Team Leader: Guide
About Immune Deficiency Foundation (IDF) Walk for Primary Immunodeficiency (PI) IDF Walk for Primary Immunodeficiency, an initiative of the Immune Deficiency Foundation, unites all members of the primary immunodeficiency (PI) community to help create better lives and futures for those living with these rare, chronic diseases. Because part of their immune system is either missing or functions improperly, people with PI face an increased vulnerability to infections, endure recurrent health problems and often develop serious illnesses throughout their entire lives. They deserve better. Founded in 1980, IDF is the national nonprofit patient organization dedicated to improving the diagnosis, treatment and quality of life of persons with PI through advocacy, education and research. IDF Walk for PI brings an entire community together to raise funds and spread awareness. Thanks to the generosity and hard work of so many, IDF Walk for PI has collectively raised over $4 million since the first walks in 2013. To learn more, visit our website at www.walkforpi.org. Table of Contents Being a Team Leader....1 Getting Started....2 It s All about the Fundraising!.................. 3 Team Member Encouragement...4 Fundraising Ideas....5 Prepare for Walk Day....6 Frequently Asked Questions...7 IDF Contact Information...8 Questions or Concerns? Contact IDF: walk@primaryimmune.org or 800-296-4433
Being a Team Leader: Inspire & Lead As a Team Leader, you recruit, coach and motivate team members, all while driving your own personal fundraising efforts. When teams hit their fundraising goal, IDF is able to provide more support and resources to the entire PI community. Because there is no cost to participate in the walk, your leadership is critical in the success of IDF Walk for PI. We encourage you to familiarize yourself with www.walkforpi.org and all of the other fantastic tools located online. Your goal is to get your team friends, family and coworkers excited about fundraising. It s also very important that you recognize their successes! We ve outlined some important tips and tricks for you, but keep in mind that the earlier you start, the more likely your team will be able to hit their goals. Follow Follow IDF Walk for PI on Facebook to stay up-to-date and get great tips & tricks for fundraising! Returning Team Leaders (Formerly known as Team Captains) Don t forget to register with your username and password from last year! 1
Getting Started How to Raise $125 in 4 Weeks! 1 2 3 Set a Goal How much do you hope to raise as a team? The average walker raises around $125, and most teams supplement their grand total with additional fundraisers. If you recruit 10 walkers (who can each raise $125) and have a team fundraiser ($500 total), consider a goal of $1,750 or more! Personalize Your Page Make an impact through your Participant Center by updating the default content to your own story and including a personal photo or video. Contact Your Network Do you know 10 people who would consider giving $10 to a cause that means a lot to you? Write down a list of family, friends, coworkers and neighbors that may be interested in making a difference for the PI community. The average person is asked three times to do something before they take action. Instead of being discouraged if you don t get a response right away, think of creative ways to follow up! Utilize the e-mail templates. Share the URL to your team page. Hang posters around your city. Reach out on social media. This is your opportunity to get the conversation going about PI, all while raising funds for a better future. Check out our It s All about the Fundraising page (page 3) for some helpful fundraising strategies. A personal ask is usually the best way to secure donations. Use this plan to raise $125 in just 4 weeks. Week 1: $25 Make a donation yourself Week 2: $50 Ask 5 family members or friends for $10 each Week 3: $25 Ask 5 coworkers for $5 each Week 4: $25 Get a business you frequent to support you for $25 Your 4-Week Grand Total: $125 2
It s All About the Fundraising! Make the Ask! The #1 reason people give is because they are asked! E-mail: Upload your contact list from your e-mail provider (Yahoo, Gmail, Outlook, etc.) directly to your account. This is an easy way to track who has joined your team, received your e-mails or donated. Send an e-mail using our template asking your friends and family to join your team and/or to make a donation. Social Media: Are you on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or some other type of social media? These can be valuable tools for recruiting team members and raising funds. Use the hashtag #WalkforPI in all of your posts. Phone: Call the people you are closest with, and ask them to support your efforts. This makes for a more intimate conversation about the importance of their participation. Mail: Write or type a letter, and add a few photos of you and your family at the walk. Mail it to your friends and colleagues to catch them up and ask for their support. In-Person: People are more likely to donate when they are asked in-person than any other form of communication because the conversation is more in-depth and personal. Be sure to thank your potential donors for their time, whether they give to you or not! Tip: the best days to ask for donations are Fridays, the 15th and the last day of the month, which are paydays for many! 3
