chapter activities guide
DESCRIPTION
Dollars for Scholars Chapter Activities Guide for 2011TRANSCRIPT
Dollars for Scholars® Chapter Activities Guide
www.scholarshipamerica.org page 1 of 19
ScholarShip america® 50th anniverSary
Chapter aCtivities guide
50 Years of Helping Students Succeed
tipS, ideaS and activitieS for our 50th year and beyond.
Updated 10/07/10
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about this guideMore than 50 years ago, one man
had an idea to gather a dollar from
everyone in his community so every
graduating senior in his hometown of
Fall River, Mass. could go to college
through scholarships. Dr. Irving Fradkin
is proof that it only takes one good idea
to make an impact on many. We hope
this guide will offer your chapter a few
ideas to help make an impact on the
lives of students in your community,
as well as inspire you to come up with
your own great ideas. Although we’ve
organized the guide by month, most of
the activities can be done at any time
of the year. Each month contains:
table of contents
2 ABOUT THIS GUIDE
3 LETTEr frOm LAUrEn SEGAL, PrESIDEnT AnD CEO, ....................... SCHOLArSHIP AmErICA
4 rESOUrCES fOr yOUr CHAPTEr
5 jAnUAry: mILESTOnE CELEBrATIOnS
7 fEBrUAry: LOvE yOUr SCHOLArS
8 mArCH: HOnOrInG yOUr CHAPTEr’S fOUnDErS
9 APrIL: vOLUnTEEr rECOGnITIOn mOnTH
10 mAy: COnqUErInG fACEBOOk
11 jUnE: HOnOrInG yOUr GrADUATES
12 jULy: SUmmErTImE PUBLIC rELATIOnS
13 AUGUST: BACk TO SCHOOL AnD Off TO COLLEGE
14 SEPTEmBEr: SETTInG GOALS AnD PLAnnInG yOUr nEw yEAr
15 OCTOBEr: ExPLOrInG THE fUTUrE
16 nOvEmBEr: SEnDInG A yEAr EnD APPEAL LETTEr
18 DECEmBEr: HOSTInG A frIEnD-rAISEr
One or more activities for •
celebrating raising dollars, or
raising awareness
Best practice tips and/or “e-tips” •
(electronic or social media tips)
Resources where you can turn to •
for more information or tools related
to the activity
Feel free to customize the activities
based on your chapter’s needs. And
if you decide to take on one of these
activities, please let us know so we can
feature your chapter on Scholarship
America’s Facebook page, website, or
in one of our newsletters.
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dear friends,This coming year, 2011, marks the 50th anniversary for Scholarship America®, and we want chapters and volunteers to join the celebration. It’s safe to say that Scholarship America wouldn’t be where we are today without our thousands of volunteers who help students all over the country achieve their dreams through scholarships. As a 50th Anniversary gift to our chapters, and as a way to help you, our hardworking volunteers, celebrate all you’ve accomplished over the past 50 years, we’ve put together a 50th Anniversary Chapter Activities Guide, now available on the chapter portal.
When our first Dollars for Scholars® chapter was established in 1958, yearly college tuition at traditional four-year colleges and universities was well under $1,000. But communities across the country saw a need for private scholarships for a growing number of students who wanted to pursue their dream of a college degree, yet didn’t have the means to pay for it. By establishing Dollars for Scholars chapters, local citizens were able to raise local dollars to help hometown students achieve that dream.
As an organization, Scholarship America has grown from one chapter in New England, to nearly 1,100 chapters across the country. Through Dollars for Scholars, as well as our Scholarship Management Services® division and DreamkeepersSM program, we’ve distributed over $2 billion to more than 1.7 million students. We can be extremely proud of all we’ve achieved.
As we celebrate our 50th year of helping students succeed, we also recognize that our work has never been more important. Over the last two decades, tuition has increased rapidly—at more than twice the rate of inflation. Many students are graduating college with more debt than they can handle, or they’re foregoing college altogether. A new survey was recently released showing that 36 percent of today’s teens would consider delaying or not going to college due to the huge costs it requires. Scholarships from your Dollars for Scholars chapters have never been more important.
We hope this activities guide will be a way for volunteers to collaborate, generate new ideas, and inspire you to continue doing the great work that you do in chapters around the country. We commend the dedication of our Dollars for Scholars chapters, and thank you for everything you’ve done to keep students’ dreams alive.
Sincerely,
Lauren A. SegalPresident and CEO Scholarship America
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scholarship america and dollars for scholars websiteswww.scholarshipamerica.org
www.scholarshipamerica.org/dollars_for_scholars.php
The Scholarship America and Dollars for Scholars websites contain statistics, historical information, publications (like our annual reports and marketing collateral), press releases and education-related news.
scholarship america’s facebook pagewww.facebook.com/scholarshipamerica
Become a Facebook fan of the national organization to follow the latest about what we’re working on, what our thoughts are on the latest education-related news, and to help us spread the word about the great work we’re all doing to help students achieve their dream.
scholarship america’s twitter pagehttp://twitter.com/ScholAmericaFollow Scholarship America on Twitter and get the latest education-related news and organizational updates.
dollars for scholars regional websiteswww.scholarshipamerica.org/regional_offices.php
For regional specific information, visit your region’s website. You’ll find information on Collegiate Partners in your area, upcoming events and fundraisers, and more.
