A United Way campaign unites employees in all offices or branches of a workplace, and gives them an opportunity to donate, volunteer, and speak out for causes that matter to them. Funds raised stay local, directly supporting programs that are part of our holistic approach to eradicating poverty and creating equitable communities across Southeast Louisiana.
Workplace campaigns benefit employees, too. Campaigns foster a stronger relationship between employees and the community, while also connecting workers to resources available through United Way, like income tax preparation assistance and prescription drug savings.
So what sets a campaign up for maximum success? United Way of Southeast Louisiana Resource Development staff Cammie Proctor, Aaron Bryan, and Eileen Moynihan shared key ingredients for a model campaign during a recent episode of LIVE UNITED Radio.
- Senior management support: At the University of New Orleans, the Employee Campaign Coordinator is also the president of the university! Having strong buy-in from top leadership opens doors to reach more employees and sets the tone for a successful, engaged campaign. – Aaron
- Presentations: Being able to share information about United Way, the programs we support, and services we provide helps employees understand how their donation impacts the community. The City of Hammond is one workplace that allows United Way to present to all departments, and we so appreciate this. - Cammie
- Participation: We stress that every donation matters. One of United Way’s strengths is leveraging collective impact. Together, whether you give at $5 a month or $50, we can create positive lasting change. Gambit is an excellent example of a small, but enthusiastic organization which achieved 100 percent participation in their campaign this year! - Eileen
- Special events: Special events are an effective, fun way to encourage campaign participation. Cummins Sales & Service let employees throw a water balloon at their boss for a small donation, and the Hyatt-Regency held a similar event with pies. The Advocate went with a themed event this year and held a Halloween costume contest to close their campaign. - Eileen & Aaron
Employee Campaign Coordinators are the main point of contact between United Way and the participating organization. ECCs organize presentations, manage pledge forms, encourage participation, and much more. United Way staff shared their best tips for ECCs to support their extraordinary efforts to promote workplace campaigns.
- Recruit help: Running a campaign is a team effort. A United Way staff member guides the ECC through the entire campaign process, but extra internal help is crucial.
- Pick the right time: Make sure the campaign does not interfere with any major holidays, events, or busy times in your industry.
- Keep it short and sweet: The ideal campaign is typically 2-3 weeks.
- Bring people together: Gathering employees for presentations and events is a great way to build excitement about the campaign and share how United Way is helping the community.
- Spread the word: United Way provides ready-made emails and other promotional materials for ECCs to distribute to employees throughout the campaign.
Workplace campaigns are the backbone of United Way’s efforts to mobilize the caring power of communities and advance the common good. If you’re interested in joining our fight for the health, education, and financial stability of every person in every community we serve by running a workplace campaign. Contact Melody Reed at 504.827.6846.