Asking people for money can seem daunting, but once you get started, it’s not all that hard. Here are tips on how to make YOUR Birdathon fundraising easy.

1. Make a list of everyone you know: Neighbors, friends near and far, co-workers, old college roommates, acquaintances from the gym, other parents in your child’s preschool….

Every dollar you raise in Birdathon helps Golden Gate Bird Alliance protect birds like this Snowy Plover / Photo by Bob Lewis

2. Cast a wide net. Not everyone will give. But the more people you ask, the more “yesses” you’ll get.

3. Think of people whose causes you’ve supported. Did you sponsor them in a breast cancer walk last year? They’ll be more likely to sponsor you in Birdathon.

4. Don’t feel embarrassed. Most people will respect you for caring enough about birds and wildlife conservation to put your time and effort into the Birdathon.

5. Approach people! Send them a personal email with a link to your Fundraising Page. Call them up.  Write them a personal note. Talk to them over a glass off wine or cup of coffee.  (Individual calls, notes, emails and conversations are much more likely to get a response than a mass posting on Facebook.)

6. Develop talking points (see below)  — one or two reasons why Golden Gate Bird Alliance is important to you. Did you fall in love with the Burrowing Owls at the Berkeley Marina, thanks to a GGBA docent? Do you want your grandchildren to be able to see egrets and warblers when they grow up? Etc.

7. Follow up. If you don’t hear a response, email them a second and third time saying, “I want to make sure you got my note about Birdathon.” If you are worried about being too pushy, remember how crowded people’s inboxes are – the first time, they may not have seen your note, and the second time they may have intended to make a donation but forgotten. Third time’s a charm!

8. TALK ABOUT Birdathon. During your coffee break at work, or in the locker room at the health club, or on your Facebook page, or  over lunch with a friend. Tell people how much you’re looking forward to the cool Birdathon Field Trip you’re going on. Or tell them how nervous you are about trying to raise $500!

9. Be open and serious. If you let people know you have this ambitious $ goal, and that you’re nervous about how to reach it, some of them will step up to help. Wouldn’t you do the same for a friend?

10. Thank your donors! Acknowledge their contribution as soon as you find out about it. Tell them you will let them know your success in the Birdathon and will send pictures from your field trip.  If they don’t decide on the spot to support you, thank them for thinking about it.

Again, TALK ABOUT Birdathon. People will respond to your enthusiasm for birds, nature and Golden Gate Bird Alliance. Tell the world. Who knows… you might inspire them not just to donate to Birdathon, but to try birding or come on a GGBA field trip themselves.

Talking Points

Prepare ahead. Develop a script. Here are some points you can include, but the most important thing is to make it your own:

  • GGBA leads over 200 free field trips each year and offers adult birding classes and monthly guest speakers on wildlife conservation and birds. GGBA also provides environmental education classes and field trips for over 400 students in low-income elementary schools in Oakland, Richmond, and San Francisco each year. GGBA takes on major conservation issues such as reducing bird kills by wind turbines at Altamont Pass, rebuilding wetlands at Pier 94 in San Francisco, and creating a wildlife refuge on the former Alameda Naval Base. We convinced the cities of San Francisco, Oakland, Alameda, and Richmond to enact building guidelines that will reduce bird-window collisions, which kill as many as 1 billion birds across North America each year. (Similar Berkeley and El Cerrito laws are likely to be finalized this spring.) GGBA does all this with a tiny staff but over 1,000 volunteers!
  • Golden Gate Bird Alliance has been protecting birds, preserving natural habitats and open space, and educating people of all ages about birds and other wildlife for 103 years. It is one of the oldest and most respected conservation organizations in California.
  • Climate change and ongoing loss of habitat are taking a toll on birds everywhere, including the Bay Area. A landmark report by National Audubon in fall 2019 concluded that 2/3 of North American birds are at risk from climate change. We need Golden Gate Bird Alliance to continue to be a strong voice for protecting birds and natural habitats and to have enough funds to carry out its mission for years to come.
  • All funds raised by the Birdathon go directly to Golden Gate Bird Alliance. The money stays right here in the Bay Area to help our native bird populations survive and thrive, and to inspire and educate current and future generations about the wonders of our natural world. GGBA is a 501c3 non-profit so your friends’ donations are tax-deductible.

For a PDF of these tips that you can print out, click here: Birdathon Fundraising Tips

Need more inspiration? Click here to read a profile of GGBA member Dan Harris, who got 106 (yes, 106!) of his friends and family to sponsor him in Birdathon 2015.

Click here to return to the main Birdathon 2020 page.

Click here to set up your personal Birdathon 2020 fundraising page.