Chapter portalchapterportal.saportal.org
The chapter portal is the source for Dollars for Scholars volunteers across the nation to find chapter resources, meet other volunteers, discuss the world of scholarships, and help your Dollars for Scholars chapter help more students. To
resources for your chapter
access this valuable resource, you need a username and password. If you don’t know yours, just send an e-mail to our national office at [email protected] with your name, e-mail address and chapter affiliation and we’ll be happy to provide you with one.
intouchEvery month, we send out a newsletter geared toward chapters with relevant updates, news from the national office, as well as occasional regional news, and tools and tips helpful to volunteers. To sign up for InTouch, e-mail Matt Konrad, [email protected].
regional and national dollars for scholars staff For Logo requests: Michelle Showalter, [email protected]
To sign up for InTouch: Matt Konrad, [email protected]
California Dollars for Scholars:Colette Taylor, [email protected] Northeast Dollars for Scholars: David Duncan, [email protected]
Indiana Dollars for Scholars: Don Setterloff, [email protected]
Iowa Dollars for Scholars: Judi Pierick, [email protected]
Northwest Dollars for Scholars: Kristen Schriver, [email protected]
All other chapters: Deb Fichtner, [email protected]
Scholarship America has been working hard to provide our chapters with more resources to help our volunteers continue
to do the great work you’re doing for students across the country. In the guide, you’ll find references to several resources
that will give you even more information, tips and tools for that particular activity. Below, you’ll find descriptions of each of
resource and exactly how to access it.
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January: Celebrating your Chapter’s history
documenting your chapter’s historyEvery organization has a story. Scholarship America frequently shares our story
about our founder, Dr. Irving Fradkin, who asked every person in the community
for a dollar, hoping to give a scholarship to every student who wanted to attend
college. He succeeded in his mission, and Dollars for Scholars was born. Having an
organizational story is an excellent way to appeal to donors and volunteers, and to
help define your mission and plan for years to come.
Plus, in the process of researching your chapter’s history, you’ll end up gathering
concrete statistics and information that can be used on your website, Facebook page
and print materials, which will help add credibility to your chapter. Ask a board
member or volunteer to take on the task of documenting your chapter history and
writing your chapter story, and have them gather the following information:
• Names of founding volunteers
• The story behind how and why your chapter originated (interview founders)
• Affiliation documents
• Amount raised since your chapter’s inception
• Number of awards since inception
• Money awarded since inception
• Size of endowment (if applicable) since inception
• Other key historical dates or milestones
While gathering information, be sure copies of all official documents are available
and filed in a safe and easily accessible place. Once you’ve collected your chapter’s
financial and award data, ask a volunteer to organize the data into an electronic
document or spreadsheet, where it can be
easily accessed and updated each year. From
the information you gather, have a volunteer
create a boilerplate—standard language
about your chapter—that can be used on
brochures and marketing materials, at the
end of press releases, and on your website.
Use the boilerplate and additional facts to
show the positive impact your chapter has
in your community. Be sure to update your
boilerplate regularly.
Your Dollars for Scholars chapter is part of the foundation of Scholarship America’s history. Regardless of the number
of volunteers your chapter has, or the number of years it has been affiliated with Dollars for Scholars, or the amount of
money it has raised and distributed – your chapter has a history of its own. Celebrate that history in January!
resources• Your chapter may discover that some of its historical data is incomplete. Contact your regional office or the national office to locate missing information.
• Refer to the chapter portal’s section on Social Media and Online Communications to guide your electronic contact with former volunteers and recipients.
• Examples of well-crafted press releases and boilerplates can be found on Scholarship America’s website. Use these to get you started.
best practice tips: • Add chapter historical data to your chapter’s website, and update annually.
• E-mail former and current donors thanking them for their support and give them an update on your chapter’s most recent accomplishments. Don’t ask for a donation, just remind them of your chapter’s continued positive impact on the community and make sure the e-mail contains vital information such as your mailing address and website address.
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sharing your storyOnce you’ve crafted your organizational story, share it with your larger community by submitting a press release to the local media. Try to tie the press release on your chapter’s history to a recent and relevant chapter event or accomplishment. Is your chapter celebrating an anniversary? Did you just reach an endowment goal? Did your chapter just give out its 100th scholarship? A story about the high cost of postsecondary education, large amount of student loan debt students are facing, the importance of private scholarships, and what your chapter has done to help hometown students would make a great article in the local paper.
When writing your press release, lead with the most relevant piece of news first, then use that as a launching point to talk about all of your successes over the years.
include some or all of the following information:
• Your chapter logo (E-mail [email protected] to request one.) • Contact information for the person assigned to speak to the media on behalf of your chapter• Financial milestones• Comments from former and current recipients on how the chapter has helped them achieve their goals or dreams• Comments from important/influential donors on why they donate• Comments from important/influential citizens on why your chapter is vital to your community• Relevant historical data and statistics • Why your chapter is relevant. Include statistics about the high cost of education and the large amount of student loan debt students are facing after graduation, and why private scholarships are so significant. (Cite your sources)• Information about the larger organization your chapter is a part of—Dollars for Scholars and Scholarship America
• Relevant photos—both historical and recent
follow these guidelines to increase your chances of making the news:
1. Start with a compelling and relevant headline.2. Follow the Inverted Pyramid and the 5 Ws (who, what, where, when and why). Lead off with the most important information first, then the second most important, and so on. 3. Get the reader’s attention by appealing to their emotions. Begin your press release by talking about one specific student whose life you’ve changed through scholarships. Use the story to launch into the history of your chapter and more fact-based points about all your chapter has accomplished. 4. Include a quote from a chapter representative, as well as a quote from a student about what the scholarship meant to them. 5. Get to the point. Read over your release and shorten wordy sentences.
