NAMI DIY: A Fundraising Toolkit

Welcome NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, is the nation s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness. What started as a small group of families gathered around a kitchen table in 1979 has blossomed into the nation s leading voice on mental health. Today, we are an association of hundreds of local affiliates, state organizations and volunteers who work in your community to raise awareness and provide support and education that was not previously available to those in need. Learn more about us at https://www.nami.org/about-nami. NAMI is excited and honored you have chosen to use your talents and areas of interest to help raise funds for our national headquarters (EIN: 43-1201653) while raising awareness of our work. With NAMI DIY, you are limited only by your own creativity. Creating a DIY fundraising page with NAMI is a fun, interactive way to raise awareness and support NAMI s mission. With DIY fundraising, you re in control. Use your skills, interests and creativity to raise donations for NAMI while encouraging friends and family to learn more about our mission. With unique, motivated NAMI fundraisers across the nation, we can bring NAMI s mission and values to new people and communities. Together, we can make a difference. Contact Us If you have any questions about this toolkit or your fundraiser, please reach out to NAMI s development staff at donorservices@nami.org or 888-999-NAMI. 2

Why Fundraise? Mental Illness Affects Us All NAMI serves individuals and family members affected by mental illness. With 1 in 5, or 60 million, Americans experiencing a mental health condition each year, the need for NAMI s work exists in every community. From an individual who has been living with an illness for years to a parent whose child has just been diagnosed with a condition, NAMI is here to support, educate and advocate on behalf of these individuals. Many people we serve are living with or directly affected by mental illness such as major depression, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Nearly 1 in 25, or 10 million, American adults has one of these illnesses. In some way, mental illness touches the lives of nearly everyone nationwide. The need for NAMI s message, services and programs exists in every community. 3

It s Time to End Stigma The stigma associated with mental illness is pervasive in U.S. culture. Mental illnesses are some of the least understood and least talked about illnesses, despite being some of the most common. Navigating life with a mental health condition can be tough. Stigma creates isolation, blame and secrecy that can challenge someone from reaching out, getting support and living well. Learning how to avoid and address stigma is important for everyone, especially when you realize stigma s effects: People experiencing mental health conditions often face rejection, bullying and discrimination. This can make their journey to recovery longer and more difficult. Mental health conditions are the leading cause of disability across the United States. Even though most people can be successfully treated, less than half of the adults in the U.S. who need services and treatment get the help they need. The average delay between the onset of symptoms and intervention is 8 10 years. Suicide is the second leading cause of death among youth ages 15 24 and the 10 th leading cause of death for all Americans. Through your DIY fundraiser, you can fight stigma in your network and community. By speaking up, sharing your story, supporting a loved one and sharing why NAMI s cause is important to you, you drive the conversation forward and lead by example. Encourage your friends and family to learn about the stigma against people with mental health conditions; have them sign NAMI s StigmaFree pledge. With your support, NAMI can change the conversation around mental health. 4

Getting Started Step 1: Pick Your Event The sky is the limit with a DIY fundraiser for NAMI. You can choose to do your event completely online, using social media and email to ask your friends and family to support your efforts. Share your updates on social media, adding videos and pictures for a personal touch. Do something you love or challenge yourself, donate your birthday, remember a loved one, share your story or try any other activity from the comfort of your home. You are in control. You can also take your event offline and reach out to people in your community. Plan an event at your home, church, community center, school, workplace or anywhere else you can reach people. Take suggestions from the list below or create your own. Fundraisers are most successful when they mean something to you, so be yourself. Tips Make it personal Be unique Share your story Use social media to grow your reach Reach out to family and friends Challenge yourself Event Ideas Concert Fashion show Bake sale/bake off Garage sale Talent show Battle of the bands Car wash Date auction 5K or half/full marathon Community sporting event (basketball, football, baseball, etc.) Sports tournament (dodgeball, ping pong, volleyball, bocce ball, etc.) Lock-in/Up all night Dance marathon Bingo night Party/gala Bike race Charity dinner Create your own! 5

