Your Ride Guide to Fundraising provides all of the advice you need to develop and execute a successful fundraising plan.

Download the Ride Guide to Fundraising  (Registered Participants Only)

Additional fundraising tools for download, including posters, business cards, sample letters and more, are available below.

Fundraising Summary
A successful fundraising campaign begins with a good plan. Follow these steps to plan your success!

1. Set your fundraising goal. The Ride Without Limits is doing something bold, something beyond the limits of everyday life. So think about what amount would be a big challenge for you. Aim high! The rewards are great.
2. Make a list of your potential donors using the Donor Tracking Worksheet. Each contact you have during the course of the day is a potential conversation you can have about the Ride.
3. Set up your personal fundraising webpage. Log in to your Participant Center and customize your page. Download instructions on how to use your Participant Center.
4. Get your first donation! Asking for that first donation will kick-off your efforts and boost your confidence.
5. Approach each potential donor on your list, using one of the six approaches below.
6. Follow up. Make sure that you follow up with everyone on your list who has not donated. Send them a note to keep them updated on your progress as you fundraise and train. Once you have received a donation from someone, let him or her know that their contribution (whatever the amount) is important to you and that you appreciate it. View a sample thank you letter.

Six Proven Approaches to Fundraising
Once you have your list of donors, think about the best method to approach each of them. Here are six approaches that can each lead to success:

1. The face-to-face ask. This is the simplest, and most direct. Talk about your involvement in the Ride, and then ask for a donation. Then, be silent and wait for a response. A direct request like this often results in the largest donation. Also keep in mind that every person you meet or every business you visit is a potential donor. Carry donation forms with you at all times as well as a Ride Without Limits business card.
2. Send a fundraising letter. This is one of the simplest fundraising approaches. The key to success is to write a great letter! Read some sample fundraising letters. You can use one of these as a starting point and add your own details about why you are riding. Remember to personalize your letter as much as you can. Address each donor by name, and start out conversationally, as if it were any other friendly letter. Close your letter with details about how they can donate either online or with a donation form (enclose one in your letter). You may want to include a copy of the UCP Facts & Impact Flyer to provide more information about the cause. You may also want to include a self-addressed stamped envelope so that the donations are sure to go straight to the bank and into your donation account! (The bank’s mailing address is also listed on your donation forms.)
3. Send a fundraising email. For those on your list who are more likely to respond to an email than a printed letter, sending fundraising emails is easy through your Participant Center. You can use the fundraising letter you wrote in approach #2 as a starting point. Then log into your Participant Center and send your emails, which will provide a direct link to your personal fundraising webpage.
4. Throw a fundraising party. You could potentially raise your entire fundraising minimum in one night by gathering a group of potential donors together in one place. A party takes some effort to organize, but you can reach many people at once. Send out Invitations in advance and be sure to make it clear that the purpose of the party is to raise funds, so your guests will remember to bring their checkbook or credit cards.
5. Pick up the phone. This approach is more personal than a letter or email and is an easy way to reach those who are unable to attend a fundraising party. It is also a great method for a follow-up ask by giving a second chance to your donors who may have received your fundraising letter but not yet responded with a donation.
6. Reach out to the community. One way to raise donations in your community is to hold a fundraising event. Ask a local restaurant to donate one night’s proceeds (and ask all of your friends to come), hold a garage sale or bake sale, organize a golf tournament or get donations from local businesses and host an auction. The ideas are endless!

You can also reach your community through the local media. Contact the local newspaper, radio or television stations. Download a sample press release and personalize it with your information, so readers know how to donate to you.

Fundraising Rewards
Fundraising is hard work. From reaching your fundraising minimum to exceeding your greatest fundraising expectations, the Ride Without Limits team wants you to know how much your efforts mean by offering milestone rewards. The more you raise, the higher level you achieve and the greater reward you earn. Cycling jerseys, hydration system backpacks, even a gift certificate from one of our bike shop partners - these are just a few examples of the rewards you can receive. Find out more about Ride Without Limits Milestone Rewards and start earning yours right now!

Downloads
Crew Business Cards - B/W
Crew Business Cards - Color
Rider Business Cards - B/W
Rider Business Cards - Color

Tampa RWL Information Business Cards

Donor Tracking Worksheet

Fundraising Ideas
Fundraising Event Promo Poster (fill in the blank with your fundraising event information)
Fundraising Party Invitation

Participant Center How-To

Raise $500 in 2 Weeks
Raise $1,500 in 8 Weeks

Ride Guide to Fundraising  (Registered Participants Only)

Sample Fundraising Letters
Sample Press Release
Sample Thank You Letter

Posters:
     North Carolina Recruitment Poster
     Tampa Bay Recruitment Poster
     "Show Your Support" Fundraising Poster - rider version
     "Show Your Support" Fundraising Poster - crew version
     Team Recruitment Poster

Tri-Fold Brochures:
     North Carolina Tri-Fold Brochure
    

UCP Facts & Impact Flyers:
     UCP Facts & Impact - North Carolina
     UCP Facts & Impact - Tampa Bay