best practice tipuse scholarship america’s reputation to your advantage! talk about the difference the entire dollars for scholars program has made to students all over the country. Make sure the media knows you’re part of a larger and greater cause. this will increase the credibility of your chapter and could also generate more media attention.
e-tips: • Establish a place on your website where your chapter can show its media visibility.
• E-mail relevant press releases and articles to former volunteers who no longer live in the area to encourage their continued interest in the chapter’s success.
• E-mail relevant articles to former and current award recipients to build on their relationship with your chapter.
• If your press release generates a newspaper article, make sure you link the article on your chapter’s facebook page.
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february: love your sCholars
love your scholar partiesHosting a “Love Your Scholars” fundraiser is an excellent way to drum up extra
money for your chapter. Here are a few ideas to get you started.
Chocolate and wine tasting party. Ask a volunteer to host a chocolate or wine
tasting party in their home. Charge a fee that will cover the cost of the chocolate
and wine, plus an added amount for an automatic donation to the chapter. Guests
will have a great time sampling delicious chocolate and wine, and you can also ask
for additional donations during the party. Don’t forget to take some time to talk
about all of your chapter’s successes and achievements over the years, and how
guests can help out even more.
Valentine’s Day card making party and sale. Gather volunteers and their children
together to spend a morning or afternoon making Valentine’s Day cards. Many high
schools sell Valentine’s Day Grams that students can purchase and have delivered
to friends during the school day. If your local high school does something like this,
see if your chapter can sell the cards with proceeds going to Dollars for Scholars.
Local gift shops may agree to sell your cards for you with 75 percent of the proceeds
going right back to your chapter. Make sure you include information about your
chapter on the back of each card.
Whichever party you choose to throw, make sure it’s well planned and well executed.
If you don’t want to spend money on formal invitations, have a savvy volunteer
design an e-invitation.
In most of the country, when everything is either covered with a blanket of snow or unbearably cold (or both), the only
good thing about the month of February is Valentine’s Day. What better time of year to a host a party than the dead of
winter, when we all need something fun to look forward to!
resources• Find examples of electronic “save-the-dates” on the chapter portal.
• Check out evite.com for a great online invitation resource. You can also use this site to keep track of who has RSVPd to your event.
best practice tips for your event
• Have a large jar with “Donations’ written on it clearly written and strategically placed for people to see, without being too pushy.
• Have a set cost for each tasting party, $30.00 per person, if you are shy about asking for donations.
• Be knowledgeable about what you are serving, what type of chocolate, where it originated, the history of chocolate, and the myths about it. that makes your tasting party fun and interesting.
• Involve your guests in the conversation. When tasting, ask them what they like and why. each answer should be accepted, no matter how funny or off the cuff it appears.
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MarCh: honoring our founders
lights, Camera, action! A great way to both honor your founders, as well as create fodder for your website, blog or Facebook page, is to record an interview with your founder or group of founders talking about the history of the chapter and what inspired them to start a chapter in your community. Here are a few ideas on questions to ask your founders:
1. Why did you decide to start a Dollars for Scholars chapter in our community?
2. Did you receive a scholarship for college? How did it effect your education?
3. Why do you think going to college is so important?
4. Why are scholarships so important for students?
5. What is your vision for your chapter’s future?
6. Talk about one or two students that inspired you and got you excited about the hard work our chapter does.
After interviewing each founder, post the video to your website or Facebook page, or e-mail a link to the video to your donors, asking them to view the video and then donate to your chapter. Each founder should receive a copy of the video as well.
future letters Campaign At your next board meeting, reflect on the original mission of your chapter, then take 30 minutes during the next few meetings to think about your big dreams for the future. Write a letter to the president of your chapter 50 years from now about where you hope your chapter will be in the year 2061. Brainstorm your hopes and dreams for your chapter. What do you hope to accomplish? What objectives would you like to see implemented? It’s important for all chapters to acknowledge how difficult access to postsecondary education has become for so many students. Think about what you can do to maximize the impact your chapter can have in your community. When you’re finished, e-mail your letter to your regional office.
Scholarship America’s founder, Dr. Irving Fradkin, began Dollars for Scholars 50 years ago with the idea that if every
person in his community donated a dollar, all students would have the opportunity to go to college. The month of March
during our 50th Anniversary year is also the 90th birthday of Dr. Fradkin, and believe it or not, he’s still working hard every
day to send students to college. Like Scholarship America, your chapter has an original founder or group of founders who
thought college education should be attainable for all students in your community. Use this month to honor your original
founders.
resources• Scholarship America has put together a brainstorming list to help your chapter get started
• Visit the chapter portal to download an example of a future letter that we’ve put together.
• Submit your letter to your regional office. Your ideas could help shape what direction Dollars for Scholars heads over the next 50 years.
best practice tip• When thinking about where you want your chapter to be 50 years from now, consider ideas like expanding your reach to a more diverse group of students (first generation students, adult students who want to go back to college, postgraduate scholarships).
