Ok, at my job I'm the community partnership coordinator. I get to go out and work with community based orgs and I have a lot of freedom. Most at my job are tied to the phones. We handle two of the Medicaid programs for the state. Well, the powers that be felt that I'm some great motivator. They asked me to head the employee giving campaign and like a goofball I said yes.
Then I meet wit the executive director and she lets me know AFTER I said yes that the company takes this stuff very serious. We need at least 95% employee participation.


The campaign started on Oct 2nd and ends Oct 20th and they just asked me yesterday so as you can see, there's a lot of proactivity going on.

Ok, I'm good about promoting community stuff. I love community based stuff this maybe a challenge. I'm not well liked around these parts...lol. I have supervisors that don't like that fact I'm the same grade as them and yet I have no employees under me. I have freedom on my job. it goes on an on. My experience here has been INTERESTING but that's another thread.

They want me to be creative, not be pushy and yet get 95% participation from these folks.

Do you guys have any ideas on getting folks to donate? $1 per person is considered full participation.

I was thinking of doing little marketing using "A dollar does it!".

HELP!!!!! I need some creative minds to get these folks to give to their fav charity NOW.

Pyramid scheme?

all you can smoke crack fest!


(sorry, crack whores not included in this promotion.)

wow congratulations rhonda! i dont know what you could say precisely but do something that will take the focus off of you and show how donating a dollar is so much more important OR possibly have a meeting or something like that, where you talk about the why this is being done and how it will benefit peeps in the long run. again try to take the focus off of you and more on the task at hand.

Fury said:

when i worked for a non-profit, our volunteer coordinator did something really brilliant one summer to get new people to sign up.

she simply went out with a card table and all the paperwork, bought two bags of really good candy, poured 'em in bowls and let the people come to her. she didn't harp or harass or finagle or beg people to do a thing. they showed up cuz they wanted a free dove bar, and they walked away having filled out a volunteer application. she was WILDLY successful by the end of it all.

so. moral of the story? invest just a little bit in something appealing to people, and find a way to let them come to you.

that's all i got.

Anx said:

i woulda took the candy and walked off.

Anx said:

thats a good one peeps love free stuff

Fury said:

good thing we dont live in a world of yous then.

damn. if i lived nearby you, rhonda, i'd come over and help you come up with something.

Anx said:

OH, BUT YOU DO....

Fury said:

yeah, but they let me out on probation for good behavior.

Where I work we have dress down days where we pay to come in jeans or whatever, but I guess that will only work if you usually have to wear business attire.

I'm currently doing communications for our community giving campaign (I work for an non-profit hospital system with 10,000 employees) and we give incentives for those departments that get 100 percent participation (like bagels and coffee for breakfast). Also, telling the stories of people who have benefited from the assitance is a good motivator. Also, we have empowered one representative from each department (a department "ambassador") to go to each of their fellow employees with a participation form and have them fill it out face to face. Although, for us particpation is considered actually filling out and turning in the form (they don't have to give, but it's encouraged).
Here are some examples of communications I have written (for last year's campaign) that went into daily newsletters:

Sept. 12
The ***** Community Giving Campaign kicks off today. Employees from each ***** site are acting as ambassadors. Their responsibilities include explaining the importance of the campaign as well as distributing and collecting donation forms. The Community Giving Campaign will run until Oct. 14. Together we can make a difference in creating a healthier future!

Sept. 16
The 2005 goal for ***** Community Giving Campaign is to achieve 100 percent employee participation. Even if you are unable to contribute financially, it is important to complete and return the forms. It’s all in an effort to help us gauge the effectiveness of its fundraising campaigns. Sites with 100 percent participation will earn a special celebration at the end of the campaign.

Sept. 19
Did you know a $3 per pay donation to the ***** covers the cost of an antibiotic prescription for a child in need? Causes supported by ***** Community Giving Campaign also include United Way, needy employees, employee scholarships/education and site-specific programs. This year’s campaign will run until Oct. 14. Employees who contribute will be entered into a Grand Prize drawing for a laptop computer, a family trip or an iPod. Together we can make a difference in creating a healthier future!


Food incentives are always good...you may also want to distribute flyers and get with your communications folks to do Web site annoucements, newsletter articles and other materials.

If you need any more help, just orgnote me...I'd be happy to give you some advice.

I'm a demo girl at Sam's Club, and I concur with what Anxiety said. People love you, and will do most things as long as it's reasonable, if you're handing them something free.

I'd go with setting up some sort of food or candy area just like he mentioned. It gets real easy from there. You don't have to say much to even get people to come over since it's free. I usually go with the, "Hello, how are you today?" Or just a real cheerful "Hi!" to get someone's attention. Then they end up over, and while they've got a mouthful of whatever I'm giving, I launch into my speech about how much it costs, the benefits of eating it, whatever. I always reach my selling goal.

And at only a dollar? Shit, a couple bowls of decent candy... That should be easy enough!

I really like the idea of having a candy jar where people get a little something for their donation (really, it's only $1.00!). And 18 days doesn't seem like alot of time to get sponsors for raffles and such...

One idea that might work (borrowing from my local grocery store) is that when people donate a dollar - they get a leaf (or whatever other cutout you choose) to put up on a tree with their name on it. If they donate more than a dollar - they get an apple with their name on it. Good way to guilt those who haven't yet made any donation as their name won't be up on the board!!! Also, you can intice people to put on up in their children's name or whatever..just an idea.

Hope whatever you choose to do goes well for you!

I work for a large hospital in Atlanta and they rented a popcorn machine and "gave" away popcorn for a $5 donation. I don't even remember what the campaign was for, but I know that I needed that popcorn. They started popping at about 2:30 and by 3pm everyone was borrowing money to get some.

MBlaineEverywhere said:

ooohhh.... that's a good one
i was going to say peer pressure is always a good thing
if most people will give... get them to wear a sticker that symbolizes the cause - that way the ones who haven't given are easily recognizable and will want to fit in

JudgeNutmeg said:

yeah, we have dress down days here all the time. I don't know if they would be so excited about that but thanks for the idea.

MuaPetahl said:

I won't know who has given. Corporate will just send me the percentages of participation. They go to our corporate site and make their donation. I like the idea of giving them something but its hard to give when you don't know who has given and who hasn't.

Maybe some big fun thing if we reach our goal. My brain really doesn't want to think and you guys are great for helping me think of something.


And Apples, thanks alot!! Love your ideas. I've done some informative stuff like "this is what your donation will buy". I'll orgnote ya soon!

I'm sorta pushin' "A dollar does it!" I've gotten a positive response from that.


thanks for the help guys!

Rhondab said:

You're welcome, hon. We're right in the middle of our campaign right now...so stuff is on the top of my mind. I'll be glad to help.

applekisses said:

excellent! and if the organization can't afford larger prizes, there's always the carrot of extra time off... works like a charm!