TABLE OF CONTENTS Welcome and Thank You! 3 All About United Way Vision, Mission, Goals & Strategies 4 Why Give to United Way? 4 Frequently Asked Questions 5 How to Run a Successful Campaign Four Simple Steps 6 Educate 7 Engage 8 Pop-Up Giving 8 Impact Bus Tours 8 Volunteering 9 FUNdraising Ideas 10 Ask 12 Easy Payroll Deduction 12 Give & Win! The United Way Sweepstakes 12 Thank 13 Effective Ways to Grow Your Campaign Ideas You Can Use 14 Giving Societies 15 Leadership Giving and the Tocqueville Society 15 Aspiring Leaders United (ALU) 16 Promoting United Way & Your Campaign 17 New Branding & Tools 17 Online Tools/Social Media 17 Billboard Campaign 18 Investor Relations Staff 19 One More Thing! A Note from the CEO 20 2
WELCOME TO THE TEAM! Thank you for leading your organization s United Way Campaign! As an Employee Campaign Manager, you will harness the generosity, talent and energy of your workplace to make a lasting difference in our regional community. That means supporting programs that deliver results and transform lives. In this guide, you will learn how to create awareness, understanding and engagement among your colleagues in the work of United Way. You ll inspire them to truly change the story for thousands of people. Are you ready? Let s get started! 3
All About United Way A vibrant community where all people realize their full potential. OUR VISION OUR MISSION Drive impact by leading shared efforts that engage diverse people, ideas and resources. WHY GIVE TO UNITED WAY Real, lasting change takes place when we all work together. United Way tackles complex problems that can t be solved by one agency alone. We bring together all the resources necessary every dollar, every volunteer, every partner, every expert to work together and find solutions. A gift to United Way supports strategies that lead to long-term, sustainable change for individuals and families. United Way holds all funded partners to strict standards and monitors their progress. Every agency reports on the same key indicators so we can aggregate the data and gauge our regional progress. United Way of the Battle Creek and Kalamazoo Region keeps its administrative costs to 13 percent of contributions well below what public surveys and nonprofit watchdogs deem successful. In fact, our United Way has received the highly coveted 4-Star rating by Charity Navigator for seven consecutive years something only 3 percent of evaluated nonprofits have achieved. Simply put: A gift to United Way is a solid investment in transforming lives. 4
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS How does United Way make investments in our community? Investments are determined by community volunteers using a rigorous process. These volunteers carefully review program proposals from area organizations, visit agencies, make sure proposals align with our impact goals, and make recommendations to the United Way Board of Directors. What kind of investments does United Way make? We strive to address the root causes of our region s most pressing needs in Education, Income/Financial Stability, Health, and Basic Needs. We do this by investing resources not just dollars, but also volunteerism and advocacy. Over the past year, United Way partnered with 71 agencies on 130 programs, with a monetary value of over $7.2 million. We also engaged more than 3,600 volunteers and collaborated with 32 organizations and initiatives. How much of every campaign dollar goes to United Way s overhead? Through rigid budget management, UWBCKR has kept its administrative costs to 13 percent of contributions, which is well below what public surveys and nonprofit watchdogs deem successful. In fact, our United Way has received the highly coveted 4-Star rating by Charity Navigator for seven consecutive years something only 3 percent of evaluated nonprofits have achieved. Most importantly, meeting this standard means more funds available for community programs. Can employees designate their contribution to specific agencies? Yes. Less than 20 percent of campaign contributions are designated by donors to specific agencies. United Way encourages donors to give undesignated gifts, as this offers more opportunities to leverage grants from elsewhere and bring even more support into our community. Wouldn t it make sense to give directly to an agency instead of through United Way? Some people may choose to do that. But United Way does what no other single organization can do: We gather all the resources and partners needed funding, volunteers, expertise, advocates to create meaningful lasting changes. There are several reasons why a gift to United Way is a better use of funds: A gift to United Way supports broader strategies that lead to long-term