www.gotrkc.org/SoleMates

Victoria Patrick| victoria.patrick@gotrkc.org

211 W. 18th Street |Kansas City, MO 64108

2019-2020 SoleMate Guide

1………………………………………… Welcome!

2……………….. SoleMates Rewards & Incentives

3…………………How to Make the SoleMates Ask

7……………………………… Roadmap to $500

8……………………… Creative Fundraising Tips

9…………………… Frequently Asked Questions

10…………………… Thank You to Our Sponsors

Appendix……………………… Marketing Toolkit

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Girls on the Run SoleMates are men and women who raise money for our organization while training

for a race, triathlon or other event of your choice. Each SoleMate agrees to raise a minimum of $500

or $1,000*. The funds raised stay in the greater Kansas City area to provide financial aid for girls that

otherwise could not participate in our program. Currently, more than 50% of the girls in our program

receive financial assistance. Thank you for allowing more girls to experience the life-changing

program.

*Signing up as a SoleMate does include the registration cost of the specific athletic event of your choice. As an individual SoleMate

you are committing to raise a minimum of $500 for race registration fees up to $165 or a minimum of $1,000 for race registration

fees more than $166 for Girls on the Run of Greater Kansas City on or before (30) days after completing your race. You are

responsible for the full $500 fundraising goal, and your personal credit card will be charged for the funds not raised 30 days following

the event.

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Register to be a SoleMate. (You may have already completed this step!)

Read this document, the SoleMate Guide, in its entirety.

Personalize your online Fundraising Page (Be sure to include your

fundraising page link in all your communication)

Register for your race. We sponsor races such as the KC Marathon, Rock

the Parkway, and WIN for KC [5K, 10K, Half or Full Marathon]. If you are

running another race, let us know so we can reimburse you for that entry.

Start sharing your fundraising story with friends, family and co-workers.

There are great tips in this document

Begin training for your event.

Personally thank all your donors.

Enjoy the journey!

This checklist includes tasks to complete during your SoleMate journey. Feel free to print this off

and check items off the list as you go along!

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For the fundraising goal of $500 per SoleMate, you will receive:

Free race entry to your event for race

registration fees up to $165.

SoleMate GOTRKC Nike Race Tank or

longsleeve

GOTRKC race swag bag of goodies

Free entry to our Girls on the Run 5K on

Saturday, November 9th at Swope Park

For SoleMates wanting to go the extra mile, we

have incentives to motivate you along the way!

Every additional dollar you raise will directly

impact a girl in our program. To thank you for

your efforts, you can receive the following:

For the fundraising goal of $1,000 per SoleMate, you will receive:

Free race entry to your event for race

registration fees more than $166.

SoleMate GOTRKC Nike Race Tank or

longsleeve

GOTRKC race swag bag of goodies

Free entry to our Girls on the Run 5K on

Saturday, November 9th at Swope Park

$1,000: Long Sleeve Tech ¼ zip

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Kick it off with your own donation. Give your fundraiser a vote of confidence and let others see your

commitment by making the first donation. This can also be a great intro into your first ask by saying “Friend,

I made a personal commitment of $25, join me by making a $25 donation to Girls on the Run today!”

Set a meaningful goal. Don’t shortchange the generosity of the people you know. Let potential donors know

the fundraising goal as well as what this amount of money will mean. For example, “I have committed to raise

a minimum of $500, but I’ve set my own personal goal at $2,700! $2,700 can provide 15 full scholarships to

girls who would otherwise be unable to participate in this transformational program!”

Reach out directly to the people close to you. People give to organizations that their friends and family

support. Let your inner circle be the first to know about your project by reaching out to them individually or

in small groups. Ask them to stand with you as the first people to donate.

The power of the in-person ask. When you see your family and friends in person, make the ask to

them at that time directly. It feels much more personal than an email or social media message (and is

much harder to ignore)! Be sure to have your link to donate handy or have them get out their

checkbook!

Be positive. Be personal. If you are excited about Girls on the Run, chances are your friends and family will

be, too. On your fundraising page and other communications, share what you love about GOTR and why you

started your project. Include pictures if you can!