• Another goal could be to enhance the impact you have on a student’s life, like offering renewable scholarships or larger scholarships to fewer students. or how about growing your base of donors and volunteers?
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april: volunteer reCognition Month
volunteer appreciation eventThe Independent Sector estimated the dollar value of volunteer time for 2009 as $20.85 per hour. Though you can’t pay your chapter volunteers for their time, you can still show them how much you value them by throwing them a small party. Gauge the type of event you host by how large your chapter is and how much the event would cost. An event could be as simple as a coffee and cookie reception at your chapter president’s home or in a church hall. Make sure your chapter president says a few words to the volunteers about how much their help has been needed and appreciated. Give out awards to the most dedicated volunteer, most creative volunteer, and most hardworking volunteer. If you want to go beyond a coffee and cookie reception, a picnic or barbeque would also be a great way of saying “thanks.”
the ultimate gift for volunteersEvery year, honor your most dedicated volunteer by naming a scholarship after that person. Designate the scholarship as your chapter’s “volunteer scholarship,” judging student applicants on their volunteer work in the community. Change the scholarship name every year based on who your best volunteer is for that particular year. For example, the scholarship may be called “The Jane Doe Volunteer of the Year Scholarship” in 2010, but in 2011 it could be “The Mary Johnson Volunteer of the Year Scholarship.”
volunteer bucks If you want to give younger people an extra incentive to volunteer for your chapter, try the “Volunteer Bucks” system. Volunteers can earn one Volunteer Buck for every hour they volunteer, and then cash them in for a variety of items.
For example, for five Volunteer Bucks, a volunteer can buy a can of soda, or for 10 Volunteer Bucks a candy bar or bag of chips (these items can be bought in bulk for a nominal cost and made available at meetings and events for volunteers to “purchase.”) A coupon for a sandwich at a fast food restaurant could be bought using 25 Volunteer Bucks. (Restaurants will sometimes donate coupons for free sandwiches to nonprofit organizations.) And 100 Volunteer Bucks would get them a gift certificate to a bookstore.
This is a good way to get businesses in your community familiar with your chapter. They may be interested in supporting you in the future, so don’t forget to acknowledge their in-kind contributions.
Dollars for Scholars volunteers are essential to the success of the chapters they represent and the students they serve.
Make sure your volunteers know that they are one in a million by recognizing their efforts on an annual basis.
resources• Dollars for Scholars Volunteer Management Resources – located under Forms in the chapter portal
• Volunteer Recognition - www.energizeinc.com/ideas.html
• National Volunteer Week- www.handsonnetwork.org/nationalprograms/signatureevents/nvw
• Value of Volunteer Time - www.independentsector.org/volunteer_time
• Volunteering in America - www.volunteeringinamerica.gov
best practice tips• Don’t spend a lot of money on appreciation events. Most volunteers would rather see money go toward more scholarships. but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t show your appreciation by hosting a small event.
• Studies show that most people are more inclined to volunteer for organizations that take advantage of their unique skills. for example, if you know a web designer, ask that person to take on the task of designing even a simple website for your chapter.
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May: Conquering faCebook
Maintaining a facebook pageFirst things first. Go to Facebook.com/pages/create.php—this will take you to the part of
Facebook that allows you to build a page for your business (or, in this case, your chapter).
Facebook will guide you through the process, which is quite straightforward, but if you
need some extra help visit this helpful tutorial on making a Facebook page.
Follow some of these general guidelines when maintaining your Facebook page:
1. Update your page regularly. That doesn’t mean once a month - that means once a week at minimum, but preferably more. Obviously the number of posts you make will depend on how much you have going on as a chapter. But your “followers” will forget
about you if you don’t update your page frequently.
2. Invite people to “Like” your chapter’s Facebook page. That basically means they will see the updates you make to your chapter’s page, and your page will appear on their Facebook page as one that they “like”. Their friends will also see that they “like” your
chapter on Facebook, which will prompt them to also “like” your chapter.
3. Give your Facebook page a personality. Make sure people know that the posts are from the chapter president (or whoever you designate to make updates) and allow that person’s personality to show through when making posts. That doesn’t mean sharing personal information, it just means making the tone friendly, casual, and even funny, when appropriate. Facebook is supposed to be fun, so keep the tone light unless you’re
talking about a serious issue, like the high cost of tuition.
4. Make your page fun. Post photos from your events and be sure to “tag” people in the photos, which basically means labeling everyone in the photos. (If someone appears in one of your photos who hasn’t “liked” your page yet, then invite them to do so.) Before
you post anything, make sure you get each person’s persmission.
5. Respond to questions and complaints immediately.
If someone sends you a Facebook message, take the time to respond on the same day. Always stay positive, even if that person has a complaint. If someone posts something nice about your chapter on your chapter’s page, make sure to publicly thank them.
