Campaign Ideas

Running a United Way "Campaign" is a traditional way many companies partner with us to support their community. Providing employees with meaningful opportunities to give back to the community at the level they feel comfortable is a benefit for any corporate culture. A well-developed partnership with United Way provides employees with these and many other opportunities:

• Community Involvement -- opportunities to give back and make a difference
• Convenience and affordability in giving options such as payroll deduction and electronic pledging
• United Way's knowledge of the community ensures contributions are channeled to where the needs are greatest
• Strategic giving -- opportunities for direct contributions by area of interest such as education, health, income, or specific member agencies
• Professional and service-oriented volunteer roles with community agencies
• Special gifts for donors who give $1,000 and more annually

On this page you will find wealth of information on different corporate campaign ideas, tips and tricks.  Click each of the links below to find out more!

• Incorporate the Basics
• Kick-off & Special Event ideas
• Extra Fundraising Ideas
• Campaigns on a "Low-Fat" budget
• Campaign Themes
• Ways to help plan, promote, and conduct your United Way campaign

Running a Corporate Campaign is not only fun and fulfilling, it’s also easy! Plus, it’s even easier to put a little pizzazz in your campaign!

You are limited only by your creativity. Even campaigns with little time or budget can be fun for everyone. This section gives you some proven ideas to try and enjoy. But first...

• Remember the basics. While you and your team are planning the fun part of your United Way campaign, don't forget to incorporate the basics into your ideas.
• Educate, don't pressure. An educated donor continues to give.
• Invite a speaker. Call United Way Galveston, 2-1-1, or ask an employee who has received help.
• Publicize, with posters, brochures or banners.
• Take an agency tour. This is one of the best ways to motivate contributors.
• THANK your contributors and your campaign team. United Way provides United Way thank you notes (with a printed message) and pins for contributors. You may want to give other small gifts to your team and/or contributors.
• Visit the Campaign page for extra information, ideas and campaign materials you can use in your Corporate Campaign.

Kickoff/Special Events

• Brown Bag Lunches - Invite an agency speaker to give a lunch-time workshop on a topic of interest. Contact United Way of Galveston to schedule.
• Host a game show to highlight knowledge of United Way and member agencies (Jeopardy, Wheel of Fortune formats, for example).
• Companies have used this as a learning tool for their volunteer training sessions, with very positive feedback. Try a "Monopoly" type game board with United Way agencies in place of streets!
• Have a United Way trivia contest. Distribute e-mail or printed questions about United Way or an agency every day for a week.  Those completing all the questions go in a raffle drawing.
• Use information in our website.
• One company used a "Captain United Way" character to present serious messages with a humorous note.
• Hold an employees' children's poster contest. One company turned theirs into colorful calendars as thank you gifts.
• Host a putt-putt golf tourney. Decorate each hole to illustrate and highlight a United Way of Galveston member agency.
• Have a day at the races. Employees can team up to have their race day with kids pedal cars. Checkered flags and a mini race track created more fun.
• Set up United Way displays in your company lobby. You can even hold a competition between departments for the best display. Use different items to depict agencies, i.e. Scout paraphernalia.
• Senior managers serve as chefs at a kickoff barbecue. Or let them serve a pancake breakfast, burger-fry, bake-off or ice cream social. One company gave out "survival packets" containing antacids, lemon-lime soda and United Way information flyers.
• Use a "Beach Bash" theme for campaign. Decorate cafeteria or break room with beach balls, etc. Serve hot dogs and fruit kabobs. Have a casual day and tell everyone to wear their favorite "Hawaiian shirt." Award prizes for the best outfits.
• Hold a "Fifties Fun Fest" on the finale day of the campaign.
• Serve pizza, hold a karaoke contest, an Elvis look-alike contest, play rock and roll.
• Chili cook offs are always popular. Have each department form a team and prepare their special "secret recipe" for chili. Use a Western or Mexican theme for decorations.
• Hold a United Way Carnival (bean bag toss, three-legged races, pie in the face, executive dunk tank, etc.)
• Host an Academy Awards night. Have employees dress as their favorite celebrity. Teams at a bank created video movie "skits" using their favorite movies with a United Way twist.

