Step 1: Create a list of potential supporters

Think of everyone you know who would be happy to support you and create a list – friends, family, co-workers, neighbours, etc.

Step 2: Personalize your approach and make the ask!

Think of the best way to contact every person on your list, whether it’s virtually through a video call, by sending an email, or by posting a message on social media — personalize your approach to every potential supporter!

Step 3: Get creative and put the “fun” in fundraising

In addition to your emails and social media posts, we encourage you to get creative and think of a fun activity or event that you can organize to help reach your fundraising goal! While we must adhere to physical distancing guidelines, there are so many options virtually or in smaller groups.

Step 4: Reach out to corporate contacts for large donations

Talk to your business networks and see if any companies would be interested in supporting your team! Check out our adopt-a-runner and adopt-a-team forms. A company can sponsor you or your team in exchange for recognition opportunities through Run for a Reason!

Step 5: Always say thank you!

It is incredibly important to always take the time to say “thank you” to your supporters, whether it’s through an email, phone call, or a hand-written card or letter. They played a big part in your fundraising success!

#1 Send a personalized message

Send out a personal email requesting donations. Don’t be shy – ask your friends, family, neighbours, and professional network. Sample text for emails and letters are included in our Fundraising Toolkit.

#2 Get active on social media

Social media is an excellent way to engage with potential donors and create conversations about Run for a Reason! There are many different social media platforms you can use – Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, Tik Tok, etc. This is a great way to share your journey, provide updates on your fundraising, ask for donations, and show your network what Run for a Reason is all about. Make it fun!

Follow us:

• Twitter: @OttawaHospital #SupportTOH
• Facebook: @OttawaHospital #SupportTOH
• Instagram: @OttawaHospital #SupportTOH

Here are eight social media tips for fundraising success:

1. Be sure to add pictures or videos to get more attention on social media!
2. Give live social shoutouts.
   When someone joins your team or donates to support you, thank them with a personal social media shoutout. Public positive acknowledgment inspires others to follow along — people loooove to be recognized for doing good stuff.
3. Include the link to your fundraising page so people can find it easily.
4. Have a little fun!
   Get creative with your posts to engage and inspire people to give. Share a funny thought you had on your morning run, or a photo of a delicious snack you and your family enjoyed after a walk. Don’t forget to add the #SupportTOH hashtag.
5. If you are going to walk, simply change Run to Walk in the sample social media posts.
6. Turn your team into a sharing squad.
   Get those #squadgoals working for you! When people share a social media post, your message gets spread further. Gather your team and share each other’s posts online. More people in your collective networks will see the impact you’re making and might be inspired to help you raise funds!
7. Share on social media often. You’ll be amazed by who donates or even joins your team.
8. Are hashtags really that important?Absolutely! Hashtags turn a word or phrase into a link, which enables social media platforms to put all content using that hashtag in one place. Put simply, hashtags help you join the conversation about a topic or event.They work on all platforms and put a lot more eyes on your posts!

Try these sample social media posts

Feel free to copy and paste these posts or use them as inspiration to create your own:

FACEBOOK + INSTAGRAM

There’s no character limit for Facebook or Instagram, so don’t be shy about sharing your inspiration for doing Run for a Reason.

However, you can also keep your posts short and sweet. Pair it with a great photo or video of yourself to draw people in!

Example #1:

Run for a Reason is my favourite event to support @OttawaHospital! This is my ____ year doing it and I’m really excited to help more patients like [my mom, dad, sister, friend] in our community.

If you’d like to be part of it (but hate the idea of running), you can help me raise my goal of $_____ to fund great healthcare — or dust off those sneakers and join me anyway! 😆

Whether you run or walk, we’ll have a blast for a good cause together 💯

Example #2: 

Don’t miss your chance to Run for a Reason! Huge thanks to everyone who’s already helping me raise $_____ funds for @OttawaHospital; you’re the best [add their names/social media tags here so they see your post]!!

Thanks to you, we’re making an impact for patients in #Ottawa. Want to help? #SupportTOH here: {URL}

TWITTER: 

Currently, Twitter has a limit of 280 characters per post which is perfect for quick updates and announcements to your friends, family, and followers.

Tip: Try not to use more than two hashtags per post.

Example #1:

I’m pumped to do Run for a Reason to support @OttawaHospital — and I’d love your help! I’m trying to fundraise $_____. Are you in? 👍 #SupportTOH #running

Example #2:

Wish me luck! I’m running __km to support the future of healthcare @OttawaHospital! 💪 #SupportTOH #istarthere

Example #3:

Lace up and join me as I Run for a Reason to support healthcare @OttawaHospital. Together, our goal is as big as our <3! Pls like + share! #SupportTOH

Example #4:

I do the run for _____ (my mom, my dad, my neighbour, my best friend) and support @OttawaHospital. I’d love you to join the movement: {URL} #SupportTOH

Example #5:

This year, I’m aiming to raise $_____ for Run for a Reason, which is totally doable with your help. Sharing this with your friends can make a huge impact to help @OttawaHospital too! #SupportTOH #running

#3 Personalize your fundraising page

Get creative and have fun! Update your fundraising page on Race Roster to include your picture, why you run or walk, and your fundraising goal to support The Ottawa Hospital. Our team is here to help you cross the fundraising finish line, which will help support ground-breaking research at The Ottawa Hospital.

