Here’s a helpful calendar that tells you when you should be doing what in order to do the very best in the India Giving Challenge.

Pre-event:
(Focus on increasing awareness and excitement among employees.)

1 month before Kickoff:

• Hold first campaign planning meeting (meet at least once per week until campaign)
• Finalise campaign committee and volunteer structure
• Distribute activities involved (i.e. background research of NGO, meeting NGO’s CEO etc.) in deciding upon cause and NGO(s) your company would like to support

2 weeks before Kickoff:

• Hold second campaign planning meeting
• Decide upon cause and NGO(s) that your company would like to support
• Think of and assign activities to make the campaign a success:
  
  • Campaign communication
  • Volunteer training schedule, agendas, and materials
  • Organizing kickoff and celebration
  • Reports and tracking of funds raised

1 weeks before Kickoff:

• Hold third campaign planning meeting
• Finalize theme and communication plan
• Hold a volunteer training meet
• Set up iGive page(s) for your chosen NGO(s)!

Even though you cannot raise funds till September 8, we strongly advise you to go ahead and set up your page ahead of time. This will give you time to sort out any problems you have while setting up the page or correct any mistakes BEFORE the pages go live. Don’t waste valuable days of the competition dealing with setting up your page; be ready to go live on September 8.

Download this document and look through it before making your iGive page.

During the event:
(Focus on implementing ideas to raise funds.)

Pre-Joy of Giving Week:
Yes, the India Giving Challenge is officially underway now, so launch your collection drive

• Launch the event by hold a small event/meeting announcing your chosen NGO(s), coordinators and volunteers for the event etc.
• Send out first appeal letter to all from CEO to all employees urging them to get your company off to a great start.
• Add banner with your iGive page link to your company's intranet and website
• Make available information on selection NGO(s), donation process etc. on the intranet
• Encourage all employees to add the iGive page link to their email signature, chat statuses, Facebook statuses etc.
• Print out and put up posters about your company’s participation in the challenge, along with a link to your iGive page, in common areas
• Print off some promotional sheets to be used as tray liners in your canteen trays, if your staff eat together in a canteen
• Begin sending daily campaign tracking reports to entire campaign team
• Volunteers begin educating employees (about chosen NGO(s), how to donate, how to spread the word etc.)

Joy of Giving Week:

• Hold another small event/meeting announcing the kickoff of the Joy of Giving Week
• Send pledge email from CEO; reminders sent intermittently from CEO
• Invite a speaker from your chosen NGO(s) to come to your office and give a brief presentation about how the money raised will make a difference to the lives of those in need
• Organise any of these fun fundraising events
• Employee education to raise awareness and increase participation in pledging continue
• Towards the end of the week, send another appeal letter to all. Be sure to inform everyone where your company stands in the challenge, as well as thank all those who have already donated.

Post-Joy of Giving Week:

• It’s crunch time! Send out final appeal letter. In addition to the amount of money raised and the ranking, tell people that time is running out and if they want to win the competition, they need to act now!
• Tie up the loose ends. Make sure all commitments people have given have been honored. Make sure any cash amounts received have been converted into cheque or credit card transaction on your iGive page. Key fundraisers and volunteers to send out their own last minute appeals.

Post Event:
(Focus on thanking and appreciating supporters, volunteers, donors etc.).

• Send all an update mail telling them where your company stands in the challenge
• Send thank you mails to all who donated
• Felicitate the highest donors with certificates and other small tokens of appreciation
• Organize a dinner with the CEO of the company for top donors & key volunteers
• Share real stories through email of how the NGO you support has helped change lives
• Put up posters thanking everyone who participated with some information as how much funds raised, which NGO etc. at the common areas such as cafeterias etc.
• Appreciate the efforts of all volunteers who helped make the campaign a success
• Plan a grand celebration, if your company is one of the winners of the challenge!