Dear Members and Friends of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship,
On Saturday, October 20, 2007, it will declare that
The Sky’s the Limit
on what we can raise to support our annual budget. That’s right! We will be hosting an auction fundraiser on that day, so mark your calendar. With your donations, this can be a very successful event; alleviating the deficit budget we passed for 2007-08. Here’s how you can help! Search your own personal resources and those of your network, including businesses you frequent, family, friends, and neighbors. Here are a few ideas of what we are looking for:
*new material goods of all kinds… *tickets of all sorts…
*quality used items like jewelry, table ware, artwork, unique clothing…
*vacation rentals… *sports equipment… *backyard and gardening supplies…
*services like dessert of the month, tutoring, bookkeeping, cleaning…
*musical instruments, CDs, performances…
*and the return of the Painted Chairs; a popular item at the 2004 auction!
Please respond by September 30 so we can have an accurate list of what is available for the printed program. There will also be advertising space available in the program: $25 for a business card. Contact Terra Collier-Young at terracoyo@yahoo.com
or Bobbi Jo Palmer at ptspalmer@prodigy.net
for information, to volunteer, or to acquire a chair to paint. You can also down load a donation application from the website: www.uufscc.org
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by Sandra Sims
One of the best ways to raise money when you're participating in a run/walk event is a fundraising letter. This is also one of the easiest fundraisers! You are simply writing a letter to family and friends asking them to join you in supporting a worthy charity. Your only costs are for paper and postage, so all of the proceeds go directly to the cause.
Letters asking for a financial gift work especially well for organizations that support a specific cause. This includes groups such as health advocacy, hunger or disaster relief, and public arts such as museums and symphonies. These are groups that people can easily identify as contributing to the community and the world.
Understanding why people respond to fundraising letters is important. The letter should appeal to the concerns and motivations of the reader. Cold facts and statistics may be interesting, but generally will not win over new supporters. Make the cause "real" to your reader, and show them why they should care about it.
Some of the reasons why people donate:
1.
Because you asked - This is the number one reason people give. If the letter comes from a personal friend or family member the reader is even more likely to donate.
2.
Personal interests - Your letter is most likely to appeal to those who have a personal interest in your cause. People who are already interested in the cause will appreciate the work of the charity. They may also enjoy keeping informed about news and the latest developments in that subject area. For example, someone who has a family history of cancer may be more likely to support a health or cancer related charity. People who already have an affinity for your subject area will be more likely to donate.
3.
People believe their monetary gift will make a difference - You are offering a way for people to contribute to society simply by writing a check. They are helping to solve a problem, one that they otherwise would not be able to on their own.
4.
People are generous - Giving is a deeply held value for many people. Giving to charitable causes reinforces our belief that we are good people.
Get Ready to Write
1.
Decide who your audience is for your letter. Are they current supporters or new donors? How familiar are they with your cause? This will effect your tone and
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the material you choose to write about.
Tip: If you are doing a walk for charity, you will primarily be writing to people who already know you: your friends and family.
2.
Anticipate the reader's questions and answer them. When someone receives a fundraising letter, many questions arise, even if subconsciously. They will wonder - Who is this group? Are they reputable? Will the donation go to the cause or administrative costs? How much do I have to send? On a sheet of paper brainstorm all the many questions that could arise when someone gets your letter. Think of as many as possible, be they obvious or obscure. Now on the right hand side, next to each question, write a brief answer. Review the list and prioritize which questions are most important. You can use your answers later when you start to craft your letter.
3.
Ask for a specific suggested donation amount in the letter. Tie this amount to something tangible. For example, "your gift of just $15 will feed one needy family this holiday season." Don't be afraid to ask for a specific amount. Your supporters will feel comfortable that their donation is not too small or too large.
Plus, some people will give more than your suggested amount.
4.
What date would you like the response back? Giving a deadline increases the sense of urgency for the reader, and the number of responses.
5.
Get an idea about what has worked for other fundraisers. Collect letters you get in the mail, and view other sample letters. Make observations about style and content.
Make it Personal
Before we begin writing, let's just daydream a little. Imagine that you are talking to a friend face to face. You say, "Hey, did you hear about the XYC issue?" Your enthusiasm is evident, so your friend is intrigued, "No, tell me about them." You describe the cause or situation and why it is so important. You relate the cause to a personal situation, or tell a heart wrenching story about someone effected by XYZ. Now your friend is thinking, "Gosh this is a terrible situation, someone should do something."
You tell them how a worthy charity needs funds so it can solve this problem. A specific financial gift will greatly help the XYZ Foundation help people in need. You ask for the donation and your friend pulls out the checkbook!
This might be a simplified version, but you get the idea. Write the letter as if you are talking to someone. Be personable. If possible, include a true story of someone effected by the cause and/or how your organization has helped them. This helps the reader identify with the need. They will feel like they are helping an individual rather than a vague idea.
Write directly to the questions you brainstormed about earlier. Answer the questions, and you have reduced the possibility of rejection. You are easing people's fears about sending a gift. Your supporters will feel good about donating to the cause.
Finally, remember to ask for the gift. You are offering your reader the chance to help with a worthy cause. Get them to take direct action today, without delay!
Remember the Basics
While you want to make your letter personal, don't forget the basics of writing.

