Dance Marathon 28
The University of Iowa Dance Marathon 28
Role: Fundraising Chair
Timeline: 1 year
Challenge: Dance Marathon 28 needed to equip hundreds of student dancers with effective fundraising tools and strategies to maximize their individual and collective fundraising efforts. Many dancers felt overwhelmed by fundraising goals and lacked the resources, knowledge, and confidence to successfully engage potential donors. The organization needed a comprehensive, accessible system that would empower dancers of all experience levels to fundraise effectively while maintaining consistent messaging about UIDM's mission.
My Role & Approach
As Fundraising Chair, I was responsible for developing and implementing a comprehensive fundraising support system for all Dance Marathon participants. I created educational resources, campaign materials, and strategic frameworks to help dancers succeed in their fundraising efforts.
Needs Assessment: Surveyed dancers and analyzed previous year's fundraising data to identify common challenges and opportunities for improvement
Interactive Fundraising Guide Website: Designed and built a comprehensive digital resource hub featuring templates, tutorials, and strategy guides accessible to all dancers 24/7
Fundraising Strategy Development: Created detailed guides for various fundraising approaches including social media campaigns, email outreach, event planning, peer-to-peer solicitation, and sponsorship
Template Library: Developed a complete suite of customizable templates including email scripts, social media graphics, donor thank you notes, event flyers, and fundraising pitch frameworks
Educational Content: Produced how-to guides, video tutorials, and best practice resources covering everything from setting up fundraising pages to storytelling techniques
Resource Distribution: Created systems for distributing materials through multiple channels including the website, email campaigns, social media, and in-person training sessions
Ongoing Support: Established regular communication touchpoints including tips of the week, success story features, and milestone celebrations to keep dancers motivated and engaged
Key Results
Resource Utilization: The interactive fundraising guide received thousands of visits throughout the campaign, becoming the go-to resource for dancer support
Dancer Confidence: Post-campaign surveys showed increased confidence in fundraising abilities and greater satisfaction with available support resources
Participation Growth: The comprehensive support system contributed to increased dancer retention throughout the year-long campaign
Time Efficiency: Ready-to-use templates and guides saved dancers countless hours, allowing them to focus on relationship-building rather than creating materials from scratch
Consistent Messaging: Standardized templates ensured all dancers communicated UIDM's mission and impact consistently and professionally
Deliverables
Interactive fundraising guide website with searchable resources and downloadable templates
Introductory pamphlet for newly registered participants with resources on how to get started
20+ customizable email templates for different donor audiences and campaign stages
Social media content for participant use & distribution with pre-designed graphics and caption templates
Comprehensive fundraising strategy guides for multiple approaches (events, social media, direct ask, corporate, etc.)
Donor stewardship toolkit including thank you note templates and impact reports
Tutorials covering fundraising best practices and platform navigation
Event planning resources including budget templates, promotional materials, and logistics checklists
Weekly email series with fundraising tips, success stories, and motivational content
Outcome
The comprehensive fundraising resource system transformed the dancer experience by providing accessible, professional-quality tools that empowered students to fundraise with confidence. The interactive website became a central hub that dancers returned to throughout their fundraising journey, and the ready-to-use templates significantly lowered barriers to successful fundraising. This strategic approach to resource development not only supported Dance Marathon 28's fundraising goals but also created a scalable model for future years, ensuring that every dancer—regardless of prior experience—had the tools needed to make a meaningful impact for the kids served by UIDM.
