Campaign Resources

What is a United Way Campaign?

A United Way Campaign is an annual drive that gives you and your co-workers the opportunity to make charitable contributions that support not just one, but a network of quality programs.

Employees learn how United Way of Santa Cruz County is strengthening this community and then have the opportunity to schedule a payroll deduction or give a one-time gift right at their workplace.

Contributions from each company campaign are pooled together and then distributed by trained, local volunteers to United Way of Santa Cruz County Member Agencies.

Employee campaigns help build morale, foster teamwork, and enhance the public image of your company within Santa Cruz County.

Why Give through United Way?

• United Way ensures that donations are spent wisely. Experience local volunteers, knowledgeable aobut community needs, monitor member agencies and make sure that your contribution is invested wisely.
• A gift through United Way helps the people who need it the most. United Way funded programs address Santa Cruz County's most urgent needs.
• A United Way donation works right here in Santa Cruz County. United Way donations stay in Santa Cruz County to help support programs for your friends, family and co-workers.
• United Way keeps overhead costs low, so the most money possible goes to community programs. United Way uses many volunteers to raise money effectively for our agencies.
• United Way adds value to your donation. Contributions through United Way enable it to act as a community problem solver. Volunteers allocate contributions wisely, saving donors time and energy in evaluating agencies. United Way advocates for low-profile programs that are meeting urgent needs. One gift supports not just one, but 33 different programs

United Way of Santa Cruz County works with top volunteer leadership skills in our region to identify and attack our communitie's most serious problems.. United Way improves lives by investing your dollars to solve problems in your local community!

Your investment will ensure that:

• Our Youth will be successfully prepared for their futures.
• Our Disabled Community Members will live healthy and empowered lives.
• Our Homeless Families will become self-sufficient and live in stable housing.
• Our Families will be strong, nuturing and healthy.
• Our Elders will lead healthy and independent lives.

They won't give unless they are asked! Let your
co-workers know that the campaign is on!

United Way of Santa Cruz County provides brochures, posters, pledge cards, films, banners and other promotional items that you can use to bring your co-workers the United Way message. You can use the information in this guide to develop in-house email messages, posters, handouts, and payroll stuffers.

• Memos and Letters
  Let them know your company cares. Send out letters of endorsement from top management and memos detailing the campaign activities.
• Payroll Stuffers
  Enclose a payroll stuffer with every employee paycheck prior to the Kickoff of your company campaign. It is a simple and effective way to reach every employee.
• Email
  Build momentum! Email a "Fact a Day," employee testimonial, human-interest story, or campaign news to your co-workers prior to and during the campaign.
• Company Newsletter
  Feature campaign activities and timeline, a United Way agency or client success story.
• Posters and Handouts
  Be creative and develop your own. Or contact United Way for colorful materials to brighten your campaign.

Call us for help and ideas! We can help you customize United Way materials with your company logo!

Incentives to Increase Participation

Offering incentives increases contributions and makes people more interested in giving. The more exciting the incentive, the more enthusiastic your co-workers will be to learn about United Way of Santa Cruz County.

Area merchants and your company vendors can supply great gifts! United Way can provide you with a special catalog from which to purchase United Way brand items.

Use incentives to:

• Promote increased giving and/or participation
• Recognize outstanding departments
• Increase attendence at United Way presentations
• Promote early bird pledge card returns

Employee Presentations

In employee presentations your co-workers have an opportunity to learn more about United Way and make an informed decision on their giving. Have a United Way representative and member agency speaker talk about specific programs. Ask co-workers and Donor Representatives to share their experience with United Way of Santa Cruz County. Encourage people to ask questions and find out how United Way is working to make Santa Cruz County healthier for all of us.

Recognition

A thank you program can be as simple or as elaborate as you, the Campaign Coordinator, want it to be. The most important element of any Thank You effort is to recognize everyone - contributors, campaign team members - anyone who was a part of your campaign.