Keep the letter to 1-2 pages, any longer and your reader may loose interest.

Make the message easy to understand, don't get bogged down in too many numbers or jargon they may not know.
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
Keep your letter focused on the topic; don't chase rabbits.

Remember to use Standard English, good grammar and correct spelling.

Sign the letter! Your letter comes from someone in particular, not just the group.

Catch the readers eye If possible include pictures. These can be black and white or color, and printed on the letter itself. Again, this helps put a face to your cause.

Use of text features such as bold and underline, if used appropriately can further enhance your message.

Use short paragraphs, with a space in between each.
 Use standard margins of 1 to 1 ½ inches on each side of the page.

Be sure to use a font that is easy to read with a minimum 10 pt, preferably 11 or 12-pt size.

Include a return address, phone number, web address and email contact if possible.
Make it Easy to Respond
Requesting a specific gift amount is the first step in making the response easy. To further ease your donor's response, include a response card, and pre-addressed return envelope. If possible, make the envelope postage paid.
One Final Review
Ask others in your group to read your letter and give feedback. Also ask people not familiar with the organization, so you can get a fresh perspective. Get someone with a flair for writing and a keen eye to proofread. Decide what changes you want to make, and edit the letter.
Check Your Mailbox
Seeing those return envelopes in your mailbox is exciting! You may be surprised at who responds and how generous people are. Be sure to keep track of your responses, who donates and in what amounts.
Sending thank you letters or notes is very important. These can be handwritten notes, or typed letters as long as you sign them. When I did Team in Training, I bought thank you cards and hand wrote the message. After the marathon, I sent pictures of me with my medal to some of my supporters. You may think of other ways to personally thank your supporters.
Tax receipts need to be sent to people who donate over a certain amount. If you are participating in a walk/run event, the charity usually handles this.
Follow up with those who do not respond within a few weeks. A phone call, email, or postcard will work. Many times people intend to respond, but simply have forgotten.
Celebrate!
Remember why you are doing fundraising for your group. No matter how many donations you raise, every dollar helps. You are truly making a difference!
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We recommend the following structure for an auction committee:
Auction chair
This person is the leader of your committee. The primary qualifications for the
Auction Chair are a willingness to serve and the ability to lead. The first order of business for the Auction Chair is to assemble the committee and lead that committee to set an ambitious yet realistic goal for the auction.
Procurement Team
The procurement team is a group of individuals who will be tasked with soliciting contributions to the auction. The ideal person for procuring is someone who has both the time and willingness to contact members by phone for donations. You need individuals who are both friendly and persuasive for this task. Divide your membership list between each member of the procurement team for phone contacts.
Arrangements team
Depending on the size of your auction, you will need a person or team of people for each of the following:
Publicity
Publishing flyers, sending out press releases, writing articles for the newsletter, making announcements at chapter meetings, sending invitations to members.
Set up
This group is responsible for coordinating with the facility to arrange the event and make sure that tables are set up for the auction. They will also determine which items are placed where.
Banking/cashier
These individuals are responsible for totaling up each purchaser’s bill and collecting money. Ideally this individual has some math aptitude or at least the ability to use a calculator! The banker will also determine which methods of payment will be accepted (i.e. will you accept credit cards?) and have cash on hand for change. If credit cards will be accepted, you will need to arrange some method for processing credit card payments.
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The following methods have proven to be successful ways of promoting an auction:
Flyers (See Appendix A for a sample)
Press releases (See appendix B for a sample)
Articles in chapter newsletter (See Appendix C for a sample)
Letters to members
Announcements at meetings
Invitations (See Appendix E for a sample)
The best ways to procure items is to contact your members. You can also approach area businesses.
1.
Send out a letter (see Appendix D) to each of your members soliciting donations.
Be sure to mention that the money raised will benefit the SHRM Foundation.
Suggest items that they can contribute. Some items that tend to sell well include:

Gift baskets

Wine
 Gift items
 Holiday décor (if your auction is held during the holidays)

Anything for kids (parents and grandparents go crazy for these items!)

Food of any kind

Books
Cash contributions can also be made.
2.
2-4 weeks after sending the letter follow up with members who have not responded by calling asking for a donation.
3.
Complete a donation form (see Appendix F) for each item procured and turn in to the Set Up Team. Make sure the form is filled out completely. The address is important so a thank you letter can be sent following the auction. The item value is helpful for establishing the bid amounts.
4.
Arrange to pick up the item prior to the auction. Members may offer to bring the item with them. This works, but if possible, it is a good idea to get it from them ahead of time to minimize the possibility of the item not making it to the event.
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One to two weeks prior to the auction:
 Make sure you’ve collected all items for the auction

Confirm details with the facility where you will be holding the event

Create bid forms (see Appendix G)

Pick up any items you will need to decorate for the event
The day of the auction:

Arrange auction tables with items. Pay attention to the mix of items and their placement.