Though you may feel like it would be nearly impossible for your chapter volunteers to take on something as daunting as
creating an online presence, in reality, your chapter can’t afford not to. Facebook is a fantastic tool for raising awareness
about and raising funds for your Dollars for Scholars chapter. Making an online presence a reality is a great way to involve
current and former recipients, and recent college grads who are comfortable using social media.
e-tip
videotape interviews with local students and parents, as well as your chapter president, about the huge necessity for private scholarships in your community. edit the recordings into short one or two minute videos, then post them on your facebook page with a plea for donations. you can also put the videos on YouTube, then e-mail the link to your donor list asking them for an extra $10 donation.
resources• Check out Scholarship America’s Facebook page for a good example of how you can build your own. South Dearborn Dollars for Scholars also maintains a Facebook page. Make sure you “like” both pages!
• When you’re ready to create a Facebook page, go to: http://facebook.com/pages/create.php.
best practice tip• Use your chapter’s Facebook page to reach out to current and past scholarship recipients! This is an excellent way to build a donor base and connect with younger generations using a tool they use regularly.
• Use a Facebook message as a plea for student stories. Post a link to myscholarshipstory.org and tell scholarship recipients to “give back” by sharing their story.
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June: honoring your graduates
sharing your students’ success storiesHonor your scholarship recipients by taking the time to have a conversation with eas many of them as possible about what their scholarships mean to them. Choose from one of these great methods:
1. Get the student’s permission to videotape the interview. Share the video on your Facebook page and/or website.
2. After interviewing the student, write their story in a compelling manner and post it to a student stories section on your website. Make sure to include their photo, of course, and post a link to the story on your chapter’s Facebook page.
3. E-mail your past and current scholarship recipients a link to myscholarshipstory.org and ask them to “give back” to the chapter by sharing their story about what their scholarship means to them. Explain that they will need to specify that their scholarship came from your chapter, so Scholarship America knows to e-mail a copy of the story to you. This is an easy way to gather lots of stories without having to interview every student, plus it puts you back in touch with past recipients, who you’ll eventually want as donors.
*Note: Whenever you share a student’s story, make sure to have them fill out a signed consent form allowing you to use their story and photo. You can find a template for one on the chapter portal.
formally announce your awards and recipientsEveryone likes to be featured in the paper, including your scholarship recipients! Submit a press release to your local media with the names of all your scholarship recipients. Make sure you also include:
1. The names of the scholarships, the number of scholarships you are giving out, and the amount of money you are awarding.
2. The total amount of scholarships your chapter has given out since its inception.
3. A compelling student story. Choose one or two students to interview and quote them in the story about what their scholarship means to them. Be sure you have their permission to do so and let them approve the quote before you send out the press release.
In June, all the hard work your chapter has put in throughout the year comes to fruition. This time of year is exciting because
your chapter’s fundraising, academic support, and overall encouragement of local students culminate in the recognition of
past achievements and the potential for their futures, usually at an award ceremony. But go a step further in honoring your
graduates by sharing each of their stories. Nothing is more inspiring than the personal stories of the lives you’ve affected.
resources• Visit the chapter portal for a list of questions you can use when interviewing scholarship recipients, as well as a consent form template.
• Visit Scholarship America’s student stories page for ideas on how to craft and post your own scholarship recipient stories.
best practice tips for your award Ceremony• Plan a photo session at the conclusion of the ceremony with recipients posing with assigned donors and named fund sponsors. post these photos on your facebook page and website.
• Require attendance by recipient or alternate representative to receive award – this ensures happy donors and fund sponsors.
• Share photos with respective donors and named fund sponsors (this is an easy way to encourage future giving without a direct “ask”).
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fairs, parades and festivalsParticipate in one or more local events planned for your community. This could be your community’s annual summer or fall fair, or it could be a holiday parade or a sidewalk sale. Stay informed about what’s happening in your community, so you don’t miss out on opportunities to participate.
Review planned events, and select the best opportunities for chapter visibility based on:
• Timing
• Volunteer commitment
• Cost effectiveness
• Visibility
Contact event organizers about their expectations for your display or participation. Invite current and former recipients and student directors, as well as chapter volunteers, to help your chapter with planning for and participating in the event.
During the day of the event, be prepared to hand out materials about your chapter, including donation forms. Include a couple of scholarship recipient stories on the front of the donation form, so people will be inspired to give to your chapter. Also hand out literature about other ways community members can help the chapter, as well as a volunteer registration form. If you have a newsletter, give people the opportunity to sign up to be on your mailing list. You may also want to purchase promotional materials with your chapter logo printed on them to give away to community members.
After your event is over, always let your volunteers know how much their help is appreciated, so they’ll feel inspired to help out at future events.
July: suMMertiMe publiC relationsThis is the time of year when your Dollars for Scholars chapter will have the opportunity to remain in the public eye by
participating in local community activities and events. Such occasions provide public relations and volunteer recruitment
opportunities and can also plant seeds for future gift support.
resources
• The chapter portal has a section on Social Media and Online Communications. Refer to that information for guidance in this area.
• You can also purchase promotional materials from the chapter portal.
• Sample Public Service Announcements are available for downloading off the chapter portal.
e-tips• Advertise events you’re participating in on your Facebook page and your website. Use the invitation tool on facebook to invite people to come support your chapter at the event.
• If your chapter uses Twitter, tweet regularly during the weeks preceding the event about what your chapter is doing to prepare.
• Post photos of chapter participation on the chapter website or Facebook page. Feel free to send them to scholarship america as well and your chapter may be featured on the regional and national websites!
