One Day For Dawgs Toolkit

Here are a few things to consider about your fundraising cause before you apply.

• What are you fundraising for? Consider what your needs are and what means most to you. Scholarships, Program Needs, Technology or Equipment needs are just some of the things that teams typically raise funds for. Contact the Advancement Office at [email protected] and they can help you decide where your greatest need lies.
• Approval. Make sure that your fundraising cause can be approved by your department, college or the university (and has an existing fund or one that can be created to deposit gifts). Per our fundraising policy, your cause must benefit Ferris students, program needs, technological needs, professional development, travel for university related activities or overall campus improvement.
• Who will be the Team Captain and main contact for this cause? Who will determine the cause, goal, messaging, set up the team campaign page and follow-up with communications to fundraisers and supporters? Also consider asking team members and/or students to assist in social media postings.
  Set a goal! Decide on a measurable, attainable, financial goal with a specific need or project in mind that you will be communicating to your supporters. For example: Our goal is to raise $5,000 to endow the __________scholarship.
• Identify your target audience. Who in your community can you count on to get involved and promote this campaign? Who are your prospective donors that you would like to reach for support?

• To submit your application for fundraising, go to
  application page or click on the Start Your Team button above. After you submit your application form, your application for fundraising is reviewed and a crowdfund template will be created for your cause.
• At the time that your campaign page has been created by the administrator (after application review), you will receive an email with the direct link to your cause and fundraising page, where you have been pre-assigned as the Team Captain.
  • The fundraising campaign page allows you to sign up yourself or others as a Fundraiser.
  • The main Fundraising page/Campaign page link that you are provided with is the link you should share with your network of family and friends. They can also directly share this link with others, as well or sign up as a fundraiser for your cause and share their unique fundraising link with them.
  • If you have any questions please contact us at [email protected] or (231) 591-3187.

Peer-to-Peer Fundraising is most effective when you make your fundraising efforts personal. The most successful Fundraisers have the following in common: their team members have (1) customized and personalized their pages, and (2) they have posted and shared consistent updates within their network of friends and family.

As Team Captain, you will be able to make all updates to personalize the fundraising page for your cause. The main items we suggest you personalize are listed below. If you have any questions concerning this process, please contact 231-591-3817 or [email protected].

• Edit Your Campaign Display Name: Change the name to what you would like to have displayed to catch your supporter's attention.
• Upload Your Team Image: This will be the image representing your cause when seen in the list of campaigns on the One Day for DAWGS campaign page.
• Update your Goal! Change your fundraising goal amount to the one YOU want to achieve for your cause!
• Provide Carousel Images: Update a photo of yourself, photos that pertain to the organization, or photos of your “team” to create an instant personal connection from you to the cause you are fundraising for!
• Write a compelling welcome message! Your welcome message is one of the most important parts of personalizing your Campaign page! Record a short, personal video straight from your heart as to why you are involved! If you can gather the courage to hop in front of your smartphone and press record… then do it! Trust us, people want to hear from YOU. Provide information about your vision and how a supporter's gift will make an impact for your cause.

• Share why YOU care. Why are YOU involved with this cause? Is there a connection to your personal story or testimony? Simply sharing from the heart your genuine connection to the cause, department or Ferris is an awesome way to appeal to others AND invite them into experiencing the joy of supporting the AMAZING work you are accomplishing.
• Share a compelling fact or statistic about your cause or Ferris. For example, were over 1200 students in your cause served within the last year?
• Link to a compelling testimony or success story from an individual your cause or Ferris has served. There is nothing quite so powerful as seeing the story of someone whose life has been transformed! If there has been a story published online, please provide us with the link to add to your page.

1 - 2 Months Out: Request Your Contact Data 

Who is your prospective audience? Do you need their contact information needed for direct mail or email communications? You may obtain alumni contact information from Advancement Services by filling out the Millennium Report Request form under the Forms tab within MyFSU. Student groups requesting information should work through department staff and advisors.

4 Weeks Out

Email communication (once weekly)

With email driving one-third of all online fundraising revenue, this channel warrants your special attention.

2-4 Weeks Out

Postcard Mailing Announcement

If you have a large segment of prospective donors with only a mailing address as the contact information, consider sending a printed mail piece at this time.

2 Weeks Out

Post on social media and/or your website. Make your campaign cause visible on the homepage of your website. For sample messages, check our social media section below.

