Do It Yourself Fundraising Guide

IntroductIon Use your talents and interests to raise awareness and funds for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society! There are endless ways to get involved. Host a fundraising event, start a fundraising campaign with email or social media, or take on a personal challenge of your choice! No matter what you choose to do, the National MS Society staff is available to help and support you. Please use this toolkit as a starting point to help organize your event. Depending on your event, many tips may or may not fit your needs. But, we hope this gets you started!

Ways to Do It Yourself ............................................................................................................................................. Page 3

Online Tools .............................................................................................................................................................. Page 4

Organizing a DIY Event ......................................................................................................................................... Pages 5-8

• Committees and Volunteers

• Goals and Objectives

• Timing

• Budget

• Location

• Getting the Word Out

• Sponsors

• Important Details

• Day of the Event

• Post-Event

Do It Yourself FAQ’s ............................................................................................................................................... Page 9-10

Fine Print .................................................................................................................................................................... Page 11

About the National MS Society .............................................................................................................................. Page 11

contact usMaria Oberst Special Events Coordinator (215) 271-1500 maria.oberst@nmss.org

National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Greater Delaware Valley Chapter 30 S. 17th Street, Suite 800 Philadelphia, PA 19103

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Ways to do It yourself Ask a Friend DIY fundraising doesn’t get any easier than just asking a friend – no event required. Simply send an email to friends, family, colleagues – anyone in your network and tell them why ending MS is important to you. If you give them the opportunity to donate, they can share in your passion for finding a cure. If you need help getting started, sample messaging is available on the DIY website.

Organize a Fundraising Activity (The options are endless, here are just a few!)

• Bake Sale or Holiday Cookie Bake-off

• Basketball, Softball, etc. Tournament

• Chili Cook-off or Pig Roast

• Collection Box at Businesses (see Fine Print section at end of document)

• Benefit Dinner or Happy Hour

• Bowling Tournament

• Car Wash

• Casino Night

• Concert or Battle of the Bands

• Concession Stand Benefit

• Dance or Adult Prom

• Dodge Ball Tournament

• Garage Sale

• Golf Outing

• Guest Bartender Night

• Gym, Crossfit or Exercise Challenge

• Handbag Bingo

• Holiday Gift Wrap

• Jeans or Dress Down Day at Work

• Pancake Breakfast

• Portion of Sales at Businesses (see Fine Print section at end of document)

• Quizzo or Trivia Night

• Talent Show

• Yard Work for Donation

• Yoga or Spin Class

Event Tips! • Take advantage of the things you or your committee are already involved in: hobbies, interests or experience

with fundraisers in the past. What stands out about your community? Use it to funraise!

• The more unique, the better. Try to find a fundraising event that will not compete with other successful and long-standing benefit events in your area.

• You can plan a low-key event such as a bake sale, car wash or yard sale. Or you can hold a large-scale event such as an auction, trivia night or gala. The scope of your event should depend upon the amount of planning time you or your committee can devote. Planning time can make or break an event.

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onlIne tools A customizable “Website” is available for each DIY organizer to help with recruiting and fundraising. The DIY webiste makes fundraising easy! On the DIY website you can:

• Update your fundraising page with a photo and why you are fundraising for the MS Society.

• Customize your fundraising page’s URL so it is easier to share.

• Import your contacts from your personal address book and send emails to friends, family and co-workers using email templates or create your own messaging.

• Fundraise through Facebook with our Boundless Fundraising app.

• See a list of your supporters and fundraising progress.

• Send thank you emails to people who make donations to you.

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organIzIng a dIy event Committees and VolunteersRecruit a few friends, family members, or community leaders and create a committee to help you organize the event. A committee can help bring more connections and ideas to your event.

• By dividing and conquering, more attention and focus can be put into multiple areas of the event planning. Make sure to hold regular meetings to monitor the group’s progress and communicate regularly between meetings.

• Oftentimes people want to be involved, but don’t know what to do; pull on their strenghts and interests. You can delegate appropriate tasks to committee members to give them direction. Don’t forget to motivate and thank your committee members.

• Encourage committee members to recruit both sponsors and volunteers.

Goals and Objectives Determine the overall goals and objectives of the event:

• What is the fundraising goal amount?

• What is the attendance goal? (if applicable)

• Will the event increase MS awareness? Will it motivate others to get involved with the MS Society?

Timing Keep these things in mind when determining the time and date of your event:

• Choose a date far enough in advance to give you ample time for planning.

• Consult with the MS Society to check if there are conflicting chapter events.

• Make sure to consider holidays and other busy times of the year for your attendees.

• Think about coordinating your event with a significant date or time of year.

• Consider hosting an event in March during MS Awareness Week!

Develop Your Timeline

• Set realistic goals and dates for when you will accomplish each goal.

• Make sure to record which committee members or volunteers are responsible for each task or goal.

