FirstGiving makes it very simple for a sponsor to make a contribution on your behalf, the fundraiser. Here’s how this will work.

After we have selected all participants, you will be e-mailed a link to our registration page at FirstGiving. After completing your registration, you will be able to create your own personal fundraising page. When you have completed your fundraising page, contact your potential sponsors via e-mail, Facebook, Twitter, or your other social media platforms. Tell them about your effort to raise funds to help save the tiger and your opportunity to participate in a Guinness World Records attempt.

Tell your prospect there are fewer than 4,000 tigers remaining in the wild, and they are losing ground due to poaching and habitat destruction. I suggest you give them a link to the Zoe Foundation (www.ZoeTigers.org) so they can learn about the organization you are supporting. I suggest you make your appeal very personal. Tell your prospect that you have made a commitment to raise a minimum of $200 to gain entry into this Guinness World Records event and Run for the Tiger 5K. Funds going to the Zoe Foundation will help their efforts to save the tiger.

At the close of your message, give your prospect a link to the Personal Sponsor Incentives page –  https://www.tigergathering.com/sponsor-incentives/. There they can review their opportunity to win a signed lithograph for a $10 or more sponsorship. A chance to win a lithograph should be a rewarding incentive, but their primary incentive should be to help you participate in this event. You might want to mention the Trip Trigger.

Your FirstGiving page will let you set your fundraising goal. Set it higher than the $200 minimum. I recommend $1,000 or more. Showing your prospective sponsors a higher goal tells them you are a serious fundraiser. They may be aware of the minimum if they have visited the Tiger Gathering home page. More contributions will help our efforts to save the tiger. Please review our Fundraiser Incentives page to help you establish your personal fundraising goal.

After registration begins, I will place a link on the Personal Sponsor Incentives page saying ‘Sponsor Your Future Record Holder’. Clicking that link will take your prospect directly to the FirstGiving page where they can click on ‘Donate’ and then select ‘Choose an Individual Fundraiser’. They choose you and make their contribution.

We are not going to accept contributions by cash or check, so you will never have to handle any money. Nor will you have to handle any drawing tickets. That will all be done electronically.

Another great feature is that this FirstGiving platform is fully mobile friendly. A sponsor can make their contribution from their mobile phone just as easily as they can from their desktop, laptop, or tablet. You will be able to reach your $200 minimum, and hopefully a lot more, in no time.

Please thoroughly review the Fundraising Tips page. The guide will help you gather your personal sponsors.