Tell your story. Share why you are a SoleMate. Do you have a story you can share with potential

donors about a particular girl, your experience at the 5K, or another SoleMate who inspired you? Craft

your inspirational message.

Make it easy to give. Put the link to your fundraiser page in every social media post and email about your

fundraiser as well as in your email signature throughout your campaign. Provide the donation form to donors

who prefer to give by check.

Use social media. Regularly post about your fundraiser through social media. After your kick-off message

about your fundraiser and why you’re doing it, posts can be about how much you’ve raised, special thanks to

recent donors, an occasional daily-challenge for donations, pictures or video clips related to the project, etc. Be

creative!

Make the Ask. Asking for money isn’t easy. Make sure the letter or email includes an actual ask, such as “I

hope you will join me on my SoleMates journey by making a donation. No gift is too small. To make a

contribution online, visit my fundraising page at www.raceplanner.com/XXX.”

Suggested Giving Levels. Tailor the ask amount depending on that person’s capacity to give. For example,

you may ask your friends for $25, whereas you may ask family for $100. You can also provide suggested levels

of giving as to what each level will provide.

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$1,440 one fully funded team of eight girls (with a 5K family running buddy)

$180 program registration for one girl + one 5K race registration for a family running buddy

$165 program registration for one girl

$100 provides healthy snacks for 10 girls

$50 provides shoes for one girl in need

In your social media posts set small goals with ask amounts. For example, “Today/this week I am

asking five people to join me by donating $25 each.” (Don’t forget to give them a thank you shout out

on social media, and let donors know you only need two or three more as the day/week progresses.)

Ask more than once. Timing is everything. People miss emails, forget to follow up, and/or experience

fluctuations on what they can give. Don’t assume that someone who didn’t give right away isn’t interested.

Reach out more than once, and through several channels during your campaign.

Challenge gifts. Ask a family member or friend to pledge a larger amount ($100, $200, etc.) Use their gift as a

challenge to other donors with a deadline. For example, “Friends, my uncle will match donations I receive

today/over the next 48 hours/this week, dollar-for-dollar, up to $150! Giving now doubles your gift and will

help me achieve half my fundraising goal in just a few short days/one week!”

Events: Consider hosting a fundraiser at a local business with raffle items. Even include a fun run as part of

your event. We have a relationship with Kendra Scott on the Plaza, and they are always willing to host your

fundraiser! Contact Krystal for more information.

Set a deadline. We recommend that you give donors a deadline of one week prior to the event. Setting a final

date and following up will motivate donors to give sooner rather than later.

Send updates. Send your donors updates on your progress via email, blogs, social media posts, etc. Include

funny stories, training accomplishments, and things that will keep them interested in the progress.

Stewardship and record keeping. Make sure you keep track of the people to whom you’ve sent a letter or

request. Unintentionally soliciting donors on multiple occasions is never a good idea. Be sure to thank those

that have given, and follow up with those who stated their intention to give but have yet to do so. Thank each

donor within a day or two of their gift. Again, make it personal. A thank you is the first reward in giving their

time and money to support your fundraiser.

Send a thank you card. Nothing beats a handwritten note! Donors feel extra appreciated when they

receive a card in the mail. At the very least, send your donors an email and always give them a shout

out on social media.

After you complete your race. Send one final update to your donors to share your successes. Encourage them

to consider being a SoleMate for their next race!

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Matching Gifts

Do not be afraid to ask. When you ask donors to make a contribution, ask them if their company

provides a matching gift.

Stay in top of the fundraising. If a donor tells you they have a matching gift program follow up with

them to see if they need any information about Girls on the Run, such as the Tax ID number, address,

and contact information.

Share the good word. Be sure to highlight the companies who match a donor’s gift. This promotes

the company who gave back to the community, it reminds other donors about their companies’

matching gift program, and encourages other companies to match gifts.

