HuskyTHON at the University of Connecticut Receives 2023 Participant Activation Award

Miracle Network Dance Marathon recognized top performing Dance Marathon programs at the Dance Marathon Leadership Conference (DMLC) held in St. Louis, MO from August 3-6.

The Participant Activation Award recognizes a Dance Marathon program that uses strategic planning and communication to recruit, inspire, educate, and motivate participants to become active peer-to-peer fundraisers within your organization. This year’s winner, HuskyTHON at the University of Connecticut hosted registration weeks, stewardship activities, why workshops and provided participants with resources and education on how their funds make an impact – setting all registered participants up for success with fundraising!  

HuskyTHON’s outlook for participant activation this year revolved around connecting participants back to the cause, believing that knowledge of their mission was crucial to active engagement. For those reasons, they started off the year by focusing on strengthening cause connection for participants through “Find Your Why Workshops.” These workshops helped to educate participants on the importance of fundraising and inspired them to find their own “Why” by providing information on who and what their fundraising supports, including statistics and detailed information on the Greatest Need Fund.  

Participants were then empowered to take steps in their fundraising through usage of fundraising toolkits that were posted on social media and distributed directly to participants. Knowing that fundraising looks different for each participant, these toolkits were customized to various audiences of their organization including customized resources for regional campuses, learning communities and more.  

Then, leading up to the biggest fundraising day of the year, they held a Zero to Hero Day which focused on encouraging active members of the community to support the fundraising of inactivated participants, getting both audiences excited and ready to participate in Day of Strength. Through a fundraising headquarters on Day of Strength that featured tables and resources for cause connection to fundraising games, they rallied their community to raise $368k, far surpassing their goal of $275k in 24 hours.  

These efforts led to HuskyTHON increasing their peer-to-peer fundraising YOY, most notably demonstrated by increasing their number of Comma Club members, defined as individuals who raised more than $1,000, from 315 members in 2022 to 410 members in 2023. Congratulations, HuskyThon! 

HuskyTHON at the University of Connecticut presented a session on participant activation at DMLC 2023. You can view a recording of that presentation here: https://youtu.be/fTnhocl8IqA  

Miracle Network Dance Marathon is an international movement, involving over 400 colleges, universities and K-12 schools across the United States and Canada that fundraise for their local member hospital of Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. These students work tirelessly throughout the year to raise funds one dollar at a time by making the ask to family and friends. Their hard work culminates in a celebration on campus or virtually, where participants can rally together as a community for their local member hospital of Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. Students involved in Dance Marathon gain valuable skills in fundraising, peer management, delegation, and philanthropy. Miracle Network Dance Marathon programs have collectively raised more than $350 million since 1991.