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SUPPORTING OUR COMMUNITY

Thank you for being UNITED FOR the Chattahoochee Valley!

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BE PART OF THE MOVEMENT

It’s our goal to make a lasting impact in the Chattahoochee Valley. United Way donors make reaching that goal possible. United Way is always looking for people to share their gifts of time, talent, and financial resources. One of the greatest things you can do for your community helps coordinate and promote a United Way campaign within your company. Your efforts are essential in helping United Way address our community’s most pressing issues. Inspire change by running a United Way campaign. 

If you have questions about running a workplace campaign, reach out to our campaign Staff.

Campaign video  

hands and heart icon, Annual Campaign Toolkit

Impact videos

Campaign Resources

Wait….What did I Sign Up For? ECC Pro Tips & Best Practices

ECC Expert Secrets to Success

  • Have a positive attitude & show up with a smile – lift them up, motivate them & get them excited about the campaign.
  • Find a team member that has been personally impacted by one of the agencies – It really increases participation in giving from everyone when they see it help someone they know that is part of their work family
  • Find out what the company is passionate about and find a speaker that fits that perfectly.
  • Create a PowerPoint for presentations to ensure that you hit all the highlights – UWCV has great resources!
  • Don’t be afraid to ask for more – the only failure is not trying! EVERY DOLLAR COUNTS!!

Best Practices for a Successful Workplace Campaign

  • Prepare
    • Get in touch with your UWCV representative & plan your campaign
    • Secure support from top-level management
    • Recruit your team – you don’t have to do it alone
    • Set your campaign goal – make it challenging but achievable
  • Inspire
    • Schedule impact tours & volunteer opportunities
    • Use UWCV branded materials to tell our story – posters, yard signs, website
    • Learn about the impact of UWCV – internal strategies & funded agencies
    • Find a giving group that you identify with: WomenUnited/LeadershipCircle/ELU
  • Ask
    • Talk to your UWCV representative about the best strategy for your group
    • Make the ask during an organized kickoff meeting – make it FUN!!
    • Tell the United Way story – help them find their WHY
    • Explain how to give – clearly & concisely
    • Be direct – ask for them to join you in giving to United Way
  • Thank
    • Thank everyone – executive leadership, campaign team, ALL donors regardless of gift amount
    • Help UWCV say thank you – donor detail is crucial to our thank you process
    • Let’s Connect!
    • Be creative in your thank you!!

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ECC Secrets to Success:

  • Start slow but stay with it! Some of the most successful companies have been around for 20+ years!!
  • Solicit vendors & friends of the organization to help with donations
  • Offer exciting incentives!

Ideas to Include Executives:

  • Dunking booths
  • Kiss a pig
  • Pie in the face
  • Public shaving/No shave November

Auction/Raffles:

  • Live or virtual auction
  • Employee only raffles
  • 50/50 raffles

Food Fundraisers:

  • Pancake Breakfast
  • Kona Ice Truck
  • Chili cookoff
  • Boston Butt Sales

Virtual Special Events:

  • Zoom Bingo
  • Zoom Trivia
  • Virtual 5K
  • Online Learning workshops

Competitions/Contests:

Hold competitions where the winning team receives raffle tickets for a larger drawing or prize:

  • Scavenger hunts
  • Guess the baby photo
  • Darts
  • Basketball game
  • Employee Olympics
  • Department “Family Feud”
  • Penny Wars
  • Kickball Tournament
  • Pledge card competition between departments – 1st in wins!
  • Pumpkin carving contest

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ECC Expert Secrets to Success

  • Having a good relationship with employees is so important – try to engage with every employee any time you have a company function.
  • Work hard on having a positive relationship with employees/coworkers. Become that trusted person in the workplace, earning their respect and showing them respect with each interaction.
  • Believe in the mission of United Way and be passionate about impacting the lives of others.
  • Encouraging (and if needed, require) employees to take a site visit, participate in a volunteer opportunity, etc.

How to Build Employee Engagement

  • Connect with your coworkers & find out what they’re passionate about!
  • Know your WHY & share it with others
    • If you don’t know your WHY, let us help you find it
  • KEEP MOMENTUM ALL YEAR LONG Your workplace campaign is the cornerstone of our efforts, but it’s important to keep employees engaged throughout the year.
    • Encourage colleagues to consider joining United Way’s donor affinity/giving groups: Women United, ELU, Leadership Circle & Tocqueville Society
    • Recruit employees to participate in volunteer events throughout the year.
    • Schedule & attend an impact tour.

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ECC Expert Secrets to Success

  • Make sure that you have strong leadership support
  • Have a dedicated frontline team to drive activities (cheerleaders for United Way and employee engagement)
  • Develop a detailed calendar for the year – have different opportunities – donation drives vs. hands on/offsite activity
  • Make it fun!! Challenges between departments with low cost “prizes/recognition”
  • Create opportunities that are closely aligned with your organization’s mission/vision/purpose

UWCV Volunteer Opportunities

  • We can help you fulfill your Corporate Social Responsibility
  • You can become an extension of UWCV through Campaign Ambassadorship
  • Join our Community Investment Committee & help allocate campaign dollars to agencies
  • Create a company landing page on our volunteer management website
  • Utilize UWCV volunteer page to find group activities for your company

Collections for agencies makes a huge impact and is great for team building!

Large group volunteer opportunities are our specialty!

Ask us how we can help you organize one for your company!

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ECC Secrets to Success

  • Be intentional & strategic about committee recruitment. Consider taking a deep dive into the prior year numbers and specifically the donor’s roles in your organization.
  • Focus on departments/areas of your organization that had very little participation and nominate dynamic individuals from those areas. “We saw participation for those areas grow significantly.”

How to Form Committees

  • Recruit talented people from throughout your workplace
    • Be sure that all departments are represented – this helps spread the workload & encourages peer to peer asks
  • Ensure that all committee members are educated on the work of United Way & know their WHY
  • Delegate tasks to share responsibilities and encourage teammate accountability – make sure you keep an open mind about new ideas!
  • Create a committee structure that works for your company – every work place has its own unique culture!
  • If recruiting a full committee is not possible due to size of company or availability, consider implementing a succession plan
    • Recruit a coworker that can shadow you, so that the following year they can be the lead ECC
    • We want you to be set up for success & avoid volunteer burnout

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It’s important that your workplace campaign is engaging, concise, educational, & fun!

Consider & Plan the Following below with your committee:

  • Engagement Opportunities before Kickoff!
    • Contact your staff liaison about a Corporate Volunteer project or visit our Volunteer Center
    • Company Impact Tours- we need 5 or more from your company to schedule tours. These tours are of our internal strategies or our funded programs and let your employees see their dollars at work! Tours take between 30 minutes -1 hour per agency or program. Contact your staff liaison to get a tour scheduled.
  • Special Events help bring fun & excitement to your UWCV Campaign + helps generate extra dollars towards your campaign goal!
  • Incentives are a great way to increase engagement & bring attention to your UWCV Campaign. Discuss what are good incentives for your employees with your committee and get approval from Company Leadership in advance of your campaign kickoff.
  • Plan your Campaign Timeline. Campaigns usually last between 1 week – 1 month. Plan a start date that will include a large kickoff to bring attention to the start of your campaign. Plan an end date and communicate this timeline with all staff.
    • Communication is key! Use regularly scheduled emails as a way to update employees throughout the campaign. You can even include an impact video!
    • Build & delegate a follow-up plan with your committee to ensure every employee had the opportunity to give and submit their pledge.
      • Do you need virtual or hybrid options? Check out this information to learn more.
  • Plan Your Kickoff! Plan how you can get all your employees together to learn about United Way; this could be one large in-person meeting or several small meetings.
  • Wrap-Up & Thank All Employees! Let your employees know how much they collectively raised and thank them for their gift!

Connect with Us

1005 Front Avenue Columbus, GA 31901
PO Box 1157 Columbus, GA 31902
706-327-3255 (Phone) 678-619-0387 (Fax)
EWELLS@UNITEDCV.ORG (EMAIL)
Made with ♥ in the Chattahoochee Valley