solutions for individuals and families. United Way is able to leverage grants from elsewhere and bring more support to our community. The investments made through United Way are done by community volunteers who carefully evaluate the needs and opportunities, meaning your gift is being used in the most effective way. How is United Way addressing equity, diversity and inclusion? As an organization, we strive to be a model of diversity and inclusion. We work on behalf of all people, regardless of age, race, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, religion, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, or physical, mental or developmental abilities. We insist that every program, partner and investment address the region s needs in an inclusive and equitable way. 5
HOW TO RUN A SUCCESSFUL CAMPAIGN Running a campaign can be a lot of fun! It doesn t have to be labor-intensive. Your total time could be less than five hours, including a planning meeting, a presentation to staff and distribution of pledge cards, setting up payroll deduction, collecting pledge cards and filling out a report envelope. Of course, many organizations choose to add special events, Day of Caring volunteer activities and much more. We encourage you to do what you can and have fun! FOUR SIMPLE STEPS TO A UNITED WAY CAMPAIGN Hold a Kick-Off Event with your United Way representative and a Storyteller Show United Way s short video at the kick-off, online or in your break room Publicize interim campaign results and community facts to inspire giving Create a section on your company s social media platform and website to share information about United Way and your campaign Distribute campaign materials such as brochures and posters Organize a Day of Caring volunteer project Host a Pop-Up Giving event to connect employees with local nonprofits Send employees on bus tours that showcase United Way projects Show your co-workers how they can advocate for United Way on social media Consider year-round activities and volunteer projects Make sure everyone receives materials and has the chance to give Share how to pledge, when to pledge, and what pledges support Include everyone, both active employees and retirees Let them know about ways they can volunteer or help spread the word about United Way United Way offers Welcome Packets that HR can give to new employees year-round Collect pledges, calculate results, and submit final report envelope to United Way Announce your final results to all employees Thank contributors with a celebration event, letter or email from your CEO, or a personal visit from a United Way representative Recognize individuals, groups, volunteers or departments that went above and beyond during the campaign You ll find more ideas on the next few pages... 6
EDUCATE United Way can help you educate your employees about how their contributions will impact our region. Ask your United Way representative about our Storytellers, who can visit and share a story about how United Way contributions have changed the lives of real people. We also have materials for handout and links to stories. 7
ENGAGE The best way to encourage support for United Way is to offer your employees a chance to engage in the community and see for themselves the challenges we re united to solve. Here are some ways for employees to get engaged: A new way to give powered by United Way. Pop-Up Giving empowers individuals to come together to be instant grantmakers in a fun and social environment HOW Quarterly Pop-Up Giving events (venue and impact theme change with each event): 1. $20 donation at the door gets each attendee food, a drink and a VOTE. 2. All donations are pooled to create the pot. 3. Five nonprofits that are aligned with the impact area are nominated prior to the event; three are chosen at random at the event. 4. The three selected nonprofits pitch their project or program in three minutes or less (plus two minutes for Q&A). 5. The crowd votes, and the winner takes it all. After the event: Learn about opportunities to multiply impact through volunteerism For details: getinvolved@uwbckr.org Impact Bus Tours Experience the impact taking place through United Way and our funded partners. See programs and facilities where people receive life changing services and hear from the staff and volunteers leading the change. Book a private tour for your group of 10 to 54 for only the cost of transportation. Tours visit 3 United Way partner agencies and last 2.5 hours. Customized tours are also available to meet your needs. Tours are available in Battle Creek or Kalamazoo and will start and end at a convenient location for you! For details: getinvolved@uwbckr.org 8
ENGAGE 9
