Fund-raising success stories! Success Stories

Please remember all donations are confidential and optional. Also, these miscellaneous donations will not qualify a department for the 100% participation drawing for the pizza party. ONLY departments that submit pledge cards from every employee are eligible for the drawing. 

Here are some ways your team or department can earn money to make a "department gift" to United Way and supplement individual contributions to the campaign.

• Jeans Today for United Way

Have staff pay a small amount for the opportunity to wear jeans or similar casual wear to work one day of the week.

• Cookie Bake-Off

Have staff bake cookies or other items to sell with coffee in the department break room with the proceeds going to the United Way.

• Recipe Raffle

Have each staff member type out a favorite recipe and raffle it off to the highest bidder with the proceeds going to the United Way.

• Lunch Carry-In or Tailgate

Enlist some staff to prepare food for lunch one day during Homecoming Week, invite others and charge them for their plates, with the proceeds going to the United Way.

• Valet or Errand Service

Charge members of your team or people in your building to drive them to places on campus or to run errands for them.

• Tickets for Athletics or Entertainment

Auction or sell unused tickets and donate the proceeds instead of giving them away.

• Donation Jar

Place a voluntary donation jar near the office's usual freebies-for-employees locations (candy containers, etc.) and give people an opportunity to mooch for a good cause or just drop spare pocket change.

• Department Silent Auction

Identify unique services, talents, or items for staff to auction off to other department members or people in your facility. Encourage employees within your unit to offer items for services for an interal silent auction during the campaign (ends November 16). Here are some possible auction items but the list is as endless as your imagination!
- Loan lawn equipment for the weekend
- Offer your services; pet-sitting, baby-sitting, cleaning, car washing
- For a price, offer to turn someone's drawer full of family photos into a scrapbook.
- For a price, offer to make a frame for a poster.

• Start an "Office Fines System"

Employees who agree to participate may levy $1.00 fine for the donation jar if they are caught:
- with the most ([colorful, ugly, oldest,] you get the idea) necktie.
- forwarding the highest volume of e-mail jokes to everyone in the office
- not wearing Cardinal Red on designated days.
- arriving late for a meeting, in the morning, or back from lunch.

Thanks to those who have donated ideas to this list. Do YOU have any fund-raising ideas you would like to share and add to this list?  E-mail your success stories to unitedwaytm@bsu.edu.