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- What is Race to Cure Blindness?
- What is the Foundation Fighting Blindness?
- Who can participate?
- What qualifies for the Race to Cure Blindness program?
- How do I begin?
- What are my financial goals?
- How does the Foundation Fighting Blindness help me reach my fundraising goal?
- What can be included on my Race to Cure Blindness web page?
- How can people donate?
- Can you help me publicize my event?
- When I register with Race to Cure Blindness do I automatically get a spot in a race?
- How much of the money raised by the Race to Cure Blindness and the Foundation Fighting Blindness goes towards finding a cure?
- How can I learn more about the Foundation Fighting Blindness?
- I would like more information about the Race to Cure Blindness, who should I call?
1. What is the Race to Cure Blindness?
The Race to Cure Blindness is a fundraising program where participants utilize a marathon, triathlon, bike race, or other racing event as a platform to raise money for the Foundation Fighting Blindness.
2. What is the Foundation Fighting Blindness?
The urgent mission of the Foundation Fighting Blindness, Inc. (FFB) is to drive the research that will provide preventions, treatments and cures for people affected by retinitis pigmentosa (RP), macular degeneration, Usher syndrome, and the entire spectrum of retinal degenerative diseases. Over nine million Americans of every age and race suffer vision loss from these blinding diseases.
The Foundation has funded thousands of research studies at hundreds of prominent institutions worldwide. The Foundation funds leading-edge research in promising areas such as genetics, gene therapy, retinal cell transplantation, artificial retinal implants, and pharmaceutical and nutritional therapies
3. Who can participate?
The Race to Cure Blindness is open to both first-time racers and experienced competitors. No experience is necessary. All you need is the commitment to raise vital funds for the Foundation Fighting Blindness.
4. What qualifies for the Race to Cure Blindness program?
Races can be established marathons, triathlons, bike races, or other competitive races. You can also fundraise through other types of fun events, such as stroller-a-thons and dance-a-thons. Contact your regional Events Manager and say that you are interested in raising money for the Foundation Fighting Blindness through the Race to Cure Blindness program.
5. How do I begin?
Participating in the Race to Cure Blindness program is as easy as 1-2-3!
Step 1: Register for a race/competition.
Step 2: Check the list of upcoming events on the home page to see if your race is a Race to Cure Blindness event. If your race is listed, simply click on the link to that race and it will take you to the registration page where you will be able to register as an individual or set up a team. If you do not see your race set up in the list of upcoming events, please contact your local Foundation Fighting Blindness Office and tell the regional Events Manager that you are interested in raising money for the Foundation Fighting Blindness through the Race to Cure Blindness program. Your regional Events Manager will discuss the program and its criteria with you.
Step 3: Your regional Events Manager will work with you to set up your event in the Race to Cure Blindness online fundraising program. They will help you create your personal/team webpage, walk you through the fundraising process, and will serve as your local liaison for the duration of the race.
6. What are my financial goals?
It is recommended that an individual participant set a minimum fundraising goal of $500. Teams will set higher goals depending upon the number of participants (a minimum goal of $500 per participant is recommended.)
7. How does the Foundation Fighting Blindness help me reach my fundraising goal?
We want to ensure that your experience is rewarding and that the Foundation Fighting Blindness provides the tools you will need to facilitate your fundraising efforts. You will receive a personal page within the Race to Cure Blindness website. You can use your page to share your story, track fundraising, and keep contacts. Friends, family, and colleagues can visit your site and donate to your race. Your regional Events Manager will work in partnership with you and will give you fundraising tips to help you reach and exceed your goal. We will give you a fundraising letter template and will assist you in sending out fundraising letters/emails. You will be provided with “cheat sheets” that tell you how to register, how to upload your contact list, and how to send emails.
8. What can be included on my Race to Cure Blindness web page?
We encourage you to share your story and personalize your webpage - the more your friends, family, and colleagues know about your involvement, the more likely they will be to support you. Your Events Manager will work with you to personalize your webpage. There will be generic text already on the site and it is your responsibility to personalize it with a story and pictures.
9. How can people donate?
There are several ways to donate. We will give you a fundraising letter template and will assist you in sending out fundraising emails or in creating a letter writing campaign. Friends, family, and colleagues can visit your personal webpage to make a secure online donation by credit card. Alternatively, checks can be made out to the Foundation Fighting Blindness and mailed to your regional office. Please ask donors to write your team name and racing event on each check in order to ensure that you are credited for their gift.
10. Can you help me publicize my event?
We have a lot of experience in pitching news stories and would be happy to advise you on how to raise public awareness of your event. We can provide a stock press release for you with information about the Foundation Fighting Blindness and the Race to Cure Blindness program.
11. When I register with the Race to Cure Blindness do I automatically get a spot in a race?
You must qualify for your racing event on your own. The Foundation Fighting Blindness does not secure participation in any races.
12. How much of the money raised by the Race to Cure Blindness and the Foundation Fighting Blindness goes towards finding a cure?
On average, the Foundation Fighting Blindness has allocated 77 percent of all revenues for research and public health education.
13. How can I learn more about the Foundation Fighting Blindness?
For more information, please contact the Foundation at:
11435 Cronhill Drive
Owings Mills, MD 21117-2220
800-683-5555 800-683-5551 TDD
www.FightBlindness.org
14. I would like more information about the Race to Cure Blindness, who should I call?
For more information about the Race to Cure Blindness, please contact Stacy Fass, Regional Director of Events at (847) 680-0100 or SFass@FightBlindness.org.
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