Register your public fundraising event for Run for a Reason by contacting events@toh.ca with the following information:

• Event Name
• Date
• Time
• Location
• Organizer contact information
• Any other details (cost, what to bring, what to wear, who can take part, etc.)

We’ll be happy to share it on social!

#4 Ask corporate sponsors

Think about your corporate networks and use our personal sponsorship forms to ask for large donations—follow the links below. By Adopting a Team, a company will:

• Have their name listed on signage at the event site.
• Their name will appear on The Ottawa Hospital Foundation website.

A company will also receive some the same benefits from Adopting an Individual!

• Download Adopt-A-Runner ($250) Form
• Download Adopt-A-Team ($500) Form

#5 Go old school

Download the Run for a Reason pledge form. Using your online fundraising page and this pledge form is a great way to combine online fundraising with the traditional kind!

#6 FUNdraising milestones

Another fun way to reach your fundraising goal is to attach your fundraising to major events, celebrations, and holidays. Here are some examples:

• Birthday Celebration — Instead of receiving gifts on your birthday, ask for donations towards your run.
• Anniversary — Have friends and family celebrate a special anniversary by making a donation to your fundraising campaign.
• Virtual Lunch – While we can’t host in-person events yet, you can still connect via Zoom, Teams, or Skype. Bring a group of work colleagues together to share your story about Why You Run. Maybe something on St. Patrick’s Day, around Easter, or the first day of spring. Have your colleagues dress-up to your theme. Ask them to support your run – even a $5 donation will have an impact!
• Wine or Beer Draw — Offer friends, family and/or co-workers a chance to win an assortment of specially selected wines or beers from several different wineries or micro-breweries. Sell tickets for $5 each or 3 for $10. Display the wines in a common area or share the bounty on social media. This is an opportunity to involve local merchants as you campaign donors, too.
• Yuk Yuk’s Night — There’s nothing a good laugh can’t help. Try a night out at Yuk Yuk’s to help put your team’s fundraising goal over the limit. More details here.
• Garage Sale — Find a volunteer willing to loan a garage space or use your work site after hours. Two or three weeks before the sale, ask your friends, family and/or co-workers bring in sale items which volunteers’ price and sell day of event. Or host a garage sale at your own home.

Update your email signature

Let your network know you will Run for a Reason. Add this icon to your email signature.

Sample emails

Recruit team members

Subject: Move today. Impact tomorrow!

Dear __,

What could be better than running or walking to change lives and support The Ottawa Hospital? The training is good for our health; as a virtual team, we’ll have fun and we’ll be supporting the most important healthcare centre in eastern Ontario – The Ottawa Hospital.

It’s win, win, win!

Join me May 28—29, 2022, as I will be taking part in Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend. But I won’t just be crossing the virtual finish line for the fun of it; I’ll also be raising important funds for The Ottawa Hospital and I’d love it if you would join me, in-person or virtually!

It’s so easy!  We don’t have to take part in the same event and you can run OR walk.  We’ll be fundraising together for a cause that’s important to all of us—world-class healthcare for those we love.

After you’ve signed up, you can ask your friends and family to support our fundraising efforts by making a donation to your online fundraising page.

Registration is simple (Share link to your fundraising team page). Visit my team page, click join team, and register through Race Roster! There will be an option to join an existing team during the registration process.

If you’d like more information, contact The Ottawa Hospital Foundation at 613-798-5555, ext. 19832, or by e-mail at events@toh.ca You can also visit the website at runforareason.ca

#SupportTOH

Ask People to Sponsor You

Subject: Let’s help change lives!

Dear __,

This May, I will Run for a Reason and support The Ottawa Hospital at Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend. I’ll do the hard work, but I need your help to raise these vital funds. I hope you will consider making a donation in support of my run. When I cross the finish line, I’ll be smiling and thinking of you!

Together, we can help change lives! We’ll also be ensuring researchers at The Ottawa Hospital can continue to make advancements in diseases such as cancer, heart disease, stroke, and many more.

Donate now! (share the link to your fundraising page)

or

Send a cheque payable to “The Ottawa Hospital Foundation”. The address is below:

Run for a Reason
c/o The Ottawa Hospital Foundation
737 Parkdale Avenue, 1st floor
Ottawa, ON K1Y 1J8

Make sure you include my name on the envelope, or in the notes section of the cheque. You can also add a note if you choose to have your donation remain anonymous.

If you love to run or walk, you can also join me and raise funds for The Ottawa Hospital. Visit runforareason.ca to register!

Your support is tremendous — thank you!

Thank your sponsors email

Subject: Thank you for donating to my Run for a Reason!

You are incredible!

Thank you for supporting my Run for a Reason and The Ottawa Hospital. You are helping to change lives. I couldn’t have done this without you!

Thanks again for your support