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Top tips from a superstar fundraiser

January 31, 2025

In one month, 50 cyclists will saddle up for our inaugural Very Special Ride – a one-day 120km road ride in the Mornington Peninsula where riders will go the distance for the children and families supported by Very Special Kids.

 

We asked one of our top fundraisers Matt Tait from efm Logistics to share his key tips to help anyone shift their fundraising into gear.

1

Get your workplace on board

 

A lot of workplaces look for creative ways to demonstrate their corporate social responsibility. In Matt’s experience, there was a clear alignment with efm Logistics values, one of which is, “Together we make a difference.”

 

“The leadership is the key. They promote the ride in our monthly newsletters, and they supported each worksite to organise their own fundraising.”

 

At the Altona worksite, for example, employees held a BBQ and donated cash — an approach that resonated with the team as not everyone could donate online.

2

Send targeted emails

 

Most people will share their fundraising page on their LinkedIn, but Matt believes a targeted email can have a much deeper impact.

 

“I’ve built strong relationships with work contacts over the years, and I start by emailing people who I know will donate. Once they’ve donated, I send an email to a larger group of people, and those early donations act as a guide to encourage others to match those donations.

3

Time your reach out to friends and family

 

Matt also believes that reaching out to your network is all about timing.

 

“I’ll go out to my friends and family about three to six weeks before… [Then] as I get closer to the event, I’ll send out a reminder email, post or text messages saying, ‘I’m doing this in a couple of weeks’. It’s about the immediacy for friends and family.”

4

Post to socials during and after the event

 

It is good to consider the different types of social networks you can use; fitness tracking apps can be a good visual support to turn your words into action.

 

“When I actually do the ride, I’ll put a sponsorship link on Strava and post that to social media. I also post on social media after the event, letting people know how it went and I usually see a bump in fundraising then.”

5

Say thank you to everyone who donates

 

Every single person who donates to Matt’s page receives a warm thank you. “I always make the thank you the same – whether someone donates $5 or $500. I treat everyone equally, and the message is that I’m grateful for every donation.”

 

It’s important to him that everyone feels safe to donate what they can, especially at a time when $5 may be a lot for some people. For supporters who contribute a significant amount, Matt sends a personalised thank you email, recognising the contribution they’ve made.  

6

Shift your perspective on fundraising

 

Matt gets a lot of satisfaction out of fundraising, and he encourages every new fundraiser to give it a go. “I didn’t know I would enjoy it until I did it the first time,” he says. “I don’t see it as asking people for money, because all I’m saying is: ‘Here’s an opportunity to donate to a worthy cause.’

 

Most people donate even a few dollars to something each year – the Very Special Ride is one option that they can choose – and all I’m doing is letting them know about it. I also share what it means to donate to Very Special Kids, as there’s a strong affiliation for me.”

7

Share your why

 

Matt says he also shares what it means to donate to Very Special Kids with his network, as there’s a strong affiliation for him.

 

The work that Very Special Kids does is close to my heart, in 2005 we were told that our daughter [Ashi] would most likely not survive after contracting meningococcal at 14 months old, whilst after five days in ICU Ashi recovered, that conversation will never leave me.

 

My aim is to be able to raise funds to contribute in some small way to parents and children who are navigating such a challenging time in their life.”

bicycle

As a predominantly self-funded organisation, Very Special Kids relies on contributions from fundraisers like Matt, as well as the generous support of corporate partners like efm Logistics.

 

If you’d like to take on a challenge like Matt, check out our upcoming fundraising opportunities here.