We’ll have a fantastic time on Ride Day in September, but let’s not forget of the purpose and power of the Breakthough Challenge: to raise critical funds for innovative cancer research at the Abramson Cancer Center.

We encourage you to be creative with your fundraising ideas, but don’t forget the most effective
way of raising money is simply by sending an email or handwritten note asking for a donation.

Profile Tools

Update your team and individual profile pages - and make it personal

Adding a personal touch to your fundraising page makes a big difference! Moreengagement on your profile page leads to more frequent and higher donation totals. You'll have the most success if you update your story and your photo.d ready for your content.

Commit to a team fundraising goal

Commit to both a team fundraising and recruitment goal and share it on your team profile page, as well as with your teammates!

Backend tools

When logged into your Breakthrough Challenge team profile page, you have access to pull reports that contain your current fundraising statistics and team member contact information. 

Facebook Fundraisers

Why do a Facebook Fundraiser?

It's easy and effective - and 100% still goes to cancer research!  Click the link for a step by-step guide.

Things to consider:

Because of how Facebook fundraisers connects to your profile page, the donor's name won't appear on your donor scroll, it will just say "Facebook fundraiser." You also won't see the donor's name in your donor report and Facebook donors will not get a "thank you" letter or email from Pedal the Cause, because we are not provided with donor information for Facebook transactions. Make sure you thank your donors personally!

Matching Gifts / Payroll Deductions

Matching Gifts

Many companies offer matching gift programs to encourage employees to contribute to charitable organizations. Most of these programs match contributions dollar-for-dollar, and some will even triple the amount of your gift! Check with your company and ask your donors to do the same.

Remember, many companies review requests on a quarterly basis, and six–eight weeks is a normal payout schedule ONCE approved. Ask your HR rep for the payout schedule and submit your request early to ensure it is processed before the fundraising deadline, which is October 31, 2025

Coordinate a Fundraising Event

Coordinating a team or individual fundraising event is a great way to engage all of your community, company associates and networks, regardless if they are participating.

Consider hosting a jeans day, raffling off a prime parking spot or an office happy hour drink cart. Golf tournaments, trivia nights, raffles and silent auctions make fun team events!

The fundraising possibilites are limitless.

Check out this list of restaurants in the Greater Philadelphia area that sponsor giveback fundraising events.

Team Sponsorships

Seeking out team sponsors is a terrific way to leverage support and yield even greater fundraising impact.

Asking local businesses, vendors and partners your company works with to sponsor your team’s efforts will allow you to support costs like team jerseys,fundraiser setup costs and food for team-building events.

Offer to insert their logo on the back of your jersey as recognition of their contribution. Be sure to thank your sponsors and share your team’s annual impact!

Stock Transfer

The Breakthrough Challenge has established an account at Morgan Stanley to facilitate two specific gifting strategies. From a tax perspective, these may be superior to cash gifts. We strongly encourage donors to consult with their tax advisors about their specific situation.

If your donor has questions about how to gift securities to the Breakthrough Challenge, please contact:

Thomas M. Hall, CFP®, QPFC®

thomas.hall@morganstanley.com 

First Vice President, Financial Advisor

The Atherton Centre Group at Morgan Stanley Wealth Management

720 S. Atherton Street | State College, PA 16801

814-861-1702

NMLS # 534145