Benefit Process Packet

benefit a process packet giving you the tools to host your own benefit event

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TABLE OF CONTENTS 4 6 7 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28

What is Benefit Set-Up Tips Choice of Event Give Options Consider Costs Solicitation Volunteers Word of Mouth Social Media Use Positive Photos Create Comfort Really Get Personal Other Ideas

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WHAT IS BENEFIT? Benefit is a process packet that gives you the tools to put on your own benefit events. Benefit events have multiple advantages and can raise money for beneficiaries in a community and in a more involved way.

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Lately there has been an increase in charitable giving websites, like ‘Go Fund Me’ or ‘Just Give’, where you can share a link with your social networks and people can donate to your cause, as well as strangers who can find your fundraising campaign. These are great and can be helpful, but there is a certain connection lost within the people donating and the beneficiaries.

Benefit events involve the community coming together to raise money altogether for one cause. Not only is this better for the community and more personal, there has been a lot of scientific research on the vagus nerve and how it responds to make us want to do good. Humans are wired to want to donate more when there is a more intimate interaction rather than through the screen of a computer.

“The mere act of witnessing character, virtue, beauty, and truth tickles our vagus nerve, which stimulates oxytocin

production and evokes in us, among other empathic behaviors, the desire to be better people living better lives.”

(Mark Matousek). In other terms, you can activate the vagus nerve within people just by showing them acts of good/kindness. Benefit events help bring people together and in turn, people will be activating each other’s vagus nerves through their behavior, which will result in better results.

“…compassion isn’t simply a fickle or irrational emotion, but rather an innate human response embedded in the folds of our brains.”

(Keitner)

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SET-UP The information in this guide is set up to include tips for putting on your own benefit events. There are multiple levels to these, as there is information on why these tips are useful as well as how to use them at different scales. Examples are given to help you imagine how to use these informational tips.

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TIPS 1. Choice of Event 2. Give Options 3. Consider Costs 4. Solicitation 5. Volunteers 6. Word of Mouth 7. Social Media 8. Use Positive Photos 9. Create Comfort 10. Really Get Personal

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TIP #1

choice of event There are lots of types of benefit events, ranging from yard sales, to dances, to golf, to softball in the snow, and more. Basically any event you can think of can be altered to become a benefit event. If there is something the beneficiary is interested in, which can be used to plan an event, or can become an aspect of it, then that makes it more meaningful and adds another way for people to connect with them.

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Local basketball team has all their proceeds go towards “Freezing Fun For Families.�

The Common Wealth Local College hosts a basketball tournament with multiple teams, in order to raise money for autism.

Scale

Example:

Most events can be done, regardless of scale, the only thing that changes is the extent to which you do them.

Say you wanted to do something involving basketball. A small scale event could be asking the local CYO organization to have all of their proceeds one day go towards a specific cause, and to let you host. A large scale event with basketball could be hosting a tournament where all the proceeds go to a beneficiary.

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TIP #2

give options In addition to the main event, there should be more opportunities to give, such as raffles, bake sales, etc. Not only does this give more chances for attendees of the event to donate, but it also gives more options and can reach more people with differing appeals. “...the more opportunities to give people encounter, the more likely they are to give.� (Bekkers & Wipeking.)

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A volunteer at the Three Day Stampede helps run the bake sale, where community members make and donate all the baked goods.

Community members prepare for the 5K, where they each have indivual sponsors who will donate a certain amount for every mile ran.

Scale

Example:

The scale of your event will limit how many options you can give. Options that go well with most events are things like bake sales and raffles. If you are hosting a larger scale event, you can give more options and even offer other events within your event as a whole. Try to think of creative alternatives as well.

As said, an example for small scale events is raffles or bake sales. These are the easiest as you can get baked goods donated, or just buy raffle tickets (Bonus! Often with raffle tickets, a lot of good hearted people won’t even keep their half of the raffle!). A large scale event could also include other events, like the Three Day Stampede, which is a huge 3-day lawn sale basically, but has a marathon day as well as bake sales, merchandise, etc.

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TIP #3

consider costs & local sponsors

Creating benefit events does require some start-up costs to put everything together. Good news is that if you can’t get these covered, and have no other options, the funds can cover the costs. This is a last resort though. Ask local businesses if they would like to help sponsor the event, and you can promote their company as well.

Even if it is as small as donating cups that say the beneficiary’s name and the company’s name, everything helps.

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Cups donated to Freezing Fun For Families, where every person who entered the event was given a cup and needed to drink any alcoholic beverage out of it in order to drink (as per the property rules).

Local country duo performs free show and signs autographs for community members.

Scale

Example:

The costs of putting on the benefit event will be directly related to the size of the event. Any costs that can be covered before hand should be, as this leads to more funds for the beneficiary.

You will find that more businesses and people are willing to help sponsor these types of things than you thought.

Either way, it doesn’t hurt to ask, but make requests reasonable for each person and as a whole, depending on the size of your event.

