Team
Captain Kit
The MDA Muscle Walk is the nation’s largest
walk in support of individuals and families
affected by muscular dystrophy.
Make a Muscle. Make a Difference.
mda.org/musclewalk
KMW-104 8/10
You Have More Muscle Than You Think.
You’ve Just Become a Team Captain.
Teams are the Heart (and Sole) of the MDA Muscle Walk
By building a team of people who mean something to you, you’ve signed up to make your Muscle Walk
not only fun, but significant. This is the heart of the MDA Muscle Walk.
As a Muscle Team Captain, you will lead your team and encourage them to meet and beat their
fundraising goals — and make their lives more relevant in the process.
What is the MDA Muscle Walk?
The MDA Muscle Walk is a local walk event that pays tribute to children and adults with muscular
dystrophy, while raising funds for MDA’s programs of help and hope.
The walks are family-oriented gatherings that are open and accessible to everyone — children, adults,
grandparents, students, corporate teams and more.
About MDA
The Muscular Dsytrophy Association is the nonprofit health agency dedicated to curing muscular
dystrophy, ALS and related diseases by funding worldwide research. The Association also provides
comprehensive health care and support services, advocacy, education and a summer camp program.
Make a Muscle. Make a Difference.
mda.org/musclewalk
10 Tips for the
Team Captain
1.
Team captains and co-captains are the volunteer leaders of the MDA Muscle Walk.
Captains commit to help their teams reach their fundraising goals. The team captains’ most
important role is to recruit co-captains and team members.
2.
Recruit friends, family and co-workers. MDA recommends that you form a team of
10 people. If you have more than 10 people, congratulations! Form sub-teams and recruit
co-captains to help. MDA recommends recruiting one co-captain for every 10 people recruited.
3.
Register yourself and help team members register online. The MDA Muscle Walk
is a fundraising event, so all team members are strongly encouraged to raise funds. The
Muscle Team Captain Roster will help you keep track of your team.
4.
Set a team fundraising goal, and encourage each of your team members to set their own
fundraising goals. See the Goal-Setting Worksheet for additional details and information.
5.
Plan a kickoff party or a “Lunch & Learn” for teams made up of business or organization
members to tell potential team members about the benefits of joining the Muscle Walk.
6.
Encourage team members to use online personal fundraising pages. The average
online gift is 40 percent larger than a cash donation, so setting up online personal pages can
greatly impact your team total. See the Online Toolkit for additional information on how to raise
funds online.
7.
Build team spirit! In addition to encouraging team members to raise money online, you can
help organize some team events such as casual days, car washes, bowling nights, parties and
other team outings.
8.
Collect your team donations and turn them in the day of the walk — or earlier. Your local MDA representative will tell you the best way to turn in your team donations. A printable Team Captain Donation Form is available.
9.
Keep in touch with your local MDA office. It’s your best source of information.
10.
Muscle up and have fun! You have helped make a muscle and make a difference.
Make a Muscle. Make a Difference.
mda.org/musclewalk
Team Captain
Online Success
Set Up Your Team Page
As an MDA Muscle Walk Team Captain, you and all of your teammates get a personal fundraising page
and a Team Page. To access both the Team Page and personal pages, all you have to do is register.
Here are some simple ways to make your page stand out:
Make it Personal
Name your Team. Upload a personal or team photo. Write a short note of WHY your team was formed
and WHY you are participating in the Muscle Walk. There is sample text available for you when you set
up your page, but NOTHING IS AS POWERFUL as telling your own story in your own words.
Remember: You don’t need to have a direct connection to a person or family with a neuromuscular disease to have
a powerful story. Walking because you feel lucky or blessed to have a HEALTHY family is a very compelling reason.
Provide Online Links to Your Team Page
Create a URL Team Page shortcut to direct people right to your Team Page. Include a link to both your
personal and team fundraising page in your e-mail signature, your Facebook profile, Twitter, LinkedIn and
any other social networking sites you use personally and professionally.
Take a look at the Muscle Walk Online Toolkit to download banners, Muscle Walk e-mail signatures and more.
Raise More Money with Facebook
By using the new Muscle Walk Boundless Fundraising™ application, you can now use your Facebook
account to extend your fundraising to your Facebook friends automatically.