Step 2: Create Your Page Creating a page on NAMI s personal fundraising site, ifundraise.nami.org, takes only a few minutes, but the impact of your fundraiser could last a lifetime. This section will walk you through the basics. For more detail on optimizing the use of your fundraising page, download our NAMI DIY: Optimizing Your Fundraising Page toolkit. 1. Select the type of page that is most appropriate for your fundraiser: Memorial: Honor the life of a loved one you have lost. Honor: Fundraise for NAMI in honor of a special occasion or a person who inspires you. DIY: Create your own! 6

2. Set up your page. When setting up your page, you can customize it to show your personality, tell your story, set a goal and add photos. It takes only a few minutes. Campaign Title: Pick a title that tells people about your fundraiser. Page Link: Create a unique URL for your fundraiser. This URL is easy to share by email and social media and allows supporters to go directly to your site. Fundraising Goal: Set a challenging but attainable goal. You can always raise your goal later if you bring in more supporters. Make a Donation: Show your supporters you are serious about mental health and your fundraiser. Take that first step toward fundraising success. 7

Step 3: Customize NAMI s personal fundraising pages come preloaded with content describing the importance of supporting NAMI with a fundraiser; however, NAMI encourages all fundraisers to write their own story. You may customize your story with the pencil icon in the upper right corner of the My Story section of your page. Successful fundraisers share their personal reasons for supporting a cause. You have chosen to fundraise for NAMI for a reason, and sharing that with your potential supporters allows them to connect with you and our cause. Add photos to make your page more personal and visually interesting. You can change your profile picture to a photo of you, an icon, an ad for your event or anything else you want to feature. You can also add images in the My Story section. For more information about how to customize your fundraising page, download our NAMI DIY: Optimizing Your Fundraising Page toolkit. 8

Step 4: Get the Word Out Now that your page has been created and customized, it s time to reach out to your network. Spread the word that you are supporting NAMI with your fundraiser of choice. Luckily, your personal fundraising page comes preloaded with helpful tools. Email: Get your fundraiser in front of everyone you know. Use the unique URL that you created during set-up to get friends and family to your page. Additionally, you can send messages from your page s message center. Import contacts, draft a personal message and send a message all from one spot. The system will include a direct link to your page in every message. For additional instructions on using the site to send emails, you can download our NAMI DIY: Optimizing Your Fundraising Page toolkit. Social Media: Linking your page to your social media accounts amplifies the impact of your fundraiser. Your page can integrate with Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. Your page also comes with a custom banner that you can embed on a blog or website. Additional instructions for integrating your fundraising page with social media can be found in our NAMI DIY: Optimizing Your Fundraising Page toolkit. 9

Step 5. Wrap Up After Your Event Thank Your Donors: Show appreciation to the people that made your fundraiser a success: Shout out to them on social media, send handwritten notes, call or email. You can even email thank-you notes to donors using the messages tab of your personal fundraising page. For more detailed instructions on using the email tool, download our NAMI DIY: Optimizing Your Fundraising Page toolkit. Send Any Cash or Check Donations: If you collected checks or cash donations, send them to NAMI for processing. Checks should be made out to NAMI or the National Alliance on Mental Illness. If you receive checks made out to you personally, you can endorse them to NAMI prior to sending by writing in the signature section on the back of the check endorsed to NAMI and signing your name. Cash can either be mailed as is or converted to a money order. If those who donated cash need a receipt for their contribution, please provide NAMI with the name and address of the donor(s) and amount donated by each. All donations by mail should be sent to: National Alliance on Mental Illness PO Box 62596 Baltimore, MD 21264 Share the Story of Your Fundraiser: Your story is powerful. Your fundraiser could inspire countless others to fundraise for NAMI. Share your story with NAMI and the NAMI community in a variety of ways: Submit your story to NAMI s Blog or Advocate magazine Submit your story to NAMI s donor newsletter, NAMI Voice Share your story on social media and tag NAMI with @NAMICommunicate, #StigmaFree and #CureStigma Post your story on NAMI s Tumblr platform, You Are Not Alone Send photos of your fundraiser to NAMI Email us and tell us how it went Plan Your Next Fundraiser Now that you ve seen the impact that a DIY fundraiser can have, it s time to plan your next one. You can do the same event again or plan something new. Some people choose to fundraise at the same time each year, while others fundraise year-round. With DIY, it s all up to you! 10

