When Andy Bowles joined MEDA, he immediately saw that the nonprofit’s staff and Board were 100 percent dedicated to their work. The Development Officer, Individual Giving–a new position at the organization–implemented individual giving, by starting with a goal of 100 percent of staff and Board donating to MEDA.
“My initial idea was to get everyone internally to donate to a campaign, before launching an external campaign of staff and Board reaching out to family, friends and anyone they knew would be interested in supporting MEDA’s longtime work of asset building for the low-income Latino community,” explains Bowles.
With MEDA having grown to over 60 staff, Bowles knew he would face a challenge to oversee the “Mission: Possible” campaign solo. He chose the most efficacious route, delegating that task to a bevy of team captains overseeing about 10 persons each. These captains were sent weekly reminders by Bowles about the need of checking in with team members, discussing what ideas were working and, most importantly, acting as cheerleaders.
Having teams also created a friendly competition at MEDA. Bowles immediately saw this occur, with captains asking if their team had garnered the most donations and individuals tallying up their donation amounts, smiles crossing their faces as their dollar levels rose.
“There was definitely a spirit of giving occurring, with the added benefit of the challenge for each staff member to raise a minimum of $400 toward the goal,” says Bowles.
Once 100 percent of staff and Board members had given to the campaign, representing their ownership and commitment to their work, this laudable fact was then shared with the community. Bowles explained to staff that they should share their personal story of why their work at MEDA meant so much to them. These riveting stories were sent via email, discussed in phone calls and shared in person.
While the initial goal of the “Mission: Possible” campaign was $25,000, Bowles set a loftier goal of $50,000. He thought the latter amount could be reached, especially after initial campaign results were so strong.
Bowles was pleased by the inventiveness of staff. Many sold tickets to “VIVA MEDA!,” the nonprofit’s 41st anniversary gala, held in late October. Some cooked and sold the food to fellow staff members as a means to reel in donations, with delectable treats ranging from pumpkin pie to rice pudding to empanadas.
“The staff and Board took the spirit of giving to the next level. A community was developed and a cultural shift has occurred at MEDA. With today being ‘Giving Tuesday,’ I am proud to announce that the $50,000 goal of the ‘Mission: Possible’ campaign has been achieved. This money will be used to offer all the more free services to our clients as they seek to better their lives,” proudly concludes Bowles.
Do you want to join MEDA’s community of giving? Donate today.
Leave a reply