Extra Fundraisers
While the emphasis for your campaign should be placed on traditional fundraising solicitation, many companies incorporate extra fundraising events into their campaign to supplement results. To encourage greater participation, we recommend the costs to participants be minimal. Some fun ideas include:

• Sell chances for a raffle for $1
• Sell casual day coupons (let employees wear buttons that say, "I paid to dress this way for United Way.")
• Bake Sales
• Obtain a life-size cut out of a celebrity. Sell picture taking opportunities for $1 each.
• Employees send candy-grams for 25 cents each.
• Hold a silent auction (Use incentive gifts, or have employees bring crafts, baked goods, etc. to sell)
• Popcorn sale
• Car wash
• "Buy a Big Shot" Auction - employees bid to have a senior staff member do their jobs for an afternoon.
• Host an International Lunch - Have employees bring ethnic dishes pot potluck. Charge $1 or $2 a plate.
• Sell balloons for $1 that contain the name of a prize.

Slim 'N Fast - Campaigns on a "Low-Fat" Budget

 Many of the ideas and incentives listed above are little or no cost.
Others can be tailored to meet your budget. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

• Kid's poster contest (for employee children)
• Treasures 'N Trash - Collect egg cartons, meat trays, fabric scraps to donate to children's agency.
• Guess the Baby Contest - Employees bring a baby picture, everyone guesses who they are.
• Make a "Community Quilt" - Provide construction paper, markers, magazines; have employees make a collage related to United Way on your campaign theme. Tie all the squares together with yarn at a rally, and display proudly!
• Food drive - Many agencies have food pantries; donate collection to an agency.
• Host a simple campaign meeting - coffee, bagels, have a speaker. 

Great Campaign Themes

• "Lead the Way!"
• Helping to make a difference
• Caring is sharing
• Open your heart
• Touch a life
• Make a stand, lend a hand
• Team up with United Way
• All Stars for United Way
• Reach for the Stars
• Paint a brighter tomorrow*
• Recipe for caring
• Write a happy ending
• Give hope a chance
• Capture the spirit
• Caring works wonders
• Lift someone's spirit
• Straight from the heart
• Share the magic*
• Investing in our community
•  

Looking for ways to tell your employees more about United Way
agencies and services?
United Way offers a variety of proven resources to help you plan,
promote and conduct your United Way campaign. Your United Way staff representative: United Way's experienced staff and volunteers can help you from start to finish, providing you assistance in planning and implementing your campaign.

Your representative can:

• Help you plan campaign activities targeted to the interests and needs of your employees
• Provide you with information tailored to your industry or size of
• business
• Link you with other Employee Campaign Coordinators to share information, ideas and solutions.
• Provide you with additional campaign supplies as needed.
• Assist in planning your campaign rally, obtaining a speaker, wrap-up of your campaign.
•  

Remember, we are here to assist you and help meet your
needs!  Take advantage of these valuable resource throughout the campaign!

Speaker's Bureau
A great way to enhance your campaign is to invite a United Way
speaker to your rally or meeting. Members of the Speakers Bureau receive special training and can speak on a variety of topics including:

• United Way's Impact in the Community
• Child Care
• Elder Care
• Health Care
• Hopelessness

Other speakers include agency staff or volunteers and people who have received services from a United Way supported agency. They speak from the heart about United Way services and the impact they have in people's lives.
Tours
Agency tours are one of the most effective and impactful things you can do in your United Way campaign. Employees see firsthand how their contributions are working and renew their enthusiasm for the upcoming campaign.

Many companies schedule tours of a variety of agencies so employees can choose which agency to visit. If you are unable to schedule tours for your entire staff, we strongly encourage you and your team of volunteers to tour an agency.
Your campaign services representative will be happy to give you a list of agencies which give tours, as well as their location. Or, feel free to visit our Member Agency page to visit each of the websites of our member agencies for more information on their organization, causes, programs and success stories!

Many companies use agency fairs as a way to bring United Way
services to their employees. Agencies can come to your work site and set up displays with literature about their services. Host agency fairs in high traffic areas, so that lots of people can get a look at several agencies.

Printed Materials
A set of standard printed materials are included with your campaign supplies. These include: United Way campaign brochure, campaign/posters, goal poster, pledge cards, and leadership giving pledge forms. If you need additional printed materials, contact United Way of Galveston at 409.762.4357 or email us now!