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keeping in touch with scholarship recipientsKeep a record of recipients who complete their postsecondary programs; this data will powerfully demonstrate the impact your chapter has on the students it has served. Contact your recipients several times throughout the year by sending them occasional e-mails asking them how college is going.
Here are several ideas on how to keep in touch with scholarship recipients:
1. Contact your students through Facebook, which is far less formal than an e-mail and where contact is expected and even welcomed.
2. Design a scholarship recipient newsletter that is e-mailed out quarterly and is filled with relevant information. For example, a best wishes newsletter in August with a packing list, and tips for dealing with new roommates. In December, you could give them a list of tips for how to study effectively for exams.
3. When you notice past scholarship recipients who have made the Dean’s list, send them personal e-mails or Facebook messages congratulating them. Ask a volunteer to keep track of local news media. Look for announcements about current and former recipients who achieve academic or athletic honors, or other accomplishments, and those who graduate from college.
4. Invite past recipients to your chapter fundraisers. This year’s scholarship recipients will become next year’s donors or volunteers if you keep them informed and excited about what your chapter is doing to help other students achieve their dreams.
spicing up your board of directorsA great way to engage high school students is to invite them to become members of your board of directors.
• Define ways in which students might influence the work of the chapter
• Establish a system for reaching out to interested students and work closely with your local high school administration and relevant extra-curricular advisors to implement this.
• Determine how many students from what grade levels would be most appropriate for your chapter.
• Develop job descriptions for student directors and an objective method for selecting students for the board.
• Identify specific tasks or assignments for students that would benefit your chapter.
august: baCk to sChool and off to CollegeThis time of year is a perfect time to build on the relationship your chapter has with your award recipients. You and your
community have demonstrated support for the aspirations of its young people with the scholarships you award. But the
relationship doesn’t need to stop once you cut the award check!
resources
• The Chapter Guidebook, located on the chapter portal, has a section on Chapter Awards that includes information on using acknowledgement forms to ascertain recipients’ postsecondary plans.
• Contact your regional office or the national office for information on chapters that have already incorporated students on their boards. Jefferson Dollars for Scholars in New Orleans is one example.
e-tips• Invite a high school student to help create your Facebook page
• Build an electronic address book and keep it updated with scholarship recipients’ e-mail addresses.
• Put recipient highlights on your chapter website or Facebook page, including award ceremony or graduation photos, photos from special chapter meetings or fundraisers or other events.
Dollars for Scholars® Chapter Activities Guide
www.scholarshipamerica.org page 14 of 19
septeMber: goal setting and planning
Walk the voteTo get started with this, dedicate at least one full board meeting to this planning activity.
1. Open the floor for board members and volunteers to share their ideas, suggestions, concerns, goals, etc. for the chapter. This is not a time for in depth discussion, just idea sharing. Allow everyone to express their thoughts or suggestions. Have a scribe write the key words and phrases from these suggestions on a white board or flip chart.
2. Once you have a variety of ideas listed, categorize them under the appropriate heading such as “Fundraising”, “PR/Marketing”, “Academic Support”, etc. For example the following ideas: developing a website for the chapter, distributing scholarship applications to the area high schools, and announcing the scholarship winners in the local newspaper could all be listed under the “PR/Marketing” category.
3. Once all the ideas have been categorized, give each board member/volunteer five stickers and tell them this is their opportunity to vote for the issues/ideas that they think are most important for the chapter to address. Allow all of them at the same time to walk around and look at the ideas listed and place their stickers next to the ideas they value most to cast their votes. They can use all of their stickers on one idea or use them on different ideas but they only get five stickers (votes) so they need to use them wisely.
4. After everyone has voted, tally up the votes to determine the top three ideas. These
will be the ideas on which your chapter will focus first.
5. At subsequent meetings your chapter can establish timelines, and assign tasks for accomplishing the goal(s) associated with the top three ideas. If, for example, the idea falls under the PR/Marketing category and you have a PR/Marketing committee, you’ll want that committee to take the lead on the idea. Once the top three are completed, your chapter can move on to the next three and so on and so forth.
Call in the SWOT teamConducting a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) Analysis is a great way to evaluate your programs, projects, and events and work toward maximizing their success. A free SWOT analysis tool is available at www.businessballs.com/swotanalysisfreetemplate.htm. While you can wait until September to conduct a SWOT analysis on your programs and events, you may find it more effective to do it immediately after each event or program during the debriefing while the event is still fresh in everyone’s mind. This activity can be done by full board or on the committee as deemed most appropriate.
If you fail to plan, plan to fail. Planning and goal setting is critical to the growth and development of a successful Dollars for
Scholars chapter. Strategic planning is the method of determining where your chapter is going over a specific period of time,
how it’s going to get there, and how you’ll know when it has arrived. Below you’ll find some activities and tools that will aid
your chapter’s planning process.
resources One way to get goal planning •
started is to write a letter to your chapter board 50 years from now. Visit scholarshipamerica.org/future_letters.php to get started.
For a great resource on • planning tools, try www.businessballs.com.
This website will give you • some more ideas on how to start strategic planning: http://managementhelp.org/plan_dec/str_plan/str_plan.htm#anchor1933032
best practice tip Make sure all of your board •
members register to use the chapter portal then assign a different board member each meeting the task of bringing one new helpful suggestion or piece of information from the chapter portal to the board meeting. This will give board members practice with using the Portal and provide your chapter with ideas for increasing its efficiency and effectiveness.
