2014 ecc guidebook

THANK YOU! 2014 Employee Campaign Coordinators Our community is stronger, because of you!

INSIDE tips and resources to run a smooth and successful campaign in your workplace.

INSIDE p. 3

United Way - who we are and what we do (all on one page)

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2014 Messaging “Cheat Sheet”

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How to run the best campaign ever

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Getting your co-workers involved and interested

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What is my role during the campaign rally?

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Tools, resources and a handy checklist

United Way’s annual giving campaign:

What’s in it for you?

Your role.

How to take your career to new heights.

Employee Campaign Coordinator (ECC)

Your company has asked you to coordinate all the key components of the United Way annual giving campaign. Thank you for taking it on!

You know your co-workers. You know what inspires them and tires them. You also know when the best time to get their attention will be. You will use this information to decide how to run your campaign this year.

You will likely build a team to work on this project with you but even if you are the only person at your company with this title, you are NOT alone! You will have a Loaned Executive to help you....

Your Loaned Executive is your rock.

This person has been fully trained by United Way around the message of this year’s campaign and can access any information you need about your company’s accomplishments and involvement.

Loaned Executive (LE)

Do you need materials, advice, help? Call on your LE to get what you need.

Do you have great photos, videos or stories about your co-workers or company? Share them with your LE so we can spread the word.

Did you raise a boat-load of money and need to turn it in to United Way? Get with your LE, he or she will come on by and get it to the right place - or better yet, come in to the office and have our staff come out and give you a round of applause for all your hard work!

Obviously we want you to be successful as an ECC because when you are, our campaign is successful and that means even more lives transformed in our community.

That said, we also want you to have a successful experience so that YOU can succeed as well. Every self-help article related to career advancement offers up the idea: take on special projects that highlight your leadership and technical skills. Becoming an ECC is the perfect opportunity to do just that: • Refine and showcase your leadership and project management skills.

• Network within your company. As ECC you will have the chance to speak with co-workers you might not normally have the chance to meet.

• Take advantage of the networking opportunities outside your company - you might make key connections to bring in new business or relations.

• Make sure to put this experience on your resume and connect to the people you make on LinkedIn or in other networking opportunities.

United Way - who we are and what we do (all on one page) If you were to ask most people what United Way does, they’d tell you we raise money and give it away to other nonprofits. And they’d be correct, but that’s not the WHOLE story.

The truth is, United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County is strategic about what we invest in. Whether it is your time or donations, we want to make sure that we are doing the most good we can.

THE IMPACT OF

INVESTING IN

So when it comes to investing resources we focus on three things: Education, Income and Health.

United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County also coordinates a number of other programs and initiatives in addition to the funding we provide through the Community Investment Fund. These are: When life throws a curve ball, NC 2-1-1 helps callers find the resources they need to get their lives back on track.

When people want to find ways to give back to their community, Hands On AshevilleBuncombe, our volunteer center helps them find meaningful projects.

Our Middle School Success Initiative works with programs and schools to increase the quality and quantity of out of school opportunities for middle school kids.

United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County works in partnership with the whole community.

We’ve conducted community conversations with more than 400 people to better understand what matters to them and identify what they hope to see our community take on. We are using results from those conversations and incorporating them into our strategic plan for the coming 3 years.

We also work closely with area nonprofits, businesses and elected officials to identify and respond to community issues and gaps in service.

We do all of this work with one goal in mind: to mobilize our community to help people improve their lives and care for one another.

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Employee Campaign Coordinator 2014 Messaging Cheat Sheet THE UNITED WAY MESSAGE

In recent years, United Way has undergone dramatic shifts in how it works to serve our community. The historic “community chest” with a broad charitable mission has transformed into a change agent focused on community impact.

United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County mobilizes people into collective action through Giving, Advocating and Volunteering in the areas of Education, Income and Health - we believe these are the building blocks of a good life for everyone.

By making results-based investments in our community, we support long-lasting, measurable change in people’s lives, right here in Asheville and Buncombe County.

ADVANCING THE COMMON GOOD

A community of connected individuals, united and working together for the benefit of all, is at the heart of what United Way represents. Ours isn’t an appeal to the “haves” to give to the “have nots,” but rather a recognition that we all have a stake in each other’s success and what happens to our neighbors matters to all of us. We are interdependent.

This community-level approach to change can be communicated many different ways. A few include: • • • • • •

We all win when a child succeeds in school, when a neighborhood turns around, when families have good health and workers have solid jobs.

The benefits of United Way’s work ripple out into the community as a whole.

It takes the whole community working together to reach our mutual goals.

At United Way, we embrace the idea that no “man” is an island - we all depend on each other.

What does it mean to LIVE UNITED? It starts with recognizing that we’re all in this together...and then acting on that knowledge.

Whether or not I know a child on the other side of town, it matters to me whether that child grows up to be a contributing member of this community. I have a stake in that, and a responsibility to do my part.

GIVING, ADVOCATING AND VOLUNTEERING

United Way mobilizes people into collective action. We know that individually, we can make a difference, but together, we can make a huge difference.

If you think about it, the only time social change ever happens is when people mobilize and take action around issues they care about.

