Walk for the Wild

Fundraising Toolkit

Ready to go the distance for wildlife? Whether you’re new to raising funds or have participated before, you’ll find helpful tips and resources here.



How to Build a Team

Your Team

Your team will help keep you on track leading up to the event and will share the fun with you on Walk Day. The first option for teambuilding is to focus your recruiting on people you know whose interests intersect with Walk for the Wild Presented by SKECHERS.

Friends who are already into fitness, hiking, nature, animals, and the environment are tailor-made for this party. Invite them!

It is also totally okay to repurpose another team you’re already on. Bar trivia team? Book club? Band? Alumni chapter? Softball team? All of those can double as your Walk for the Wild crew, because they have one thing in common: you! People will rally for you.

Once you've invited your team to the party, meet up to plan and get pumped online. Your OneCause fundraising page will let you talk to each other, reach out to donors, and keep track of your progress with fun, interactive features. And don’t worry, the site will walk you through its tools and features in less than two minutes.

Your Rival Team

Double your impact and your fun by bringing on another team for some friendly competition. Ask another work department to form their own team, or approach some existing rivals: the trivia team you trade victories with, the class below yours in school, the friends who routinely root for the other sports team.

When you battle each other for fundraising dollars, animals win, but that doesn’t mean one of your teams can’t also win. A side wager (even just for bragging rights) may sweeten the experience for both teams.



Talking Points for Your Campaign

We are thrilled that you want to join our crucial efforts locally and around the globe. We’ve compiled some information here that we hope is helpful as you inspire others to contribute.

Our Mission

The L.A. Zoo, with vital support from the nonprofit Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association (GLAZA), is devoted to saving wildlife, enriching our communities, and creating connections to nature. Every day and in so many ways, we are creating a just and sustainable world where people and wildlife thrive, together.

Actions for Giraffes

This year, Walk for the Wild is inspired by giraffes, which are listed as Vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Since 2018, the L.A. Zoo and GLAZA have partnered with Global Conservation Force (GCF), supporting efforts that protect giraffes, rhinos in the Eastern Cape of South Africa from illegal hunting. This partnership initially helped to establish the horseback Anti-Poaching Unit (APU) at the Amakhala Game Reserve, and expanded in 2021 to form a new mounted APU in Kariega Game Reserve. The Zoo’s support has continuously provided salaries and training for local community members, funding for supplies, and an off-road 4-wheel ATV, all essential to the program during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Key to this program has been the direct leadership and expertise of Roxane Losey, former Los Angeles Zoo animal keeper and current GCF Director and Mounted Anti-Poaching Unit Coordinator. After years of trips to South Africa and remote support to develop the APU as a Zoo representative, Roxanne Losey left her keeper position to fully dedicate herself to this program and looks forward to a continued partnership with the L.A. Zoo and GLAZA for even bigger projects in the future.

Other Actions for a Just, Sustainable World

Here are five ideas for high-impact actions and successes to tout, built around our core values:

  • Social and environmental justice—Through opportunities like our Paid Internship Program that invites students from systemically excluded communities to experience zoo careers up close, the L.A. Zoo is helping create a sustainable future that is just and equitable.
  • California conservation—The L.A. Zoo has been instrumental in saving the California condor and peninsular pronghorn, two species native to the Pacific coast that are coming back from the brink of extinction. No zoo does more for the collaborative California Condor Recovery Program than the L.A. Zoo.
  • Illegal wildlife trade—Serving as a refuge for animal victims, partnering with governments to combat illegal trade, and sponsoring an anti-trafficking installation at LAX are some of the practical ways we’re fighting this fight.
  • Conservation translocations—The L.A. Zoo’s signature wildlife release program with southern mountain yellow-legged frogs has significantly increased the wild population of this critically endangered species in restored and protected habitats in its native range, which includes the San Gabriel Mountains.
  • Evidence-based conservation—The L.A. Zoo conducts and supports research to develop effective conservation action and long-term success, knowing that the best decisions for animals come from the most recent and accurate information.