Dollars for Scholars® Chapter Activities Guide
www.scholarshipamerica.org page 15 of 19
oCtober: exploring the future
Hosting a Pre-College Workshop This activity requires some planning, so make sure your chapter starts early enough, and you’ll definitely want the help of your local high school’s guidance office. Once you have a date and a place—which should be a large enough room at the high school—advertise the workshop in the school newsletter and hang posters about the event in the halls. Invite parents of students to attend, too, and have plenty of volunteers ready to man each station. Set up several chairs at each station so students are encouraged to spend time talking in depth about their plans, questions, and fears when it comes to preparing for college. Dedicate stations to topics, such as:
1. Scholarship and college essay writing. Offer tips on how to write personal and compelling essays. Offer them tips on what not to do when writing scholarship essays. An essay tip sheet is available on the chapter portal.
2. Volunteer opportunities. Colleges will look for students with volunteer experience when making their selections. Invite other organizations to join your chapter, and have sign up sheets ready for different events.
3. Different college options. Not all students will go to traditional four-year colleges and universities. Present the advantages and disadvantages of community colleges, online schools, private colleges, trade schools and four-year universities. Have the students fill out an assessment to determine which school is the best fit for them.
4. Paying for college. Ask a collegiate partners professional (or, if one isn’t available, a high school guidance counselor) to talk about the FAFSA, various student loan options, and of course scholarship opportunities, including the ones that your chapter offers. It also wouldn’t hurt to have a serious conversation about student loan debt. Provide information on College Goal Sunday.
6. Preparing for entrance exams. The school most likely holds ACT/SAT prep classes during the school year. Advertise these opportunities at the event.
7. What to bring to college. This is a less serious station, but still very important. Gather a selection of items students should take with them to college - like extra long sheets, a set of dishes, a laptop computer, earplugs, a bicycle, etc. Provide students with a packing list.
Make sure your volunteers engage students at each session by asking them questions about how they feel about the future.
What would be the point of our Dollars for Scholars chapters if we didn’t have good, qualified applicants? Now that students
are settling into the school year, it’s time for seniors to really start preparing for college, and chapters can do a lot to help,
whether it’s advising students on scholarship applications or helping them select the type of schools they should explore.
resources Scholarship America partners •
with Zinch.com, which offers services to students, counselors and parents, like a scholarship search engine and application and essay writing tips.
Students can find scholarships • that Scholarship America offers to the public at http://scholarshipamerica.org/open_scholarships.php.
Check out • College Goal Sunday, www.collegegoalsundayusa.org, to learn more about the nation-wide event.
best practices Think about pairing this event with a fundraiser. Host a bake sale at the same •
time, or charge $5 for attendance (though allow parents to get in free).
Have refreshments like cookies and juice available.•
Give each student a folder when they arrive so they can keep track of any • handouts you provide to them.
Recruit students to serve on your chapter’s board - they need leadership • opportunities and could offer your chapter a fresh perspective.
Dollars for Scholars® Chapter Activities Guide
www.scholarshipamerica.org page 16 of 19
noveMber: sending a year-end appeal
questions to ask your self before getting started There are some key questions you should ask yourself before you start writing the letter: who is your audience, why are you writing to them and what action do you want them to take.
1. Who is your audience? Understanding and knowing your audience is critical. Your audience probably has a common trait – maybe they are passionate about education and scholarships or maybe they have been personally touched by a scholarship. This information will help you write an appeal letter that will move and touch your audience in a relevant way that will also motivate them to give to your Chapter.
2.Why are you writing to them? People give to your chapter because it meets a critical need in the community, not because it wants money. Focus the letter on your cause and not your financial need. Pay attention to the goal of the solicitation letter and what you r chapter will do with the money raised.
3. What action do you want them to take? Of course you want them to make a donation, but are there other possible action items? For example: Do you want them to request information about planned giving, take a survey or provide an e-mail address? Now is the time to ask for this information.
Thinking about and factoring in all of these things should provide a solid platform for you
to begin writing your appeal letter. Factoring in these items should help you increase your
response rates and levels of giving.
elements of the annual appeal letter
The elements of a typical annual appeal include: an outer envelope, a letter, a response
card and a re,ottamce envelope.
outer envelope
In order to get read, your letter must first be opened. Include a teaser or a graphic with
a teaser on the outside of the envelope. Use words and/or a graphic that that will draw
attention and make the reader want to open the envelope. A sample teaser could be “You
can make a difference! or Help Us Transform Lives.” The copy you put on an outside of an
envelope should accomplish two important things: prevent the recipient from throwing
the letter away without opening it, and give the recipient a sense of curiosity, enough to
make them want to open the letter and read the message.
November is the time when people think about making their year-end contributions. Donors want to get their year-end gifts
in by December 31st so they can take advantage of tax credits. This is the perfect time to send an annual appeal letter to all
current and past donors of your Chapter.
resources Visit the • chapter portal to
access the Fundraising Resource Book.
Dollars for Scholars® Chapter Activities Guide
www.scholarshipamerica.org page 17 of 19
appeal letterRemember: Your goal isn’t to write just a letter; your goal is to share your mission and work in such a compelling way that the recipient is compelled to make a donation to your Chapter. One of the most successful ways to get your message across would be to share the story of a scholarship recipient where your Chapter has made a significant difference. You want to engage the reader in the student’s story, not just highlight your Chapter’s accomplishments.
key things to remember:
• Appeal to the donor’s heart first. Then appeal to their head with facts and figures.