ENGAGE FUNdraising IDEAS PRIZES & INCENTIVES HELPFUL HINT TO ENCOURAGE INVOLVEMENT Golf or lunch with the boss Around-the-world dining pack (gift certificates for different cuisines) Call in well day or sleep in late or Flee @ 3 coupons Car washed by manager or co-worker Casual Day/Jeans Day Reserved parking space Coffee delivered to your desk each morning for a week Open soda and candy machines The best fundraisers are tied to a specific issue rather than to United Way in general. Considering raising funds for one of our region s specific needs: *Focus a Murder Mystery Night on education: Dying to Learn or Kill Ignorance *For a duck race down the river: Help Those in Need Stay Afloat *For a fun run: Outpace Hunger *For a diaper/wipes drive: Don t Poo-Poo the Need for Diapers! Sporting event or movie tickets SPREAD THE GOOD VIBES Compliment Grams: Design notes of congratulations or thanks for co-workers to buy and send to each other. Or sell smiley-face helium balloons with kind notes. The person that sends the most smiles receives a special prize. Happy Holidays to Your Clients: Make corporate donations on behalf of your clients to United Way. Send clients a holiday postcard communicating the generous gift to the community. Dress Down Day: Let your co-workers relax by paying a certain amount to wear casual attire to work. Get as casual as possible: jeans, tennis shoes, sports apparel, hats, slippers, etc. Contact your United Way representative for stickers that say I Dress This Way for United Way to distribute to participants. Smell the Roses: Have a local florist donate flowers. Employees buy arrangements or single stems to send to co-workers or to keep for themselves. 10
ENGAGE More FUNdraising IDEAS GET CREATIVE Indoor Office Golf Course: Build a goofy golf course with holes in hallways, cubicles, and unusual spaces. Departments could compete for the most creative mini-golf hole. Golfers pay to participate and prizes are awarded to both the high and low scores. Bring Your Dog to Work Day: Allow your co-workers to bring their pets to work and organize a tricks competition or costume party. If allergies are a concern, try Pet Match Day: employees bring a photo of their pet to the office, and co-workers try to match the animal to their owner. White Elephant Sale: Employees donate odd/funny items for sale. Co-workers are given the opportunity to buy these items and stipulate where in the office the object should be displayed. Set a time frame for how long the items must stay in the bought location. Massage Therapist: A massage therapist, preferably one that is willing to donate time, visits the workplace and employees pay for time slots to be massaged. Or, bring in a psychic/card reader who will read fortunes for a small fee that is donated to United Way. Up on the Roof: Solicit supervisors, managers, directors and CEOs to participate. Employees raise a set amount of money for the boss to spend a lunch period or night on the roof in a tent. Grab Bag: Fill paper bags with small treats like candy or chips. Solicit vendors or clients for donations to include as additional prizes for half of the bags. Or, include messages some could say Congratulations! You won four hours of extra time off, while others read Sorry, you did not win. Please play again. State Fair Pie Tasting: Invite several employees to bake a prize-winning pie and let co-workers pay a fee to taste the pies and vote for their favorite. SPORTS AND COMPETITION Scavenger Hunt: Employees search for unusual items around the neighborhood or office building and take photos of them. Teams pay an entrance fee and have a set time to find the items. Work with local businesses for gift certificates for prizes. Look-a-Like Contest: Employees dress as celebrities; host a personality parade and have co-workers pay to vote for the best costume. Office Olympics: Fire up the Olympic Torch (or grill) and let the games begin. Have a tricycle or office chair race. Use items around work for golfing, shooting baskets. Have spelling contests, typing contests, competitions to develop the most persuasive memo, etc. Sports Day: Charge employees a fee to wear their favorite sports team s jersey or t-shirt. Dollar-an-Inch Contest: Executives participate in an all-day competition to end the day with the shortest tie. (Both men and women can wear ties!) Employees cut an inch off an executive s tie each time they donate. 11