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Let the donors sponsor a mile. Decide what the event is worth per mile, and let donors “buy” a

mile. Keep the online fundraising page up-to-date regarding how many miles are left to “sell” so they

can make sure they can contribute before they are all spoken for.

Sponsor ME—literally! Tell potential donors that they can sponsor an arm or leg, then write their

names or message on it come race day. Not only is it a great way to encourage donors, but it makes

the supporters feel like they are crossing the finish line with you.

Email signatures: Include the fundraising page link in your email signatures. For example:

“I’m running the Kansas City Marathon as a SoleMate for Girls on the Run of Greater Kansas

City—please support me! www.raceplanner.com/XXX”

Host an event. Get creative! Host a trivia night, shopping experience, a profit share night at your

favorite restaurant, partner with a local gym. Pro tip- host your event closer toward your race so friends

and family who attend can help you reach your goal while still supporting you with a monetary

donation earlier in your fundraising period.

Partner with another SoleMate or SoleMates. Host an event together, and share the profits, create

a friendly competition to help set the pace for your fundraising goals, share the SoleMates team goal

and dollars raised with your friends and family to let them know their gift and your goal is a part of a

larger team goal, etc.

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Where do I send any cash or check

donations? Any donation can be sent to Girls on the Run

of Greater Kansas City, 211 W. 18th St.

Kansas City, MO 64108. All checks should be

made out to GOTRKC. Please include your

name in the memo section of the check.

What if my company wants to match my

donations? Wonderful! Work with your company’s matching

gift contact to determine the procedure to have this

done. Our tax ID is 20-8508128. If you need any

paperwork filled out by GOTRKC, please contact

us at victoria.patrick@gotrkc.org with the

paperwork needed and the deadline.

Are donations tax-deductible?

How do I get a receipt? Yes, all donations are tax-deductible. Donors

will receive an acknowledgment letter from

Girls on the Run KC. Our tax ID is 20-

8508128.

What is RacePlanner? RacePlanner is the fundraising platform we are

using to collect donations. See the SoleMates

RacePlanner instructions document for more

information on setting up and managing your

fundraising page in RacePlaner

What are my fundraising deadlines?

The goal is to reach the fundraising minimum

before the event so we can send you a special

gift as a thank you for your support! However,

you can continue to fundraise 30 days

following your event before your personal

credit card is charged with the balance.

Who should I ask?

Anyone and everyone! Your immediate friends and

family are a good place to start, but also reach out

to coworkers, your college friends, professors, or

your workout partners at your gym or yoga studio.

You can’t ask enough people!

How else can I get involved?

Find out more at gotrkc.org/volunteer

Thank you for joining us in our

mission to inspire girls to be joyful,

healthy, and confident! We envision a

world where every girls know and

activates her limitless potential and is

free to boldly pursue her dreams.

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Many thanks to the Kansas City Sports Commission for their continuous support of

Girls on the Run and donation of race entries to WIN for KC and the KC Marathon. Be

sure to check out their other events at www.sportkc.org.

More than 8,000 SoleMates have participated in events in the United States, Canada,

France and China and have raised nearly $5 million for Girls on the Run councils.

Whether you are participating in your first or fiftieth marathon, by becoming a

SoleMate you are doing much more than achieving your personal fitness goals.

By asking friends to support your event training and participation with a donation on

your behalf to Girls on the Run, you are showing your true commitment to the values

we are instilling in girls everywhere to celebrate their physical and emotional health.

Sign up today to be a SoleMates and let your love of running make a difference in the

life of a girl.

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Thank you for joining SoleMates in support of Girls on the Run

Serving Greater Kansas City! Your participation and fundraising

will allow more girls to experience our program, helping them

know and activate their limitless potential.

GOTR Overview:

Provides you with a brief description of GOTR as well as our

mission, vision and core values.

Logos & Photos:

In these folders are great professional GOTR pictures and

pictures from our program. They are available for you to use

when promoting your fundraising campaign on social media,

email and other platforms. Our official GOTR logo is also

available for you to use. Please do not change the colors in the

logos as they meet our branding guidelines.