United Way offers people ways to GIVE - making an investment in their community; ADVOCATE - raise their voices about issues that are important to them; and VOLUNTEER - lend their muscle to projects that change people’s lives.

EDUCATION, INCOME AND HEALTH United Way’s three focus areas are the foundations - the building blocks - of a good life for everyone.

Our team of expert volunteers oversee a competitive grant process in which only those community partners’ whose outcomes best align with the results we want to see in Education, Income and Health are funded.

In fact, United Way has a track record of successful results.

In 2012-2013, we know that 74,000 people improved their lives as a result of working with programs that recieved funding from United Way (2013-14 stats will be out in mid-September). These are children on track to graduate, families meeting their basic needs and becoming financially self-sufficient, and people living free from violence with access to quality healthcare.

United Way is there to help meet each of these needs, so, for us as donors, it takes the guess work out of giving back. Supporting United Way’s Community Investment Fund is the most powerful way you can combine your gift with those of the people sitting around you and improve people’s lives across all three building blocks.

OUR TRUE GOAL

Increased dollars directed to the Community Investment Fund mean more investment in measurable results in Education, Income and Health - this should be our true campaign goal!

CALL TO ACTION: *Be part of the change. * Join the Movement. *Real Change Won’t Happen Without You. *Thank you for Inspiring Hope for a Better Tomorrow *Give, Advocate, Volunteer - LIVE UNITED!

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How to run the best campaign ever Remember that ECCs are key partners in making it possible for us to help transform the lives of more than 74,000 people in Asheville and Buncombe County last year. YOU are helping to change our community for the better!

Some people get nervous about asking people for money. Think of it this way. Most people like living in a safe and thriving community - we want it to be strong and vibrant for ourselves and those we love. As an ECC you

are helping your coworkers get involved with making their community stronger and you will be helping them understand the impact they are making and feel good about their role.

Here are some BEST PRACTICES to help you do this: Assemble your core team/committee.

• Include people from many departments and types of positions.

• Share the weight - delegate the work.

• Make sure someone with authority to sign off on purchases / resources is on the team.

• Set departmental goals and tailor efforts to each department’s needs/interests. Rely on the team members to know what is best for their dept.

Set your goals for your campaign (your CEO may have ideas on that already).

Consult with your LE and/or your CEO. They can let you know your company’s employee participation rates and together you can set realistic goals for this year’s campaign.

Work with your company’s leadership team for extra support.

Your leadership team members are very interested in seeing the campaign go well. Often they have been in your shoes or are on one of United Way’s committees or board. Because of their position they can often help “make things happen” at your place of work and expect that you will call on them to do that in very visible ways.

Develop a communications plan - within your team, company leadership, your LE and with your fellow employees.

Set regular meeting/checkin dates with your team and make sure to keep them brief and on track using a timed agenda. Walk out of every meeting with clear to do lists and assignments.

Advertise campaign and event dates early and often. We have materials you can use and you can come up with your own. Remember to use “high traffic areas” - break-rooms, bathrooms and elevators. But also don’t forget technology. Do you have an intra-net and a website where you can post information? Use email and other tools to spread the word internally.

Events can get people’s attention and can be a lot of fun and increase participation.

When planning, always keep your goals in mind - don’t just hold an event for the sake of doing one - be strategic

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with your time and resources. The more aligned your events are with your goals the greater impact your participation will have. Use key opportunities to increase participation including: • employee gift matching programs • staff volunteer opportunities - that will build team work and understanding about an issue. Day of Caring is a great example but our volunteer center, Hands On Asheville-Buncombe can create opportunities as well.

• use our affinity group events and structure to develop interest among women and leaders under the age of 40 - Women’s Leadership Council (WLC) and Highlands Circle are great ways for people to meet and network with peers on behalf of United Way. Stay on message.

Always tie your talking points and written materials back to the two previous pages - we all want to sing from the same songbook! We also have materials - printed versions and electronic - for you to use at any time.

Speak to your LE to get what you need. Oh, and please help set a positive tone and avoid any guilt or “strongarming”. We want all our donors (and even those who decide not to give) to feel good about the experience.

Remember to THANK EVERYONE! Thank those who donate items for events, your co-workers as they make donations and your planning team... you get the idea. Written thank you cards are great and big announcements too.

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Attend Kickoff - Sept 4, 2014 - 5pm at The Millroom on Ashland Ave. $5 gets you in the door and lots of great appetizers. Asheville Brewing will release a “Live United” beer and sales during the event (and the month of September) will benefit United Way. Competition revs people up. So do prizes. Use friendly competition to raise interest.

Think talent shows, baking, chili-cook offs. Or just see which department will “out fundraise” the others.

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Invite people to join a Leadership or affinity group: Tocqueville Society, Peaks Society, Women’s Leadership Council, Highlands Circle.

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Provide information to existing groups/clubs within your company and ask them to help promote the effort.

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Put the campaign video on your company web site and/or intra-net and send a link to staff in an email.

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Get Hands On Asheville-Buncombe to help you create a group volunteer activity for staff. Sometimes these kinds of experiences can help boost interest in giving.

