Shinerama.ca is LIVE!

2011 Shine Day Opening Ceremonies at Saint Mary's University, Halifax NS

Want to know what it takes to be an online fundraising guru? Check out our 6 Steps and you’ll be one in no time! 

STEP 1: Register Online

1. Go to www.shinerama.ca 

2. Click on “Register Now”, “Sponsor a Shiner” or “Join a team”. Any one will take you to the online Shinerama fundraising page.

3. Click on the “Register Now” red boxing glove located on the left side of the donation website.

4. Find your school in the list, or register as an Alumni or Virtual School (for anyone who is not a part of an official Shinerama campaign, but still wants to fundraise online).

5. Register as an Individual, Team Member (“Join a team”) or Team Captain (“Create a team”).

6. Complete the final information survey and you will be officially registered! The registration process can also be completed from our new Shinerama App, available for Android or iOS.

   
   

STEP 2: Personalize Your Fundraising Page

Personalize your fundraising page by talking about your own personal experience with Shinerama. Although there is a generic description provided, add a personal touch by describing the role you play in your school’s campaign, your 2012 fundraising goal, as well as reasons for why you are so passionate about this cause.

You can also add photos and videos to your fundraising page. Although there are default images included, you can replace them with ones of yourself, your Shinerama committee, etc. Selecting photos captured at the National Conference or from past Shinerama fundraisers you have taken part in is a great source!

STEP 3: Recruit Teams

Recruit teams based on the dynamic of your school’s culture. Although some universities may choose to have just one team for all fundraisers, it may be worth trying to recruit as many teams as you can. Approach your school’s residences, sports teams, faculties, and clubs/societies about starting their own team to raise money for your campaign. If they register under your school’s name and add it to their team’s name, it will be easy to decipher what teams are fundraising for which school (e.g., “MTA – Harper Hall”, “MTA – Football Team”, “MTA – Psychology”, etc). There’s nothing like a little friendly competition to get the money rolling in!

STEP 4: Make Fundraising Incentives

Incentives to fundraise online can help motivate friendly competition! See if you can get prizes donated to motivate team members to fundraise. These prizes could be awarded through various contest styles. For example, the top fundraiser each week could be awarded a small prize, or you could have one overall big prize and set up the rules so that each fundraiser’s name would be entered as a ballot in a draw for every $100 they raise.

STEP 5: Promote Your Fundraising Teams

In order to get the most out of your online fundraising page, it is important to promote it! Send personal emails to potential donors with the link to your fundraising page attached. There is also the “Share this page” application (located on the left side of your personal page), which allows you to share the link via Facebook, Twitter, and tons of other social media mediums.

You can also pump up the online donations at your school by advertising it through the Orientation Week Newsletter and other promotional materials. Another idea is to ask the Registrar’s office to email it to all incoming students or include it in one of the information packages they send out over the summer. There are numerous other means for which you can advertise this, so don’t be afraid to get creative when promoting!

STEP 6: Always Follow-Up

It is extremely important to always follow-up with all your donors. Thank everyone who gave you a donation by sending them a personal message. Not only does this express you appreciation, but being respectful also increases your chances of receiving donations when you approach them again the following year.


Of Special Note…

Make sure to correctly and completely fill out any personal information entered, both for yourself and for any online donations you record – a full mailing address and email are especially important. This ensures that your donors get their tax receipts!

Now that you have read the 6 key steps to successful online fundraising, what are you waiting for?!?! Set up your personal page and get fundraising!!!

Shine Love,

Aleka MacLellan

Campaign Advisor, Atlantic Canada