Team Captain Tips

Fundraising Help

Thank you Team Captains! You play a vital role in the Grand Parade, and we're grateful for your leadership.

Basic Duties:

Recruit team members,

Fundraise successfully personally and as a team, and

Lead with a smile!

Brainstorm and recruit 7-8 or more of your friends and family to register and fundraise with you.

Self-donate to get your own campaign going and then fundraise personally while encouraging your teammates to fundraise too. Captains often fundraise 3 times more than their teammates, so set that bar high!

Communicate frequently with your team to keep them excited and connected.

Finally, organize your event day - make it memorable, keep it safe, and celebrate your success!

Getting Organized

With no hosted TGP locations this year because of COVID-19, some assembly is required by team captains before and on Event Day:

Set a fundraising goal: It's up to you to set the team fundraising goal. A $2000 goal is a good start, but it depends on your team and your expectations of them - talk to your teammates and build your own goal! Most participants raise around $250, but some raise much more. What's important is to settle on a goal and talk about it often in your communication. Don't worry, you can edit your goal anytime.

TGP has many helpful fundraising tools, so please enjoy and share these links with your team:

How to Fundraise: The absolute basics of fundraising for beginners of all ages

Campaign ideas: There are many ways to fundraise - pick a technique that works for your personality

Brainstorm teammates: As you begin, consider all the potential teammates you could ask to join your team. Write their names down without a lot of self-editing, and keep brainstorming. Remember, you aren't looking for walkers more than you are looking for peers who share your passion for helping. After all, the real goal is fundraising, right?

Confirm your date: We strongly encourage you to pick September 18, 2021, the TGP's national event day of course! But if your team has a scheduling conflict, feel free to select an earlier date that works better for your group.

Communication: stay in contact with your team, both during the campaign and on event day. Group texts, short emails, and the odd phone call over the campaign period will help keep you and your team encouraged and focused. Welcome new members joyfully, and celebrate good fundraising pushes! Then, on event day you'll want to make sure your team has your cell number handy to stay connected.

Managing Event Day

Creating a meaningful, memorable, and well-managed event day is important.

You could host a coffee-and-sweets breakfast, or wind it all up with a burgers-and-bubbles BBQ. You have the freedom to make your event day special, so have fun thinking about what that will look like!

A few key pointers:

Route planning: as team captain it is your responsibility is to plan a route that's safe and matches the skill level and physical limitations of your team.

Watch for waivers: Everyone on your team must register online before the event day.

When they register online, they will automatically accept an electronic waiver, which is all that is needed for adults.

If you have youth or children on your team, they will need to have their parent or guardian sign a printed paper waiver.

Someone on your team (like you!) must take a photo of all child/youth waivers and send them to waivers@thegrandparade.org.

Virtual Members: Not everyone will be comfortable walking even in small team groups. That's 100% fine. Everyone can still be on a team fundraising and contributing even if they aren't together on the event day. Consider calling them as your assembled team begins to keep them included.

Safety First: Call 911!

Youth and children should always be supervised. Remind your team that in case of any accident or injury, they should immediately call 911 for emergency support. If an accident does occur, please contact the TGP Head Office by phone or email.

Recruitment Tips

Consider asking your...

Spouse/partner: Of course they'll join your team. Tell them it's a date... then surprise them with the news they're about to spend it with hundreds of other sweaty people wearing toques - they'll never forget the moment you asked.

Kids: Hey, why not? What a learning opportunity! The issues of aging Canadians are so important - what a great way for them to learn.

Siblings: You've got a couple on your "nice list" right? Great - now put them on your recruitment list.

Mom or Dad: Before you were born, they used to have a life. They did stuff, they had fun, they know more than you think - so ask them!

Workpeople: Yeah, that's a term. All week long they keep thinking how wonderful you are - you might as well invite them on your team and prove their assumptions correct!

Neighbours: You shoveled their driveway all last winter, so they kind of owe you now - cash in and invite them.

Friends: They'd love to join you because you're the most bestest bestie for life friend in the whole wide world, with a cherry and five hashtags on top.

Boss: She'd be soooo impressed - that's a raise for sure.

Pastor/Minister/Old-timey vicar: Tell them they can wear their vestments on the walk, if they want.

Classmates: Save them from a Saturday of Netflix binging - give them a chance to join you and do something fun and meaningful.

Church/study/small group: These folks are great fun and might love to walk for a few hours on a Saturday. If they're not convinced, tell them there's a potluck - church people love potlucks.

Pilates instructor, yoga friend, the guy beside you on the bus every morning, your favourite barista who always remembers your order, your accountant, your lawyer (it's a matter of justice, they should be all over it), your doctor, dentist, or do-gooder friend at the club - the list is endless. Enjoy the brainstorming!