Coordinator Toolkit

Make a Difference with Your Company

The generosity generated during Workplace Campaigns helps power the community-wide impact United Way of Central Alabama makes every year. At the heart of it all are Campaign Coordinators. For 96 years, Coordinators have led efforts at countless companies in Central Alabama to support the annual campaign to make it amazing.

It goes without saying that our campaign is unlike other fundraising activities. Our one appeal supports more than 80 agencies. As a corporate partner, you will benefit from having your employees involved through giving and volunteering. Employee engagement is a great way to boost morale and provide leadership development opportunities to staff.

We’re here to help your campaign be as successful as possible. Below is information and materials to make your effort run smoothly and give your company the best chance to make a big impact.

Coordinator Training

Every campaign is a little different. Training serves as an opportunity to share ideas, hear tips and tools, learn about online pledging, and receive copies of campaign materials. This includes brochures, posters, community information and an ideal opportunity to meet your loaned executive.

Campaign Materials

Find all the resources you need to launch an effective workplace campaign.

Get Started

Loaned Executive Program

Loaned Executives play a crucial role in developing and implementing fundraising initiatives during the annual United Way Campaign.

Get Involved

Steps to Running a United Way Campaign

We know planning and executing a United Way campaign takes a lot of work – don’t feel overwhelmed. These steps to success will help you run an efficient and effective campaign.

STEP 1: PLAN YOUR CAMPAIGN

This is a big job to handle by yourself. Recruit a team of energetic individuals to help.

We suggest you:

  • Work with your management team to identify employees who would be a good fit for your committee
  • Promote teamwork as a professional development opportunity
  • Have a representative from each department involved
  • Ask your CEO or senior leader to approve the campaign time frame and use of organizational funds for campaign activities
  • Ask your CEO or senior leader to appoint a leadership campaign chair or executive coordinator
  • Communicate your campaign goals to your leadership team
  • Encourage senior management to lead by example by giving their gift early and increasing their level of support
  • Encourage your senior leaders to actively support the campaign by attending events, speaking at campaign committee meetings and endorsing the campaign through personal communications
  • Set a start and end date. We recommended limiting your campaign to two weeks
 STEP 2: SET AND PUBLICIZE YOUR GOALS

Work with your team or CEO to establish a goal and be sure to publicize it within your campaign. Utilize emails, newsletters and signage to help employees understand what United Way is and what we do to help the community.

 STEP 3: EDUCATE AND INSPIRE

Use our theme and materials or pick a theme that is unique to your company. We have seen companies make their own videos, t-shirts, posters and events to make the campaign fun and something everyone can look forward to each year.

 STEP 4: MAKE THE ASK

Bring employees together to learn about United Way’s work. Be sure to distribute pledge cards and ask that they be completed and returned at the end of the meeting.

Make your campaign fun and creative through the use of special events, competitions, contests, incentives and prizes. Creating your own company incentive program stimulates improved performance within your company’s campaign.

 STEP 5: THANKING AND RECOGNITION

Thanking your colleagues for their contributions can be one of the most rewarding experiences as a coordinator. As a best practice, be sure to say thank you early and often. Use certificates, plaques, thank you cards, special awards, United Way pins or hold a thank you event. Thanking fellow employees will make them more inclined to support United Way in the future!

We have leadership pins for those giving at a leadership level of $1,000 or more and for those who have been giving for 25 or more years. Please ask your loaned executive for details.

 STEP 6: FINALIZE RESULTS

Turn in your results as early as possible. Your United Way staff and loaned executive are happy to pick them up for you. Be sure to do the following:

    1. Schedule a pick up with your United Way contact
    2. Email a copy of your results spreadsheet to campaignresults@uwca.org
    3. Keep the pink and yellow copies of the pledge forms for donors and your payroll department
    4. Follow the envelope instructions and double-check your totals
    5. Sign and seal the envelopes. Keep a copy of the front of the envelope for your records

34

Loaned Executives joined the last campaign

23

Companies started accepting e-pledges