Fundraising FAQs How are NAMI DIY Donations Used? Donations made via personal fundraising pages support the national office of NAMI (Tax ID: 43-1201653). NAMI s work focuses on national efforts in education, support, awareness and advocacy: We create support and education classes for individuals and families affected by mental illness and for the public. We operate the NAMI HelpLine, which responds to more than 50,000 requests each year, providing resources and information to those in search of help and support. We promote nationwide awareness events and activities, including Mental Illness Awareness Week, Mental Health Month and NAMIWalks to fight stigma and stereotypes. We advocate on national, state and local levels to create common-sense solutions to policy issues that affect people with mental illness. Why Is This Activity DIY and Not A NAMI Event? NAMI officially hosts a few signature events throughout the year, such as NAMIWalks. DIY events are intended to give you support and resources to host an independent effort for NAMI. You can create an event that fits your personality, community and capacity. When you are promoting or speaking about your event, you may title it [Event], benefiting NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness to let people know that your event supports us. May I Use NAMI s Logo and Information? You may not use NAMI s official logo to promote your own event. However, NAMI provides a DIY logo and guidance for giving your event that NAMI look. Download the DIY logo at https://www.nami.org/get- Involved/Donate-to-NAMI/Ways-of-Giving/Do-It-Yourself-(DIY)/DIY-FAQ. 11

What are Some Guidelines for Using the DIY Logo? Should I Use Certain Language When I Talk About Mental Illness? When referring to individuals or our cause, please do not define anyone by a diagnosis or condition. To help reduce stigma, maintain a positive, supportive tone by using person-first language. For tips on how to write about NAMI and mental illness, please see NAMI s Identity Guide. Will NAMI Pay for Any Part of Our Event? NAMI does not reimburse individuals for any expenses related to their DIY event. NAMI is not financially responsible for any staging or other event expenses. Also, when checks are made to NAMI, they may not be used later for any DIY event expenses, and NAMI will not pay back funds for this purpose. How Can I Send Donations I Collected to NAMI? Please mail proceeds to the following address: National Alliance on Mental Illness PO Box 62596 Baltimore, MD 21264 12

Checks should be made out to NAMI. You may also donate to NAMI with a credit card by visiting www.nami.org/donate or by calling 888-999- NAMI (6264). Are Donations Tax-Deductible? Yes. NAMI is a certified 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Funds donated to NAMI are tax-deductible to the fullest extent of the law. Be careful when securing your donations to make sure that the credit for that donation is correctly identified. For example, a payment will be deductible for income tax purposes to the individual or organization from whom the check is received. If donations are made to an independent organization or person that then pays NAMI, then only the independent organization or person who wrote the check legally qualifies as the donor. Will NAMI Help Publicize My Event? NAMI is unable to publicize your DIY events, but we do provide graphics, tools, support and resources to help you promote your event. Can NAMI Provide Me with Brochures and Pamphlets? NAMI cannot provide free brochures and pamphlets for DIY fundraisers. NAMI has infographics available free-of-charge for downloading and printing in our Infographics and Fact Sheets Library. Brochures about mental illness are available for purchase in the NAMI Store. What Information Should I Include about NAMI When I Talk about My Fundraiser? About NAMI: NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, is the nation s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness. Website: www.nami.org NAMI HelpLine: www.nami.org/helpline or 800-950-NAMI (6264) Twitter: @NAMICommunicate Facebook: www.facebook.com/nami Good Luck! Thank you for choosing to fundraise for NAMI. With your help, we can bring NAMI s mission and values to new people and communities. Together, we can make a difference. 13