Bringing a Walk for Hope team together is an incredible first step. As team captain, you can help keep that energy going by keeping your teammates connected, motivated and excited all the way to walk day.
You don’t need an elaborate communication plan. A quick email, group text or team update can go a long way toward reminding everyone that you’re working toward something meaningful together.
Share your team’s progress
Give your teammates something to rally around by sharing updates on your fundraising and recruitment goals. Celebrate how far you’ve come, then remind everyone what you’re working toward next.
Did your team just cross the halfway point toward its fundraising goal? Are you only a few walkers away from your recruitment goal? Let everyone know! Seeing that progress can motivate teammates to make another fundraising ask, invite someone to join or share their fundraising page again.
Celebrate the wins
Recognition can be a powerful motivator. Welcome new walkers, congratulate someone who reached a fundraising milestone or give a shoutout to a teammate who tried something creative. Celebrating individual contributions reminds everyone that every effort matters.
Keep your team in the know
Your teammates are busy, and even enthusiastic walkers may miss an email or forget an upcoming deadline. Help everyone stay informed by sharing reminders about fundraising challenges, incentives, important dates and other Walk for Hope updates.
Keep these reminders simple: What’s happening? When does it end? What do teammates need to do?
Give them an easy next step
Instead of simply telling your team to “keep fundraising,” offer a few specific ideas they can act on right away.
Encourage teammates to follow up with someone they’ve already asked, text five friends their fundraising link or share why they’re participating on social media. Small, achievable actions can add up quickly across an entire team.
Make it personal
You don’t have to communicate like an organization — you’re a teammate, too! Let your personality come through and encourage others to share their “why,” whether they’re walking in honor or memory of someone they love, celebrating their own journey or simply committed to helping advance cancer research.
Most importantly, remind your teammates that you’re all in this together. Every new walker, donation and fundraising ask brings your team closer to its goals and helps raise funds for cancer research at City of Hope.
Keep the updates coming, celebrate your progress and carry that momentum all the way to the Walk for Hope finish line.
Example email:
We are officially [Insert percentage] of the way to our goal and closing in on the finish line!
Last week alone, our team raised an incredible [insert dollar amount], bringing us within just [insert dollar amount] of reaching our fundraising goal before Walk for Hope. We are so close, and with one final push, I know we can get there.
A warm welcome to our newest [insert team name]
That brings us to [insert number of members] team members, and we're still working toward our goal of [insert goal number] participants. Every new walker helps expand our reach and our impact.
We're Close. Now's the Time to Ask Again.
Many donations come after a second or even third ask. People are busy, emails get buried, and often supporters simply need a reminder. If you've already reached out, don't be afraid to follow up this week.
Three easy ways to help us get across the finish line:
- Send a quick follow up fundraising email to friends, family and colleagues. Many gifts come from a second reminder.
- Post your fundraising link on social media and share why Walk for Hope matters to you.
- Text five people directly. A personal ask is often the most effective.
Please also continue recruiting others to join [team name]. We need just [insert number of members needed] more walkers to reach our participation goal of [insert goal number].
Thank you for your energy, passion, and commitment to this cause. Let's keep the momentum going, finish strong, and reach that goal together.