How to Set up a Big Day of Giving Fundraiser for Alchemist CDC
1. Visit our Big Day of Giving webpage and click the “Fundraise” button.
2. Sign in or create your account. You can sign in with your Google or Facebook account, as well.
3. You will probably see a box pop up saying “Create a Fundraiser”. Click “Get Started“
4. Another box will pop up. Click “Create your Fundraiser“
5. Edit Fundraiser Title by clicking the pencil icon floating over that bar on the right. Change the text to say something like “{Your name}’s Big Day of Giving Fundraiser for Alchemist” then click Save
6. Click the button for +Featured Media and select Direct Link from the options on the left. Paste in this address: https://alchemistcdc.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Big-Day-of-Giving-Fundraiser-Image-16-9.png and click Upload. Once it shows the preview, click Done.
7. Click +Summary and enter text such as “Join me in fighting hunger and supporting our local food system!“Then click Save.
8. Click +Goal and enter a dollar amount you would like to raise. While it is great to aim high, it is most effective to select an amount that is actually achievable with your connections. You might want to aim for $200 or $1000 or something in between! Alternatively, you can set a goal of how many individual donors you would like to support the campaign. If you go this route, we think 10-20 is a great range from which to choose. Click Save when you are done.
9. Click +Duration and set May 5, 2023, as your end date. Click Save.
10. Click where it says Click here to compose a description. You can write your own, customize our script, or just use this sample text:
“I am supporting Alchemist CDC on this Big Day of Giving because I believe in the work they do connecting Sacramento-area communities to land, food, and opportunity. I would like to encourage my friends, family, and co-workers to support Alchemist as well. If you are not familiar with their work, this is a brief introduction to their program:
– They provide CalFresh access and Market Match incentives at local farmers’ markets. This means they help ensure that our local farmers’ markets are accessible to all Sacramentans, including those who depend on CalFresh benefits for their groceries. Their Market Match program gives CalFresh customers extra dollars to spend on nutritious local fruit and vegetables at the farmers’ markets. This program helps fight hunger while also supporting the small farms in and around Sacramento. They distributed over $1 million in CalFresh and Market Match at 8 local farmers’ markets last year!
-Their Alchemist Kitchen program trains, equips, and empowers low-income and under-resourced entrepreneurs in the community to start food businesses. Starting a food business can be a good way for individuals and families to take control of their financial health and leads to the creation of more local jobs and keeps more money circulating in the local economy. There is a lot to learn in order to start a successful new food business and Alchemist helps entrepreneurs to put their good ideas into action. They have had 191 entrepreneurs go through their Alchemist Microenterprise Academy training program since Fall 2019 and have 23 businesses in their incubator at present. Entrepreneurs in the program who had a good recipe and a dream two years ago are now selling their products on the shelves of local grocery stores, catering events, and preparing to launch food trucks!
– Alchemist’s Neighborhood Empowerment Program is best known for creating, managing, and maintaining community gardens and parks in neighborhoods that lack green space and nutritious food access. Alchemist operates the Oak Park Sol Community Garden, Pansy Avenue Community Garden Park, and Oak Park Art Garden; and does community organizing for the Mirasol Village Community Garden! This program has also helped bring a bi-weekly farm stand to the Mirasol Village community, organized cooking demonstrations with garden vegetables, and more. They even organize with neighbors to set up pop-up cooling stations in front of homes and businesses for passerby during Sacramento’s worst heat waves.
I appreciate that Alchemist is addressing food insecurity, access to land, and inclusive economic development through so many programs that work with one another and hope you can join me in supporting their work this year!“
Then click Save.
11. Scroll back to the top of the page and click Publish in the blue bar at the top.
12. It will say “Your Fundraiser is Live”. Now click Share and you can share it on Facebook, Twitter, or via email. If you share it on Facebook, we suggest a message with the post like, “Will you join me in supporting Alchemist CDC for Big Day of Giving? I believe in the work they do and think you will too.”
13. Don’t forget to share the post again on Big Day of Giving (Thursday, May 4) and to provide posts or emails to your network with updates about progress toward meeting your goal!