While each United Way campaign is unique, these 10 Steps To A Successful Campaign are the building blocks for an effective campaign
Your United Way representative will help you develop a campaign plan that works best for your organization.
STEP 1: Get Prepared!
Work with your United Way Relationship Manager to review your company’s giving history and to help set goals for this year. You can discuss ways to communicate the message, create a buzz, and incorporate fun activities that add momentum to your campaign.
How This Helps:
Having a plan makes the process smoother and easier for you to implement and manage.
Strategies:
- Review campaign history with your United Way Relationship Manager, including the total amount raised, participation rate, average gift and the strategies used.
- Determine how best to run your campaign. Your United Way Relationship Manager can help!
- Decide on a time frame.
STEP 2: Recruit and Train 
You don't have to do it alone! Having someone from each department can be very effective. This team can help in all stages of the campaign, from planning to helping reach all areas of the company to promote awareness and distribute and collect materials.
How This Helps:
This reduces your workload, stimulates more ideas, helps create enthusiasm throughout the company about the campaign, and builds employee morale.
STEP 3: Enlist Management
You don’t have to do it alone! Having people from each department participate can be very effective. This team can help in all stages of the campaign, from planning to helping reach all areas of the company, promoting awareness and distributing and collecting materials.
How This Helps:
This reduces your workload, stimulates more ideas, helps create enthusiasm throughout the company about the campaign, and builds employee morale.
Strategies:
- Enlist the support of your President/CEO, Labor Leaders and Senior Management Team
- Form a Campaign Committee that provides leadership from all facets and levels of the organization. Recruit people that are energetic, organized and well-liked by their peers
- Meet with your United Way Relationship Manager and team to discuss your goals and objectives
- Invite your United Way Relationship Manager to train and educate your team and key workers
- Delegate responsibilities for the different components of your campaign, such as: kick-off planning, tours, material distribution, themes, marketing, communication, Celebration of Excellence applications
- Encourage discussion of new ideas and perspectives
- Develop a plan for collecting pledge cards
STEP 4: Identify Techniques
LEADERS LEAD! The support of your President/CEO, Management Team and/or Labor Leaders is crucial.
How This Helps:
By personally endorsing the campaign, members of your Senior Management Team demonstrate their commitment both to your organization’s campaign and the United Way.
Strategies:
- Enlist leaders to speak at kick off meetings, send emails or letters.
- Conduct a meeting of your top executive’s direct reports.
- Plan events around the CEO’s calendar whenever possible or call on appropriate departmental or shift leaders to participate.
STEP 5: Publicize!
Communicate campaign information and events to all employees through United Way marketing materials, emails, calendar of events, posters and more!
How This Helps:
Clear communication improves participation and creates a positive response to United Way.
STEP 6: Educate Employees About United Way
One of the most important elements of a campaign is to educate employees about the work we do in the community. Some people relate to personal stories, while others want to hear about facts, figures and the return on investment.
How This Helps:
When donors understand the needs in the community and how United Way is addressing these needs, they make a personal connection to the campaign.
Strategies:
- Arrange for United Way presentations at existing staff meetings to ensure every associate understands United Way’s Community Impact work
- Invite United Way to a meeting of your top management to discuss the work of United Way and address any questions from your senior team
STEP 7: Campaign Kick-Off
Campaign Kickoffs can be informative and FUN! Kickoffs can be elaborate (with costumes and scripts!) or as easy as doughnuts in a break room. Do what works best for your organization.
How This Helps:
By gathering your group together in one place, each person feels a part of the overall goal.
Strategies:
- Invite senior management and United Way to join you to make the ask
- Include your President/CEO in events and communications
- Conduct a kick-off event with representation from senior management and United Way of Central Ohio speakers
- Use United Way of Central Ohio’s marketing materials to create awareness
STEP 8: Encourage Leadership Giving
United Way of Central Ohio has five categories of “leadership giving” - groups of individuals who take a leadership role in their giving and are inspired by what they can accomplish together. Their generosity, compassion and dedication make a real impact on the lives of people in our community.
How This Helps:
Leadership Giving provides the fastest way to help increase total dollars raised in the campaign, and the networking opportunities offered within the groups boost your organization’s presence in the community.
Strategies:
- Encourage Leader’s Circle as an easy and effective way for all donors to make an investment in United Way based on a percentage of their salary
- Promote the benefits to membership for United Way’s Leadership Giving groups: Leaders Circle, Key Club, Young Leadership Group, Cinquefoil Fellowship, and the Alexis de Tocqueville Society
- Recognize the people that gave last at these levels last year. Others will want to know more about how to get involved
- Recognize individuals who give at Leadership levels through special recognition events, personalized letters from senior management or exclusive incentives
STEP 9: Announce Results and Thank!
Plan ways to finalize your campaign, celebrate your accomplishments and thank employees for their participation and contributions.
How This Helps:
People will have a more positive feeling about their donation, and the appreciation increases the likeliness that that they’ll participate next year.
Strategies:
- Announce campaign results via email or during staff meetings
- Create opportunities to say thank you
- Show how one “small” gift combined with the entire company’s will create a big impact
- Submit Celebration of Excellence award application
STEP 10: Communicate Throughout the Year
Collaborate with United Way to provide year-round educational programs to implement throughout your workplace (newsletters, intranet, etc.). Work with your United Way Relationship Manager or Loaned Executive for more information on how to promote awareness about United Way and our work.
How This Helps:
Year-round communication helps educate employees on the impact of their gift and how integral they are to the work of United Way.
Strategies:
- Send monthly emails about United Way’s work (provided by United Way)
- Publish noteworthy information in company newsletters or intranet