Freezing Fun For Families gets a lot of different things sponsored, but one on the smaller scale is that businesses will donate cups, like pictured above, and hand them out as people walk in, promoting their own business. A larger scale example of this would be getting all costs sponsored, or all costs of one event, such as paying for a band to perform. Often times, restaurants and bars will take a percentage of proceeds and donate them as well, if asked and then promoted.

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TIP #4 solicitation

not always a bad thing

Solicitation can get a bad reputation, but it is in fact helpful and worthy of your time. Don’t be afraid to ask people, because it increases the chances that they will donate. “...actively soliciting contributions rather than passively presenting an opportunity to give increases the likelihood that people donate.� (Bekkers & Wiepking).

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Volunteers ask event goers if they would like to donate and be entered into a raffle, or would like to put an offer on any items.

Two men go too far in order to ask for donations.

People do not respond nicely to soliciters at their doorstep, as that is their home.

Scale

Example:

This tip does not do with the scale of the event, it is to help recognize how much solicitation is key. Don’t be afraid to ask people to donate, as they are more likely to donate when asked, but do not press them, and if they say something along the lines of “not today,� accept it, and move on. Also, always ask with a smile and positive attitude, as people will respond more.

Acceptable: aking people to donate money to get entered into a raffle, or asking them to donate on their way into the event, or purchasing food, etc.

Not Acceptable: Going door to door before your event begging for money, asking people multiple times hoping for a different answer each time, going extremely out of your way to ask for donations, etc.

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TIP #5 volunteers

don’t be afraid to ask people When it comes to putting on benefit events, there is little room for shyness. Don’t be afraid to ask anyone and everyone to volunteer, because you will need help setting up and running the event. In a study done, out of 671 people, “...80 percent of those who were asked to volunteer actually volunteered their time.” (Bryant, Slaughter, Tax).

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Community members volunteer to help set-up. All ages participate, as all are welcome!

Several community members help run one station at The Three Day Stampede, and hand out paper bags for attendees to put their things in.

Scale

Example:

It’s helpful to think of the scale of your event before hand so that you can ensure you will have enough volunteers for everything, including the set-up and clean-up of your event, and for running the event. Think if you’ll need people to man booths, be officials, help people to their cars, etc.

Try to achieve a good number for your event, but welcome all volunteers!

If you have a small scale event, you might need only a couple people running things, like a bake sale, but a couple more for set-up and clean-up, as that is a lot more to put on one person, even if they easily man one station alone. A larger scale event will require more volunteers to keep a nice volunteer to attendee ratio, as well as for set-up and clean-up.

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TIP #6

word of mouth Ask local radio stations if they can broadcast when your event will be taking place, and possibly more.

The ‘Three Day Stampede,’ which takes place in Vermont every year, raises money to find a cure for cystic fibrosis. The local radio station 98.9 WOKO goes above & beyond and comes to the event and plays music for everyone, all while saying they are at the event and to “come on down,” which was all prefaced with them saying they will be there before hand so word got out before hand.

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Volunteers help promote benefit event by walking in Fourth of July local parade along side a float and hand out pamphlets for the event.

WOKO helps host the Three Day Stampede and gives live updates on air of how things are going and reminders to “come on down..”

Scale

Example:

Radio stations are one of the easiest ways to spread the word about an event to a wide audience. Local radio stations are very open to this, as it even has a more positive effect on their appearance. Whether it be mentioning the event, or sponsoring and/or hosting the event, it never hurts to ask.

Think of creative ways to get more people’s attention, i.e. if the event is near any local holiday parades, walk in it and hand out fliers.

Small scale word of mouth could be getting your event mentioned on the radio, and/or handing out fliers or pamphlets for the event (these are nice because people will likely hold onto something physical and it’ll be a reminder). Larger scale word of mouth would be something like getting a radio station to host your event, where they can give live updates. Also on the larger scale would be getting into something local like a parade (depending on time of year).

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TIP #7

social media It is important to spread the word!

Using social media can be an advantage as it reaches a larger audience.

Make a facebook event, or even a page if this event will be to a larger scale (where maybe it is put on annually for different beneficiaries, or if there’s multiple events for one cause, for example). You can post photos of the beneficiary, what they will do with the money, etc., and share this on multiple media platforms.

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Facebook event page for benefit event, one time event for a couple.

Facebook Page for Freezing Fun For Families, which hosts events all through the year and chooses a beneficiary each time.

Scale

Example:

One of the most accessible media platforms to use is Facebook.

Although there are many platforms, and large scale events could use as many as they’d like. (Smaller events could as well, as they are free, it’s just not necessary). Some larger scale events are recurring and happen annually, where it is nice to have a page that can post updates all the time and always share events each year with people who liked the page.

Small scale social media could be making an event page and sharing it with friends and asking friends to share it with their friends as well.

Larger scale could be like Freezing Fun For Families, where they make a page and post updates of each year’s beneficiary’s progress and the multiple event pages that they have throughout the years.

