Dear Community,This year, we want to empower you to realize your reason why. What drives you to make a difference in our community? What are you passionate about? What do you stand for? What is your why?

If you are a longtime supporter of United Way, thank you for your ongoing commitment. If you are new to United Way, thank

you for joining us to create a better, stronger, and brighter Clarksville Region. We are honored to have you on our team.

As an encouraging leader, your energy and commitment will have a direct impact on our community in the Greater Clarksville

Region. In this packet, you’ll learn about best practices for coordinating a United Way fundraising campaign, building an

employee engagement platform, and how your workplace can make a difference through volunteering.

United Way staff members and volunteers are ready to support you in every possible way. Don’t hesitate to contact us for

whatever you need and to answer any questions that arise.

Thank you again for your love of community.

It’s because of you we are able to provide hope, create opportunities, and make lasting change.

With love,

Valerie GuzmanCEO, United Way of the Greater Clarksville Region

Vision and MissionUnited Way of the Greater Clarksville Region is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization committed to positive community change. Founded in 1956, United Way has earned its reputation as a respected, trusted and effective philanthropic

organization addressing human-service needs in Montgomery, Houston and Stewart counties. United Way's impact is

made possible through the commitment of thousands of volunteers, financial contributors, and communitypartners.

We adovacate for the health, education and financial stability of every local resident. Our vision is a community of opportunity where everyone has hope and can reach their full potential. Our mission is to connect people, resources

and ideas in order to:

• Ensure basic needs are met for all throughout the region.

• Produce meaningful and measurable results in the areas of education, health, and financial stability.

UNITED WAY OF THE GREATER CLARKSVILLE REGION

Basic NeedsBasic needs are essential for survival:

food, shelter, clothing, access to health care, and

emergency assistance. United Way supports agencies that deliver a variety of these safety-net programs.

EducationToo many of our youth face challenges that set themback for life: unprepared for school, stressful home

environments and overwhelmed parents, to name a few. United Way supports a continuum of services to address

these challenges and give childrena second chance.

Financial StabilityIncreasing income, building savings, and gaining and

sustaining assets are the basics to building a better future. United Way and its partners offer a range of services to help

families move toward financial security and, ultimately, upward economic mobility.

HealthHealth is a basic need that affects every aspect of a

person’s daily life. Good mental and physical health allows children to learn better and adults to be

independent and productive citizens.

____________________________________ FOCUS AREAS ___________________________________

STEPS TO A GREAT CAMPAIGNEvery workplace campaign is different and can be shaped around your organization’s culture.

Here are the four basic steps and keys to running a successful campaign.

1. PreparePlan your campaign in advance:

set a goal, set your dates, and recruit a strong team to help lead your company’s efforts.

2. InspireShare the United Way story with all employees, and connect them with our work to show how their support can ensure a better future for the

community.

3. AskEncourage and ask everyone to make a gift.

4. ThankMake sure everyone feels appreciated for

their generosity.

Much of your company’s campaign success will be determined by preparation.

This section will walk you through steps to ensure you are prepared to run a successful campaign.

Develop Your Plan1. Schedule a meeting with United Way.

• Review your organization’s campaign history, and schedule a meeting to plan the campaign.

2. Develop a timeline. Include:• Start and end dates, length of campaign (we recommend up to 2 weeks).• Involvement of all company locations.

• Campaign team training.• Schedule an Employee Engagement project.

3. Set goals. Consider setting your goal by:• Comparing to your organization’s campaign history report.• Increasing the number of people who give through payroll deduction.

• Asking employees to consider increasing their gift from the last year.

• Adding donors who qualify for Leadership Giving societies.• Asking for a corporate gift or match.

4. Run the campaign.• Implement your campaign plan.

• Publicize, promote and incentivize

• Execute your Employee Engagement service project.• Ask employees for donations using paper forms or online e-pledge.

5. Wrap up the campaign.• Say thank you.

• Report results.• Collect feedback and ideas for use the next year.

