Since 2011, the Corntoss Challenge has raised over $1.5 million for ALS research

Since 2011, the Corntoss Challenge has raised over $1.5 million for ALS research

There are currently no cures of effective treatments for ALS. You can help change that! As a rare nonprofit biotech, the cutting edge research at the ALS Therapy Development Institute (ALS TDI) is funded by community members like you.

Our scientists are working hard to discover treatments for ALS. We will not stop until the needs of every person with ALS are met. But we need your help.

Because of the incredible support we receive, ALS TDI is the first nonprofit biotech to discover and develop a potential ALS treatment and bring it into clinical trial. Let's keep going!

Let's Get Started!

When you register for the Corntoss Challenge, a personal fundraising page will automatically generate to help you raise funds for ALS research and spread the word about your participation. You can customize your page, share your page, receive donations, and monitor your fundraising progress.

Fundraising Tips

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Share Your Motive
Take a moment to think about why you've decided to participate in the Corntoss Challenge.
Plan
Have a Plan
Write down a fundraising plan with realistic goals to track your progress.
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Start Fundraising
The sooner you begin fundraising, the less pressure you'll feel.
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Ask for Support
People won't give if they haven't been asked. The more people you ask, the more money you will raise.
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Make Your Own Donation
Get your fundraiser off the ground by making your own donation. That will help inspire others to give too.
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Follow Up
If someone pledges to donate, but doesn't follow through, it's ok to follow up with them after two weeks.
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Write a Note
A personalized note (solicitation and/or thank you) in the mail goes a long way.
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Optimize Your Donations
Always encourage your donors to find out if their employers have a matching gift program.
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Share Your Progress
Keep your community updated on your progress. You can do this via social media or email.
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Promote via Facebook Live
If you're doing a creative fundraising event, sharing it via Facebook Live may uniquely spread awareness and generate new donations.
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Reach Out to ALS TDI
Reach out to your team at the ALS Therapy Development Institute for support in your fundraising efforts!
* Some donors are more comfortable writing checks or giving cash. Offline donations are accepted, but will take longer to process. Please allow four to six weeks for offline donations to appear on your fundraising page. You will not receive an email when offline donations are processed, but the donation amount and donor information will be posted. PLEASE NOTE: A completed Corntoss Challenge Donation Form must accompany all offline donations.

Fundraising Plan

Having a fundraising plan is essential for successful fundraising. Whether you scratch it out on a napkin at lunch, write it into your calendar, or detail it in a comprehensive Excel spreadsheet, a good fundraising plan will pay off. You can set realistic goals for yourself, track how far you've come, and understand how much farther you need to go.

Answering these questions will help you develop the main elements of the plan:

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What are your awareness and fundraising tactics?
Some ideas to consider:
Envelope
E-mail or mail friends, family and appropriate business associates. See sample language here.
Gifts
Encourage your donors to find out if their employers have a matching gift program. Many employers will double or even triple a donation. To see if a specific employer has a matching gift program, click here.
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Check to see if your employer can support you through a sponsorship, matching gift, grant program, mention in corporate newsletter, or provision of in-kind goods/services.
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Use Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and other social media channels to spread the word and raise funds.
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Reach out to local merchants to sponsor you and/or hang up a flyer about your participation. Tell your story, include information on how people can support your efforts.
Tent
Host a fundraising event. Contact local bars to find a good venue, local merchants for door/raffle prizes, local restaurants for food donations. For more ideas, click here.
Press Release
Local media outlets love to feature people in their communities! Reach out to let them know about your participation. Feel free to use our sample press release.
National Sponsors