ASSESSMENT TOOL
Key Considerations for Planning a United Way Day of Action
What "call to action" can you make, what opportunity can you provide, and what motivation can you give to spur others to give, advocate or volunteer? What action can everyone working for United Way embrace to deliver support for the basic things that we all need for a good life: a quality education that leads to a stable job, income than can support a family through retirement, and good health?
What follows are questions that may help you discover a doable project or activity that encourages giving, advocacy or volunteering in the area of income, education or health.
United Way Day of Action will require planning and teamwork and ideally it will bring new visibility to your United Way. It does NOT, however, have to be a brand-new activity, involving scores of people. Instead, consider:
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What work is already under way in the areas of education, income and/or health?
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What are you already doing well that can be expanded? That can be taken to the next level?
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Which opportunity has the greatest breadth? The potential for greatest impact? Where is the greatest opportunity to create sustainable, lasting change?
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What activities align with your impact/priority/focus areas?
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United Way Day of Action is an opportunity to plan and do something with the entire United Way team, including the board. Don't limit your thinking to service projects run by the Volunteer Center alone. What can you do with a small group instead of mobilizing the masses?
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Is this an initiative that can occur year-round? Can your public give, advocate or volunteer on its own, without being organized by United Way?
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Will the media be likely to promote the issue beyond the United Way's activity? What promotional techniques that have worked for you before can be successful on June 21?
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Can you launch a new program or celebrate the completion of an effort on June 21?
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Consider sponsoring an ongoing project versus a one-time event. If this year you can only do a one-day event, consider what you can do to follow it in the fall or next year.
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If your plate is full, pick something important in your community that can be done in a day but has a lasting impact.
SETTING GOALS
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Is your goal tied to public involvement, not just fundraising?
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Who is your audience?
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What does success look like? What does failure look like?
STRATEGY
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What needs to be done to get staff buy-in?
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How can you involve all of your United Way team?
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Are there new partners you'd like to recruit? Partners that will not confuse United Way Day of Action with Day of Caring?
TASKS
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What are the key tasks and responsibilities?
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What tasks are best suited for Volunteer Centers? The marketing/communications department? Campaign staff? What's the role of the CEO?
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How can you involve volunteers in the planning, not just the execution, of the activity? How can you get the community involved at the outset, not just the endgame?
EXISTING OR TARGETED PARTNERS
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Who are the key decision-makers who need to have buy-in? Who will benefit the most by partnering with you on United Way Day of Action?
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What are the criteria for participation?
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How many participants will be needed to achieve your goal?
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How many, if any, partner agencies do you want to involve?
TIMING
Although the date (June 21) has already been selected, there are still a few things to consider with respect to timing.
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How will a Saturday activity differ from a weekday event?
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What time of day will work best?
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Are there ways to promote or execute mini-activities that lead up to June 21?
BUDGET
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What kind of budget is available?
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Are there opportunities to make the United Way Day of Action budget neutral?
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Is there an opportunity to get corporate underwriting/sponsorship?
EVALUATION