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Have senior staff host a recognition event for Leadership Givers.

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Offer rewards for reaching intermediate and final goals.

What is my role during the campaign rally?

The Welcome at the beginning of the rally...

• Introduce yourself and your CEO, if you are not known to the staff.

• Welcome audience members to their United Way annual giving campaign rally.

• Share information about the rally (grab a box lunch, location of restrooms if staff are unfamiliar with the space, details about related campaign events, duration of the rally, etc. based on whatever you’ve planned for the rally) • Encourage attendants to give the Loaned Executive their full attention and consider supporting United Way this year.

• Tell why you Live United - personal story.

• Tell why the company supports United Way and why the company gives employees the opportunity to support change in their community through United Way. • Welcome the Loaned Executive to the stage/platform/front of the room and invite him/her to speak.

During the Loaned Executive’s presentation...

You’ll want to remain in the room during the rally, listening to all the remarks and being on hand in case there are any specific questions or technology problems, etc. Usually, Campaign Coordinators’ speaking roles are at the beginning and end, to introduce the speaker and wrap up the event.

Making the Ask and Closing Remarks at the end of the rally...

• Thank you for your previous generous gifts. This year, I’m asking that you please consider supporting United Way once again.

• United Way takes the guesswork out of giving back.

• United Way’s Community Investment Fund is an efficient way to give, and it’s effective in changing lives.

• But there’s more to be done.

• Each year, United Way receives $1 million more in requests for funding than it has to give.

• We are counting on you to help fill that gap through your generous support.

• When other people’s lives improve, our lives improve too.

• If you have never given before, I ask you to make a donation.

• If you are already a donor, I ask you to consider increasing your gift.

• There are several ways to make your tax-deductible gift, including the easiest - payroll deduction.

Then, be sure to remember to share...

• Pledge due date • Who is collecting pledge cards • How pledge cards should be returned • E-pledge details (if your company is using e-pledge) • Any giving incentives to help meet the company’s goal • Any special events to be held during the campaign • KIA Soul giveaway (see below) • Thank you for coming KIA Soul Giveaway (Paper Pledge Cards): This year, when you give $250 or more, you can enter to win a KIA Soul, provided by Paramount KIA Asheville.

Here’s how: • Donate $250 or more to United Way’s Community Investment Fund on your pledge card.

• This year all the rules and regulations are on the back of the pledge form. The pledge form is the same as before but there is a new check box at the top of the form for those that want to be in the drawing.

An independent auditor will draw one finalist every other week, with a winner being chosen at the Live United Celebration in late-January or early-February.

KIA Soul Giveaway (E-Pledge): • On e-pledge, donate $250 or more to United Way’s Community Investment Fund.

• Read the rules and regulations, then click the box on e-pledge to automatically enter the contest.

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Tools, resources and a handy checklist EMPLOYEE CAMPAIGN COORDINATOR’S CHECKLIST Use this list to harness the generosity, talent and energy of your workplace to improve the Education, Income and Health of our community.

PLAN  Meet with your United Way representative (staff member or LE) and begin planning your campaign.  Attend United Way’s Employee Campaign Coordinator Best Practices Workshop.  Go to unitedwayabc.org/ECCToolkit for ideas and sample materials.  Secure CEO or senior management support.  Establish your company campaign goals like increase donations to the Community Investment Fund, dollar amount and participation percentage.  Identify and secure incentives for contests... some companies give days off, jeans days, sleep in coupons.

Others secure great prizes that local companies donate or gift baskets that employees create. Use your creativity but don’t forget we’ve got that big incentive - the KIA Soul Contest... Details are inside and on our web site.

GEAR UP  Recruit and train your campaign team.  Establish timeline for campaign activities.  Begin campaign promotion.  Send letter from management to employees  Let your LE know what campaign supplies you’ll need (and how much) & prepare your campaign materials.

RUN  Conduct a campaign for leadership givers.  Hand out pledge forms and/or email information about online giving to employees.  Send follow-up emails every few days to keep up enthusiasm. Include updates, community facts and success stories. Find examples in your Community Investment Results Brochure.  Hold meetings and fundraising events (e.g. bake sale, raffle, soup contest).  Give employees opportunities to learn more by coordinating rallies or volunteer activities.  Take pictures and videos of the fun things you do and send them to your LE or to elisabeth.bocklet@ unitedwayabc.org - we’d love to put them on our web site, facebook page and maybe in the end of campaign video and tell everyone how great you are!

CLOSE  Send a reminder email that your campaign is concluding and pledge forms need to be submitted.  Collect pledge forms.  Submit contribution forms and final reports/data to your payroll department.  Announce campaign results to your employees.  Thank employees with a celebration event, letter, email, etc.  Thank your campaign team, leadership contributors and other special groups.  Gather feed back and notes for next year.  Choose the next Employee Campaign Coordinator and provide this information to your LE. ONGOING Host year-round volunteer events so employees can contribute to helping make a stronger community. Go to handsonasheville.org to learn about ways to be a year-round champion for our community.

Stay up-to-date on news, progress, and ways to stay involved. unitedwayabc.org/newsletter-signup

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