ASK What s the #1 reason people give to a nonprofit? The answer: because someone asked! Be sure to make it as easy as possible for your co-workers to make a pledge. GIVE & WIN! 2017 UNITED WAY SWEEPSTAKES For details: www.changethestory.org/sweepstakes SETTING UP PAYROLL DEDUCTION IS EASY! Make sure that your payroll office can do it. After you run your campaign, copy your pledge cards. You ll send one set to us and keep the other. We can make a spreadsheet for you after we process your pledges if you want a master list. Payroll deduction usually runs January-December, but we can handle any timeframe. Send us your employee s contributions on your schedule per pay period, quarterly or monthly. Send contributions by check or by EFT whatever works for you! QUESTIONS? Call our Finance Department at (269) 250-9805 12
THANK People give because they re generous, they re inspired, and they re excited to make a difference. And they also want to know that their gift is appreciated. Saying thank you in meaningful, creative ways is a crucial part of your campaign. Scenes from the 2017 United Way Thank You Road Show 75 stops, delivering original artwork, impact data and cookies! and by the way: We appreciate YOU! 13
EFFECTIVE WAYS TO GROW YOUR CAMPAIGN IDEAS YOU CAN USE Pre-printed Pledge Forms Impact Presentations Special Events United Way can pre-print your pledge cards with your employees names, departments and previous donations. We can inspire your co-workers with powerful storytellers, videos and presentations about how their donations change the story. Unite your staff with celebrations like chili cookoffs, office Olympics, scavenger hunts or bake sales. Incentives Raffles, door-prizes and intangibles like parking spots, time off, casual days or lunch with the boss make giving fun. Day of Caring Contact Jamie Rugg at jrugg@uwbckr.org or 788-1136 to learn about how your organization could volunteer together. Leadership Giving Retiree Campaign Consider giving some additional attention to those who are capable of donating more with a Leadership Giving campaign. You can keep retirees a part of your company s culture through volunteering opportunities or by giving them a chance to donate. 14
BENEFITS GIVING SOCIETIES Our United Way giving societies are excellent ways to develop a community of likeminded donors. Consider creating special recognition or events for your higher contributors. Special breakfasts with your CEO or volunteer events together can motivate your higher donors and encourage giving throughout your organization. Those who give $1,000 or more are called Leadership Givers. Giving these donors special attention is a proven strategy to enhance your workplace campaign results. Leadership Giving Society members come from all walks of life, all ages and all across our region. Contributions from Society members lay the foundation for United Way to improve lives and build stronger communities. In 2016, contributions from this group exceeded $3 million. Donors have the option of stepping up to a Leadership gift through the Step-Up Program. As a Step-Up donor, you make a three year commitment to step up to the Leadership Level and are recognized as a Leadership donor for all three years. Step-Up Sample Timeline: Year 1: $500 contribution Year 2: $750 contribution Year 3: $1,000 contribution Tocqueville Society members join a community of like-minded individuals dedicated to helping create sustainable change in our region. Society membership is open to individuals or couples who contribute $10,000 or more annually. In 2016, contributions from this group exceeded $1.2 million from 92 members. This program allows donors the opportunity to commit to becoming members of the Tocqueville Society over a period of five years or less. Step-Up Sample Timeline: Year 1: $5,000 contribution Year 2: $7,500 contribution Year 3: $10,000 contribution Camaraderie and networking Exclusive invitations to learn from engaging thought leaders on topics connected to United Way s strategic goals and partnerships Volunteer engagement opportunities connecting donors to their interests Opportunity for personal philanthropic investment meetings 15
ASPIRING LEADERS UNITED As millennials influence in the workforce continues to grow, so does our focus on building meaningful, long-term relationships with these individuals. We seek to meet young professionals where they are by valuing both time and treasure. We offer various modes of connection, whether it be online or at in-person events. Launched in 2016, Aspiring Leaders United (ALU), an affinity group of United Way of the Battle Creek and Kalamazoo Region, envisions a community of emerging leaders with a powerful, intentional, engaged voice in philanthropic activities. The mission is to improve the lives of individuals in the Battle Creek and Kalamazoo region by engaging a new and upcoming demographic of leaders in philanthropy by giving, advocating and volunteering. HOW Social/networking events with a conscience. Example: Launch Event Book Drive Volunteer opportunities curated for young professionals. Lunch hour, weekend, family-friendly options Professional development events. Example: Public Speaking Training ALU social media channels. Daily content for ALU target audience and members Tech-savvy communication and giving options. Text and web-based For details: https://www.changethestory.org/get-involved/aspiring-leaders-united/ or email ALU@uwbckr.org 16