Social Media Images:

In this folder are social media images for you to use when

promoting your fundraising campaign on social media, email and

other platforms.

Social Media Sample Posts:

Need ideas on what to post on your own social media? Use the

sample social media posts on your social media platforms to help

you reach your fundraising goal. Mix these social posts with

personal SoleMate photos or use the photos provided.

GOTRKC has created a

SoleMate marketing toolkit for

you to use during your

fundraising campaign. In this

toolkit you will find:

Girls on the Run overview that includes our organization’s mission, vision, and core values.

Social media images and tiles to add to your fundraising posts

GOTR logos While these pictures are available for you, we also encourage you to use personal photos of you running, training, or being active! Please click here to access the SoleMate marketing toolkit.

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Girls on the Run is a transformational physical activity–based positive youth development program

for girls in 3rd to 8th grade designed to develop and enhance girls’ competencies to successfully

navigate life experiences. At Girls on the Run, trained and supportive coaches and volunteers teach

life skills through dynamic, conversation-based lessons and running games. The program culminates

with the girls being physically and emotionally prepared to complete a celebratory 5k running event.

The goals of the program are to develop and improve competence, unleash confidence through

accomplishment, develop strength of character, respond to others and oneself with care and

compassion, create positive connections with peers and adults and make a meaningful contribution

to community, all while establishing a lifetime appreciation of health and fitness.

Our Mission We inspire girls to be joyful, healthy and confident using a fun, experience-based curriculum which creatively integrates running. Our Vision We envision a world where every girl knows and activates her limitless potential and is free to boldly pursue her dreams. Our Values Girls on the Run honors its core values. We strive to:

Recognize our power and responsibility to be intentional in our decision making

Embrace our differences and find strength in our connectedness

Express joy, optimism and gratitude through our words, thoughts and actions

Nurture our physical, emotional and spiritual health

Lead with an open heart and assume positive intent

Stand up for ourselves and others

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1. I’m on a team of world-changers who believe in a big tomorrow. Join me as I raise money for

Girls on the Run so more girls can participate in their life-changing program. Click here to

donate to my fundraising campaign: [insert your fundraising link]

2. As a Girls on the Run SoleMate, I’m raising money so more girls can participate in their life-

changing program. Let’s make an impact together. Click here to donate to my fundraising

campaign: [insert your fundraising link]

3. Your donation to Girls on the Run Serving Greater Kansas City has lifelong impact on the

girls in our community! Donate now to my fundraising campaign: [insert your fundraising link]

4. Girls on the Run Serving Greater Kansas City provides financial assistance to 50% of their

girls. Help expand opportunities for even more girls and contribute to my campaign: [insert

your fundraising link]

5. Today/this week I am asking five people to join me by donating $25 each. (Remember to give

them a thank you shout out on social media, and let donors know you only need two or three

more as the day/week progresses.)

Don’t forget to share your training journey while you prepare for the Kansas City Marathon or

upcoming race by using the hashtag #gotrkcsolemate.

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Dear friend,

At Girls on the Run, our program teaches life skills through dynamic, conversation-based lessons that

creatively integrate running. The program culminates with the girls being physically and emotionally

prepared to complete a celebratory 5K race, one of the most special days of the year for all of the

GOTR participants and volunteers. The goal of the program is to unleash confidence through

accomplishment while establishing a lifetime appreciation of health and fitness. <INSERT

PERSONAL STORY>

Your generosity can fund Girls on the Run in many ways, including:

$1,440 one fully funded team of eight girls (with a 5K family running buddy)

$180 program registration for one girl + one 5K race registration for a family running buddy

$165 program registration for one girl

$100 provides healthy snacks for 10 girls

$50 provides shoes for one girl in need

My goal is to raise $____, and with your support I can get there. Donate now at _______.

I am so excited to complete the _____ this ________ as a Girls on the Run SoleMate. Your donation

will allow Girls on the Run to deliver their curriculum and empower more girls across greater Kansas

City to believe in themselves and all they can do.

Thank you for inspiring greatness!

Your friend,