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How-to Guide for Your Fundraising Event Thank you so much supporting RESULTS and RESULTS Educational Fund (REF) by holding a fundraising event. Your fundraising is critical! Much of RESULTS’ and REF’s work is financed by individual donors and much of this success comes from our own grassroots fundraising. As a group, our volunteers annually raise over $300,000 from their friends, relatives, and colleagues. The fundraising efforts of our activists have made a difference from the organization’s very beginnings, allowing us to navigate economic turbulence and take advantage of in-the-moment opportunities, while also raising our profile in the community. These financial resources are also critical in giving us the independent voice we need to call on Congress to act powerfully, effectively, and strategically. Your willingness to spread the word about RESULTS to your inner circle and invite them to participate financially in our work can be a game-changer that moves us closer to our

goals. Fundraising is also an opportunity to share the powerful work of RESULTS with people we know. We offer them the opportunity to be part of our world-changing movement, telling to them about our passion and how it has empowered us. We invite them, be they friends, coworkers, allies or our loved ones, to invest in our work of saving lives and ending poverty. This toolkit provides step-by-step instructions to make this easy to accomplish. Inside this kit you will find: • Key Fundraising Roles for a Successful Event • Inviting Guests • Elements of an Event • Sending Donations to RESULTS • Follow Up for Greater Leverage • Support from Staff • Sample Program for a Small Event • Frequently Asked Questions • Quotes to Inspire In partnership, Your grateful fundraising staff P.S You can also find tips for holding a raffle or silent auction, detailed instructions for reporting contributions and expenses, and fundraising forms on the website on the

Fundraising Event Toolkit page. Key Fundraising Roles for a Successful Event Event Coordinator: This person(s) works closely with staff and takes the lead on holding the vision for the team and working to ensure that all the separate pieces of the event are managed. The event coordinator: • Holds the vision • Helps to create goals • o How much do you want to raise? o How many people do you want in the room? o What individual and group goals do you want to attain?  Number of new partners?  Personal funding and inviting goals Coordinates the team and the process Inviting Team Lead: This person, working with a grassroots staff member, supports and coaches the inviting team to fill the room and ensure a successful event. • Tracks the guests that are coming. • Oversees publicity, invitations, and event website. Inviting Team: Activists in your groups or other community members who help invite people to your event. Program Lead: Organizes the program

for the night and makes sure the program goes smoothly (sample program below): • Creates a timeline for the event and keeps the event on track. • Makes sure speaker has been given talking points and any information they may need. • Ensures that all RESULTS speakers have practiced and gotten feedback on their speaking. Logistics: This detail-oriented person: • Requests materials from the RESULTS office such as donor envelopes and brochures. • Organizes the event site, food and beverages, and volunteer coordination. Administrative Lead: Critical to the success of the event, this person: • Reads over and learns the instructions for processing expenses and contributions. • Submits contributions and expenses with proper forms to RESULTS within two days of the event (forms can be found in the Fundraising Event Toolkit at www.resultsorg/skills center/fundraising tools/fundraising event toolkit/) • Ensures all donor data goes into a local database for group reference.

• May work with inviting team to track the guests that are coming. Follow-Up Coordinator: Key to ensuring the success of future events, this person: • Supports volunteers to thank guests. • Invites interested folks to your next meeting or passes those names on to the person who will invite them. Inviting Guests The key to success for any fundraising event is inviting. Many a volunteer has fallen into the trap of believing that sending out a few emails and posting a few flyers will get people to their event, only then to be sadly disappointed when they produce a fabulous event for just a few people. But if you are willing to consider a few tried-and-true solutions, we think you will be pleasantly surprised with the outcome. Make Goals for yourself (and ask your group to do the same): • How many do you want in the room? Pick a number that really stretches you. • How much money do you want to raise from your individual invitees? Create your guest list: • • Start

with your comfort zone folks o Family o Friends Move to folks who are out of your comfort zone o Colleagues o Acquaintances from other networks Separate the list into categories: • Low hanging fruit: These are the easy folks, the ones who know you and support you. Most likely they already know about your work in RESULTS, and if they don’t, they will listen to you willingly. These are great folks to practice your first few pitches on and to get feedback from They are also the most likely to come to your event. So get a few “yeses” under your belt, and then move on to the folks outside of your comfort zone. • Middle of tree: These are folks who you know, but feel uncomfortable about asking to a fundraiser. They may or may not know anything about RESULTS All of the practice you do with the first group will help you to fine-tune your invitation and make these calls easier. • Top of the tree: These are the folks that scare the heck out of you and most likely

