UNITED WAY CAMPAIGN
COORDINATOR
GUIDE
It’s more than just one thing. That’s why your role is so critical. As a United Way Campaign Coordinator, you will be responsible for raising dollars to support programs and initiatives that create positive, lasting change in our community. You will have more than one role. You will be the connection between your fellow employees and United Way, serving as a marketer, an enthusiastic advocate for Community Investment contributions, and the company campaign leader. The tools outlined in this Coordinator Guide will walk you through each step of creating and maintaining a successful workplace campaign. Thanks to your leadership, you will help children succeed, and families to be healthy and financially secure.
Thank you for your dedication. Together, we can build a stronger community for all of us.
Inside you’ll find all you’ll need to know to run a successful campaign: Best Practices Award-Winning Campaign Activities Strategies for before, during and after Campaign The 20-Minute Meeting Customizable Action Plan Year-Round Engagement
Getting you started to be the Best in 2014 The Campaign is really about what the dollars raised mean to our community and the local impact of gifts directed to United Way. It represents the generosity of a diverse community coming together to create measurable, lasting change and a better place to live and work for us all.
CAMPAIGN CHECKLIST q Meet with a United Way staff member or Campaign Associate to create an action plan. If you don’t know your United Way Donor Relations Manager (DRM), please call us at (860) 493-6849. q Meet with your CEO or management team to establish goals and dates and determine how they will be involved in the campaign. q Recruit a strong campaign team, representing a wide range of employees, to help and support you. q Ask a member of senior management to chair your Leadership Giving efforts. q Review last year’s campaign results, strategies, and recommendations. q Develop strategies, a timeline, and goals for this year’s campaign.
DURING YOUR CAMPAIGN q Hold employee group meetings. (See “The 20-Minute Group Meeting”) q Run a special solicitation for current or prospective leadership donors (those who do or might consider giving $1,000 or more per year). q Share campaign information and progress in newsletters, intranet and email. q Use posters, table tents and other materials to advertise the campaign. q Follow up with anyone who has not pledged. Ask everyone to fill out a pledge form and return the paper pledge form or online pledge whether they are contributing or not. q Begin preparing your nominations for the Best Of Awards. q Distribute or share information about United Way membership opportunities, such as the Women’s Leadership Council and Emerging Leaders Society.
AFTER YOUR CAMPAIGN/ALL YEAR
q Reserve room(s) for group meetings and/or special events.
q Complete the campaign report envelope and return it to United Way.
q Visit the Campaign Toolkit at unitedwayinc.org/ campaigntoolkit to order your materials, download templates, arrange a speaker and more. Be sure to order your campaign materials and arrange for speakers at least two weeks prior to your kickoff date.
q Hold a thank you event with senior leadership in attendance to announce and celebrate results. Your United Way Donor Relations Manager (DRM) can help you plan this.
q Post information on your organization’s intranet with a link to unitedwayinc.org. q Send out endorsement letters or emails from your CEO. q Take a peek at the entry requirements for the Best Of Awards at unitedwayinc.org/bestof.
THE 20-MINUTE GROUP MEETING The best way to reach your colleagues is to hold an employee meeting. All you need is 20 minutes.
q Submit your nominations for the Best Of Awards. q Engage employees in United Way customized group volunteer projects. q Connect young professionals to the work of United Way Emerging Leaders Society and women to United Way Women’s Leadership Council activities. q Use United Way materials to orient new employees.
ITEM
PRESENTER
MINs.
Opening remarks
Campaign coordinator
2
CEO endorsement
CEO/manager
2
Campaign overview
United Way staff/ Campaign Associate
3
Campaign video
4
Speaker
5
Issue expert
q Personally thank donors and everyone who helped coordinate the campaign.
Wrap Up
2
Closing & Ask
2
q Distribute the “making choices” exercise. q Schedule a post campaign meeting with your United Way DRM. The real success is not always measured by the number of programs and initiatives funded, but by the number of lives improved. This is a community coming together to truly LIVE UNITED and you are a HUGE part of our success.
Are you the BEST of the BEST? We’ll help you get there! It takes more than just one thing to run a successful United Way Campaign. Here are some simple, helpful tips and suggestions to assist in your efforts.