1. PREPARE

You can inspire your company’s employees to give generously by educating them about United Way of the Greater

Clarksville Region and helping them be engaged in the organization’s work.

Promote and InspireEducation, storytelling and information are the keys to reaching your fundraising goal. United Way Community Engagement

Director Sarah Wood will help you create an atmosphere of enthusiasm as you inform employees about how their contributions help change lives in our community.

Before campaign:

• Raise awareness of upcoming campaign (see ideas list)• Thank donors for their previous support.

• Share a schedule of campaign activities.• Schedule employee engagement service projects.

2. INSPIRE

After campaign:• Highlight campaign results.

• Thank donors for contribution.

• Host a fun celebratory event for all participants.

During campaign, provide:• Information about how to pledge.• Campaign video.

• United Way agency speakers

• Fun, interactive events and incentives

• Agency success stories

• Messages asking for donations.• Information about matching corporate gifts.

All year long:

• Follow United Way of the Greater Clarksville Region on social media. You can find us on Facebook (@UWGCR), Twitter (@uwclarksville) and Instagram (@uwclarksville).

• You are always welcome to reshare our content, and let us know if we can help craft your United Way story. Reach

out to Julie Brown at jbrown@uwgcr.org any time for tips and suggestions.

PROMOTIONAL IDEAS• Company-wide campaign rallies and events• Employee engagement service projects• Internal, energetic email from your CEO or other leadership• Friendly competition/challenges from your CEO other leadership• Friendly competition/challenges with other workplaces• Encouraging email messages from your campaign chair• Posters and fliers• United Way brochures and success stories• United Way campaign video or Personalized company video • Employee testimonials (print or video)• Company newsletter (printed or electronic)• Promote your partnership on company advertising - print, digital, website, billboard, radio• Showcase your company's support on external signage and/or digital marquees• Share pictures of your support on social media and tag United Way of the Greater Clarksville Region• Highlight a United Way partner agency each month or quarter• Sponsor an event that features your partnership with United Way such as a golf tournament, health fair, etc.

Incentive & Event IdeasEmployer match

Extra vacation day

Sleep in / leave early pass

Movie tickets

Sporting event tickets

Breakfast for department with best results

Discounts to stores

Gift certificates for restaurants or grocery stores

Gas card

Days off

Power Lunch - Lunch with the boss / lunch on the boss

Donated items from your company’s vendors

Yard/Garage sale

Silent Auction

Dress-up competition (holidays or theme-related)

Office Olympics

Field Day

Talent Contest

Karaoke Concert

Casual Day

Incentive & Event Ideas (continued)

GUESS THE BABY CONTEST - Ask co-workers to bring in their baby pictures. Each week feature a new group of pictures on the bulletin board. Employees get chances to guess which baby picture is their co-workers.

DUNKING BOOTH - Pay said amount of money for 3 chances to dunk the boss or other favorite targets in the company.

BEAT THE BAD HABIT - Get co-workers to stop being tardy to meetings, popping gum, failing to recycle, leaving letterhead in the copy machine… offenders pay a quarter for their transgressions.

BAKE SALE - To encourage participation, you might have a “Bake-Off” and give prizes to the best bakers. Here’s a hint, hold your bake sale on payday!

CHILI COOK-OFF - Charge an entry fee for employees who want to cook up their best recipe for chili, pork, poultry, beans or barbecue. Sell samplings to hungry co-workers.

COOKBOOK - Collect the favorite recipes of co-workers. Compile the recipes into a booklet and sell to co- workers.You could also compile recipes on 3x5 file cards and sort the recipes by appetizers, soups, salads, main dishes and

desserts. Then you could sell the recipes in groups.

HOT DOG STANDS - Get hot dogs donated and sell with a beverage and chips for a set amount.

ICE CREAM SUNDAES OR FLOATS - Cream soda, root beer, or other carbonated beverage plus two scoops of ice cream is a popular item to sell to hungry coworkers. Try to get ice cream and soda donated to increase the profit.