don’t know about RESULTS (yet). Again, all of the practice you do on earlier calls will really help with these people. Be prepared for a few more questions from them, but don’t fall into the trap of feeling like you have to articulate every single thing RESULTS does. Speak from the heart about your own passion for RESULTS, what you get from participating in RESULTS, and how your work with RESULTS expresses your own values. Write out your talking points: • Many a volunteer has slid down the slippery slope of RESULTS’ acronyms, political jargon, and lists of campaigns only to be met by glassy-eyes stares or silence. To avoid this pitfall, take the time to prepare for your calls. You want to give people a clearer idea of what RESULTS is and why you support this incredible organization not only with your money, but with your time. Pick up the phone and start inviting! The goal here is to invite everybody on your list no matter where they fall on your RESULTS family tree. We

never know where we are going to find our next partner or donor, but we know for certain that the only way people will participate, whether financially or as a volunteer, is if they are asked. Make a personal call to each person to invite them to your event. The vast majority of people will come based on your personal invitation. Don’t worry about being an “expert” about RESULTS many of your friends, family, and colleagues will come because you believe in RESULTS and they believe in you. It’s also critical to the success of your event that you call them a day or two before to reconfirm that they are coming. Tips • People will say no don’t sweat it. • Make sure your guests know that they are being invited to a fundraiser. • Start early and follow up with people. If it’s a good event people will thank you • If people can’t come, ask them to make a donation to help with this event and keep them on your list for next year. • Remember to take a breath and

let people ask questions. • Ask people to invite other people who may be interested “Do you know anyone else who might like to come?” • Remember to call people a day or two before to remind them about your event. Let them know you need a headcount for food and ask if they need directions. Elements of an Event Having food and music and a festive atmosphere can be very fun and effective. Do a dessert or wine and cheese sampler, a potluck, whatever you like. Your guests will respond to the care you put into the gathering. The most important thing is to have fun and create an event you would like to attend Be creative and think outside of the box. Set aside a half hour to an hour for the program so your guests can get an introduction to RESULTS and you can ask them for a contribution (see sample program). Although the issues we work on may be heartbreaking, the message we want our guests to leave with is one of hope, health, and the brilliance of the human spirit to

overcome extreme adversity and flourish in thriving, healthy communities. It’s ok to have a blast even when you’re talking about hunger and poverty! The Program The people who are speaking in the program should get together to practice their speaking parts, like a dress rehearsal. This will make the program much more effective When you are preparing your remarks, put yourself in the shoes of a guest who doesn’t know anything about RESULTS/REF or the issues we support. Make sure everything makes sense and is explained simply. Don’t use any jargon or acronyms, or if you do, explain them clearly Guest speakers from your community can be very effective if they can give testimony to the value of RESULTS. If you are using someone unfamiliar with RESULTS, get together with them ahead of time and show them the “Everyday Heroes” video and go over RESULTS’ successes so that they can say something relevant about the value of RESULTS to them or their organization. You can find

RESULTS’ most recent successes on the website at http://www.resultsorg/about/our results/ Ask for Donations! This is something that is inherently uncomfortable for most people. It is important to remember that people like to spend money on things that they value. That is the bottom line If you do a good job of explaining RESULTS/REF and why you value it and spend your money to fund it, then your guests will decide for themselves if it has value to them. If so, they will be more than happy to spend their money to support it. If it is not their cup of tea, that’s fine There are lots of causes that probably don’t resonate with you either we all have our unique preferences. Your only job is to create a welcoming environment for people to hear about RESULTS/REF and offer them the opportunity to get involved and support our mission. The rest is up to your guests When you get to the part of your program when you are ready to ask for a donation, pass out the Donor Forms and walk people

through the options. Be familiar with the form ahead of time and ask for staff support if you have any questions on how to use it. It’s helpful to give people an envelope so their check doesn’t get separated from the form. Make sure people designate on the form if their gift is for RESULTS (not tax-deductible) or RESULTS Educational Fund (tax-deductible.) Sending Donations to RESULTS It is very important that all money collected be sent to RESULTS right after your event. Make sure each donation is placed into a completely filled out Donor Envelope or Donor Form this will ensure that the donor is entered into our national database correctly, their donation is processed quickly and professionally, and they are thanked in a timely manner. Make sure to fill in your group name and the date of your event. If you collect further donations as you follow up with guests and no-shows after your party, you can send a second batch. Package your donations together and mail to: RESULTS /

