AMBASSADOR CAMPAIGN GUIDE
TABLE OF CONTENTS Welcome 3 Why United Way? 4 4 Ways to Run a Successful Campaign 5 PLAN 6 RUN 8 ENGAGE 10 THANK 12 Resources 14 2-1-1 15
CONTACT US Todd Jasin Laura Newberry-Yokley Executive Director Marketing & Engagement todd@uwwh.org laura@uwwh.org United Way of Wayne & Holmes Counties, Inc. 215 South Walnut Street Wooster, OH 44691 330-264-5576 uwwh.org
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THANK YOU FOR SERVING AS AN
EMPLOYEE GIVING CAMPAIGN AMBASSADOR! Thank you for accepting the charge to serve as your company’s United Way Ambassador. If you are a returning Ambassador, welcome back. If you are new, thank you for agreeing to serve. As an Ambassador, you make a measurable impact in the lives of local people who are hurting. You serve a critical role in ensuring we can move 10,000 people out of poverty. In order to achieve this Bold Goal, we need a strong team. Thank you for being part of this team. For our team to be strong, you need resources and tools. This guide will provide you with insights and quick tips to help you and your campaign team achieve success. Remember, United Way staff are your partners who are ready to support you. We will be with you every step of the way. In addition, visit our online resources at uwwh.org/campaign. You’ll find our one-stop shop for materials and resources to engage your colleagues and run a successful campaign at your workplace. You will also find campaign marketing materials, testimonials, photos, impact statistics, videos, logos and more. Thank you for inspiring others to take action. Great things happen when we all LIVE UNITED.
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WHY UNITED WAY?
YOUR EMPLOYEE GIVING CAMPAIGN HELPS MOVE PEOPLE OUT OF POVERTY. When your gift is combined with others, you can move 10,000 people out of poverty by 2025. Your employee giving campaign helps move people out of poverty. Moving people out of poverty takes turning your kindness into action.
United Way takles tough local problems related to poverty by focusing on education, substance abuse, and employment. Achieving the Bold Goal takes uniting the entire community. You can be part of the solution by moving the needle on these issues: Helping children enter kindergarten ready to learn. Ensuring children are reading at grade level. Building pathways out of addiction. Increasing income and retention by reducing employment barriers. 4
4 STEPS
TO RUNNING A SUCCESSFUL CAMPAIGN
PLAN
RUN
ENGAGE
THANK
Every workplace is unique, and every employee giving campaign is different. Shape your campaign around your organization’s culture. Setting up and running a campaign is simple, and we can help every step of the way. Download our campaign planning tools on our website: uwwh.org/campaign. You’ll find a calendar, communications samples, letters and emails, thank you materials and other tools.
UWWH.ORG/CAMPAIGN 5
STEP ONE: PLAN Build a Team.
As an Ambassador, you are not expected to do all the work. Recruit other enthusiastic and resourceful co-workers to help with the campaign. Involve them in planning a strategy and setting goals.
Secure Leadership Support.
CEO and leadership involvement promotes success.
Get your leadership team involved in all aspects of your campaign through events and communications.
Get buy-in for company support, i.e. Challenges or Company Matches.
Discuss options for incentives that can be used to encourage participation and increased giving. 6
Set your Strategy and Goals.
Setting specific goals and objectives helps measure progress and obtain desired results. Planning will help you determine where to focus your energy in a productive way.
Consider these objectives that will boost your overall results:
Increase employee participation.
Increase donations through payroll deduction.
Ask for a corporate match.
Increase the number of donors by department.
Ask employees to increase gift amount from last year. Consider including online giving as an option.
Develop a Communication Plan.
Choose a campaign theme, determine the best communication channels and tactics for your workplace, and gather the materials you need. See our Sample Communication Guide online for help.
Establish Ask Strategies.
Plan engaging events that include United Way impact speakers, videos, and activities. Consider incentives such as holidays, Jeans Friday, raffles, auctions, cook-offs, and more.
Ask for Help.
United Way can help assess your campaign’s strengths and opportunities. Together, we can set strong, achievable goals to maker your 2016 Campaign a success. 7
STEP TWO: RUN Share United Way’s Work in the Community.
Engaging employees in conversations about United Way’s accomplishments and the Bold Goal of Moving 10,000 People Out of Poverty by 2025 is critical in garnering campaign support.
Share Success Stories.
Sharing success stories helps connect employees to the people who have benefited from United Way. Stories can be shared through posters, e-mails, and videos.
Tip: Sometimes, companies have employees who have taken advantage of United Way supported services. Do your employees have their own powerful stories?
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Promote the Campaign.
Communicate campaign dates, incentives, executive support, engagement activities, gratitude, and success stories.
Kick Off Your Campaign.
Make your kick-off memorable and exciting. Hosting a kick-off event is a great way to raise awareness that your campaign is happening. Try a breakfast, luncheon, or special event.
Ask.
Did you know that one of the main reasons why people don’t give is simply because they are not asked? Here are some tips on making the ask in your company:
Be knowledgeable about United Way and practice your pitch to ask.
