To be a successful fundraiser, you need to believe in your cause, commit to following through, and communicate your enthusiasm. Here are some helpful hints to get you started.

Click here to start your fundraising page.

1. Create a fundraising page.

• Personalize your page with pictures and your story. Explain why raising money for migraine research is so important to you. Add a sentence or two about MRF using the talking points below and be sure to include that all donations go directly to fund research.
• Set a fundraising goal.
• Required: Make the first donation. It shows potential donors you’re dedicated and serious.

2. Send individual emails (or make phone calls, or send letters) to those closest to you, asking for donations.

Email is much more powerful than social media. Reaching out to people who know and care about you is a great way to start. Those closest to you are the most likely to help. Their donations can start the momentum. Remember to send follow-up emails. Most people need to be reminded.

• First, make a list of everyone you know and put it in order of closest to more distant.
• Start with personal messages to your closest friends and family explaining why raising money for migraine research is important to you. Include a sentence or two about MRF. Always connect people to the cause – if they don’t suffer from disabling migraines, they know someone who does. Be sure to specifically ask for a donation and include a link to your fundraising page. Let us know if you’d like an email template.
• Sometimes it helps to ask for a certain amount from people you think won’t be able to give much. For example, you could ask for $38 for the 38 million Americans who suffer from migraine. For people you think might give more, don’t ask for a specific number—just stress your fundraising goals and let them surprise you.
• Ask everyone to forward your email to others. Forwards help get the word out and can be a great additional source of fundraising.
• Keep track of who you emailed and whether they donated. Don’t continue to ask people who’ve already given, but do remember to follow-up with those who haven’t.
• Send a personal thank you to everyone who donates. (Crowdrise sends automatic tax receipts.) Also remind donors to check if their company matches employee donations—this can be another source of easy fundraising.
• We’ll be happy to read drafts of your fundraising emails and give you advice.

3. After you’ve contacted those closest to you and received some donations, continue down your list.

• Remember to keep the messages personal.

4. After you’ve sent all your personal messages, move to social media.

• Make sure you have a good base of money raised before you post on social media.
• Set benchmarks and deadlines, e.g., $1,500 by July 4^th.
• Give progress reports on your goal, and ask for help to get to your next goal (“I only have 3 days to meet my next goal of $1,500 by the 4^th of July! If 5 people donate $25 I’ll get there today.”)
• Tag your donors and thank them for helping the cause (“Yes! Thank you @Katie for being the person to make me reach $1,500 before the 4^th of July!”). Your post gets shared in your activity feed and theirs when you tag them. Ask others to share your posts.
• Tag MRF accounts and we’ll share your posts – Twitter @migrainerf, Instagram @migraineresearchfoundation
• If you have a blog or website, you can use Crowdrise’s widget feature to embed a fundraising button.

5. Wrap it up.

• Once you’ve reached your goal, let everyone who helped you know. Email your donors a final thank you (one BCC email is fine now), and post about reaching your goal on social media.
• Share your story with us! We may interview you, highlight your fundraiser for our website, or share it with the press.

Migraine Research Foundation talking points

Facts, stats, and language to use in your fundraising messaging:

• The Migraine Research Foundation opens doors to a cure by raising money to fund research into the causes, better treatments, and a cure for migraine
• Migraine is not just a bad headache. It’s an extraordinarily prevalent and disabling neurological disease, and 39 million Americans suffer – 1 in 4 families are affected by migraine
• It’s the 6^th most disabling and 3rd most prevalent illness in the world
• Every 10 seconds, someone in the U.S. goes to the emergency room with a headache
• 10% of all school-age children suffer from migraine
• While most sufferers experience attacks once or twice a month, more than 4 million people have chronic migraine, with more than 15 headache days per month
• More than 90% of sufferers are unable to work or function normally during their migraine
• Migraine remains a poorly understood disease that is frequently undiagnosed and undertreated
• The Migraine Research Foundation was founded in 2006 to address the extreme lack of funding for migraine research. Government funding of research is only around $.50 per migraine sufferer
• Since 2006, MRF has funded 69 research studies in such areas as basic science, genetics, childhood migraine, and clinical and translational work in new treatments and therapies
• MRF has funded 72 researchers in 11 different countries throughout the world
• We’ve funded research on chronic migraine, hemiplegic migraine, childhood migraine, New Daily Persistent Headache, and more
• 100% of all donations to MRF go directly to fund migraine research as members of MRF’s Board of Directors cover all of our costs

One person really can make a difference!

Thank you for joining us in opening doors to a cure for migraine.

Questions? Email us at any time. Emergency? Call us at 212-249-5402.