Steps to Fundraising Success

You are participating in Walk for the Wild because you feel connected to wildlife and want the same for others. Your personal connection to the cause is your best fundraising tool. Take some time to think about your reason for walking, and use your story to fundraise through emails, texts, and in-person conversations.

Here are some specific tactics for making the fundraising part easy and successful.

  1. Set a fundraising goal. Set a goal and set it high! An overall fundraising goal encourages your donors to give the most they feel comfortable giving.
  2. Get the ball rolling. Lead by example and kickstart your fundraising by making the first contribution. Others will follow.
  3. Personalize your fundraising page. Let the world know why you want to be a part of Walk for the Wild, and why the cause is so important to you. Potential donors are much more likely to help you reach your goal if they understand the powerful reasons behind your decision to participate.
  4. Explore your network—it's bigger than you think. You'll be surprised at how many people are connected to the cause and will be excited to help you reach your fundraising goal! Studies on raising charitable funds through personal asks show one in four requests is met with a donation. If your network of 400 people sees your plea for $5, that’s $500 raised!
  5. Customize your ask. Use your personal fundraising page to email your contacts with donation requests. For each letter you send out, try to tailor your pitch to match that individual’s or group’s interest.
  6. Put a timeframe on your ask. Make sure you give your potential donors a timeframe in which to support you. With everyone’s hectic schedules, it can be easy to forget to make a donation. By giving potential donors a deadline (and following up), you make it easier for donors to remember to give to such an amazing cause.
  7. Ask, ask, ask. The first ask is the hardest, so go easy on yourself and only commit to asking one person (a specific person, not your entire social network). If it works out, do it again. If that works, then bring it to your social network with evidence that people are already getting on board.
  8. Be specific. Asking for a specific dollar amount will give supporters an idea of where to start when deciding how much to contribute. Be sure to tell potential supporters your fundraising goal. That way, even if they can only give a little, they’ll still feel like they're part of something big.
  9. Post on social media. Data shows that people who fundraise online raise triple the amount of people who don’t. Post about your Walk goals and journey, and be sure to tag @lazoo and use #LAZooWalk.
  10. Compete. Don’t forget to out-raise your rivals. It’s for glory! And the animals.
  11. Show your appreciation. Use your personal page to send thank you emails to anyone who contributes to your campaign. A hand-written note is also a nice gesture.

Want some more ideas for raising funds? Here you go:

  1. Host a fundraiser and ask all team members to invite their family, friends, and coworkers. Work with a local restaurant or bar to host a night where a percentage of sales goes to your Walk fund.
  2. Ask your supervisor or boss to sponsor your team, match your donations, or help rally a company team.
  3. Add your fundraising webpage link to the signature line of your emails. Every time you send an email you will also be asking for support.
  4. Don’t forget to reach out to team members regularly to answer questions, check on progress, and goad them with friendly trash talk. When they see you putting in the work and taking it seriously, they’ll do the same. Have fun and encourage all your teammates to up the ante on fun!

If you get stuck, let us know.

Walk for Wild Staff: events@lazoo.org



Six Easy Ways to Raise $300

The earlier you begin your fundraising campaign, the more success you’ll have in reaching your goal. Here are some easy steps to get going.

  1. Start with your own donation=$25
  2. Ask four friends to donate ($15 x 4)=$60
  3. Ask five family members ($25 x 5)=$125
  4. Ask four coworkers ($10 x 4)=$40
  5. Ask three neighbors ($10 x 3)=$30
  6. Ask two local merchants you visit frequently ($10 x 2)=$20

TOTAL RAISED: $300



Social Media Tips

Social media is a powerful tool for letting your friends know that you’re walking for wildlife and why it matters. Here are some tips to help you make the most of it.

  1. Follow the L.A. Zoo on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
  2. Watch for #LAZooWalk on Instagram and Twitter for updates on the Walk.
  3. When you see a post, like and share it so your friends can see it, too.
  4. Let your friends know why giraffes and other wildlife matter to you with a post on your pages.
  5. When you post, be sure to tag @lazoo and use #LAZooWalk so we see it!