PROMOTING UNITED WAY & YOUR CAMPAIGN As a campaign leader, your advocacy and promotion of United Way s work, partnerships and impact help assure employees that their support is making a big difference in people s lives. Here are some simple ways to promote United Way. Need more? Contact us at marketing@uwbckr.org 1. Use our newly branded materials Posters, brochure, sweepstakes flyer, informational pledge forms, new videos, sponsorship packets, and much more! 2. Sponsor a billboard Your company can get great visibility, honor employees and inspire local philanthropy by taking part in our sponsored billboard program. See the next page for details. 3. Like, follow, share, tag and post online We have a strong presence online from a newly designed website with stories of impact to our active presence on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube. Check us out, like and follow our pages, share our posts, and tag us in your own online posts. Visit our website today: www.changethestory.org facebook.com/uwbckr instagram.com/unitedwaybckr @UnitedWayBCKR twitter.com/unitedwaybckr @UnitedWayBCKR youtube.com/user/uwbckr 17
UNITED WE WIN. LIVE UNITED. Billboard Collaboration Campaign 2017 BACK AGAIN BY POPULAR DEMAND! Showcase your corporate citizenship Celebrate and recognize your employees and leaders Increase awareness of your and United Way s shared impact on our community NEW THIS YEAR: Dynamic, visually arresting design get noticed! Run your billboard when YOU want! During campaign, after campaign, whenever you choose! We will come to your workplace to take photos for your billboard! (No more than 3 people can be included due to space limitations.) Be part of this powerful, visual demonstration of how our region is coming together to build a vibrant community where all people realize their full potential! BILLBOARD CAMPAIGN PRICING Poster: 1 poster/4 weeks = $750 2 posters/4 weeks = $1,500 4 posters/4 weeks = $3,000 3 posters/8 weeks = $4,500 Bulletin: 1 bulletin/4 weeks = $2,800 CONTACT: Jay Sherwood (269) 250-9826 jsherwood@uwbckr.org Digital: 1 digital/1 week = $650 Downtown Kalamazoo rooftop digital: 1 week = $1,000 18
INVESTOR RELATIONS STAFF Questions? Feedback? Great ideas? We re hear to listen and to help! Please feel free to contact anyone on the Investor Relations Team. Mark Crail Associate Director of Major Gifts 250-9806 mcrail@uwbckr.org Sujith Dudekula Customer Engagement Administrator 250-9826 sdudekula@uwbckr.org Gerry Gagnon Campaign Associate 441-1724 ggagnon@uwbckr.org Tony Iovieno Associate for New Business 250-9838 aiovieno@uwbckr.org Cathi Mohan Investor Relations Director 250-9807 cmohan@uwbckr.org Ben Nyhoff Corporate Relations and Engagement Associate 788-1131 bnyhoff@uwbckr.org David Pawloski Labor Liaison 250-9804 dpawloski@uwbckr.org Alisha Siebers Associate for Corporate Relations 250-9820 asiebers@uwbckr.org Jay Sherwood Campaign Liaison 250-9826 jsherwood@uwbckr.org Marilyn Storch Investor Relations Information Manager 250-9810 mstorch@uwbckr.org Rob Wagley Investor Relations Consultant 441-1721 rwagley@uwbckr.org Hayley Wasser Director of Major Gifts 250-9802 hwasser@uwbckr.org Need handouts or other resources? Most of our materials, including pledge cards, flyers, posters, and information about community resources are on our website: changethestory.org/resources 19
ONE MORE THING! You know what they say about drinking from a fire hose? After reading this manual, you might have a pretty good idea of what that s like! So my message here, on this last page, is simple and heartfelt: THANK YOU! Without your commitment and energy, our work to impact our region would be impossible. What we do every day goes far beyond raising and distributing dollars. We re fighting for the health, education, financial stability and basic needs of every person in every community across the region. When I hear stories of kids who are learning to read and succeeding in school, of vulnerable families who are able to make ends meet, of babies who survive and thrive for a lifetime, of people in crisis who get the supports they need to get back on their feet I think of the many people like you who make it happen. On behalf of the thousands of lives you re making better, and the many employees you re inspiring to create impact thank you! Chris Sargent President & CEO 20
21