• Make your case quickly. Within the first couple of paragraphs, talk about your chapter and the need it fills within the community.
• Speak to the interests of your donors. Appeal to the sense of satisfaction that they will have when they support a cause they believe in.
• Thank past donors for their continued and ongoing support. Donors appreciate being remembered and want to know how their support has helped.
• Write a longer letter (one page, double sided). This will give you enough space to cover all the major reasons why a person should contribute.
• Directly ask for a contribution. Don’t assume that the recipient knows you are asking for a contribution. Be clear and concise and specifically ask for the contribution. For example: Your special gift of $AMOUNT will allow us to…….
• Ask donors to give a specific dollar amount. This will help personalize your letter (based on past giving) and will also help them know what your need is. Target your ask amount based on the donor’s past giving history. Don’t be afraid to suggest a modest increase from the prior year.
• Include a PS at the end of the letter. This is your last chance to call your donors
to action.
response Card and remittance envelopeMake it easy to respond to your request for a gift by including a gift response card and return envelope. The response card is critical because it directs the reader on what to do next. The response card should look easy to use and should include gift level suggestions (matching those you asked for in your letter)
e-tipAsk for e-mail addresses on your response card. It’s an easy way to capture this information for future contact with your chapter’s donors.
best practice tips: Your appeal letters need to be •
targeted and on point. Tell your potential donors early in your letter what you need and what your nonprofit group is doing with the funds you raise
Send your year-end appeals • in November. Try to avoid sending your mailing the week of Thanksgiving. Schedule your mailing to arrive the week prior or the week after the Thanksgiving holiday. Don’t wait until December to send your appeal letter, as it may get lost in the mail with all the extra mail hitting households.
Dollars for Scholars® Chapter Activities Guide
www.scholarshipamerica.org page 18 of 19
DECEMBER: HOSTIng A “FRIEnD RAISER”
finding a hostThe event host should be a person who is very involved and connected with your chapter.
A volunteer(s) and/or a board member(s) of the chapter would serve as great hosts. A
friend raiser can have multiple hosts—the more hosts you have, the more people you will
be able to invite.
selecting a location, date and timeFriend Raisers are typically held in the home of one of the hosts of the party. If this is not
an option, they can be held at an outside location such as an office space or restaurant. Thursday evenings are often good nights for these events as it’s not taking away from the
weekend and it’s a little later in the week. Allow for a couple of hours, a good time to start
is 6:30pm, so the event can wrap up by 8:30pm. When picking a time, be sure and think
of your audience and their preferences.
Creating your guest listSet a goal for how many people you would like to attend. Consider that only about 10%
of those that you invite will attend, so plan to invite enough people to achieve your
attendance goal. The host(s) of the event will have people they will also want to invite.
Your chapter should invite people who have expressed an interest and any other people
you’ve wanted to reach out to but have not had the right opportunity. This can also be
used as a good stewardship opportunity. Plan to invite a handful of current donors and
former board members. Be sure to have several chapter representatives in attendance.
save the dates and invitations
Once you have your date set, mail a “Save
the Date” postcard. If you’re trying to save
money, you can also e-mail your Save the
Date notices. No later than four to six weeks
before your event date, put your invitations
in the mail.
Hosting a “friend raiser” can be a great chance to share your chapter’s accomplishments with community members and
potential donors and volunteers, without putting guests under pressure to donate. Parties are a great way to identify and invite
new volunteer and donor prospects to an event, with the hope that some of the attendees will become active and engaged
chapter volunteers and / or donors.
resources Visit the • chapter portal for a
great example of a save the date card and invitation.
Visit• evite.com to create online invitations.
Send home with each guest a • simple informational sheet that highlights more ways they can get involved. Promotional items are available on the chapter portal.
best practice tipsFeature student recipients at events. Personal stories really make a •
difference and put a real face to your mission.
Have a sign-in sheet at all events (big or small) and ask for name, • mailing address and e-mail address. If you have a newsletter or send regular e-updates, include a check box where guests can select to “opt-in”.
Dollars for Scholars® Chapter Activities Guide
www.scholarshipamerica.org page 19 of 19
the program Limit the program to around two hours and follow a schedule of events similar to this:
• Cocktails and hors d’oeuvres
• Introduction by Host
• Brief Presentation by Chapter Leader
• Brief Presentation by Student Recipient
• Wrap Up by Host or Chapter Leader – about importance of college education and private scholarships to fill the
gap for students
guest “take-aways”
Send home with each a guest a simple informational sheet that highlights more ways they can get involved. (Visit the
portal for a sample take away template)
following up
Follow up with everyone who attended the event and everyone that was invited but did not attend. This follow-up can be done by phone or by mail. For example, send a letter to each attendee thanking them for their participation, highlighting a special element of the event, and then ask for a gift. Share with them how you will use their gift (for example, to help balance your chapter’s budget). You can also email them, as well as send them the next issue of your chapter newsletter. Attaching photos of an event to your letter or email is a great way to encourage them to donate. To the donors who didn’t attend your event, send them a letter that talks about the event, along with asking for donations.