Join Our Fundraising Team

Empower Upper Valley youth with FOS by becoming a peer fundraiser!

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Welcome to Finding Our Stride's Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Campaign!

FOS champions, we need your help. Finding Our Stride has offered free running programs to Upper Valley youth for more than 10 years, and built a strong network of supporters, donors, and believers. But we know there are more who want to join the cause! Will you help us find them?

Join our peer-to-peer fundraising team for NH Gives this June 11th and 12th and bring the joy of running to kids across the Upper Valley. Peer-to-peer fundraising is a collaborative effort where individuals like you leverage their personal networks to raise funds and awareness for a cause they believe in. NH Gives is a statewide 24-hour online fundraising event that brings together hundreds of nonprofits and tens of thousands of donors to raise money and awareness for nonprofits across the state. This year, an anonymous donor is matching up to $2,000 in total giving from new donors. Which is why we need your help finding new donors to support our cause! As a peer fundraiser, you'll play a crucial role in expanding Finding Our Stride’s impact and ensuring that we remain free and accessible to schools and families.

We’ve provided you with everything you need to tell your friends, family, and communities why they should support FOS in empowering Upper Valley youth. Learn more, sign up, and get started giving back to the Finding Our Stride cause. It’s that easy!

Thanks for being here, and don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions. We can’t wait to see what we accomplish together!

Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Instructions

Before June 1st:

  1. Learn More: Take some time to learn about Finding Our Stride's mission, impact, and programs by exploring our website and reviewing the resources on this page. Did you know, FOS is much more than a running program? Learn more about our social-emotional learning curriculum and community engagement.

  2. Sign Up: Register as a peer fundraiser to receive additional support, resources, and updates directly to your inbox. You don’t have to sign up to participate, but doing so helps us support you, and recognize your hard work!

June 1st - June 11th: Reach Out to Your Network

  1. Reach Out to Your Network: Write a compelling message explaining why you're fundraising for Finding Our Stride and why it's important to you. Feel free to use our scripts below! Send personalized emails or text messages to close friends, family members, and colleagues, inviting them to support your fundraising efforts by giving at the NH Gives link.

  2. Tell Your Friends: Spread the word about Finding Our Stride and the fundraising event to your friends, classmates, teammates, and community members. Encourage them to visit the fundraising page and make a donation to support our cause.

June 11th - June 12th (THE BIG DAY!):

  1. Engage on Social Media: Share posts on your social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc.) about your fundraising efforts. Use your own photos and stories, or our provided photos and captions below, to create compelling posts that resonate with your audience. Don't forget to include a link to the fundraising page and encourage others to donate and share.

  2. Text and Email Reminders: Send follow-up texts and emails to remind your contacts about the fundraising event and encourage them to donate if they haven't already. Personalize your messages and emphasize the urgency of supporting Finding Our Stride during the event.

After June 12th:

  1. Celebrate!! Give yourself and your teammates a huge congrats! We’ll give you the final tally: number of donors, dollars raised, and finish line smiles unlocked! Give thanks to everyone who supported your fundraising efforts through donations, shares, and words of encouragement. Let them know how much their support means to you and to Finding Our Stride. And let us just tell you now: your support means the world to us!

Scripts

Email Script

Subject: Empower Upper Valley Youth with Finding Our Stride!

Hi [Recipient],

I hope this message finds you well! I'm reaching out to share something near and dear to my heart: Finding Our Stride. I’m connected to this program through [share personal story].

FOS is a free afterschool running program that empowers 1000 Upper Valley youth each year to boost fitness, self-esteem, and resilience. But it’s more than just a running program. Finding Our Stride’s social-emotional learning curriculum and community engagement initiatives help kids understand they are part of something bigger than themselves.

And so are we, which is why I’m fundraising for Finding Our Stride – to help foster community, connection, and resilience for Upper Valley youth. Will you consider making a donation to our NH Gives page on June 11th to help us continue this vital work?

NH Gives is a statewide day of giving and opportunity for FOS to build community and raise funds to support our program. New donors have double the impact – an anonymous donor has generously agreed to match up to $2,000 in new donations made during NH Gives.

