Philanthropy Manual
Alpha Epsilon Pi
2005-2006
Philanthropy Taskforce
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The Ethiopian Jewish Community Centers in Israel
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Model letter and sponsorship form
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Model Press release
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- Frequently asked questions and available resources
- Program Bank
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This manual was written by the members of AEΠ’s Philanthropy Taskforce 2005-2006:
Chase Foster, Pi Upsilon ‘08, Paul Hertz, Eta Pi ‘07, Josh Nason, Beta ‘08, Matt Raisman, Alpha Pi ‘07, Sam Rank, Delta Deuteron ‘07, Jules Strachman, Psi Beta ‘08, Adam Cohen, USG, Omicron ‘06, Matt Van Horn, USG, Upsilon Alpha ‘06, Phillip Brodsky, DJP, Omega ‘05
Dedicated to the victims of the hurricanes, tsunami and other natural disasters of 2005.
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I. Planning a Philanthropy Event
1. Plan ahead
To have a successful philanthropy program you are going to need to plan ahead early and often. Start out with a detailed plan of what you want to accomplish. Set a goal for both how much money you want to raise and a goal for chapter involvement. Make sure to include in your plan what resources you will need. Visualize the end result. What will the philanthropy program look like? You could even try drawing a sketch of the event to help this process. Create a timeline, stick to it. Have deadlines for major decisions and tasks that need to be done.
Hint: set your goals high. Just as in rush or in school the higher your goals the better the result.
2. Invest your chapter
No event is good if you are the only one planning it. Having your whole chapter involved not only makes your work easier, but it gets your chapter excited and enthusiastic about achieving your goals. The best way to do this is to form a committee that will be responsible for all the different elements involved with the program. Make sure that when you pick your committee you pick brothers that will be active members and not deadweight. You are going to want to select committee members that have different skills, for example graphic design, writing for the press, opinion leaders of your chapter, etc. You may also choose to partner with another chair on your minor board, i.e. your Jewish Life chair to help incorporate different values into your event.
Hint: Read the chapter in this manual on investment (page 10).
3. Work with other organizations
There are plenty of organizations on your campus that have the same goals and philanthropic values as AEΠ, such as other fraternities, sororities, student unions, Hillel and other religious organizations. It is often beneficial to partner with these groups to provide additional manpower, enthusiasm and money-raising potential.
Hint: Partnering with an organization not only increases your resources, but it can be a way to get your brothers to buy into the program as well.
4. Solicit corporate sponsorships
Once you have your event planned out it is time to start soliciting help. One of the first places to look is to local business. By partnering with a local business you increase the possibilities of your event. Owners and managers may have ideas or promotions that you haven’t yet thought of. By receiving monetary donations from businesses or a promise to match funds raised you seriously increase the likelihood for major success. Many larger corporations have sections on their websites about community involvement. