Encouraging Leadership Giving at Your Workplace

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Encouraging Leadership Giving at Your Workplace

• United Way of Racine County
• August, 2008

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What is a Company Leadership Giving Program?

• A conscious and strategic effort to solicit
  employees with an exceptionally generous spirit,
  a desire to step forward and act on that spirit,
  and a well-placed trust in United Way to make a
  leadership gift of 1,000 or more.
• Across the country, leadership giving is the
  fastest-growing segment of most company workplace
  campaigns. Recent surveys suggest companies that
  have a leadership giving program in place
  experience, on average, 20 percent higher
  employee per capita giving than companies not
  using this technique.

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United Way of Racine County Leadership Levels

• 1,000-1,749 Bronze Circle
• 1,750-2,499 Copper Circle
• 2,500-4,999 Silver Circle
• 5,000-7,499 Gold Circle
• 7,500-9,999 Diamond Circle
• 10,000 Alexis de Tocqueville Society

• All leadership levels offer the following
• Option to combine the gifts of both
  spouse/partner for recognition purposes-
  several pledge payment options payroll
  deduction, cash, check, billing, stock payment
  and- anonymity option to decline having names
  published in United Way of Racine Countys
  materials.

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Donor Benefits of a Leadership Giving Campaign

• Community Awareness A formal leadership giving
  program incorporates better communication,
  increases understanding and awareness of
  community needs.
• Positive Image Leadership donors are perceived
  as positive role models for their peers, which
  may increase the level of participation and total
  dollars raised throughout the company.
• Personal Satisfaction As a leadership donor,
  you are giving back to the community. You are
  making a difference in the lives of many people
  each and every day.

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Company Benefits of a Leadership Giving Campaign
Positive Image Demonstrates a company-wide
commitment to improving lives in our community.
Employee Performance Leadership giving
activities encourage teamwork and enhance
relationships by connecting employees with a
shared vision and passion. More Resources A
companys overall United Way campaign increases,
providing additional community resources to help
people.
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Steps for a Successful Leadership Giving Program

• Step 1
• Recruit Leadership Coordinator Team
• Recruit a respected senior staff member and
  current leadership giver to act as a leadership
  coordinator and conduct the Leadership Giving
  Campaign.
• The leadership coordinator should work closely
  with the employee campaign coordinator to ensure
  optimum results and should be a respected leader
  who is willing to invest time and make
  peer-to-peer contact.
• Depending on the size of your company, consider
  recruiting additional individuals to help with
  your Leadership Giving Campaign.
• Involving others will lead to increased
  participation and awareness.

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Steps for a Successful Leadership Giving Program

• Step 2
• Plan Your Leadership Giving Program
• Establish a timeline specific to your Leadership
  Giving Campaign.
• Review last years efforts and results.
• Set a realistic and attainable goal for new
  leadership gifts and total
  leadership giving (increased awareness, increased
  number or members, increased gift amount).

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Steps for a Successful Leadership Giving Program

• Step 3
• Create a Prospect List
• Work with United Way of Racine County staff to
  set criteria for soliciting potential leadership
  donors. Consider
• - Employees who gave at leadership levels last
  year- Current donors of 500 or more- Employees
  at your company whose annual salary is 50,000
  and up- Senior management- Employees receiving
  stock or stock options as part of their
  compensation package- Retirees who were past
  donors invite them to continue leadership roles

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Steps for a Successful Leadership Giving Program

• Step 4
• Communicate
• Develop and publicize the company goal for
  leadership giving in addition to the overall
  campaign
• Invite prospects to a special event to present
  the benefits of Leadership Giving See Leadership
  Giving Presentation Sample Agenda. Consider
•       - Breakfast or lunch at a United Way
  agency with tour - Breakfast or lunch hosted
  by CEO - Rush hour wine and cheese tasting
  - Golf, tennis, etc. with CEO
• Distribute leadership brochures, pledge forms and
  other appropriate information. Whenever possible,
  personalize the materials with the individual's
  name.

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Steps for a Successful Leadership Giving Program

• Step 5
• Thank Your Contributors
• Send a thank you note to contributors and
  members of your team.
• Host a reception to acknowledge and thank
  leadership contributors.
• If possible spotlight leadership donors. For
  example, purchase special polo shirts or lapel
  pins for each leadership donor. Encourage members
  to wear them during the campaign to show their
  membership in the leadership campaign.
• United Way of Racine County also sends each
  leadership contributor a personal thank you.

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Steps for a Successful Leadership Giving Program

• Step 6
• Report Names/Final Results and Celebrate
• Be sure to get the correct spelling of names and
  gift information for each leadership contributor
  to ensure United Way of Racine County properly
  recognizes and thanks them for their generosity.

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Available Tools

• Sample leadership meeting agenda
• Key talking points
• Prepared PowerPoint presentations
• Sample leadership giving letters
• Beacon Circle brochures
• United Way of Racine County staff
• www.unitedwayracine.org