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Making the save: How 40 hockey players funded a new clinical trial (and the team that made it happen)
Journal of Education Advancement & Marketing,
8
(1),
18-29
(2023)
Abstract
In February 2021, the University of Alberta (U of A) partnered with the Cure Cancer Foundation and the World's Longest Game to hold the World's Longest Hockey Game to raise funds for the clinical trials for PCLX-001, a new drug to treat breast and blood cancers. The fundraising component of this 11-day event primarily utilised a peer-to-peer approach and was hosted on the U of A's crowdfunding platform. This paper aims to provide insight and recommend best practices for turning an event into a large-scale fundraising effort. The analysis will cover technical and logistical setup, as well as the outreach strategies that were a key part of the crowdfunding model's success. Also explored will be the storytelling, management and messaging necessary to create an authentic sense of community and meaningfully engage shareholders.
Keywords: philanthropy; fundraising; cancer research; third party events; crowdfunding; stakeholder engagement; volunteers; peer-to-peer; communications
The full article is available to subscribers to the journal.
Author's Biography
Michael Siebert has worked as an advancement professional for the University of Alberta (U of A) for six years. Prior to his role with Annual Giving, he worked in the provincial government and with the Students' Union at the U of A. In Annual Giving he oversaw the redevelopment, implementation and expansion of the crowdfunding programme at the U of A, and he is a lead on building the U of A's Giving Day campaign. He has presented at the CCAE National Conference and has served as a Prix d'Excellence judge. He has a BA from the University of Alberta.
Brooke Rose is a Development Director in the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry at the University of Alberta. She has worked in healthcare philanthropy for 12 years at organisations across Canada and Australia and loves seeing that matchmaking magic unfold when a worthy cause meets generosity in the right place at the right time. A passionate relationship-builder, Brooke excels in creating customised, strategic, data-driven fundraising programmes and campaigns. Brooke graduated with a BComm at the University of Alberta, a Master's in philanthropy and non-profit leadership from Carleton University and has received her Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE) credentials. When not meeting with donors or researchers, you can find Brooke on the baseball field, in the bowling alley or travelling to new places (near and far).
