Celebration Sweepstakes!

Tips for Success

Make sure your volunteers know the fundraising goal and how the money will be spent.
Give your volunteers individual goals to reach – either number of pledges or a dollar amount to raise.
Have an incentive to keep your volunteers motivated. For example, the top fundraiser could receive a free vacation day, a gift certificate or another incentive that would be enticing.

Emphasize the fact that all donations are tax deductible and that 100% of the money collected goes directly to your organization.

Include a letter from your organization when mailing out the pledge forms. You can download a sample letter at the bottom of this page.
Try including an additional pledge form with your letter asking them to find one more person to donate.
Send an e-mail encouraging your contact list, including your board members and staff, to donate online at www.valerotexasopen.org.
Include a reminder about the program in your organization’s monthly newsletter.
Put the information on your Web site with a link to www.valerotexasopen.org.

Invite businesses to donate as a corporate sponsor or Birdies Club member.
Approach businesses to match the funds raised by your organization.
Ask businesses to display the Birdies for Charity pledge forms in their establishment on your behalf, letting people know about the program and who the funds will help.

All donations and pledges are tax deductible.
100% of all the money collected goes to your organization.
Donors will want to know who will receive the money and how the money will be used.
You have additional opportunities to raise funds with a variety of incentives offered.
The Grand Prize for the Guess the Birdies contest is a vehicle.
Checks are to be made out to: San Antonio Children’s Foundation.
Cash donations paid in advance must be turned in with the pledge form so the donor is not billed.
MasterCard, Visa, & American Express are accepted.

Before the first billing cycle, review your organization’s results report online to make sure everything is accurate.
Consider mailing donors a thank you postcard informing them that they will be receiving a bill in May.
Contact the donors on your report that have not paid yet through a friendly postcard, e-mail or phone call to remind them about their Birdies for Charity commitment.
After the second billing cycle, mail your donors a thank you note telling them how much money was collected and what your organization plans to do with the funds. This will encourage the same donors to participate next year.

Participating organizations must reach a fundraising minimum of $500 to be eligible to participate in Birdies program for the following year.
For donors who pre-pay, staple cash or checks to the appropriate pledge form(s). Any cash/checks your organization receives must be turned into Golf San Antonio. GSA will not accept pledge forms that have “paid” written on them because the organization has held onto the funds.
Please make sure all checks are written to: San Antonio Children’s Foundation.
Organizations that reach a 100% collection rate following the 1st billing cycle in June will receive their check July 2012. All other checks for collected funds will be distributed August 2012. Incentive money earned will be distributed October 2012.