Fundraising Plan for Success

For Wisconsin 4-H Outbound International Programs ParticipantsA Guide to Fundraisingfor Wisconsin 4-H Outbound International Programs ParticipantsAuthorKay Hobler, Wisconsin 4-H Outreach Specialistwith contributions from International 4-H Youth Exchange (IFYE) alumni.Revised January 2009Michael Gobin, Wisconsin 4-H International Programs AssistantErin Gries, Wisconsin 4-H International Programs AssistantUniversity of Wisconsin-Extension431 Lowell Hall, 610 Langdon St.Madison WI 53703-1195Last updated January 2009An EEO/AA employer, University of Wisconsin-Extension provides equal opportunities in employment and programming, including Title IX and American with Disabilities (ADA) requirements. Developed by the Wisconsin 4-H Office, 431 Lowell Hall, 610 Langdon St., Madison, WI 53703. The 4-H name and emblem are federally protected under Title 18 US Code 707. Table of ContentsPurpose of Fundraising4Why Fundraise?4Before You Begin.5Guidelines for Fundraising6Use of the 4-H Emblem in Fundraising6Fundraising Dos and Donts7Establish Goals8Brainstorm Ideas! 9Develop a Plan10Seek Publicity10Take Advantage of Free Advertising!11Seek Sponsors through Personal Contact & Letters 12Contacting a Donor13Written Solicitations and Samples14Special Events16Sell Something!17Bake Sales18Raffles18Bingo Regulations19Setting Up a County IPC 20Guidelines for County Leaders Association 23International Program Committees 25Common Concerns for IPCs and Leader Associations27Example of IPC Guidelines 29Sample IPC Guideline Agreement Form 31Example of a County IPC 33Exchange Sponsor Chart 35Fundraising Report 37Example Solicitation Letters 41Sign for IPC Fundraisers45Wisconsin International Programs & Contacts46Fundrai$ingThe prospect of running a fundraising campaign can be staggering for anyone who has never done it. However, good planning and organization can make your fundraising activity a great learning experience. You may be surprised at how much fun it can be! Read the following pages carefully for ideas and suggestions on fundraising before devising your own plan.Purpose of Fundraising Fundraisers should promote healthy youth development. In addition to raising funds, the project should be one in which 4-H members can have an educational experience and learn life skills. Fundraising should only be conducted to meet a specific goal established through broad input of a 4-H organizations membership. Generally money raised during the course of the 4-H year should be spent that same year unless the fundraising goal is long term, such as the establishment of an endowment fund. It is not recommended that 4-H entities hold more than one years operating budget in reserve. Why Fundraise?Wisconsin 4-H exchangees are required to earn at least $1000 of their trips total cost for several reasons. Fundraising will alleviate stress on the family budget, but it will also prove to be a valuable learning experience as you develop self-confidence and new-found skill in marketing strategies while improving interpersonal communication and organizational skills. You will be exploring new avenues in leadership as you work with your county International Programs Committee (IPC) or your local 4-H club to develop a successful fundraising campaign.Fundraising is easy if you believe in yourself and your goals. This is an easy sale! You have been selected for a very special opportunity on the basis of maturity, demonstrated responsibility, leadership skills, and interest in other cultures. You will be representing your community, state, country, and the national 4-H program. The program staff is certain that you will not take this responsibility lightly. 4-H homestay programs offer the opportunity to live within different cultures and observe them firsthand, which is a great advantage over simply traveling through countries as a tourist. This will be an experience of a lifetime! Before You Begin.Discuss your fundraising activities with your county Extension 4-H Youth Development agent. You will need to investigate how international program fundraising in your county has been handled in prior years. Be sure to ask:1. Is there an established IPC (International Programs Committee) or other exchange committee in your county? If not, you will want to consider starting one. (See the following section on IPCs.)2. Has the county Adult Leaders Association set up a special bank account for international programs funds collected? All 4-H funds must be deposited in an authorized 4-H account. Usually, checks are written to an Adult Leaders Board