JELLYBEAN COUNTING CONTEST - For a donation, co-workers can guess how many jellybeans are in that jar. This can also be done with M&M’s, Skittles, Lifesavers, etc.

POTLUCK/SPAGHETTI SUPPER - Coordinate office volunteers to bring a potluck lunch. Charge a set amount for an all-you-can-eat, home cooked breakfast or lunch.

QUIZ GAME - Pay to participate

RESERVED PARKING - Auction the best parking spot for a week or a month.

CARNIVAL DAY - Booths can be assembled for all kinds of fund-raising activities including a dunking booth, arcade games, children’s games, train ride, pony rides, face painting, basketball free-throw challenge, food and drinks.

3. ASKAsking for a gift is by far the most important step of an employee campaign. The No. 1 reason people do not give isbecause they were never asked. It is important to allow every employee to make a personal decision about giving toUnited Way of the Greater Clarksville Region.

GivingGiving to United Way of the Greater Clarksville Region is the most effective way to improve lives and strengthen our community. United Way's annual allocations process ensures fiscal and program accountability for all agencies receiving

United Way funds, while meeting the health and human service needs of our community. Partner agency programs approved for funding have provided evidence and documentation that they meet United Way of the Greater Clarksville Region’s

standards for: organizational governance, effectiveness of operations, fiscal responsibility, and truthfulness of theirrepresentations.

You may elect to allow your contributed funds to be directed through this process or you may designate to a specific United Way partner agency. Current partner agencies are listed on the agency insert inside the 2019 - 2020 brochure and online at

www.liveunitedclarksville.org.

How To Ask

Include Everyone• Start at the top – ask company leadership to set the example by making their contributions early.

• Include off-site and remote employees as well as new member employees.

Inform Employees• Hold a campaign kick-off or rally to start your campaign.

• Invite United Way staff or Campaign Cabinet member to discuss the community’s needs and to ask for support at a specially created or pre-existing staff meeting.

• Invite agency speakers to discuss personal stories about the work they do with funds received from United Way donations.

• Create options for an online meeting to reach remote employees or those who can’t leave their desks during workhours.

• Keep the meeting brief, lively and informative.

• Thank employees for their participation.

• Make individual peer-to-peer asks for support. This is especially effective when asking for a Tocqueville or Leadership donation or engaging new employees.

• Highlight corporate support, especially if your company has a program in place that matches employee donations.

The two most important words to remember and the ones people appreciate the most are “thank you.” Thanking everyone involved, from those who donated to those who helped implement the campaign and volunteered their time at community service projects, cannot be overemphasized and goes a long way to ensure their long-term support.

There are two great ways to thank donors:

1.Thank donors through United Way.

• Share the details of who gave to the campaign so United Way can thank individual donors. Letting United Way thank donors directly will also help your campaign going forward to retain donors.

• Ensure United Way is provided with donor addresses and email addresses so that thank you communications can be received. (Unless donor wishes to remain anonymous)

2.Thank donors through the workplace campaign.• Hang thank you posters around your workplace.• Send thank you letters or e-cards from your CEO, ECC and Leadership Giving chair.• Highlight givers of a certain level in a public space.• Host an event for donors who give at a certain level.• Give a special gift or host a special reception for campaign team leaders and your campaign committee.• Publicize results via your company newsletter, email or intranet.

4. THANK

Report ResultsTimely reporting of the results of the campaign is an important part to wrapping up your United Way campaign.

• Throughout the campaign, collect all cash, checks, pledge cards and other gift information.

• Keep special event donations separate from individual contributions.• Where possible, proof paper pledge forms submitted by donors to make sure they are filled out correctly.

• If you don’t use United Way’s paper pledge forms, provide your United Way development with donor details, such as names,

emails, addresses and donation amounts for tax purposes and recognition, including membership information for United Way giving societies they qualify for.