• Remember, it is better to finish your to-do list earlier than later, so make sure you allow enough time to complete tasks well in advance of the event.

• Check out our sample timeline to give you a start.

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Budget

• Set realistic goals for expenses, revenue, and attendance. Consider any up-front costs or significant fees from the venue, caterer, DJ, or other service provider.

• Estimate cost of decorations, refreshments, printing, mailings, food/drink, location, giveaways, supplies, etc.

• The Pocket Planner app from SocialTables can help you calculate your food, beverage, staffing, and safety needs.

• Determine what items could be donated to decrease expenses and increase revenue.

• Determine the overall cost per person and then determine the ticket prices to ensure attendance and a profit.

• Check out our sample budget to give you a start.

Location Find a venue that will help you meet your goals and objectives, is within your budget, and will create a great guest experience.

• Tap into the committee’s networks. You never know who has a connection!

• Consider the venue’s handicap accessibility. We recommend choosing a venue which is fully handicap accessible. Contact the MS Society if you have accessibility questions.

• Explore opportunities to get facility fees fully or partially donated since your event is benefiting a nonprofit.

• If appropriate for your event, contact local Lions Club, American Legion, town halls, galleries, schools, and churches for large spaces that may be available for little or no cost.

• Remember that outdoor venues can become expensive if additional tents, lighting, barricades, portable toilets, etc. are required.

• Make sure to inquire about any restrictions on occupancy limits, bringing in outside food/drink, sound, decorations, etc.

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Getting the Word Out There is a wide variety of ways to let people know about your activity.

• Create your guest list. Think about all your networks, with help from our Know Your Networks worksheet.

• Complete this form to have your event posted on the MS Society’s website.

• Utilize ticket websites such as Eventbrite.com, ticketleap.com, or brownpapertickets.com for event registration and ticket sales. Make sure to research their fees and decide if you want your guests or the event to absorb these fees. Collect your attendees’ contact information if you are planning to host the event again.

• When promoting your event, title it as “Event Name, benefitting the National MS Society” or include in a prominent place that your event supports the National MS Society. See the Fine Print section at the end of this document if you are a business donating a portion of sales to the MS Society.

• Brand your event marketing with MS Society orange or the MS Society’s logo.

• Create and send out ‘Save the Date’ e-mails or postcards.

• Market your event on social media. Go viral with creative YouTube videos, a Facebook Event, Tweets, Instagram posts, memes, etc.

• Post your event on the MS Society’s Facebook page.

• Create flyers, invitations, or brochures for the event. Customizable event flyers are available on the DIY webpage.

• Any honoree and/or sponsor names should be prominent on your marketing materials. Consider including a description of the MS Society and list the committee members.

• Send out invitations no later than three weeks prior to the event.

Sponsors

Create a comprehensive sponsorship package that provides benefits which are appealing to local companies. See an example of a gala sponsor package here.

• Don’t be afraid to ask! Remember why you are organizing this event and that you are supporting a great cause.

• Make sure to follow-up with each potential sponsor with a phone call, email or visit.

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Important Details

• Don’t forget to reserve any services that are required for the event (sound system and tech, projector and screen for pictures or videos, security, valet parking, etc.).

• Contracts or agreements ensure the service provider is aware of the date and time of the event, in addition to their identified obligations. They protect you and the event. Contracts or agreements are especially helpful for service providers who are donating services.

• Analyze potential safety and security hazards and create a plan to help eliminate any risk.

• Identify whether additional liability insurance is necessary to cover injuries due to high-risk activities (rock climbing, sky diving, etc.).

• Create a weather contingency plan if the event is outside. What will happen if inclement weather strikes?

• Organize volunteer needs for day-of responsibilities.

Day of the Event All of the prep-work is done and it’s the day of the big event! It’s a good idea to create a checklist of things to do and when they need to be done.

• Arrive early so you have more than enough time for setup and to resolve any issues.

• Identify a reliable committee member or volunteer to troubleshoot any problems or answer any questions that volunteers may have.

• Schedule a meeting with your volunteers well in advance of guest arrival. Communicate any last-minute changes to your volunteers and identify any problem areas.

• Ensure the event is running on time and that all speakers have arrived and understand their role for the event.

• Don’t forget to thank your guests! They are helping you create a world free of MS.

Post-Event You pulled it off, but yet, there’s still more to do:

• Thank sponsors, attendees and volunteers through email or personal notes.

• Host a wrap-up celebration with your committee to thank them and discuss what worked and what didn’t.

• Ensure all expenses are paid.

• Organize the attendee list so guest are invited to next year’s event.

• Submit proceeds to the MS Society within 30 days of the event.

• Be proud of the great work you did to help families living with MS... Thank you!

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do It yourself faQ’s As you are putting together all of the details of your DIY fundraising activity, you will have many questions. Our hope is that the following will be able to answer most of those for you.