account with “County International Programs” written in the memo line (see sample below). An individuals name should not appear on the check. This will also establish credibility when you are requesting donations and money can be reimbursed or reserved for future participants in the event of cancellation.3. How much money will you be allowed to raise? You are required to raise at least $1000 for your program, but many counties will allow you to raise more. (See Establish Goals )4. Are there scholarships or grants available?5. Discuss possible resources for support. Your county 4-H seeks donations, also. Try not to duplicate solicitation from the same sources.Remember, your county youth agent can provide you with county policies and some suggestions, but your agent is not responsible for helping you with actual fundraising! March 15, 99 Sample County Leaders Association 100.00One hundred and No/100 Sample Cty 4-H Int;l Progs John DoeDO March 15, 99 Chris Clover 100.00One hundred and No/100 Japan Trip Chris Clover John DoeDO NOTGuidelines for Fundraising All money raised using the 4-H Name and Emblem must be used for 4-H activities. Because the funds are publicly accountable, they must be used to pay for educational programs, activities, workshops or supplies. Funds raised in the name of 4-H become the property of 4-H (4-H funds are not the property of individuals who may have helped raise the funds). Funds are not to be raised in the name of particular individual (member or leader). They must not be used for personal financial gain for any individual. Pocket money, personal items and souvenirs are clearly not legitimate uses of money raised in the name of 4-H. At the club level, the club should approve the fundraising goal and the fundraising project being undertaken. Fundraising should not be the main focus of group activities nor exclude any individual from participating. 4-H clubs are expected to support the financial needs of the total group and when possible, assist with participant costs in county, state, and national programs. To ensure safety for 4-H members and leaders, door-to-door solicitation is discouraged. Individual solicitation should be done with family and friends. All funds raised become part of the clubs treasury and should be handled in accordance with the guidelines specified in the 4-H Club Treasurer Handbook. It is important to have accurate records of the funds raised. Check with local and state authorities on health, licensing, labeling, labor and tax laws. Fundraising must not be used to endorse, or imply endorsement, of a particular business or product. If a 4-H organization intends to raise funds on behalf of another organization, the purpose of the fundraising should be clearly communicated at the time the fundraising is conducted. For example, if a county horse project wants to raise funds to build a horse barn on the county fairgrounds, the fundraising information should clearly communicate the funds raised by the 4-H horse project will be donated to the county fair to provide funds to build a new horse barn on the fairgrounds. Use of the 4-H Name and Emblem in Fundraising There are rules about the use of the 4-H Name and Emblem in fundraising. The 4-H Youth Development staff member at the county level needs to review the fundraising plan prior to placing the 4-H Name and Emblem on a product for sale. The nature of the product, scope of the fundraising project and location of the vendor are all considerations in determining if approval can be granted at the local level, or if approval is needed on the state or national level. Anyone wishing to use the 4-H Name and Emblem in a way that does not specify a local or state program, should seek authorization to use the 4-H Name and Emblem from National 4-H Headquarters at USDA. Information on using the 4-H Name and Emblem is located at: http:/www.national4-hheadquarters.gov/emblem/4h_name.htm Fundraising Dos & DontsDODO NOTUnderstand that any person or group using the 4-H name and emblem must follow laws and regulations and Wisconsin 4-H policies. Conduct 4-H fundraising of any kind without prior approval of your County 4-H Youth Development staff member.As a first step, discuss your proposed fundraising plan, timeline, and the proper process for handling and depositing money with your County 4-H Youth Development staff member before beginning any fundraising.Promote or advertise 4-H fundraising under your name. An individual is not a non-profit organization and therefore cannot fundraise on his/her own.Promote or advertise all activities as “ County 4-H International Programs Fundraiser” or simply “ County 4-H Fundraiser”. Collect or deposit funds into a personal bank account. Deposit all funds collected through 4-H fundraising into the county 4-H account designated by your County 4-H Youth Development staff member and/or the County 4-H Leaders Association/Council. You are accountable to 4-H and must follow directions for raising and handling the fundraising money.Mix fundraising money with your own. Never borrow fundraising money.Identify 4-H leaders and friends who are experienced in fundraising to form an International Programs Committee within your County 4-H program.Conduct raffles or Bingo events which are strictly regulated by the State of Wisconsin Department of Administration unless your club or County 4-H can follow the regulations precisely. Individuals cannot conduct raffles or Bingo events.Visit the State of Wisconsin Department of Administration website at http:/doa.wi.gov/gaming/ to view regulations before contemplating a raffle or Bingo event.Keep an accurate financial record of all money received. Use best practices in handling fundraising money.Express your appreciation to individuals and organizations donating money for your international 4-H experience. Establish GoalsHow much money do you need to raise? Will it be the required minimum of $1000? Or will your IPC, county Adult Leaders Association, and county agent allow you to raise more? (The maximum amount may not exceed the cost of your trip. Any contributed amount above the cost of your trip must be turned over to your senior leaders association for future exchange delegates.) Set a realistic goal. When must you have the money available? Set up a timetable for your fundraisers, working backward from the target date. Be sure to time your fundraisers so they wont conflict with similar projects in your community.Date of FundraiserName of FundraiserExpected IncomeActual IncomeBrainstorm Ideas!Sit down with your IPC for a brainstorming session to produce innovative ideas for fundraising. Have one person write down all the ideas that everyone suggests, no matter how impractical, bizarre or funny they may seem at the time. Do not discuss them while brainstorming, but wait till after your list is complete.Here are some ideas to get you started thinking:e:fileroot32022-422d2d109f7-0072-43f9-b71f-6ceac04f47069789b64983671609d88c9b1631e82a4b.doc36_ 4-H club garage sale_ Auction 4-H members for yard service_ Baby-sitting service_ Bake sale_ Bike repair_ Bike-a-thon_ Brat Fry_ Candy sale_ Car wash_ Card party_ Carnival_ Dance_ Fun Night_ Catfish feed_ Chicken barbecue_ Chili Supper_ Cow chip throw_ Craft sale_ Dog wash_ Ethnic festival_ Food booth at local event_ Frisbee match_ Garage Sale_ Geranium sale_ Hay rides_ Horseshoe tournament_ House plant sale_ Ice cream social_ Jump rope contest_ June Dairy Month milk stand at events_ Lemonade/hot choc/coffee at events_ Letter writing campaign_ Make up kids clown faces/face painting _ Musical play-a-thon_ Pancake breakfast_ Party planning service_ Perform a play_ Pet boarding service_ Pet show or horse show_ Pie Sale_ Pig roast_ Pizza sale_ Pizza supper_ Progressive dinner_ Raffle (see section before deciding)_ Reception decorating service_ Redeem grocery receipts_ School Penny Plea _ Sell aluminum cans_ Sell balloons_ Sleigh rides_ Smelt feed_ Snow shoveling service_ Spaghetti supper_ Trail ride_ Tree sale_ Vegetable plant sale_ Walk-a-thon_ Walleye feed_ Wal-Mart Matching Funds_ Wild game feed_ Yard serviceNotes:Develop a PlanWhen you are satisfied that you have listed every idea possible while brainstorming, go through the list and analyze each idea one at a time. Even the ideas that seemed unfeasible in one form might be usable in a different variation. Things that you will want to consider when discussing each idea are:1. Do you have enough people to work on the project?2. How much time can each person devote to it?3. How much time can you devote to it?4. Are there outside resource people available who could help (particularly parents or club members)?5. Has this activity been successful in your community before?6. Will the results warrant the effort put into the project?Once you have selected your fundraising activities, take time to develop a good overall plan for completing them. Identify all major jobs to be done in preparation for the projects and in completing them. Set deadlines for their completion. Chart detailed plans for the events. Spread the work out and assign specific jobs to helpers, keeping the special interests and skills of