2024/2025 SEFA CAMPAIGN
Employee Campaign Coordinator Training
WHAT IS SEFA?
The State Employees Federated Appeal, SEFA, is a powerful way for New York State employees to make an impact in their local communities -and beyond.
SEFA is a single combined campaign for employees of NYS and is the only charitable solicitation of state employees authorized in state law.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
Annually, the SEFA campaign kicks off September 1st and concludes December 31st, although staff can give at anytime during the year!
State employees may give through payroll deduction or personal check.
State employees may make a pledge using paper pledge form or the State e-pledge system.
THE DIFFERENCE YOU MAKE
Our Impact:
Since 2006 state employees raised $103,367,608 statewide!!!! Hudson Valley state employees raised approximately $90,000 in 2023. These dollars went directly to charities and helped sustain their programs and initiatives in your community.
HOW IS SEFA ORGANIZED?
Law & SEFA Regulations
Overseen by Office of General Services Region
Local Committee, chaired by a state employee who represents our region.
Local Campaign Area
Known as Federated Community
1 2 3 4 5 6
Campaign FCC Regional FCC manages campaign.
Office of State Comptroller Responsible for payroll deduction process
United Way of the DutchessOrange Region Distributes to Charities selected by state employees
WHY GIVE THROUGH SEFA?
EASY
SEFA offers the advantage of payroll deduction. Employees are able to choose the amount they want to deduct each pay period (no matter how large or small).
COMPREHENSIVE
Contributions help fund over 1,800 registered charities
PERSONAL
Employees can designate pledges to charities that work on issues they deeply care about.
EFFICIENT
SEFA raises money for charities at a lower cost than if they took care of it themselves.
THINGS TO REMEMBER
NEW REGULATIONS
CONTINUOUS GIVING YEAR ROUND GIVING
KICKOFF & CAMPAIGN: PROCESS
WHY GIVE TO SEFA?
• Highlight a program or agency
• Tie in with current events
• Tell someone’s story
• Make them laugh
• Example: bring in an employee of a charity in your local area to speak about what they do and how they benefit the community.
I CHOOSE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
Develop a campaign plan that will:
• Promote good feelings about the campaign.
• Promote payroll deduction as the best way to give.
• Talk about the good feelings we all have when we give a gift of:
• $1.00, $2.00, $5.00 and $10.00 per
• paycheck and the IMPACT!
• $2/paycheck = $52/year
• $5/paycheck = $130/year
SOME POWERFUL STATISTICS TO SHARE WITH EMPLOYEES
- Just 1 dollar per paycheck gives a reconnection workshop to a service member and their family, OR feeds a family of 4, 3 meals a day for 3 days.
- Just 2 dollars per paycheck provides a 1 year guided nature exploration to a preschool student in Head Start or Pre-K programs, OR provides food for 2 dogs or cats for 3 weeks, OR helps stop the spread of HIV by providing a community member with HIV blood test, results & counseling
- Just 5 dollars per paycheck plants 20 trees, offsetting 20 tons of carbon dioxide emissions, OR provides a spay/neuter surgery for a shelter pet
KICKOFF & CAMPAIGN: KICKOFF
Organize management solicitation to showcase management’s commitment to the campaign.
Ask former coordinators about previous campaigns, including the departments or areas that usually give the most and why.
Create a set start and end date for your campaign that works best for your organization.
Do not hesitate to reach out to your FCCM: sefacoordinator@ uwdor.org with any questions, or to set up in person meetings
KICKOFF & CAMPAIGN: ORGANIZE CAMPAIGN
Launch campaign with an upbeat event to generate interest and enthusiasm.
KICKOFF & CAMPAIGN: SHARE MATERIALS
Send out a kickoff e-mail or pass around the pledge cards. Tip: do not be afraid to ask your leadership team to write a letter of support/send an email to staff calling them to participate
KICKOFF & CAMPAIGN: GROUP SOLICITATION
Show campaign video, hand out SEFA posters/other promotional material, distribute pledge cards, have a guest speaker...all within a 20 minute or less presentation!
KICKOFF & CAMPAIGN: 1-ON-1 SOLICITATION
Learn how SEFA works, who benefits and how to complete the pledge card.
KEYS TO SUCCESS
1. Use goal thermometer posters to keep employees posted about each departments progress.
2. Set goals for how much you would like to raise through SEFA this year. Reach out to me to see how much your organization raised in 2023.
3. Keeping employees excited about the campaign increases donations. Publicizing the campaign is key: you can’t expect donors to give to SEFA if they don’t know about it!
4. Remember, you are not asking for yourself, but for others who need help.
5. Conduct an employee survey: find out what employees know/don’t know about SEFA, identify THEIR interests and how they fit with SEFA, and consider these findings when developing your campaign plan
THE POWER OF E-PLEDGE
Printed copies of the pledge books and forms can be expensive…I am urging all organizations to print books themselves or use e-pledge!
If your organization does not have access to internet/is unable to print your own books, please reach out to me after the meeting and let me know how many books/pledge forms you think you will need.
I will share the e-pledge link with you all ASAP, employees are able to donate directly online without harming any trees or budgets
WORKPLACE EVENT: LUNCHTIME BINGO
In Person OR Virtual Bingo
Charge for each card and offer a prize.
WORKPLACE EVENT: BASKET RAFFLE
Departments Make Baskets To Raffle Off
Draw a winner! Cash goes to your campaign (Raffles may only be sold to state employees and must be managed by your organization..
WORKPLACE EVENT: THROWBACK BABY PHOTOS
Match Baby Photos To Your Coworkers
Charge a small entry fee and send a prize to the person who matches the most.
WORKPLACE EVENT: GO CRAZY WITH DRESS
Dress Up Or Down, Or "Spirit Week"
Set a small donation amount to participate and raffle-off a prize at the end of the week (or vote for winners).
WORKPLACE EVENT: LUNCH BOX AUCTION
The way to a donors heart…
Employees supply lunches to be auctioned off. Give prizes for most creative or elegant lunches!
CLOSING THE CAMPAIGN
Your hard work is ready to pay off! The key is to keep your department/agency’s campaign moving.
1.Send out last call
2.Collect all pledge cards
3.Update everyone on the progress of campaign
4.Send in money envelopes and pledge cards to your Regional FCC (United Way of the Dutchess-Orange Region).
CLOSING THE CAMPAIGN
SAY THANK YOU
Giving to SEFA makes people feel good about caring. It also makes them feel good when their generosity is acknowledged.
Publicly thanking employees demonstrates appreciation for your employees’ commitment to caring and builds momentum for giving in the next campaign.
Visit
uwdor.org/volunteer to access a volunteer portal. We always welcome new volunteers and offer single or group opportunities! We also have an emerging leaders team for young professionals.