Polite Ways to Ask for Donations (Walking for A Cause)

[littlebird]

If this has been discussed before, point me to it. My search-fu may be off tonight.

I'm planning to do a walk-a-thon for the first time in a long time (when I was in middle school we did the CROP walk). It's for a sort of obscure organization, for their operating funds (the local branch of NAMI, fwiw). There's an option to post the link to my fundraising page to face book. Is it okay to do that? Can I send around a general email?

Part of it is that I don't want to annoy people/be rude, and I'm still working on a simple reply to "Why are you doing this?" (mental health advocacy is one of the causes I take seriously, and I learned about NAMI from the support they gave family friends when their younger son ended his life a few years ago).

[NotTheNarcissist]

I have 2 FB friends from 25 years ago who I am not close to presently who promote Relay For Life (or maybe it's Walk/Race for the Cure, sorry... I don't pay a lot of attention to those posts... ) anyway they both post frequently leading up to the event, asking for donations (I only need $500 to meet my goal), and then the day of the big event they take gobs of pictures & post them. Clearly their enthusiasm & passion is admirable. Personally I don't mind them posting on FB. They have also sent e-mails, which for me, are actually more irritating as I get loads of e-mails x day. To answer your question, I don't think it's rude.

You answered your "why" question in the last paragraph. Kudos to you for caring so much!

[Ceallach]

I think 1 email, to ppl you have a relationship with is fine. Don't send follow up emails unsolicited, and don't email acquaintances.

And definitely do post to your FB! That's not pushy at all, as long as its on your own wall and not everybody else's. :-)

[littlebird]

Thank you both!

[fffirefly]

Absolutely post a link to your fundraiser page on your Facebook page. Regarding email - I say go for emails to friends who you email with at least occasionally.

Now in some cases, I would restrict the emailing further. For the organization you mention, I don't think it would be an issue. However, in situations where the fundraising is for or against something that people are for or against, e.g. political, reproductive issues, gun stuff, then I would only email those who I know had the same belief about the organization that I have.