• Turn in all pledges and pledge forms with the Pledge Form Reports provided by United Way.

• Schedule a time with your United Way Community Engagement Director to visit and pick up campaign results.

Plan For Next YearGetting an early start to next year’s campaign allows you the opportunity to execute an even more successful campaign in

the future.

• Gather feedback about the campaign from senior leadership, the campaign committee and United Waystaff.• Leave notes and resources for campaign leads to use next year.

• Identify next year’s ECC and have them plan to attend future United Way ECC training sessions.

• Implement a new-hires program to give new employees the opportunity to contribute when they join the company and learn more about how United Way supports our community.

• Work with United Way to develop and hold year-round individual or group volunteer events.

• Implement a year-round communications plan that shares the impact of United Way’s work in the community with your employees.

FAQSHow long should our campaign run?The average campaign runs for one or two weeks. Longer campaigns often take up additional time and resources. One to two weeks is the perfect amount of time to kick off your campaign, get the message out effectively and make your ask without overburdening staff. An exception to this could be if you are the ECC at an exceptionally large company with many different work sites.

When should our campaign take place?Most campaigns take place between mid-September and mid-November, but they can happen any time best suited for your company.

How can employees give?Using a United Way of the Greater Region pledge form, employees can give via payroll deduction, cash or check. You can also give by credit card through United Way's website at www.liveunitedclarksville.org. Speak with United Way staff for more information on all giving options.

Can donations be designated to a certain agency or program?United Way of the Greater Clarksville Region honors designations only to current partner agency programs. A list is provided on brochures insert lists and on the website at www.liveunitedclarksville.org. Donors may elect to designate their gifts to one or more agencies by indicating their choice on the pledge forms.

When does payroll deduction start?United Way does not set your payroll schedule; it is a company decision and can be run on a period best suiting yourworkplace.

I am limited on time to devote to a campaign. How can I work it into my busy schedule?The best way to ease the strain is to recruit a committee, assign tasks and start planning early as a team. Also, be sure to reach out to your United Way staff or Campaign Cabinet anytime extra help is needed.

Are donations to United Way tax deductible?Yes. Just keep the pink copy of your pledge form for your records. If you happen to lose your copy, just call the United Way office and we can provide you with appropriate documentation. For additional information, contact United Way of Greater Clarksville Region’s Finance Director Ian Pasley at ipasley@uwgcr.org.

RESOURCESCommunity Engagement Director | Campaign CabinetContact United Way Community Engagement Director or a Campaign Cabinet member to ask questions or get any information needed to help you run a successful campaign or to get connected with an employee engagement service project. We are here

to help you energize, engage and inspire employees throughout your campaign and offer custom-tailored volunteer projects for your workplace. We are a great resource and are an important part of your campaign team.

Contact Sarah Wood: swood@uwgcr.org.

Marketing Director I Social MediaIn need of a custom campaign graphic, pictures, or success stories? Contact United Way Creative Director, Julie Brown for all your communication needs. Be sure to follow United Way of the Greater Clarksville Region on social media – and encourage your

employees to as well. You’ll find us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. We want to see your photos too! Feel free to always use #LiveUnited in your posts, and please tag us so we can share your stories.

Contact Julie Brown: jbrown@uwgcr.org

WebsiteVisit www.liveunitedclarksville.org to learn about our work and our partners. You can also download campaign materials, success stories, posters, videos, photos, logos, sample emails and other helpful campaign tools.

EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENTIts takes both time and money to make a true impact in our community. This year, United Way is launchingENGAGE, employee service projects, in addition to United Way programs and other volunteer experiences.

Why ENGAGE?United Way wants to connect workplaces with service projects for their employees to participate in during their annual United Way campaign. The customized projects will empower employees to serve the community while volunteering with co-workers. ENGAGE is the perfect team-building project that not only boosts employee engagement, but is an opportunity for your workplace to give back in an interactive way. Studies show, volunteering enhances teamwork skills, increases productivity, develops leaderships skills, and provides a fun, fulfilling sense of purpose.

