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Overview
Birdies for Charity
Timeline
How to Get Started
Tips for Success
Guidelines & Rules
Results
Chip In for Schools
VTO Benefit for Children
Valero Texas Open Grants
Benefiting Charities |
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 Birdies for Charity®
Tips for Success
Know the Facts
- Pledges are tax deductible.
- 100% of all the money collected goes to charity. NO money goes to pay for prizes, overhead or to pay golf pros.
- Your organization gets 100% of what we collect for you.
- You also have the opportunity to get additional money from the Bonus Bucks Program, the $500 Incentive Contest and the end of the year incentive pool. The more pledges you collect, the better chance of receiving extra funds.
- Cash donations paid in advance must be turned in with the pledge form so the individual is not billed.
- Checks are to be made out to: The San Antonio Children’s Foundation.
- The following credit cards are also accepted: MasterCard, Visa & American Express.
Know the Prizes
- The Grand Prize is a Ford Taurus.
- 100 additional random prizes will be given, including clothing and memorabilia from the 2010 Valero Texas Open.
Know How the Money Will Be Used
- Donors want to know who gets the money.
- Donors will also want to know how the money will be used.
Volunteers Get Help!
- Generally one person can only obtain so many pledges.
- Get volunteers, board members and friends to help obtain pledges.
- The more people working, the more money raised.
- Make sure your volunteers know the fundraising goal and how the money will be spent.
- Give your volunteers an individual goal to reach (either dollar amount or number of pledges)
- Have an incentive to help volunteers stay motivated. For example, the top fund raiser receives a gift basket or a free vacation day or certificate to a restaurant.
Utilize Your Resources!
- Include a letter from your organization when mailing out the pledge form. Include a brief explanation of what you are fundraising for and your goal. Give them a deadline to respond. Emphasize the facts: the donation is tax deductible, 100% goes back to your organization, and they have a chance to win a vehicle.
- Try including 1-2 additional pledge forms in with the letter asking them to find other people to also donate. You will have a better chance of doubling your donations in half the time. Or suggest that if they cannot donate at this time, that they find someone to donate in their place.
- Send out an email with a link to www.golfsanantonio.org encouraging people to donate online. You can send this out to everyone in your contact list, including your board members and staff. Then you ask them to do the same on behalf of the organization.
- Include a reminder in your monthly newsletter.
- Don’t forget to put the information on your Web site with a link to our Web site!
Think Outside Of the Box!
- Invite businesses to donate as a corporate sponsor.
- Approach businesses to match the funds raised by your organization.
- Ask businesses (restaurants, dry cleaners, banks, etc.) to display the Birdies pledge forms in their establishment on your behalf. Place pledge forms in a brochure stand with your contact information and address. Include a sign or sticker letting people know who will benefit from the donation.
- For schools, have students take pledges at athletic games. Have an announcement made as a reminder on the speaker system.
- Conduct a Drive the Middle Contest at your own golf tournament.
Make Your Collection Rate Increase!
- After the first billing done by GSA, review your organization’s results report. Make sure everything is accurate on the report. Consider mailing donors a postcard, thanking them for making a donation or pledge and letting them know they will be receiving a bill or receipt in October.
- If your organization reaches 100% concluding the first billing period, you will receive your check in July.
- After the first billing, contact the donors on your report who have not paid yet. Do this through a friendly reminder postcard, email or phone call. They will be more inclined to respond more quickly than by the GSA bill. After the conclusion of the final billing, checks will be mailed August 31, 2010.
- Don't forget to mail your donors a thank-you note for contributing. Let them know how much was raised and the plans for the funds. It never hurts to thank your donors too much. This will only encourage the same donors to participate again the following year.
Participant Toolbox
- Birdies for Charity logos
- PowerPoint slide presentation from the kick off events
- Sample letter to mail with your pledge forms to donors & businesses
- 2010 Pledge Form
- "Benefiting Charity" box template for printing pledge forms
- Copy of program sign to help promote the program
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