Campaign Updates

Update your campaign page regularly and share your update by email or social media.

Week Before Event

In the final week leading up to One Day for Dawgs, increase the frequency of your email and social media posting...build the excitement!

Don't forget to mention One Day for Dawgs in any newsletter or communication from now until the day of the event.

Make a Virtual Celebration

On the day of One Day for DAWGS, plan on creating a virtual celebration with your supporters, posting and emailing updates multiple times throughout the day. Use videos and photos of fundraiser activity along with posts of urgency as to how close you are to meeting your goal.

Post on Social Media Regularly

Post about activity, top fundraisers, and highlight your supporters throughout the day.

Follow up

Thank your supporters and share the results via social media, email and possibly a thank you note mailing.

Special Thanks

Consider sharing the impact of gifts given with supporters throughout the year with videos or updates by email and social media.

Share a "Save the Date" post on all your platforms. (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, Snapchat, TikTok, etc.) 

Sample Post

Save the date! Ferris State University will host its annual giving day, One Day for Dawgs, on April 12, 2023! You can make a huge difference on campus: visit ferris.edu/OneDay #OneDayforDawgs

• Change profile picture and cover photos to ODFD graphics.
• Share some of our pre-event posts.
• Announce your fundraising goals and tag friends and related departments.

Sample Post

A little goes a long way when Bulldogs all over the world support our students. A gift of any amount on One Day for Dawgs will have a huge impact. Help make a difference in the lives of our students: ferris.edu/OneDay #OneDayForDawgs 

• Repost reminders about One Day For Dawgs.
• Remind others to follow the Ferris Foundation social media channels.
• Share link to main One Day For Dawgs page.

Sample Post

One Day for DAWGS is April 12! Help spread the word and give to whatever cause means the most to you! Join me in making a difference to {List your cause here} at Ferris State University. Learn how: ferris.edu/OneDay #OneDayforDawgs

• Post and share on social media throughout the day using our "Day Of" sample posts.
• Do live videos to engage with our audience.
• Tag friends and supportive departments and encourage them to donate.
• When someone makes a gift, send them a personal thank you and a social media shoutout.
• Remind your supporters to like, comment, share, and give!

Sample Posts

• Go Crimson and Gold and give back today on #OneDayforDawgs. Go to {insert your team's unique giving link} and join me in making a gift today. Help us to reach our goal of 1884 gifts today! Go Bulldogs!
• The wait is over…#OneDayforDawgs is finally here! Don’t miss your chance to make a difference for Ferris State University students. Join me in supporting {list your cause here} and make a gift to support the school we love. Give back. Go Bulldogs! Text {insert your team's keyword} to 71777 to make your gift, or visit {insert your team's unique giving link}
• On #OneDayforDawgs, our goal is for 1884 donors to give back to Ferris State University in one day. I gave because I want to ensure that incredible opportunities are available for current and future Bulldogs. Will you join me? {insert team's unique giving link}
• We are just {fill in amount here} away from reaching our goal! Have you made your #OneDayforDawgs gift yet! There is still time! Text {insert your team's keyword} to 71777 today!

Make sure to thank your supporters and your team, and share the results via social media.

Sample Post

• Thank YOU for helping {list your cause here} at Ferris State University meet their challenge at this year's day of giving, One Day for Dawgs! We are ever grateful to all who donated! #OneDayforDawgs #BULLDOG4LIFE
• Thank you to every single person who donated and helped {insert cause}. Every dollar given is appreciated and will be used to enhance the college experience for our Ferris students. We hope to see you next year!
  #OneDayForDawgs

If social media isn’t your thing, you can still share your Ferris pride about One Day for Dawgs. You can use our sample text to reach out to friends and families to let them know how they can make April 12, 2023 their day to support our Bulldogs.

Sample E-Mail

Subject line: Join Me in Supporting ________ on One Day for Dawgs: April 12, 2023
You can make a difference!
Join other alumni, friends, family of Ferris State University as we help enhance the college experience for current and future students.
On Wednesday, April 12, 2023, Ferris State is hosting its annual day of giving campaign. I will be supporting ___________ because ___________________. Please join me in making a gift.
You can also help us to spread the word by sharing our fundraiser with your networks.
Learn more about One Day for Dawgs at ferris.edu/oneday and be sure to follow the Ferris Foundation’s social media for updates and upcoming posts.

Instagram: @ferrisfoundation, Facebook: @FerrisFoundation
Thank you!