Why is our activity classified as DIY and not a National MS Society event? This is YOUR activity, which means you get to do it your way, with all of your own ideas, adding all of your own flare! When promoting your event, title it as “Event Name, benefitting the National MS Society.” This will show our complete support of your event.

Can the National MS Society logo be used? Yes! MS Society logos can be downloaded from the DIY webpage. Please do not alter or distort the logos.

Is it okay to have alcohol at our DIY event? Yes, but if you choose to serve alcohol, we recommend you do so via a cash bar to minimize risk. In addition, the availability of alcohol should not be promoted. The responsibility of serving alcohol to attendees should remain with a third party (restaurant or facility staff, etc.). Proof of age is required and signs should be posted to that effect. Alternative means of transportation such as taxis or Uber should be available to attendees. The third-party organizer agrees to indemnify, defend and hold harmless the MS Society for any liability associated with the serving of alcohol at the DIY activity.

Can someone from the MS Society attend and speak at our DIY event? Yes, depending on the availability of MS Society staff. Please contact Maria Oberst at maria.oberst@nmss.org or (215) 271-1500 to arrange for an MS Society representative to attend your event.

Can the MS Society provide me with information about multiple sclerosis? Yes! Please contact Maria Oberst at maria.oberst@nmss.org or (215) 271-1500 to request materials. Visit the MS Society store to purchase MS wristbands or other MS swag.

Will the MS Society provide an auction or raffle license for my event? No. Please review the auction and raffle laws of Pennsylvania and New Jersey here.

Will the MS Society pay for expenses of a DIY event? No. The MS Society is not financially liable for the staging of a DIY event. The MS Society will not provide insurance for a DIY event.

Can funds from the DIY event be used to pay event expenses? Yes. Please ensure the funds are stored in a safe location and these are not considered tax deductible.

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do It yourself faQ’s (cont.)

Can funds already turned in to the MS Society be used to pay DIY event expenses? No. Once funds have been donated to the MS Society, they cannot be utilized to pay expenses.

When do funds raised from DIY events need to be given to the MS Society? Please send funds to the MS Society within 30 days of the event either by mail or the DIY website. Do not mail cash. Checks can be made out to the National MS Society. Please include with your funds a note about your event so we know its source.

Are donations made to a DIY event tax deductible? The MS Society is a charitable organization, so any contribution to the MS Society qualifies as a deduction under Section 170 of the Internal Revenue Code. Difficulty could arise when an independent, outside organization wishes to raise money for the MS Society. If the payments are made to this independent organization, and it is not a qualified organization, the payments will not be deductible for income tax purposes. If the payments are made to the MS Society, then they qualify – to the extent by law.

Please note: As stated above, please remember that when checks are made to the MS Society, they cannot be utilized later, or paid back from the MS Society, for expenses of a DIY event.

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fIne PrInt• The MS Society reserves the right to decline association with any third-party when it believes that such association or

DIY activity may have a negative effect on the reputation of the MS Society.

• Per state regulated Commercial Co-Venture laws, it is important to know what is required when selling something that benefits the Society. The MS Society operates under the Better Business Bureau guidelines for charitable giving. In compliance with these guidelines, the Society requires full disclosure on all packaging, advertising or promotional materials when funds are raised through a consumer purchase or promotion. All DIY fundraisers must comply with this requirement if applicable and state that the consumer purchase or promotion benefits the National MS Society.

• The MS Society shall not be responsible, under any circumstance, for the promotion, set-up, pre-event, post-event or operational issues associated with a DIY activity. The organizer assumes all risk for expenses and liabilities, and agrees to indemnify, defend and hold harmless the MS Society from any and all claims, obligations or liabilities associated with the DIY activity.

• Local municipalities and property owners will often times require third-party organizers to provide evidence of insurance particularly when the activity involves a specific number of participants/attendees. Third-party organizers of DIY activities shall not rely on the MS Society’s insurance for the event. We recommend organizers comply with insurance requirements as you assume ALL risk associated with the activity.

• DIY organizers are responsible for obtaining applicable permits and licensing in use of all public facilities and/or properties through the appropriate municipality. The MS Society has no responsibility for obtaining applicable licenses and permits.

about the natIonal Ms socIety Please feel welcome to use the following content describing the National MS Society in marketing/promotional materials:

The National MS Society ensures people effected by MS live their best lives as we stop MS in its tracks, restore what has been lost and end MS forever. The National Multiple Sclerosis Society does this by funding more MS research and providing more services to people living with MS than any other MS organization in the world. Join the movement at www.nationalMSsociety.org or by calling 1-800-FIGHT-MS.

National Multiple Sclerosis Society Greater Delaware Valley Chapter

30 South 17th Street, Suite 800 Philadelphia, PA 19103

1-800-FIGHT-MS nationalMSsociety.org/pae