Add the new Boundless Fundraising application now by logging into your personal fundraising page and
clicking on My Walk Hub. From there, click on the link to Boundless Fundraising, and you’re on your way.
Recruit Team Members Online
It’s much easier to recruit team members online than to spend time on the phone or through the mail.
Ask your prospective team members to join your team directly from your Team Page or use the tools
online to send a team registration link via e-mail. See your local MDA representative with any questions.
Raise Money Online
After you set up your personal pages and send your e-mail to friends, family and co-workers, watch your upto-the-minute fundraising tracker. The online tools make it easy for your friends and family to donate online.
Encourage Team Members to Use Their Online Personal Pages
Encourage your team members to join you and use the online tools too. Pump up the team spirit by
providing incentives for them to raise money online:
• Offer movie tickets or a T-shirt to the team member who raises the most the first week.
• Offer a coffee gift card to each team member who receives at least 5 donations online.
• Be creative and make it rewarding to be on your team.
Steps to Success
Register. Recruit. Raise Funds. Recognize.
Register. Your first step as a team captain is to register, either in person at an MDA office or online.
Your online team page will allow you and your team to easily track the team’s fundraising progress. Recruit. Spread the word and encourage others to join your team. Teams of 10 work well. MDA
recommends recruiting one co-captain for every 10 team members.
Tips for recruiting members:
• Send an e-mail to everyone in your e-mail address book.
• Ask your boss to send an internal e-mail endorsing the MDA Muscle Walk and encouraging
participation.
• Host a Lunch & Learn luncheon or other kickoff event at work to launch the program.
• Invite the employees at your favorite restaurant, bar or a shop.
• REACH OUT TO EVERYONE YOU KNOW AND ASK! Raise funds. The MDA Muscle Walk is a fundraising event, so all team members are
encouraged to raise funds — either online or offline.
Encourage team members to set up a personal fundraising page which allows them to send e-mail invites
to their friends, family and co-workers. Once they’ve created their page, friends, family and co-workers
can contribute easily to their efforts online.
New for 2010 are customized Muscle Walk social networking and fundraising tools,
including an app designed for raising funds through Facebook. Sign up to access all these new tools.
RECOGNIZE. Recognition of your team members is a MUST for an effective team! Team members
who reach certain levels of fundraising may be eligible for special prizes and incentives, depending on the
MDA Muscle Walk location. Each MDA Muscle Team event has its own reward and incentive guidelines,
so check with your local MDA representative.
Make a Muscle. Make a Difference.
mda.org/musclewalk
Build Your Team
Finding Stellar Team Members
Everyone you know (and even some you don’t know) are potential team members. Use the chart below
to start recruiting the people you care most about (and who care about you) to join your team.
1. Immediate MDA Family:
spouse, parents, siblings
2. Extended MDA Family:
aunts, uncles, cousins,
grandparents
8. Neighbors and Friends
IT STARTS
WITH YOU!
6. Where do you Shop & Eat?
Restaurants, Hair Stylist
3. Health Care Contacts:
M.D., D.D.S, Pharmacy, Insurance
5. School and Work Support
4. Religious Affiliations, Clubs,
Organizations
Make a Muscle. Make a Difference.
mda.org/musclewalk
Set Goals
Help Team Members Set Individual Fundraising Goals
As a team captain, your first step in fundraising is to encourage each team member to set his/her
individual fundraising goal. MDA recommends a goal of at least $200 per participant, but we encourage
participants to raise more if they can.
Determine the Team Goal
Now that individual pledge goals are set, calculate your overall team fundraising goal.
First, add up individual pledge goals for a Team Pledge Total: $
Next, factor in any team special events (bake sales, parties, etc.) that your team will organize.
Write those in below.
Team Fundraising Event Date Event Fundraising Goal
Activity #1
____________________ ______________ $
Team Fundraising Event Date Event Fundraising Goal
Activity #2
____________________ ______________ $
Total Event Fundraising Goal: $
Team Pledge Goal + Event Fundraising Goal = Team Goal
$
$
$
Research proves that a shared goal is the most
powerful and most likely to be obtained.
A team of people all sharing the same goal
dramatically improves your chance of success.
