Asking for money is the part of a charity walk most women dread. Walking is the easy bit. Sending a message to your aunt, your neighbor or the whole office asking them to give can feel like a lot.
Here's the good news: you're not asking for yourself. You're inviting people to be part of something you care about, and plenty of them will be glad you asked. This guide walks you through who to ask, what to say and how to follow up, with messages you can copy and fill in.
It's written for the woman doing the walk (or the ruck) and for the friend running the team. If you're still planning the event itself, start with our guide to walking for a cause.
Before you ask
Three small things make every ask easier.
- Your why, in one sentence. Why this cause, and why you? "I'm walking for [cause] because [your reason]." Write it once and use it everywhere. It's the line people respond to.
- Your own giving page. Ask the organization for a personal page or link set up in its name, so donations go straight to the organization. A personal link lets supporters see your goal and your progress.
- A goal. Pick a goal that feels reachable for you, and raise it if you pass it. Our walkathon fundraiser ideas cover goals, pledges and employer matching.
Who to ask first
Start close and widen out.
- The people who already cheer you on. Close family, close friends and anyone who knows why this cause matters to you. Ask them one at a time. A gift or two on your page early makes it easier for everyone else to give.
- Your wider circle. Friends you don't see often, neighbors, people from your book club, gym class or place of worship, and other parents you know.
- Coworkers. Check your workplace's rules first. Many employers also match gifts, so mention it.
- Local businesses. A café, a salon or a shop you go to often might give, donate a prize or sponsor water for walk day. There's a letter for this below.
Messages to copy
Fill in the [blanks] with your own details. Your own words, even a line or two, beat any template, so change anything that doesn't sound like you.
A text or direct message
Hi [name]! On [date] I'm walking in [event] for [cause]. It matters to me because [your reason]. Would you support my walk? Any amount helps, and it all goes to [organization]. Here's my page: [link]. No pressure at all, I just wanted you to know about it.
A fundraising email
Subject: Will you support my walk for [cause]?
Hi [name],
On [date] I'm walking in [event] to raise money for [organization]. [One or two sentences on why this cause matters to you.]
I've set a goal of [goal], and every gift helps. Donations go straight to [organization] and support [what the money does].
You can give here: [link]
If your employer matches charity gifts, your donation could go even further. And if you can't give right now, sharing my page helps too.
Thank you for reading, and for cheering me on.
[Your name]
A social post
On [date] I'm walking for [cause] with [team name or "a group of friends"]. [Your reason, in a sentence or two.]
I'm training on my walks between now and then, and I'd love you to come along for the ride. If you'd like to support me, my page is here: [link]. Every gift goes to [organization].
Add a photo from one of your training walks. Then post short updates: a walk in the rain, a new route, how close you are to your goal. Each one is a gentle reminder without asking again.
A short fundraising letter
Some people, often older relatives, still love a letter or a card. Keep it to one page:
Dear [name],
I'm writing to tell you about something I'm doing this [season]. On [date] I'll be walking in [event] to raise money for [organization], which [what the organization does].
[A few sentences on why it matters to you.]
If you'd like to support my walk, you can give at [link], or [how to give by check or cash, if the organization accepts it]. Any amount means a lot.
With love and thanks, [Your name]
Asking a local business: a donation request letter
Businesses get a lot of requests, so make yours short and specific. Ask for one thing: a gift, a prize for a raffle, water and snacks for walk day or sponsoring a stretch of the route.
Dear [owner or manager's name],
I'm [your name], and I'm walking with [team or group] in [event] on [date] to raise money for [organization], which [what it does in our community].
Would [business name] be willing to [your one ask]? In return, we'd love to thank you by [how you'll thank them: a sign on the route, a mention in our posts, a thank-you in the organization's newsletter].
I'll stop by on [day] to follow up, or you can reach me at [phone or email].
Thank you for considering it, [Your name]
Drop it off in person if you can, at a quiet time of day. If they say no, thank them anyway. If the business asks about receipts or tax details, point them to the organization: it can answer those questions properly.
Follow up and say thank you
- Remind once, kindly. One reminder the week before the walk and a last call on walk day is plenty.
- Thank people quickly. A short message within a day or two of each gift, by name.
- Share how it went. After the walk, send everyone a photo, how far the team got together and, once the organization shares it, what the money will do. This is the message people remember next year.
Make the walk part of the ask
People give to people, and to stories. The more your supporters can see your walk, the more they'll want to be part of it.
- Share your training walks. A few weeks of walks before the event gives you a reason to post, and your supporters a reason to check in.
- Carry for someone. At RuckGirl, many women carry a little weight in a backpack or a weighted vest, and some carry for a person: a name on a tag clipped to their pack. Supporters can give in honor of someone and have that name carried on walk day. Carrying is always optional. If you do, start lighter than you think, and don't try a new or heavier load on walk day.
- Give your team a name. It gives supporters something to cheer for. Our list of walking group names has ideas for cause teams.
If you're training for the walk, check with your doctor or physical therapist first if you have osteoporosis or osteopenia; bone, joint, heart or pelvic floor concerns; or if you're pregnant or postpartum. On any walk, stop and rest if you feel sharp pain, pain that changes how you walk, pelvic heaviness, dizziness or chest discomfort.
For organizations: host a ruck
If you're the one organizing, for a nonprofit, a women's group, a sorority chapter or a team at work, we built a ready-made plan: a walking challenge that ends in a group ruck. The free starter kit includes a fundraising toolkit with ready-to-send posts and a story template, and donations go straight to your organization. See how it works on our host a ruck page, or find more ideas in our For a cause hub.
We started RuckGirl to give women a simple, social way to carry for themselves and for something bigger. Asking for support is how a walk becomes something bigger.
Your next step
Want to feel ready on walk day? Our free 4-week plan helps you build up gently, so you can enjoy the walk and the thank-yous at the end.