1. CFC Events
Welcome to today’s session on how to host a CFC event that’s fun for everyone and inspires CFC engagement.

2. Why have a CFC event?
Increase participation and dollars raised in the CFC
Motivate campaign workers
Educate about the CFC
Boost morale
Make yourself look like a rock star
Have FUN!
Campaign events are strongly encouraged! Taking the time to plan well-organized, interesting campaign events will pay off in the overall success of the CFC in your department, agency, or installation. Campaign events help educate donors about the CFC and its participating charities, promote federal employee engagement, and encourage participation in the campaign. Campaign events can be powerful. Donors are motivated when hearing directly from charities about the incredible impact CFC donations have on the lives of people in need.

3. How to have the most awesome CVC event in the history of CFC events…
Next, I am going to share some pro-tips with you that should help you plan and execute an amazing event.

4. #1: Form a Committee
Tip #1 is to form a committee so you don’t have to do everything yourself! Look for people who will really enjoy planning a fun event for your agency/installation, then share this presentation with them so you can all start on the same page.

5. #2: Get Creative
Tip #2 is to Get Creative. The more creative and fun your event, the better. So, let’s spend some time brainstorming some fun, creative ideas for events. Here are a few ideas to get you started [read some from the screen or insert some you know about. Ask attendees to mention any events they have attended that were really fun.]

6. #3: Involve Charities Charity speakers Charity fairs
Day of Service at charity locations
Tip #3: Involve Charities. After all, charities are the heart of the CFC. Donors get motivated when they hear directly from charities about the incredible impact CFC donations have on the lives of people in need. Charities can also liven up your event as they sometimes bring giveaways and activities.
I have some specific information for you on how you request charities to participate in your events at the end of today’s training.

7. #4: Encourage Donating
You can’t collect cash at your event like an old-fashioned fundraiser, but you CAN:
Distribute these donor cards at events to encourage attendees to pledge when they return to their desks.
Have paper pledge forms printed and available. You can even have a collection booth for completed paper pledge forms at events.
Set up “online pledge” kiosks for people to try the system with Keyworkers on hand to answer questions.
Provide paper IOUs to attendees reminding them to make their pledge when they get back to their desk.
Post signs at the event with a suggested CFC amount that ties into the event. For example, if you have a chili cookoff, you could have a sign that says “Was this the best chili you ever had? Please consider donating through the CFC to show your appreciation.”

8. Don’t forget to publicize like crazy!
#5: Hook them!
Include food (with caveats)
Have prizes
Plan fun activities – the more creative the better!
Think of ways to get your colleagues to the event:
Offer food! You can’t use CFC funds for this purpose, but you can accept donated food items from members of your agency (like a potluck). You can have a food-related contest with members of your agency entering their famous chili or best baked good. The attendees can all have a taste and vote on their favorites.
Prizes: you can ask the charities attending your event to bring some items to be used as prizes (door prizes or prizes for completing activities). You can also ask your leadership about prizes: lunch with the director; a special parking space for a period of time; early release days. Remember these prizes need to be less than $20 in value and approved by your ethics office.
Fun activities: If the event sounds fun, people will come. An office miniature golf tournament (where each office creates a hole around a CFC cause area and the winner gets a prize) sounds like a blast, right? The more creative you get with your event, the better!
Once you have your plan in place, don’t be shy about publicizing it like crazy. Get the word out and be SURE everyone knows about your event.
Don’t forget to publicize like crazy!

9. #6: Choose your Timing Wisely
Start Strong Week
Cause of the Week
CFC Spirit Week
Finish Strong Week
Choose your timing wisely – sometimes planning an event in the mid-afternoon is a great tactic as attendees may feel they can attend the event and then be done for the day. Make sure you aren’t planning an event in the middle of another very important meeting…but if you can tack your event on to a standing meeting or All Hands Meeting, sometimes that is a great way to get a high attendance.
Also, think about these great times to plan events:
Start Strong Week – get your campaign off with a bang by holding a great kickoff event during the first week of your campaign
Cause of the Week – host an event that ties in with your favorite cause of the week (you can have a themed event, but remember to include a selection of other charities too, to keep things fair)
CFC Spirit Week – the week after Thanksgiving has been deemed CFC Spirit Week – plan an event to Show Some Spirit and play off #GivingTuesday and Volunteer Day
Finish Strong Week – a final push during the last week of the campaign is a great way to close out your campaign.

10. #7: Leadership Participation
Send invites
Attend event
Speak at event
Do something crazy to Show Some Love?
Tip #7: Get your leadership to endorse the event by:
Sending out the invitation (we have pre-written invites for you to tailor and use)
Speaking at the event (we have pre-written speeches for you to tailor and use)
Attending the event – People are more likely to attend themselves when they know the boss is going to be there.
Participating in the event – would your leadership be willing to do something crazy to Show Some Love? Would they be willing to take a pie in the face at the event? Sing karaoke? Dress up in a costume? This alone could draw attendance to your event. Or maybe your leadership would be willing to do it IF the event reached a certain attendance (e.g., if 100 people show up to the charity fair, our director will let us pour a bucket of ice water over her head.)

11. Event Case Study – LOC Kickoff
Here’s how Library of Congress kicked off:
Had branding materials prepared
Event planning in place
Leadership
Great speeches
Invited charities
Fun and memorable – energized attendees

12. Event Case Study - BEP Halloween Charity Fair
BEP’s Halloween Event was a great, engaging way – and FUN! – for employees to get involved with the CFC, hear from charities, and be in costumer, with contests, games, and more.

13. Playing by the Rules Promote employee engagement
CFC events should:
Promote employee engagement
Educate about the CFC and participating charities
Boost morale and camaraderie
Contribute to reaching every federal employee
Take place during duty hours
Include/invite all, but be voluntary
Be approved by your ethics officer
Here are a few qualifications for CFC events. They should always:
Promote employee engagement
Educate about the CFC and participating charities
Boost morale and camaraderie
Contribute to reaching out to every federal employee
Take place during duty hours
Include/invite all, but be voluntary
Be approved by your ethics officer

14. Available Resources Event Guide How to Plan a CFC Event Video
Event Toolkit
In addition to this presentation, we have several resources available to help you, an Event Guide, a short video with reminders on How to Plan a CFC event and an event toolkit filled with resources you can use to host your own event.

15. How to request charity participation in your event.
[Following this slide is where local zones add slides with their specific instructions on how to request charity participation in events.]

16. Questions?
Are there any questions I can answer today?