Make a Muscle. Make a Difference.
mda.org/musclewalk
Eight Great Ways
to Raise More $
1. Raise Funds Online: The online donation pages are powerful tools. Customize your fundraising
page with your personal story of why you are walking, message and photos, or simply use the
content provided. Reach out and e-mail everyone you know — and watch as the donations come in.
2. Social Media: Take advantage of the network of friends and family you have at your fingertips with
the Muscle Walk social media tools. Tell your story through Facebook and highlight your involvement
with MDA. Take advantage of MDA’s new Boundless Fundraising for Facebook™ app online, as well as
social networking badges, widgets, e-mail signatures, wallpaper and loads of social networking ideas.
3. Personal Letter Campaign: Sending personally written letters and e-mails is a great way to invite
friends, family co-workers or business contacts to donate to your Muscle Walk. Sample letters and
e-mails are available online.
4. Vendor Letters: With your company’s permission, send letters to company vendors asking them to
support your efforts. Sample letters are available online.
5. Matching Gifts: Remind your team members and donors to submit matching gift forms to their
companies. This is one of the fastest and easiest ways to increase your Muscle Walk contributions.
More Matching Gift information is available online.
6. Team Fundraising Events: As a team captain, there are endless opportunities to turn your
resources, contacts, skills and interests into a way to earn funds for research, clinics, summer camp
and other MDA programs. Organizing smaller events such as these not only raises money, but it helps
build awareness and team spirit.
Casual/jeans days
Happy Hour home parties
Putting contests Make A Muscle paper mobile sales
Garage sales
Bake sales (Especially at work. Yum!)
Car wash
Bowling events
Bingo
Silent auctions
Restaurant benefit nights Office cookout luncheon
Coin canisters (canvas your favorite restaurants and bars in your neighborhood.)
7. ‘Give It Up for MDA’ Week: Ask team members to join you in ‘giving up’ one thing for a week —
movie, weekly manicure, expensive coffee — and contribute the amount saved to MDA through the
Muscle Walk effort. You’ll be surprised how fast the contributions add up.
8. Competition & Incentives: Encourage team members or groups within your company to compete
with one another, and offer small prizes and recognition for the top fundraising individuals.
Make a Muscle. Make a Difference.
mda.org/musclewalk
Team Captain Checklist
Get Started (3-4 months out)
❑❑ Choose team name (if you are not a family team, ask MDA to introduce you to an MDA ambassador
who can help inspire your team.)
❑❑ Set up and customize team page.
❑❑ Set your team goal for money raised and team members recruited.
❑❑ Call a team meeting to strategize with MDA staff.
❑❑ Invite everyone you know to join your team or support your efforts with a donation.
❑❑ Find out about your company’s matching gift policy.
❑❑ Send e-mails to everyone you know.
❑❑ Place articles in company newsletters or intranet site to recruit team members.
❑❑ Set up team incentives, T-shirts and internal competitions.
❑❑ Make sure all team members are registered.
Keep Up the Momentum (1-2 months out)
❑❑ Send out fundraising e-mails to ask for donations.
❑❑ Update the team Web page with personal stories, photos and progress.
❑❑ Distribute MDA Muscle Walk brochures and/or Make A Muscle paper mobiles to shops and
restaurants in your neighborhood.
❑❑ Host a team fundraising event — or two.
❑❑ E-mail your team weekly with fundraising updates.
❑❑ Collect team pledges and turn them into MDA.
Event Day
Show up. Smile. Have fun.
❑❑ Arrive early.
❑❑ Register any unregistered new team members.
❑❑ Turn in to MDA any donations collected in person at event.
❑❑ Take team photos.
❑❑ Enjoy the day and bask in the feeling of doing something great!
Post Event
❑❑
❑❑
❑❑
❑❑
Bask in your success. Congratulations!
Send thank-you notes to all donors.
Send notes to team members with team standings and event results.
Send follow up e-mails to those who didn’t donate to you. Share your experience with them and give
them another chance to donate.
❑❑ Collect and turn in any outstanding pledges to be included in any walk incentives.
❑❑ Host a team wrap party.
❑❑ Start planning for next year!
Make a Muscle. Make a Difference.
mda.org/musclewalk