Team Member Encouragement While you are working on recruiting your team and your own fundraising don t forget to support your team members as they register and begin their individual fundraising! Provide the following suggestions to them: Ask to Receive Personal Web Pages Beat the Average Remind your team members that people will give if they are asked! Don t let them get discouraged. Encourage your team members to personalize their fundraising page. Make it a goal to have every member beat our $125 individual fundraising average. E-mail Campaign Prizes Team Raffles Host an e-mail sending party at either your house, a Panera, a Starbucks or any other local place with Wi-Fi. Have every team member bring their tablet or laptop and send e-mails out together! IDF has some fantastic prizes again this year! Don t forget: All walkers who raise $100 or more will receive their own official IDF Walk for PI t-shirt, and walkers who raise $50 will receive a complimentary pair of IDF Walk for PI Spirit Sticks! You can come up with some great items to encourage your team to keep fundraising! Create your team t-shirt! 4
Fundraising Ideas Employer Matching You and your team members can double or triple the impact of your generosity by getting your employers to match your gifts to IDF. Organize an Event! Below are a number of other ideas you can use to raise extra money and awareness. Check out our additional fundraising tips online! Workout benefiting IDF Walk for PI held by top fundraising team at local gym. Hold a bake sale, ice cream social or candy sale. Ask your employer to conduct a Dress Down Day for employees and ask for a donation to participate. Host a restaurant night. Most restaurants will donate a percentage of sales from guests who have a special pass. E-mail us and ask us for some paper icons. Paper icons are the paper cut outs that you can buy at a store and the proceeds go towards a charity. At most stores you write your name on the paper icon, and they plaster them all over the walls. Find retailers near you willing to participate! Have another fun idea? Share it on our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/walkforpi 5
Prepare for Walk Day Check out www.walkforpi.org for specific logistical details, including the best way to get to the site, parking info, hotel room block, walk route and more! Expect an e-mail in your inbox the week of the walk containing a link to all of the logistical details. Your team members should be getting the same e-mail, but pass it along just in case! Send any checks to the IDF office ahead of time. Please don t mail cash! Let everyone know about IDF Walk for PI on social media! Post photos, thank people for their support and remember to tag @WalkforPI on Facebook and @TZtheIDFZebra on Instagram/Twitter using the hashtag #walkforpi! Make sure you Wear your Team T-Shirts! (if you create one) HAVE FUN! Give yourself a pat on the back! This day is a celebration for all of your hard work. You ve earned it. Most of our sites are near tourist attractions so you can plan to make a day of it. Thank Your Team! A simple thank you goes a long way, so consider different ways to recognize your team members. Send thank you letters or e-mails to everyone who participates. Showing gratitude will keep your team excited and will encourage everyone to continue supporting the team! Donations after the walk keep up the momentum! Donations will be accepted throughout the end of the year, so send out at least one final reminder for any last minute gifts after the walk! 6
Frequently Asked Questions What is the IDF Order of the Zebra? What happens if it rains? The IDF Order of the Zebra is an elite group of fundraisers whose efforts make an extraordinary impact on the success of IDF Walk for PI. If you set a fundraising goal of $1,000 or more on your personal fundraising page and reach that goal, you will be inducted into the IDF Order of the Zebra. Like the effects of PI go on, so do we rain, snow or shine. There will be no rain dates. Please dress accordingly. What kind of food and activities happen at the walk? There will be a variety of fun things going on at the walk, including meeting and mingling with other members of the PI community and our sponsors. There will be food available. If you have special dietary restrictions, we suggest that you bring along your own snacks. Do I need to raise a certain amount to participate? There is no required minimum to participate, but all walkers who raise $100 or more by the day of their walk will receive an official IDF Walk for PI t-shirt at the event. Those who raise $50 or more will receive IDF Walk for PI Spirit Sticks. What do I need to bring with me to the walk? Any gifts that you may have collected beforehand that you haven t already sent to the office (no cash please!), comfortable walking shoes and appropriate dress for the weather. How can a walker earn incentive prizes? A walker earns incentive prizes based on their individual fundraising total not their team total. Donations can be credited to a walker or to the team. By donating to a walker, you are supporting the team the walker is on and, of course, to IDF Walk for PI as a whole. But donations to a team do not count toward an individual s efforts and their prize redemption. Fundraising prizes are based on an individual s fundraising success. TOP TEAM MEMBER What is the Top Team Village? It s an exclusive area where the top 5 teams who raised the most funds can hang out, eat snacks and play games. For more information, visit www.walkforpi.org 7
Contact Information We are here to help! Contact us with your questions. E-mail walk@primaryimmune.org Phone 800-296-4433 Web www.walkforpi.org Mail Immune Deficiency Foundation 110 West Road, Suite 300 Towson, MD 21204 8