Great Campaigns

Employee-payroll deduction workplace giving campaigns are a very important part of philanthropy in America.  Many employers have successful campaigns, while others struggle.

Almost every Fortune company runs a campaign, as do thousands of other employers of every size. In the public sector, campaigns occur among Federal, state, and local government employers.  All together, these campaigns raise almost $2 billion annually in payroll deduction giving.

Nevertheless, participation rates in many campaigns have declined over the last ten years.  At the same time, customized and branded campaigns have emerged as the “new campaign model” and are often leading the way in achieving campaign success.

Why are some campaigns highly successful with participation rates of at least 40%,while others have less than 10%?

Why are some campaigns burdensome, while others are motivating and fun?

It’s true that financial goals alone are no longer the only measure of campaign success. Other factors that determine success are:

• Employee engagement
• strengthening goodwill loyalty
• demonstrating civic involvement

America's Charities believes that recognizing “Great Campaigns” serves an important purpose in the world of philanthropy and each of these “Great Campaigns” deserves recognition and appreciation. Campaigns of this nature can be benchmarks for other employers who want to turn their struggling campaign around.

By benchmarking the best practices of successful campaigns, recognition of the value of workplace giving will increase and more employers will learn the best practices that lead to campaign success at the employer, employee and charity recipient levels.
 

America's Charities developed a "Great Campaigns" program. The goals of the program are to:

• Build appreciation for the importance of workplace giving campaigns as a key element of an employer’s community relations and employee engagement strategy
• Create awareness of the importance of best practices in conducting workplace giving campaigns
• Recognize highly successful campaigns
• Provide incentives and tools for revitalization of poorly performing campaign
   

To qualify as a Great Campaign, we proposed that an employer must meet five of these criteria annually, including the employee participation rate criteria of at least 30%.

1. Employee-Friendly Charity Choices. Demonstrated by varied and diverse charity choices, robust content that describes the services and value of participating charities/federations, and engagement of charities/federations in campaign activities.
2. Comprehensive Campaign Plan.  Demonstrated by a comprehensive  workplan that is effectively administered.  The plan defines goals, structure and tactics of campaign activities from kickoff to conclusion.  Plan places emphasis on varied and frequent communication tactics that promote employee awareness of the benefits of the campaign, ease of the payroll giving process, and the role of participating charities.
3. Executive Leadership Involvement.   Demonstrated by top leadership involvement in promotion of the campaign and generosity of personal giving, as well recruitment of a talented and motivated campaign coordinator.
4. Volunteer Training and Recognition.  Demonstrated by an implementation of a training program to develop knowledgeable and motivated volunteer and volunteer recognition after each campaign. 
5. Incentives for Giving.  Demonstrated by various means, including rewards, raffles, matching gift opportunities, and/or 100% distribution of employee gifts to designated charities.
6. Employee Participation.   Demonstrated by employee giving participation rate of at least 30% as well as “thank you” messages and/or recognition to all givers. Also includes means to promptly respond to employee inquiries during the campaign.  Pressuring employees to give is not tolerated.
7. Timely Distribution of Funds.  Demonstrated by distribution not less than quarterly. 
8. Annual Campaign Evaluation Process.  Demonstrated by surveys, meetings or other means of gathering feedback from employees, campaign volunteers and executives with a focus on campaign improvement.