Funding the revolution, one bike at a time . . .

Freewheels’ Guide to Do-It-Yourself Fundraising

So you’re thinking about your charges and you’re worried about how you would pay for a lawyer. Or you’ve already decided to fight and you have to raise some money. Or, you can’t fight your charges yourself, but you want to help other people do so (which makes you AWESOME!). In any case, don’t panic. You have more resources than you think. You probably have family and friends who would be happy to help you. Asking can be a little intimidating, so Freewheels has provided this handy guide to asking people to pitch in.

What To Say

Think of a fund appeal as a Structured Conversation. You have a general framework to stick to, but you don’t need to worry much about the exact wording you’re going to use. The structure is very simple: tell your friend about the Problem, let them know what the Solution is (what you’re doing to solve the problem), and finally, ask them to Get Involved. As long as you remember this basic structure, you can be sure you’ll give your friend all the information he or she needs in an order that will make sense. So let’s break these three parts down.

Problem:

1. Give your friend a little background about what’s been happening with NYC Critical Mass recently. You may need to give them a quick explanation of exactly what Critical Mass is.
   
   Example:

   “I’m not sure if you’ve heard about this, but over the past year and a half, the NYPD has arrested more than 600 people for riding bikes in a monthly ride called Critical Mass. Critical Mass happens in 300 cities across the world. The NYC ride went on peacefully for more than ten years, but after the Republican National Convention, the police claimed people riding their bikes were a threat to security and began arresting cyclists for ‘parading without a permit.’”

2. Tell your personal story. Let your friend know what you were doing when you got arrested, how long they held you for, how mean they were to you, that they took your bike. . . anything that made you mad enough to want to fight back.
   
   
3. Tell them what you were charged with. For almost everybody, this has been “parading without a permit” and one or two counts of “disorderly conduct.” These offences are “violations,” which means that they’re about as serious as a traffic ticket. Except the police don’t normally arrest drivers and take their cars for speeding.

Solution

1. Tell your friend you are fighting the charges*, and give them one or two reasons why.

   Example: “I wanted to let the City know that they can’t get away with arresting people for no good reason, and I want to make it more difficult for them to do so in the future. So I decided to fight my charges.

   *Note: If you are not fighting your own charges, tell them you were unable to do so, but that you want to help other people who are ready to make that commitment.

2. Let them know that fighting costs money.
   

   Example: “Unfortunately, in order to go up against the administration, I have to raise enough to cover my legal fees, which will be several hundred dollars-- and thousands for the appeals.”

Get Them Involved

1. Give your friend a specific goal. The goal should be a little more than you think they’ll actually give you, for most people, around $50. People really respond to cute amounts, like $10 for every hour you were held or $5 for each person they arrested with you. Try to figure out an amount that works for you.

   Example: “To make sure I’m able to follow through on this battle, I’m raising money through the Freewheels Bicycle Defense Fund. Every donation helps, but my personal goal is for everybody to help out with $70, which is $10 for every hour I was held."

2. Give them a good, strong ask. Look them straight in the eye and don’t rush. Remember, the worst they can say is no.

   Example: “Can I count on you to contribute $70?”

3. If they say no, validate their feelings. Then, remind them how important the issue is and ask again.

   Example: “I understand, times are tight for everybody. But the City is wasting millions of our tax dollars to chase down law-abiding cyclists. I know you agree that their behavior is ridiculous, but I need your help to send a strong message to the City. How close to my goal do you think you can come?”

4. When they offer you a contribution, thank them, then let them know how to complete it. It’s best for them to make the contribution right then. If you’re near a computer, they can contribute through PayPal here: www.bicycledefensefund.org/donate.html.
   Otherwise, have them write a check to Freewheels, or give them a recipt for a cash contribution.
   If you want to earmark it specifically for your defense, have them put your full name in the “Payment For” box in PayPal or the “memo” section of the check. Freewheels is applying for 501(c)3 status, so contributions will be tax deductible.
   
   General Tips

• Don’t worry too much about the exact wording. Just remember to stick to the structure: Problem, Solution, Get them Involved.
• Practice a couple of times before you actually ask anybody. If you’re nervous, write out what you’re going to say.
• If you feel weird asking for a lot of money, offer them a range of options (e.g. $5-10 for every hour you were held).
• Pick a good time to talk to the person. If they’re preoccupied or busy, ask them later.
• Talk naturally, smile, and make eye contact. And Breathe. Remember, it’s just a conversation with a friend.

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