Thank you for your consideration,

[Your Name]

Text Script

“Hey [Recipient]! I'm fundraising for Finding Our Stride, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering youth through afterschool running programs. Would you be willing to support our cause with a donation on June 11th? Your contribution can make a real difference for Upper Valley youth, and for this fundraiser all new donations will be matched up to $2,000. Thank you for considering!”

Here is the link: nhgives.org/organizations/finding-our-stride

Data

1:7

COACH TO RUNNER RATIO

1000+

YOUTH SERVED ANNUALLY

$206K

RAISED FOR LOCAL NON-PROFITS

87%

OF RUNNERS CONTINUE TO RUN

Quotes

  • "We put on a one-mile run and the whole school came together to cheer on our team. What a sense of pride and confidence that encouraged! One third grade boy ran up to me as he finished the first mile that he ever accomplished. His face was flushed and he had a great big smile on his sweaty face. He stopped, raised his arms and yelled, 'That is the best thing I ever did!'"

    – Coach

  • "It is such a pleasure and joy to see the growth our runners have each and every season. They push themselves and take risks and hopefully that translates into the classroom."

    –Coach

  • "When our daughter would come home each afternoon she would glow with excitement about her achievements that day."

    –Parent

  • "Everyone who joined our team, whether it was for the 1st time or a returning team member, they all left the program as part of the FOS family."

    –Coach

  • "I saw my son’s confidence grow exponentially."

    –Parent

  • “Finding Our Stride is much more than a running program. It allows students to feel connected, be physically active and create friendships. It gives students a safe place to have fun with peers that is not technology-related. It teaches students how running can be a great form of self-care and stress relief, not only now but in the future.”

    – Coach

  • "Finding Our Stride builds self-esteem and shows kids they are more capable than they ever thought possible. The majority of kids beginning the program viewed running a few miles as an impossible feat... But then, without fail, over the course of the season, you could watch the transformation. Kids would begin clamoring for 'just one more hill,' and to run 'just another mile.' Tasks, once unimaginable, became obtainable."

    – Ben True, Professional Runner and Founding FOS Coach

Photos

Feel free to use the below photos, or any of the Fall 2023 Practice Photos!

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • Finding Our Stride (FOS) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering Upper Valley youth through free afterschool running programs. Our mission is to boost fitness, self-esteem, and resilience while connecting kids to peers, mentors, and community. Through our programs, we create a supportive environment for youth development, fostering holistic growth beyond physical fitness. You can read more about our impact here.

  • Peer-to-peer fundraising is a method of fundraising where individuals or supporters of an organization solicit donations from their personal networks on behalf of the organization. Instead of relying solely on traditional fundraising efforts by the organization itself, peer-to-peer fundraising leverages the passion and connections of supporters to expand reach and raise funds.

  • NH Gives is a statewide 24-hour online fundraising event from 5pm June 11 - 5pm June 12. The day brings together hundreds of nonprofits and tens of thousands of donors to raise money and awareness for nonprofits working in the state. It is does this by building community, connecting donors to local nonprofits and generating excitement about the nonprofit sector.

  • No, you do not have to donate to become a peer fundraiser for Finding Our Stride. Peer fundraising is about leveraging your network and enthusiasm to raise awareness and support for our organization. Your participation as a fundraiser is invaluable in helping us achieve our goals, regardless of whether you are able to make a personal donation.

  • That's okay! While social media can be a powerful tool for fundraising, it's not the only option. You can still make a meaningful impact by utilizing email, word of mouth, and personal outreach to engage your network and solicit donations. The most important thing is to share your passion for Finding Our Stride and our mission to empower youth through running programs.

  • The funds raised through peer-to-peer fundraising for Finding Our Stride go towards maintaining our programs as free and accessible to all families and runners in the Upper Valley. Additionally, your contributions support our efforts to expand our reach to new schools and communities, ensuring that more youth have the opportunity to benefit from our programs.

  • Our goals for this peer-to-peer fundraising campaign are to bring in 50 new donors, raise a total of $5,000 (including matching funds), and expand awareness of Finding Our Stride within the community. By achieving these goals, we can further our mission of empowering youth through free afterschool running programs and make a lasting impact on the lives of youth in the Upper Valley.

Something else we can help you answer? Reach out to Elliott, our peer fundraising coordinator!