jar at work and invite your colleagues to participate in the same way.
• Ask a local merchant or restaurant to put out a jar that you have provided and decorated. The local coffee shop, dry cleaners, or hair dresser will most likely help you.

We think everyone is focused on our race because we are, and the truth is, only now as we get closer, do many of our friends and family remember that we are participating in it. People are busy, and inundated with work and other obligations. Help them remember by sending a final email.

Send a powerful email to your entire list of potential donors and those who have already made a contribution. Let them know:

• How excited you are about the fact that race day is almost here.
• Fill them in on how hard you have been training.
• Share with them what your fundraising goal is.
• Share a few facts about the MMRF (found on the FAQs)
• Finally make sure they know how important this cause is to you.
• Ask directly for a donation.

Remember that you will have until one month after the event to finalize your fundraising efforts and reach your goal. Be sure to follow up right after race day. Your excitement and emotion will be at its peak. Your email will serve as a thank you to people who have already donated, and a reminder to those who have not done so yet. Include a picture of yourself from the event!