Lunch in a Sack

Make PB&J sandwiches and create sack lunches for the homeless or seniors in the local area. A group of employees will deliver the sack lunches to a homeless shelter or food service agency to feed the individuals or families.

Take a Tour

Take a group of employees on a tour of one of United Way’s partner agencies. This is a great way to see the daily operations of our partners and how they are making an impact in our community.

$aving $ense

Build savings banks for elementary students. A small group of employees will deliver the savings banks to the school and teach the students about the importance of financial literacy and saving at an earlyage.

Customized Projects

United Way will customize a service project specific to your workplace. Depending upon your business’s interests and/or CSR plan, we will plan a project your employees will love.

Read with Me!

Create puppets for an elementary classroom to use when reading. A small group of employees will pass out the puppets to the students and read the book to the class.

Employee Fun

Engage your employees through friendly competitions or experiences. Past workplace examples include golf and basketball tournaments, field day competitions, costume day, etc.

GET INVOLVEDUnited Way ProgramsRead UnitedRead United is a 6-week program that allows volunteers and students to read together via a video conferencing application.

For 30 minutes, once a week, individuals connect with a student at CMCSS. You don’t even have to leave your office!

Lead UnitedLead United is a student leadership council focusing on community needs in the Clarksville area. Student service ambassadors

address these needs by implementing service projects in our community. Students are selected from among applications received

from all high schools in Montgomery County. Our workplace partners have the opportunity to host a Lead United monthly meeting

or sponsor a service project! For more information, contact Sarah Wood: swood@uwgcr.org.

Community PartnershipsUnited Way partners with many organizations on community-wide initiatives that contribute to the quality of life for residents in

the Greater Clarksville Region. Partners include: City of Clarksville, Clarksville-Montgomery County School System, and

Montgomery County Government.

Volunteer OpportunitiesDay of ActionEvery year in June, United Way hosts a community-wide volunteer event. In the past, volunteers packed 10,000 bags of school

supplies, created the Born Learning Trail at Liberty Park, and served various organizations throughout the Greater Clarksville

Region.

Volunteer UnitedVolunteer United is United Way’s online volunteer platform that connects individuals with opportunities for them to serve the

community. The site hosts over 50 non-profit organizations that offer a variety of different volunteer experiences. Get

connected today! Visit www.uwgcr.galaxydigital.com.

SAVE THE DATESGame-Changer Golf Scramble: September 20Legends Bank presents the 3rd Annual Game-Changer Golf Scramble. Support United Way and spend the day playing golf at Clarksville Country Club. Team tickets ($400) include 4-player round of golf, lunch, dinner, silent auction, goodies, and tons of fun! Sponsorships available.

Holiday Hop Ahead: November 15Get ahead of the holidays and join us for a night of shopping, dining, and holiday festivities at your favorite local places. Tickets will go on sale in October.

Unite with a Pint: TBDCalling all craft beer connoisseurs! Partnering with local breweries, Unite with a Pint will highlight each brewery’s signature craft beer with the perfect food combination.

United We Dine: March 12All day long local restaurants will be participating in United We Dine. A portion of their proceedswill go to support United Way. Be sure to dine out for your coffee, lunch, and dinner needs.

Budget and Allocations: April - MayUnited Way's annual budget and allocations process will be held April – May. Community members are needed to serve on the Budget and Allocations Committee.

End of Campaign: April 30All campaigns must be turned in no later than April 30th.

Annual Meeting: May 19Celebrate the year with us at United Way's Annual Meeting & Campaign Celebration as we reflect on the year, recognize leadership donors, outstanding workplaces, agencies and volunteers.

Day of Action: June 19Join as again this year as we pack 10,000 bags of school supplies for Prepped for Success!

Together, we win, for the love of community.

United Way of the Greater Clarksville Region107 Jefferson Street, Suite 107Clarksville, TN 37040931.647.4291liveunitedclarksville.org