• Ask the CEO and top executives to endorse the Campaign.
• Host a fun, unique Campaign kick-off event to get your colleagues excited about giving back to our community through United Way.
• Use United Way-supplied materials to help drive your Campaign messaging and theme – It’s More Than Just One Thing
• Inspire colleagues through United Way-provided success stories and personal stories from other colleagues who have benefited from United Way-supported programs or initiatives. Even develop your own video for the Campaign!
• Engage employees in special events. Examples from other workplaces include: cupcake and ice cream sales; bike races; sports tournaments; breakfast with the boss; local vendor sales; dunk tanks; and, moustache-shaving contests.
• Thank and recognize your colleagues. Then keep them involved year-round in volunteer opportunities to show them the impact of their time and financial investments.
• Celebrate with colleagues at the Best Of Awards and showcase your accomplishments in the community. The awards recognize organizations in central and northeastern Connecticut for their outstanding participation in the United Way Campaign and throughout the year. Submit your nomination to United Way!
Employees from Comcast Corporation, located in Berlin, were proud to win three awards! They won “Best Year-Round Partnership,” “Best Company Leadership/CEO Support” and the highest honor, “Spirit of the Campaign.” Comcast has a strong tradition of community volunteerism and demonstrates outstanding performance in every area of its United Way campaign. Comcast was a Spotlight sponsor of the event.
Some of the other 2013 United Way Campaign Best Of Award winners
Best Campaign kick-off: City of Hartford A highly visible, well-attended kick-off event with support from senior leadership in attendance made this a Best Of Awards winner. Employees from 20 city departments came together to participate in a dunk tank and other activities, enjoy popcorn and treats to benefit United Way, and entertainment by a woman on stilts! Susan B. Dunn, president and CEO of United Way, and Mayor Pedro Segarra spoke at the event.
Coordinator of the Year: Enterprise Holdings Kat Paradis of Enterprise was named Campaign Coordinator of the Year at the Best Of Awards. Her ability to engage employees in United Way volunteer opportunities, Emerging Leaders Society and Women’s Leadership Council, connected employees to the issues we all care about. This led to increased giving during their campaign and a stronger community for all of us.
Best in Show – Large Company: Travelers Travelers’ employees raised more than $2.8 million for United Way this past year. With a wide variety of creative special events and participation in engaging volunteer activities, Travelers increased participation in campaign to 80 percent locally.
2014 United Way Campaign Strategy for:
Name of Company
Important Campaign Data: Number of Eligible Employees:
Number of Leadership Givers:
Number of Donors Last Year:
Leadership Giving Last Year: $
Percent Participation Last Year:
Number of Leadership Givers Last Year:
Average Gift Last Year: $
Goals and Strategies:
Remember, the number one reason people say that they don’t contribute is that they weren’t asked. Be sure to reach out to all of your employees.
Three ways to look at your workplace’s giving potential 1. Quadrant Analysis On the chart to the right, plot your percent employee participation and average gift. Quadrant analysis strategies are available online at unitedwayinc.org/campaigntoolkit.
Average Gift
$1000
2
1
4
3
$500
$0
0%
50% 100% Percent Participation
2. How to Calculate Your Workplace’s Giving Potential Step 1: What if everyone gave one hour’s pay per month? Total gross payroll: ______________ x .006 (one hours pay per month): ______________ = Giving Potential: ______________ Step 2: Calculate where you stand against giving potential. Employee Giving: ______________ ÷ Giving Potential: ______________ = Percentage Potential: ______________ 3. “Can Do” Strategy Number of Donors Last Year: ______________ Average Gift Amount Last Year: ______________ See what can happen if you increase the number of donors: New Donors: ______________ x Average Gift Last Year: ______________ = Additional Campaign Giving: ______________
LIVE UNITED. GIVE. ADVOCATE. VOLUNTEER. Facebook.com/unitedwayinc @unitedwayinc
Need more information or additional campaign materials? Call us at 860-493-6849 or visit unitedwayinc.org United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut serves the 40-town region by mobilizing people and organizations to GIVE, ADVOCATE, and VOLUNTEER to help children succeed, ensure families are healthy and financially secure, and provide access to basic needs. For a list of United Way partner agencies, please visit unitedwayinc.org/partners.