The ALS Association won’t likely top the $115M it raised from last August’s Ice Bucket Challenge. But this year the national organization and its chapters are better prepared for how to handle what’s now known as Every August Until A Cure. Here’s what will be different for one chapter:
Better Allocation of Funds
Last year, the Ice Bucket Challenge was started by two people living with ALS and it quickly spread through social media. Ice Bucket Challenge donations benefited the ALS Association and its 39 chapters—making a significant impact in the fight against ALS. (2015 figures haven't been released yet.) The ALS Association DC/MD/VA chapter executive director Judy Taylor (above) says this year the individual chapters, with the help of the national office, played a larger role in rolling out the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge campaign. The chapters were able to direct their own marketing campaigns and use funds raised for research and the care of individuals. The DC/MD/VA chapter has a $3M budget to provide 600 ALS patients with care service coordinators, resources, respite care, transportation grants and support groups for free.
Bringing in Corporations
The DC/MD/VA chapter created its ALS Corporate Champions program to bring in more for-profit organizations. By encouraging employees to do the Ice Bucket Challenge on social media, they help spread word of the organization's programs, says DC/MD/VA chapter communications manager Tanyelle Gill (above). This was particularly important mid-August, as it appeared the number of first-time donors was down. But Judy notes that it was the last two weeks of August in 2014 that really saw the most activity. It’s also helped that a paper published last month by Johns Hopkins researchers revealed how the funding raised helped them make a significant discovery about how the disease manifests itself in patients.
Diversifying Fundraising
Local chapters don't plan on relying too heavily on the Ice Bucket Challenge. The DC/MD/VA branch also has two other types of events. It does eight walks per year that bring in at least half its revenue. The grassroots event, which allows families to celebrate and support each other while walking the 5K, has grown every year, says Judy. The chapter also throws an annual dinner with an awards program in DC, Virginia Beach and Richmond to honor two leaders in the community. Judy says it’s an opportunity to build corporate relationships. The dinner has been able to attract big-name sponsors like Booz Allen, Golden & Cohen and the Tower Cos. Judy says the secret to any fundraising is for donors to feel appreciated and aware of how their money is being used.
