Fundraising Guide
Paddle for Our Hudson Paddler Fundraising Toolkit
Paddle for our Hudson is not only a paddling challenge, but also a peer-to-peer fundraiser to support Clearwater's mission to steward a robust and engaged intergenerational community of river advocates through unique sailing, education, and advocacy programs. We hope you will create a fundraiser for your paddle to help keep Clearwater sailing, educating, and advocating.
The Overall Goal: Our goal is to raise $20,000 in the first year of Paddle for Our Hudson.
Your Personal Goal: We welcome you to set a fundraising goal that feels comfortable and achievable for you. To help contextualize the impacts of different fundraising goals, check out the costs associated with our education and advocacy programs:
- $5,000: Underwrites 2 schools’ participation in our Sailing Classroom program
- 2,500: Underwrites one month of docking fees
- $1,000: Funds one participant in a Clearwater Youth Empowerment Program
- $500: Underwrites our Sailing Classroom programs for 5 students
- $250: Funds two trips to Albany to advocate for the Hudson River
Steps to organizing a successful fundraiser:
Step #1: Set up your personal fundraising page: Follow these step-by-step instructions to set up your fundraising page. This is the link where your friends, family, colleagues, and neighbors can follow your progress and donate to your fundraiser. You can add a photo and description of why you're participating in the Paddle for Our Hudson. You may want to share why you love the Hudson River, what inspires you to support Clearwater, etc.
Step #2: Outreach to your community: You don't need to be a fundraising expert to make an impact. By sharing your story of "why" and making it easy for your community to support your paddle, you will be well on your way to reaching your goal.
- Reach out to your community:
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- Text family and close friends. Think of 3-10 family members or friends who know of your passion for paddling, the environment, and Clearwater, and individually call/text/email them with a personal message asking them to donate via your personal fundraising page.
- E-mail 10-15 close contacts or good friends. You can find email templates for fundraising easily online if you need assistance! Be sure to include your personal mission and a link to your personal fundraising page.
- Share a link to your fundraising page on social media. Sharing on social media can help spread the word about your fundraising efforts. Aim to do a mix of posts that ask for support and share news about Clearwater!
- Follow up! Repeat the above steps, checking in with friends or family who said they would donate and sharing your fundraising page.
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Example E-mails, Social Media Posts, and Resources:
Sample Social Media Fundraiser Language + Example Posts
I’m excited to be participating in Hudson River Sloop Clearwater’s Paddle for Our Hudson Challenge! My goal is to paddle XX miles and raise $XXX between now and July 26 in support of Clearwater's mission to steward a robust and engaged intergenerational community of river advocates through unique sailing, education, and advocacy programs. I hope you will join the challenge and make a donation to my fundraiser! Your support ensures Clearwater can continue its critical efforts for years to come. INSERT YOUR FUNDRAISING PAGE URL
A note for Instagram: Instagram doesn't allow clickable URLs in posts, you can add the link to your bio, and specify “Donate at link in bio!”. Don't forget to tag Clearwater’s social media accounts:
- Facebook: @SloopClearwater
- Instagram: @SloopClearwater
Example fundraising outreach e-mails
Subject: Will you support my summer challenge?
Dear FIRST NAME,
I'm excited to share I'm participating in Hudson River Sloop Clearwater's Paddle for Our Hudson Challenge! This paddle challenge and fundraiser celebrates 55 years of Clearwater's presence on the Hudson River, by challenging paddlers to log 55 miles by the end of July. All funds raised will support Hudson River Sloop Clearwater's mission to steward a robust and engaged intergenerational community of river advocates through unique sailing, education, and advocacy programs.
{{ADD WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO PARTICIPATE IN PADDLE FOR OUR HUDSON HERE}}
My goal is to paddle XX miles and raise $XXX between now and July 26 - will you join me in Paddling for our Hudson River or donating to my fundraiser?
If you're considering participating, the paddle can be completed from anywhere in a kayak, canoe, racing shell, or on a stand-up paddleboard. If you don't own a boat, Clearwater is partnering with local outfitters across the region to provide discounted kayak rentals. Register to participate.
Thank you for considering supporting me in participating in the Paddle for Our Hudson challenge, and if you have any questions, I'm happy to answer them!
For the River,
YOUR NAME
Step 3: Thank your donors! While Clearwater will thank each person who donates to Paddle for Our Hudson, a personal message of gratitude from you will be especially meaningful. If you fundraise on Facebook, you can shout out your donors by tagging them in the comments with a thank you message. If you are not fundraising on social media or also wish to send an e-mail, use the example below.
Subject Line: Thank You for supporting my Paddle for Our Hudson Challenge Fundraiser!
Hi FIRST NAME,
Thank you so much for supporting my Paddle for Our Hudson challenge fundraiser. With your support, I was able to raise $AMOUNT in support of Hudson River Sloop Clearwater's mission to steward a robust and engaged intergenerational community of river advocates through unique sailing, education, and advocacy programs. Each year over 13,000 people come aboard the Clearwater to experience and learn about the Hudson River.
With Gratitude,
YOUR NAME
We value your willingness to fundraise in support of Clearwater - if you have any questions about Paddle for Our Hudson or peer-to-peer fundraising, please e-mail Jen at jen@clearwater.org.
