We need your help! Donate to the Youth Caucus via ActBlue!

We’ve set up online fundraising via our friends over at ActBlue, who’ve come up with a simple way for us to be able to accept donations online via Credit Card. We’ve put a thermometer in the side bar of every page so you can see how we’re doing on getting to our goal of raising $10,000.00

We’ll be using what we raise to increase programming, training Young Dems to campaign and run for office themselves, and to donate to candidates who are committed to working on our issues.

See below for more information about setting up your own fundraising page and contacting your networks of loved ones, friends and family to help us as well!

Set up your very own page to fundraise for the Youth Caucus!

Setting up a personal fundraising page for the Youth Caucus is a great way to get involved in the campaign. Our partner, ActBlue, has all the tools you need. You can set up your own Youth Caucus page and ActBlue will track your progress.

Hundreds of thousands of progressive donors give money through ActBlue – so there is a viral effect to helping the Youth Caucus. If your page is “hot,” donors all over the country will see it and that helps raise our profile. We’ll walk you through the set up and give you some tips to be successful. Thanks for all of your help!

Getting Started

1. Click here to go to Actblue‘s set up menu for personal fundraising pages.
2. Fill out the form to set up your account and get started.
3. If you already have an account on ActBlue, sign in.
4. After you start an account, you will be sent a verification email. Go to your email and click the link – it will take you back to ActBlue to set up a password and open your account.
5. Click on the “Create a new page” link. Or, if you’re setting up an event, you can click on the “Create a new event” link.
6. On this next page, enter your name and the name of your fundraising page (something catchy is always good – like “10 Reasons for $10.00″) and write your pitch. A few sentences about why people should give to the Youth Caucus – being personal is always best.
7. Next – at the bottom of the page – choose the URL for your personal page.
8. Click “Create your fundraising page.”
9. At this point, you can start fundraising or personalize your page a little. We suggest adding a “thermometer” to your page to track your success – especially if this is your first time fundraising.
10. To add the thermometer, refresh your browser. Your page will reappear with tabs at the top – click the “goal” tab.
11. Type in the amount you want to raise – let’s say $500 – and hit save. ActBlue will create a personal thermometer and put it on your page. (Please note – if you get a blank page, that says you are being “re-directed,” click on the “re-directed” link – this will take you back to the main edit page.)
12. Now you have your personal page with your goal and a thermometer to track your progress!
13. To start fundraising, click on the “Spread the word” link.
14. Enter your name and friends’ emails that you want to ask for a donation. You can click “Import” if you have Outlook, Gmail or Yahoomail and ActBlue will import your contacts. You can simply put a check box by the friends you want to contact (DON’T WORRY – neither ActBlue nor the Youth Caucus can keep your emails!)
15. Type in a personal message about why you are asking friends to contribute to the Youth Caucus and then click “Tell Friends.”
16. Congratulations – and thank you – you are on your way to making change in Michigan!
17. Follow up – not everyone will donate right away, so ActBlue has a “Nudge” tool you can use to send follow up emails to people that do not respond. There is also a “Thank you” tool to thank people that donate to your page.