If you’re not familiar with Ryan Trahan, the 26-year-old YouTuber from Sugar Land, Texas, you’re missing out. Not only is his eclectic content charming and upbeat, but it’s often designed to support a worthy cause.

In June 2025, Ryan, along with his wife Haley, embarked on an ambitious road trip to travel to 50 states in 50 days. As of writing this article, the intrepid duo is just over halfway through their journey.  

However, it’s not just about seeing the sights and staying in incredible Airbnb rentals (though that's a significant part of the appeal). Wrapped up in this adventure is a fundraiser: a $1 million donation to St. Jude Children’s Hospital. But just 29 days in, they’ve raised $3.7 million and counting! That’s incredible! 

…But let’s not make the mistake of cheering Ryan’s efforts and moving on. We can learn a great deal from their fundraising road trip and apply it to our own efforts to raise money for childhood cancer care and research.

5 Fundraising Tips Inspired by Ryan Trahan

#1 – Leverage your niche.

Although Ryan posts a wide variety of content on his channel (which has over 20 million subscribers), unique travel videos have long been a part of his brand. And just as Ryan has leveraged that niche to entice existing viewers to invest in this fundraiser, you can leverage yours, too.

What do you do in your daily life? We’re not all influencers, but we do have influence. How can you use your interests, career, or passions for a good cause? You don’t have to step far outside of your comfort zone to make a difference.

#2 – Include an element of challenge or reward.

One of the parts of Ryan’s trip is the challenge. They include the ominously named “Wheel of Doom,” which spins when a single donation exceeds $50,000. The titular wheel includes penalties for Ryan and Haley on their journey, like “The Split,” which forces the two to find separate ways to their next destination.

A challenge adds a sense of competition and genuine involvement for donors. It could be a goal-based challenge or reward. Regardless, the idea here is to involve and engage donors actively. Their contributions directly influence not only the dollar total but also the entire experience. Donation tiers for these challenges and rewards encourage donors to give more than they would otherwise offer.

#3 – Offer cost-free ways to donate.

While logistics may need to be figured out, it’s possible to utilize your platform, especially if you own your own business, to allow customers to donate at no cost. For Ryan, every new subscriber to his various social media accounts results in a 1-cent donation to St. Jude. It may not seem like much, but the total (as of now) is over $18,000 from such contributions!

Even if you can’t do a totally cost-free campaign, work to get local businesses to match donations or sponsor your efforts. It’s mutually beneficial!

Ultimately, though, make donating easy. Utilize mobile-friendly platforms, straightforward forms, and multiple payment options. 

#4 – Recognize donors.

Donors deserve recognition. Thank donors promptly and publicly when possible. Ryan, for example, gives a shout-out (by name) to each new donor who gives over $1,000 at the end of their videos. The landing page for the fundraising campaign also includes a leaderboard for donations. 

Additionally, we recommend sending personalized thank-you cards to donors in conjunction with public recognition. It also allows you to keep donor contact information on file for your next fundraising campaign!

#5 – Set your sights high.

On one hand, we could say Ryan set his sights too low! The $1,000,000 goal was reached within a week of the almost two-month-long journey. On the other hand, the challenge/reward thresholds are relatively high, requiring a $50,000 donation to spin the “Wheel of Doom.”

Be ambitious. Aim high. Call on your industry, your network, and your community to step up! Make it something you can all be proud of. Proud to be part of. 

Ryan Trahan is far from the only influencer to run a successful fundraising campaign for St. Jude. There are so many wonderful people, charities, and organizations that use their passions to bring hope to kids with cancer. 

Just remember—no matter how small, your efforts matter!