each in mind as you do so.Seek PublicityOnce you have arranged your event let people know about it. Place free community service flyers on bulletin boards or in store windows, with local shopper guides, newspapers, and radio and television.o Call each organization and ask about their policies regarding non-profit organization ads. Seek out feature stories from newspapers, radio, or television. Alert media of project and the time and location of the event.o Send a press release.o Suggest a photo opportunity.If and when media arrives at your event Dont tell the media how to do their jobs. They are professionals and know how to handle these things. Introduce yourself and offer to answer any questions. Allow the media to look around. Just pretend they arent there and let them do their jobs. Make up a handout detailing the planned event to give to media personnel for their personal reference.Even when you use the methods mentioned here, many times youll still find it next to impossible to get publicity for your activity. Dont give up. Newspaper space is limited and so is broadcast time on the local television news. However, with continued persistence, you should be able to get the coverage you need.Take Advantage of Free Advertising!If you choose to host a special event, it will be important to advertise it. A great way to publicize is to post signs on community bulletin boards that may be available at your church, school, or local community center. Take advantage of your school newspaper, local community newspaper, or your towns shopper by advertising as a non-profit organization. Below are some sample advertisements and tickets to get you started on developing your own personalized advertisement for your own special event.HUNTERS BREAKFAST Cloverville Green Community Center Saturday November 23, 2003 4:00 8:30 AMBreakfast Includes:Pancakes or French Toast, Eggs, Bacon or Sausage, Fruit, Struedel, Milk or Hot Chocolate, & CoffeeFeaturing: Homemade Maple SyrupProceeds Support County 4-H International Programs!Bring your sweetheart to our romantic night of dancing! ADMIT ONEADMIT ONE ADULTSWEETHEART DANCEFebruary 14th, 20037:00 PM -9:30 PMCloverville Green ChurchHUNTERS BREAKFASTCloverville Green Community Center Saturday November 23, 2003 4:00 8:30 AM SWEETHEART DANCEFebruary 14th, 20037:00-9:30 PMCloverville Green ChurchFeaturing The Cloverbud BandAdvanced Tickets $5 At the Door: $7.50Proceeds Support County 4-H International ProgramsAdults: $6Children under 12: $3Senior Citizens: $4Seek Sponsors through Personal Contact & LettersTake a new look at your county to find support for inter-cultural exchanges and write a list of potential sponsors. Which businesses, organizations and individuals might have a natural interest in global education? Civic service groups, veterans and other patriotic organizations, legal professionals, educators, and businesses with international connections are often very supportive of exchange programs. Many civic organizations, such at Rotary, provide scholarships for program participants. Are there local branches of national or state corporations who donate to 4-H on a regular basis? Review the National 4-H Council annual report and the state 4-H Foundation annual report for listings of donors. (An example of this type of donor is the Ford Motor Company Fund which sponsored 4-H International Programs since 1964. Your local Ford dealers may be receptive to supporting the local program when they are made aware that the parent company provided support at the national level.) Now that you have compiled a long list of potential sponsors, be sure to discuss it with your Extension youth agent to avoid duplications of sponsors before approaching organizations for donations.The first step was easy. Now you need to consider how you will solicit donations. How do you ask for a contribution? A telephone call followed up by a personal visit is most effective. Your IPC or a club committee may help with the initial contact. Include volunteers who are familiar with 4-H, influential in the community and willing to do fundraising. Ten volunteers with only five calls each will reach 50 prospective donors! Be sure you and your IPC can explain 4-H International Programs in detail. Keep in mind: 4-H International Program participants are a very select group of 4-H members from all regions of the country. As a participant, you will represent 5.6 million U.S. 4-H members. You will share knowledge gained through this experience with local, county, and state 4-H clubs and other supporting organizations after you return