RESULTS Educational Fund P.O Box 10413 Uniondale, NY 11555-10413 Also, please send a Contributions and Expense Report to the RESULTS office at: RESULTS / RESULTS Educational Fund 750 First St., NE, Suite 1040 Washington, DC 20002 Detailed instructions and the contributions and expense form are on the Fundraising Event Toolkit page at: http://www.resultsorg/skills center/fundraising tools/fundraising event toolkit/ You are encouraged to spend as little as possible on your party or have things donated. However, if you incur minor expenses that you would like reimbursed, include receipts and other pertinent information with your Contributions and Expense Report. Follow Up for Greater Leverage You can certainly just host your party, ask for contributions, thank your guests, and leave it at that. But if you are looking to leverage your efforts, expand participation in your group, and grow your local network of supporters, follow up! Some guests may not give at your party, but may make a

donation if you call to thank them for coming and offer to answer any questions they may have. Sometimes people are shy to ask something in front of others, but will engage with you one on one. If they are able to get their concern addressed often they will be happy to give a donation. If not, at least you clarified something they were unsure about. They may give in the future “no” now is not necessarily “no” forever Send a brief handwritten thank you note to all your guests. You can include a sheet that lists your regular and upcoming meetings, contact information for your group leader, and some of the activities that your group is involved in. This is a great way to engage people who may be on the fence about getting involved or who may want to participate once in awhile. If anyone expressed interest in getting involved, call them very soon after your party to talk with them about opportunities. You can start by going over the ways to participate and answer any questions

they may have about RESULTS/REF. If you run into questions you can’t answer, call or email a staff member for support. Support from Staff Staff support and additional materials are available for your fundraising event. It’s a good idea to get in touch with support staff as soon as you decide to host a fundraising event to make your process easier and your event more effective. Here are some resources available from staff: • Lists of RESULTS donors in your local area. • Help following up with the donors you generate (i.e, formal thank yous and ongoing cultivation). • Help locating speakers we may know coalition colleagues in your area or at least be able to suggest options. • Regular coaching calls to help you manage your project. You are also encouraged to contact your Regional Coordinator. These people have a wealth of knowledge and resources. For more information visit http://www.resultsorg/skills center/fundraising info/fundraising tools/ or contact Donna

Howard at dhoward@results.org You may also reach the development office at (202) 7783-7400 ext. 124 Sample Program Outline for a Small Fundraising Event (20 to 45 minutes is optimal) Welcome and Thanks (2 min) • Thank all people who invited and helped in any way. Emotional Introduction (3 min) • • One person shares his or her experience with RESULTS: o How does s/he feel differently as a citizen since becoming involved with RESULTS? o What has s/he accomplished with the support of RESULTS? o How did RESULTS’ education and training make that possible? Another RESULTS volunteer shares an inspiring story or article. Video (10 min) “Everyday Heroes” or a video that relates to the theme of your event RESULTS Successes (3 min) • Go over some of RESULTS’ successes (request brochures form the RESULTS office for your event or download current successes from http://www.resultsorg/about/our results/) and share any action that your group took to support any of them

(e.g, wrote a letter, made a call to a member of Congress, shared about the issue with friends, etc.) Testimonial (5 min or more) Optional • Ask a local staff of a member of Congress, colleague from other organization, volunteer, local person who has benefited from a program we support, etc. to speak about the importance of our work. This puts a face on our issues and illustrates how advocacy makes concrete changes in peoples’ lives and how RESULTS is particularly effective at it. The Ask (3 min) • Partner who is a donor shares about why s/he gives to RESULTS and what s/he values about RESULTS. • Pass out Donor Forms and envelopes and walk the guests through the Donor Form. Wrap-Up (2 min) • Final thank you. • Announce upcoming meetings and ways to participate. Frequently Asked Questions What are RESULTS and RESULTS Educational Fund? RESULTS and RESULTS Educational Fund (REF) are sister organizations that, together, are a leading force in ending poverty in the