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TIP #8

use positive photos Photos are helpful in showing people who the benefit event is for. It is better to show them being positive or what they could do with the money, for example. Research is shown that “…overexposure to such pictures [negative photos, “horror” pictures] has seemingly led to desensitization or “aid fatigue,” perhaps lending further support to claims that negative emotions can have complex effects and that fear arousal is often negatively related to persuasion.”

(Dyck & Coldevin).”

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Beneficiary comes to event and a team participating helps her be a part of it and assist her to the plate.

These photos help promote future events.

Beneficiary smiles for photos used on social media.

She is in pain, but smiling to show her newly decorated walker. This was after the event, where the only way she got the new walker was with funds from the benefit event in her honor.

Scale

Example:

Scale is not applicable to the tip.

Positive photos are always a plus, and help to keep spirits up. You should show the beneficiary staying positive, and also what the beneficiary could do with this money.

The photos shown above are two great examples of positive photos.

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TIP #9

create comfort A lot of benefit events are held outdoors, and one thing to consider is that you cannot control the weather.

Keeping that in mind, you also have to keep people comfortable. Consider last minute costs of tents to keep people covered, for example. People who are comfortable are more willing to donate. “Physical discomfort also discourages philanthropy. People are more likely to donate money to a charity when weather conditions are better.� (Bekkers & Wiepking).

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Tents help to create shade from the heat at a benefit event. Also useful when rain is expected.

Players at a beneficiary event making the best out of a weather situation. Try to make fun wherever you possibly can.

Scale

Example:

Some small scale events may not be able to afford this, or it may not be applicable. If having an event outdoors, you always need to consider weather. Things that make people uncomfortable are things like rain, etreme heat or cold, and not having enough space. Try to make people comfortable however you can, and if you can’t manage the situation at all, try to make the best of it with new ideas—see who can slide the furthest in the mud, etc.

Tents help in both the sun and the rain, and there’s a good chance you can borrown them, making it easy for whichever budget you have. There are also rentals, which is to be thought of before hand. Large scale events can afford to have tents, and even things such as warming tents in the cold.

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TIP #10

really get personal Depending on their condition, the beneficiary may be able to come to the event. This is valuable in more than one way. First, it can really uplift someone’s spirits when they see how many people came to help them.

Second, “Presence of a beneficiary strongly affects the social dynamics and motivations for helping behaviour...” (Bekkers & Wiepking).

Even if the beneficiary can’t come, it is nice to have their family or close friends there to show people how much of a relief this is for them.

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Family members of the beneficiary are overwhelmed with joy and hug those who put the benefit event on.

Beneficiary receives trophy at benefit event, from the team who won and wanted to give him something additional to raise his spirits.

Scale There is no scale to this. If a beneficiary can come to the event that’s being held in their honor, then that is great! If not, then that is alright as well. It helps improve spirits for all of those involved and the beneficiary can see the generosity of others firsthand. Encourage them to come to the event, if their condition allows them to, and encourage their family to come with as well. Even if the beneficiary can not attend, having family there is essentially the same idea as having the

beneficiary there. Also, when all the money goes to someone it is easy to round up towards the end of the event.

Giving the beneficiary and/or their family the money raised for them in person is always a moving experience, and you get to see how much relief and joy you just brought to their life.

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OTHER IDEAS

Try picking a theme for the event. If there’s a theme, then everything from decorating to making visuals will be a lot easier.

You can always sell things such as jewelry at the event, just as an extra thing.

This is especially nice when it relates back to the beneficiary. It could also be as simple as the rubber, personalized bracelets.

Try to think of creative ways to offer prizes. Pictured here are balloons which contain gift certificates. People could purchase the darts and whatever they ‘pop,’ they receive.

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Custom t-shirts are great for promoting the event, and another way to make more proceeds for the beneficiary. These are usually fairly cheap.

Try thinking of unique ways to raffle off “gift baskets.” Pictured is a “basket” that is camping themed, and the items inside are all things you could use camping. Sometimes the way you display things could be the deciding factor for a person to purchase an item or not.

Fun way to get photos of the event!

Photos are always great as they show the success of the event, and can be used for other events. Photobooths are a fun way to get people involved and unique props can be used! Pictured is a photobooth that’s used as a ‘guestbook’ where people can say they attended, but in a visual way!

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WORKS CITED Bekkers, Rene, and Pamela Wiepking. “A Literal Review of Empirical Studies of Philanthropy: Eight Mechanisms That Drive Charitable Giving.” Sage Journals. Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 31 May 2007. Web. Bryant, W. K., Slaughter, H. J., Kang, H., & Tax, A. (2003). Participating in Philanthropic Activities: Donating Money and Time. Journal of Consumer Policy, 26(1), 43-73.

Dyck, Evelyne J., and Gary Coldevin. “Using Positive vs. Negative Photographs For Third-World Fund-Raising.” Journalism Quarterly 69.3 (1992): 572-279. EBSCO HOST. Web.

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