Set bid sheets out with the items. Make sure you have a pen for each bid sheet.
Nothing slows bidding down faster than having nothing with which to write your bid down!
How do you set bid prices?
The general rule of thumb is to start the bidding at 50% of the stated value of the item. The bidding increases from there in increments equal to 10% of the value (for convenience sake you can round). You can offer a “guaranteed bid” price which means when someone bids the “guaranteed bid” price, the bidding stops and that bidder wins the bid. The guaranteed bid price is typically equal to 150% of the stated value of the item.
For example:
Stated retail value=$50
Bidding starts at $25 and increases in increments of $5
Guaranteed bid price=$75
Before the auction:
 Determine which methods of payment you will accept. The more methods of payment you accept, the easier you make it for people to buy.

Arrange for a credit card processing machine if you will be accepting credit cards.

Arrange to have cash on hand to make change.

Coordinate volunteers to help tally winning bids at the auction.
During the auction:
We recommend that you have some form of entertainment or a speaker after the auction tables close to allow time to calculate purchases.
After the auction tables close, gather up all bid sheets and begin tallying results. There are many different ways of doing this. Beforehand establish a method for doing this with your banking/cashier team.
After the auction:

Deposit the funds immediately.
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
Have a check made out the SHRM Foundation and mail out within a week of the event. See Appendix H for a sample letter to send with the check.
Whew!! The auction is finished and hopefully you have met or exceeded your fundraising goals. You’re almost done. Here are a couple loose ends to tie up before you move on to your next project:

Send thank you letters to everyone who contributed an item to the auction. (See
Appendix I)

Send thank you letters to everyone who purchased something at the auction. (See
Appendix J)

Hold a wrap-up meeting with the auction committee to discuss what worked well and what could be changed for your next auction.

Keep a record of donors for your next event.
 Submit the information on your event to SHRM for publication in the “Chapter
Chatter” section of HR News.
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Below is a sample product donations request letter for fundraising activities.
Dear [insert name of business or business owner here]
Insert a general statement about the type of people you serve and what it is that they need here]. The [insert the name of your organization here] is a place that offers
[insert above listed benefit for above listed people].
However, today's tough economic conditions make it difficult for [insert name or the organization] to meet those needs without help from people like you. I am writing to invite your business to donate an item or gift certificate for the charity auction [or other event you need the donation for], [insert name of event/auction here].
[Insert a brief description of the event. What it entails, how long it has been running, and how many people usually attend as well as if the event is covered by local media]. All auction items [or whatever event] are donated by businesses like yours - as well as by members of [insert organization name here], alumni [if applicable] and community members.
Fun Fair is the biggest fundraising event of the year for [insert organization name here] and will take [insert date here] at [insert location here] from [insert timeframe here].
Benefits of Supporting [insert event name here]:
Your business will be recognized on all promotional materials, received by the [insert organization name here] members, alumni [if applicable] and community leaders and attendees.
Your donation will also be acknowledged in the [insert organization name here] newsletter [if applicable].
All contributions to the [insert name of event here] are tax-deductible [if applicable].
Our members and alumni [if applicable] lean towards supporting local businesses that donate to [insert name of organization here].
You can take pride in being a good corporate citizen.
Please know that all contributions you make will positively impact our [insert name of organization and the type of people you serve]. I will follow up with you within the next two weeks to discuss your possible donation. Thank you for your thoughtful consideration of our request.
Sincerely,
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[Insert your name here]
[Insert your organization here]
[Insert your phone number here]
More Sample Fundraising Letters
Dear ____________,
As Unitarian Universalists we strive to encourage peace, justice, and a world community with compassion and respect; our goals include promoting the inherent worth and dignity of all people and to be good stewards of the earth recognizing the interdependent of us all. Our covenant it to promote social justice and spiritual growth.
On October 20, 2007 the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Santa Cruz County will declare that “The Sky’s the Limit” on what we can raise to financially support these goals. We are writing to you today to ask for your participation in the form of a donation or gift certificate from your business to be auctioned of at our fundraiser. This fundraiser will enhance our annual budget as well as allow us to be of service to the greater Santa
Cruz community by sharing a percentage of our earnings with local organizations that share our commitment to the aforementioned goals. Groups like Communities Organized for relational Power in Action (COPA) who work with religious and secular organizations to effect positive change in the Monterey and Santa Cruz counties;
Interfaith Satellite Shelter Program (ISSP) who provides overflow sleeping space and food for the homeless; Western Service Workers Association, and advocacy group for low wage earners and their families; and Jacob’s Heart, a group dedicated to providing comfort and care to families with children who have cancer. Our plan is to tithe 10% of the total to these groups. Your donation will help boost the success of it all!
Please consider a donation of any size, or if it is not possible now, consider buying advertising space in our auction catalogue: a business card is $25. All donations are taxdeductible; our non-profit number is__________.
Thank you for your consideration. We will follow up with a call within seven days and hope to sign you up as a donator for our “Sky’s the Limit” auction.
In the spirit of community support and service,
Terra Collier-Young and Bobbi Jo Palmer terracoyo@yahoo.com
, ptspalmer@prodigy.net
Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Santa Cruz County
6401 Freedom Blvd. Aptos, CA, 95003
831-462-4995 www.uufscc.org
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