United States and around the world. Their mission is to create the public and political will to end poverty by empowering individuals to exercise their personal and political power in support of programs that address the root causes of poverty. RESULTS and REF empower ordinary people to become extraordinary voices for the end of poverty in their communities, the media, and the halls of government. The collective voices of these passionate grassroots activists, coordinated with "grass-tops" efforts driven by our staff, leverage millions of dollars for programs and improved policies that give low-income people the health care, education, and economic opportunities they need to move out of poverty. RESULTS is our lobbying 501(c)(4) arm, and REF is our tax-deductible 501(c)(3) arm. Why do we need RESULTS/REF? Each day approximately 24,000 children die around the world from largely preventable malnutrition and disease. In the United States, one out of every five children goes to

bed hungry some time each month. It is clear they need a seat at the decision-making table and a voice in Congress RESULTS/REF make that happen. Too many of our citizens are disenfranchised about the political process and feel cynical about the possibility of making a difference. RESULTS/REF gives citizens the training, support, and venue to discover the power of their voice within the political process for the purpose of ending poverty. Learn more about our issues. What does RESULTS/REF do? RESULTS volunteers work in groups whose actions are orchestrated by our Washington, DC staff. Each group acts within its congressional district, encouraging elected representatives to support legislation that helps people pull themselves out of poverty. They also educate their communities and generate media about our issues. How long have you been around? RESULTS was founded in 1980 by Sam Daley-Harris, a schoolteacher. After reading statements from the National Academy of Sciences that said we

could end hunger in a generation if we had the political will, he started a grassroots network to lobby Congress for the solutions to hunger and poverty. What have you achieved? Child death rates have declined from 40,000 a day in 1980 to 24,000 a day in 2008 saving over 4 million lives each year. Microfinance has expanded around the globe, giving over 100 million people the ability to lift themselves out of poverty with loans to start or expand small businesses. On the domestic front, in 2009 alone we helped secure an addition $10 billion in funding for nutrition programs and an expansion of the Child Tax Credit for 13 million children and their families. Read more successes on the Our Results page. What if I don’t know much about ending hunger and poverty? RESULTS provides a training and support system that informs citizens about these issues and exactly how to take action toward specific goals. We have a curriculum of training calls and support materials available to all

activists who work with us. What do you spend your money on? Much of the RESULTS and REF budget is spent on training citizens about how government works, teaching them the facts about hunger and poverty, and showing them how to educate the public and their government representatives about effective solutions to hunger and poverty. We also do quality research and oversight of anti-poverty spending by the U.S government and large donor institutions (such as the World Bank) to ensure that these dollars are best spent to help the most people. Read our annual reports to learn more. Who funds RESULTS/REF’s work? In 2009, RESULTS and REF’s combined revenue was more than $5.7 million, provided by foundations, corporations, and individuals. Foundation grants are dedicated to specific projects Unrestricted funds provided by individuals and families sustain core activities including volunteer training and support and allow us to take strategic actions not covered by grants. These funds

also give us the independent voice we need to press for legislative action. Learn more about how you can support RESULTS’ work. Where can I get more information? Check out our website www.resultsorg or call (202) 783-4800 Quotes to Inspire RESULTS is the greatest citizens lobbying organization in the history of Western civilization. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) You could so very well have said, ‘Well, this has got nothing to do with me,’ and you could live in comfort and in your ghettos of opulence and so forth, but you have done nothing of the sort. You are working like crazy to make this a far better world. I just marvel at the kind of human beings you are And on behalf of the very, very, very, very many in desperate circumstances, on behalf of them, thank you so very much for caring. Thank you so very much for your commitment Thank you so very much for your dedication, for your determination to hang in there. Thank you for being there for us Archbishop Desmond Tutu

addressing the RESULTS volunteer network in April 2008 This is the best grassroots organization I work with. I get the question all the time, ‘What can we do to make what we care about happen politically?’ And the answer is so simple. I always cite RESULTS as the example. Go out across the country, get constituents from members of Congress’ district who care about your issues, and get them to lobby Congress. It’s that simple and that difficult Nobody does it better than you. Rep. Adam Smith (D-WA) I feel that a donation to RESULTS is one of the best contributions I can make. My check is multiplied several times by RESULTS volunteers advocating for the elimination of global poverty. I have developed my own one-sentence laser-talk about RESULTS: RESULTS has more money available for the elimination of global poverty than the Gates Foundation the U.S Government Darryl Swenson, board of directors of Water First One of the things that you need to appreciate is that your level of

advocacy of late has increased the passion of members of Congress on this issue. I’d like to think that I have the power to move my colleagues, but it’s you all that are really moving them. Rep. James McGovern (D-MA) regarding RESULTS’ work to increase funding for nutrition programs in the 2008 Farm Bill (on February 2008 conference call) A 19-year-old woman who has no health care or education in some rural village in southern Africa has zero leverage and zero influence here [on Capitol Hill]. The only voice she has is when volunteer citizens from around the country join RESULTS, come to Capitol Hill, call us, write us letters. Literally, RESULTS is a group of people who give voice to the voiceless. Rep. Rob Andrews, (D-NJ)