Make the ask at every campaign event and in each communication.
Identify others in different departments to help you make the ask throughout the company.
Monitor Progress.
Keep a running pledge total and make colleagues aware of progress towards your company’s campaign goal. Follow up with those who have not yet responded, as needed. One-on-one connections add personal touch and kindly encourages your colleagues to participate.
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STEP THREE: ENGAGE Participating in a United Way campaign helps move people out of poverty. It will also give your organization the opportunity to learn firsthand about the needs in your local community provide rewarding team building experiences. Volunteer projects, collection drives, special events and impact speakers rally and motivate your team to support the impact work of United Way! What Will You Do to LIVE UNITED?
Check out how we are impacting the community at uwwh.org and on social media. Stay engaged all year long. Visit GetConnected.uwwh.org to create your volunteer profile today! Facebook: facebook.com/uwwhc Instagram: uwwhbop YouTube: uwwhbop@gmail.com Twitter: @uwwhbop
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What Will You Do to Live United?
GetConnected Speed Volunteering. Can’t leave your office but want to engage in volunteering? Assembly projects address pressing needs while offer flexibility. GetConnected Community Volunteering. Schedule a volunteer opportunity in the community through our new volunteer match solution, GetConnected.uwwh.org. We also create customized engagement opportunities that meet your company’s social responsibility goals. Stuff the Truck. Collect much needed supplies for local families. School supplies, hygiene items, healthy snacks, and children’s books are the most in-demand items. This is a turn-key engagement strategy with little effort and immense impact. Bridges Out of Poverty. Bridges Out of Poverty is a framework for understanding poverty and appreciating economic diversity. Workshops and lunch-and-learns by trained facilitators are free and available for your employees. 11
STEP FOUR: THANK A LITTLE THANK YOU GOES A LONG WAY! Say It!
United Way thanks you for your time, talent and effort. Your company’s campaign could not be a success without you. Make sure you thank your CEO and management team for their leadership and guidance. Thank your campaign team for their assistance and support.
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Shout It!
Through their generous gifts to United Way, your colleagues have helped make a better life for our neighbors. Thank those who support the campaign at every opportunity, but the end of the campaign is particularly critical. Share your successful campaign on social media. You might inspire others to start a campaign!
Show It!
Every campaign is worth celebrating! Host a celebration for everyone. Thank colleagues who gave. This thank you message can also include final results of the campaign. A celebratory event to recognize the campaign’s closing numbers ($ and %) is a great way to say thank you. A public distribution of incentives is a fun way to share your collective success.
Submit It!
Report your campaign results to United Way. Complete your campaign envelope, making sure the totals match what is included inside. Your totals from pledge card data, payroll summary data and corporate pledge data need to match the envelope. United Way will return a final report to your payroll administrator at the end of the campaign.
Tip: Conduct a Debrief Session. Meet with your campaign team to go over what went well and what needs improvement. This helps you be prepared for next year’s campaign!
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RESOURCES Communications. Your campaign communication strategy will need to fit in with your internal public relations strategy. A sample communications plan on our website will help you plan your messaging and timing. Campaign Themes. Using a campaign theme is a great way to tie your campaign together. They generate excitement and boost morale in your organization. Sample themes are on our website to help you get started. Incentives. See a list of successful incentives used by local campaigns at our website. Incentives are your opportunity to add a little something extra to your campaign. Not only can they raise additional money, they can be instrumental in team development, morale boosting, creating excitement and educating about United Way. Impact Speakers. It is indeed moving when your employees can connect to how United Way has personally helped individuals move out of poverty, gain stability in their lives, or experience success. Consider joiningour speaker bureau yourself! Activities & Events. Including fun activities is a great way to generate enthusiasm, employee participation, and additional dollars to your campaign. Pair them with your campaign theme or use them on their own. We have included online a list of creative in-person events and activities to give you some ideas. Community Engagement. Key engagement strategies that include GetConnected volunteer events or Stuff-the-Truck drives are easy ways to engage your colleagues in order to give back to your community. Tip: Access our campaign planning tools at UWWH.ORG/CAMPAIGN. 14
We are here to help.
United Way 2-1-1 is a nationwide care coordination service that reaches more than 16 million people annually through 240 centers. 2-1-1 connects people with the most comprehensive health and human service resources in our community. It’s a single access point with a personal touch. Callers, emailers, and texters can explain their situation in their own words to a live care coordinator and their support is customized for them. The service is free, confidential and available 24/7. United Way of Wayne and Holmes Counties partners with 2-1-1 Cleveland, which services as the regional coordination center for 21 counties. In 2015, over 6,200 people from Wayne and Holmes Counties contacted 2-1-1 for assistance. 2-1-1 offers information on a broad range of services, including rent assistance, food banks, affordable housing, health resources, childcare, after-school programs, elderly care, financial literacy, and job training programs. Share 2-1-1 with your employees. Thank You to Our 2-1-1 Sponsor:
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United Way of Wayne & Holmes Counties, Inc. 215 South Walnut Street Wooster, OH 44691 330-264-5576 uwwh.org