Sponsorship and Donations Committee List
(Steps in Organizing the Fundraiser)
Setting Up Committee
· Assigned committee chairperson
· Set up separate folder in cloud storage site to house committee documents – we used Dropbox
· Assign separate chair for raffle baskets
· Assign separate person for online donation site
Tasks to Complete Before Starting Canvassing for Donations
· Determined donation types to be requested / accepted:
o Sponsorship (higher donations to cover cost of fundraiser)
o Items / Gift Certificates for Silent Auction and Gift Baskets
o Cash
o Online Donations
o Gift Baskets or items to consolidate into Gift Baskets
· Decide on items to include in canvasser toolkit (printed materials to aide people going door to door). See end of document for items we included.
· Create list of documents needed for canvassers and committee
o Tax (In-Kind and Sponsorship Donation Forms)
o Tracking (Canvassing Donation Tracking Spreadsheet)
o Supporting Documents (Canvassing script, instructions on filling out forms and canvassing procedure)
· Identify canvassers. There was a recent invite list from Sue Shopiro who hosted Jackie’s 55th birthday party which was used to send emails to request volunteers. People on the committee also asked friends and relatives to volunteer.
· Create Canvassing Ideas document. Identify if any specific needs can be donated or provided at low cost: ice, food (we got donated pizzas and desserts and low cost soda)
· Create Sponsorship and In-Kind donation forms for donors for tax deduction proof
· Determine procedure to get copies of donation forms to designated team member for retention. These came in handy in organizing and validating donations to set up auction.
· Create Canvassing Script – help canvassers break ice, give consistent message
· Create canvassing instructions for toolkit. See end of document for overview of what we provided)
· Create recognition Levels chart that will be given to potential donors
· Create Canvassing Donation Tracking spreadsheet
· Determine how tracking spreadsheet will be updated. Assign one person to manage the canvassing spreadsheet. Canvassers to email updates, can phone in updates also.
· Determine how canvassers will be assigned to potential donors and how to add new donors to the tracking spreadsheet.
· Review / run through toolkit with person outside the committee to validate understandability and clarity of instructions. Make appropriate updates as needed.
· Print all materials, package toolkit and distribute to canvassers after final updates
· Create a sample email template for online / email solicitation of donations.
· Create a sample typewritten template letter for mailed requests of donations.
· Give canvassers read access to Canvassing Donation Tracking Spreadsheet.
Canvassing Process
· Identify certain members of team to distribute toolkits to canvassers
· Set target dates to complete canvassing to give enough time to collect items and organize them for the fundraiser. Our target date was 2 weeks prior to the event. Canvassing continued after but it allowed us to have the bulk of our donations ahead of time.
· Identify businesses to canvass
o Team members having a personal connection with a business
o Informal (Ad Hoc): team member in a situation to solicit a donation
o Find businesses through searches, online and / or printed directories
o Check master Canvassing Donation Tracking spreadsheet if already assigned or contacted
· Provide donor business information and status to owner of spreadsheet at the earliest to avoid canvasser overlap.
· Canvassing Donation Tracking Spreadsheet owner will periodically send the most current updated master tracking spreadsheet to the canvassing team by email. The master tracking spreadsheet will also be available in Dropbox. Contact any committee member to get access.
· We found it helpful when we were
Logistics in Running Silent Auction Items
· Determine process and assign people who will collect and house donated items, including cash.
· Raffle Baskets assembled ahead of time, as items come in.
· Put gift certificates into frames. Try to get frames with built in stands but can use frame stands also for displays.
· Create Silent Auction and Raffle Basket instruction boards.
· Determine minimum bids for items based on projected desirability and value.
· Identify how winning bidders will pay for items. We got cash from the bank to have on hand for ticket sales and winning bid payments. Also, purchased four square attachments for smart phones. Installed software and distributed squares to designated cashiers.
· Identify items as Silent Action or Raffle Baskets as much as possible as they are collected. Used the canvassing spreadsheet to track items.
· Get as many easels as possible to bring to event. Have extra on hand.
· Determine how many tables are needed to display items. Used canvassing spreadsheet which contains details on donated items.
· Assign a unique number to event tickets that can be used for bidding on auction item. Make sure we have contact information on the bidders in case they are not present to bring their item on event day. A spreadsheet was created with pre-sale ticket purchasers. Names, contact information and assigned bidder numbers were added to the list on the day of the event for at the doors ticket sales.
· Stacking of tables to auction – start and end time for each table
· Determine time when you can start set up of auction items.
· Need to determine if any items will be grouped
· Determine stop and start times for Silent Auction tables, we had 3 rounds.
· Need to create a bidding form for each Silent Auction item
· Bring supplies to run auction: Paper, pens, tape, post its, markers, scissors, clip boards, copies of canvassing spreadsheet.
· Number bid items
· Create Silent Auction boards with bid item number, short description, minimum bid, winning bid and winning bidder number. One board for each table.
· Some items came in the day before and the day of event. So, we had to be ready to add Silent Auction items and Raffle Baskets on the fly. Extra bidding forms, extra easels.
· Identify who will bring items to venue and make sure people are there to help unload.
· We had to transfer items the morning of the event.
· Unload items.
· Set up items.
· Have emcee make announcements when the bidding opens and is closing.
· Have emcee make announcements to encourage bidding, announce special / big items for auction.
· At close, direct winning bidders to cash out with designated cashiers. It worked best to have a cashier or two close by the table when the table bidding was closed.
· Arrange pick up / delivery of items not collected at the fundraiser. We did not have many.
Canvasser Checklist (See Canvassing and Donation Form Instructions for further details)
- Identify designated person as the main contact for the canvassers.
- Obtain Canvasser Toolkit
- Identify businesses to canvass.
- Check master canvassing tracking spreadsheet if business is already contacted or assigned to someone.
- Contact business.
- Fill out Sponsor (money donation) or In-Kind (product or service donation) Donation Form.
- Email designated person(s) with canvassing results and electronic copies of filled out forms.
Canvassing Instructions
1. Email or call designated person(s) to arrange delivery / pick up of toolkit.
2. Identify businesses to canvass
o Team members having a personal connection with a business
o Informal (Ad Hoc): team member in a situation to solicit a donation
o Find businesses through searches, online and / or printed directories
o Check master Canvassing Donation Tracking spreadsheet if already assigned or contacted
3. Provide donor business information and status to designated contact at the earliest to avoid canvasser overlap.
4. Donation Tracking spreadsheet owner will periodically send the most current updated master tracking spreadsheet to the canvassing team by email. The master tracking spreadsheet will also be available in Dropbox.
5. When canvassing, follow Sponsor and In-Kind Donation form instructions.
6. Provide electronic or paper copies of donation forms to designated person(s).
Canvassing Toolkit: All items to be given to the volunteers before canvassing starts.
· Canvassing Script
· MSA Coalition Printed Brochures
· In-Kind and Sponsorship Donation Forms
· Donation Forms Instructions
· Recognition Levels
· Canvassing Donation Tracking Spreadsheet
· Canvasser Guide