How Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Helps Veterans

Supporting our veterans comes in all shapes and sizes. You can send letters to those currently deployed overseas. You can volunteer at a VA hospital or get involved in an assistance program. You can train a service dog or personally thank a servicemember. However you choose to offer your support varies greatly. If you are looking for a way to show your support and get involved in the lives of veterans, consider peer-to-peer fundraising.

Peer-to-peer fundraising is a wonderful way of gathering donations for military veterans in your community. When veterans come home from active duty, they often don’t have the money to cover various expenses, let alone start preparing for their future. Warrior Rising empowers veterans by teaching them how to start their own businesses and take control of their future. Here is how you can establish your fundraising campaign.

1. Decide what type of event inspires you that your friends/family/social networks would support.

• • Birthday
  • Anniversary
  • Birthday/Memorial of a loved one who served
  • 5k Run/Walk
  • Half/Full Marathon
  • Upcoming Military Holidays/Observances
    • Marine Corps Reserve Birthday – August 29
    • National Suicide Prevention Month – Month of September
    • V-J Day (Victory over Japan) – September 2
    • Patriot Day – September 11
    • Constitution Week – September 17 -23
    • Citizenship Day/Constitution Day – September 17
    • Air Force (USAF) Birthday – September 18
    • Office of the Sec. of Defense Birthday – September 18
    • Air National Guard Birthday – September 18
    • National POW/MIA Recognition Day – Third Friday in September
    • Gold Star Mother’s Day – Last Sunday in September

2. Set up your fundraiser at http://bit.ly/March2Million
3. Identify 10-25 people you can reach out to individually via email:
   • Do not send a bulk email, send each email individually so that it is personalized.
   • Copy and paste the text provided below into your email—but feel free to make it your own! The more it sounds like you, the more success your campaign will have.
   • Make a goal to send 2-5 emails each day for a week. Put it in your calendar at the start of each day—it will only take 2-5 minutes once your first email is drafted!

Dear FIRST,

As you may know, I sit on the board of Warrior Rising, an organization dedicated to empowering U.S. military veterans and their immediate family members by providing them opportunities to create sustainable businesses, perpetuate the hiring of fellow U.S. military veterans, and earn their future.

This year, in honor of Suicide Prevention Month, I joined Warrior Rising’s March to a Million and I am setting out to raise $1,000 to support this vital organization.  National Suicide rates are among the highest in our Veteran population.  Finding meaning, purpose, and connecting with a like-minded community once time in the Armed Forces ends goes a long way toward providing stability for the brave men and women who served our country.

I’m asking you to join me by donating whatever you can to this amazing mission.  $25, $50, or even $100 will help me meet (and hopefully exceed) my goal.  You can make your donation here: [include the link to your personal fundraising page]

FIRST, thank you in advance for your partnership and friendship.  Together we can empower our Veterans find independence and purpose as they reenter our community.

With gratitude,

Your name

4. Mail (yes, actual mail with a stamp) the above letter or something similar to 10-25 people. Include the link where they can go online, but also include an addressed, stamped envelope to Warrior Rising where they can mail a check, if they so choose.

Warrior Rising
230 W 200 S
PO Box 961
Salt Lake City, Utah 84101

5. Post to Facebook with the link to your individual fundraising page and tag at least 50 people, asking them to donate $25 or more. More than likely, about 1/3 – 1/2 will give via Facebook

6. Be sure to thank people on Facebook when they give.

7. Repost Repost Repost! Until such time as you reach your goal, keep posting your fundraiser at least 2-3 times/day.  It may seem like a lot, but newsfeeds are so full, you cannot post enough during a campaign.

8. Share: Share other non-fundraising posts from Warrior Rising, but include a link to your fundraising page with brief text like, “Warrior Rising is doing amazing work with our Vets. Please support their critical work by joining me in my March to a Million” and include your individual fundraising link.

9. Get your kids involved! Take a photo of your kids holding a sign that says, “Please support Warrior Rising and my mom’s fundraiser” and post it to social media.  If you have a dog, include the dog in the photo.

10. Be grateful. Send individual thanks you emails, hand written notes, and give shout outs to those who give on social media.