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When I was registering for the 2016 DICK’S Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon, I came across the Run for a Reason Program. Questions started racing through my head. Could I fundraise? And if I could, what charity to choose? Were there even any charities I connected with?

When I spotted the Steel City Greyhound Rescue (SCG), the decision was easy. SCG is an all-volunteer organization dedicated to rescuing and rehoming retired racing greyhounds.

My parents adopted their first greyhound when I was 21. Rip wasn’t an SCG rescue, but I knew first-hand how important the work they were doing was. My parents are now busy loving their third rescue, Mabel. Her spunky personality is different from any other greyhound I've met, but her sweet demeanor sure isn't.

This year will now be my sixth time running in honor of SCG, and each year I have seen the success that I never imagined I was capable of. Over my first five years, I committed to raising $2,200 total. I am proud to say my donors have raised $5,268 in those five years – more than double our goal! They have contributed to over 780 greyhounds finding homes in the Pittsburgh area. Everyone deserves a comfortable retirement.

Here are five tips for your fundraising mindset that I hope offer you a little boost to your goal!

1. Choose an organization you connect with.
My passion for the work SCG shines every time I talk about them. You aren’t looking for a perfect sales pitch, and your reason can’t be a free entry – your reason needs to be your cause. The perk is a free entry for hitting your goals.

2. Be patient – not desperate.
Share your progress often, but “ask” sporadically. Post on social media, send emails, talk with friends about your goals and running milestones. But every conversation and post doesn’t have to mention your charity or the “link in your bio.” It can just be about how much you love the marathon or running…or your obsession with finding the perfect pair of compression socks.

3. Have fun and let your personality show!
If you are local to your charity, join them for dinners or other fundraisers throughout the year and share what you are doing with others. Talk about your bad training runs along with your good, post that very imperfect and blurry photo, do a story when you’re sweaty and gross. The more people get to know you and your personality, the more they want to see you succeed.

4. Don’t rely on family and friends to support you.
For the first year, maybe. Getting your feet wet with fundraising, especially if you haven’t done it before, can be intimidating. But the more you talk, the more you share, the more you tell your story, the broader your reach will become. Each year I get surprised both ways – a consistent donor misses the deadline and a stranger I have never met in person drops $100 toward my goal.

5. Never forget: you champion the cause, but your donors raise the money.
Offer a sincere thank you. For my first few years, I offered giveaways for different donation thresholds. It didn’t take long to realize that is not why people donate – and what they appreciate most is a handwritten thank you card. I choose to print photo cards with race weekend pictures, but that’s not necessary. That person I don’t know who drops me a donation? I message and ask for their address – they get one, too!

I have never doubted my choice to join the SCG Marathon Team. I am so proud to be a part of a successful and amazing team of runners and volunteers.

And because everyone asks…no, I haven’t found my greyhound yet – but I know one is out there for me, we are just waiting to meet!

Written by Kristen Lippencott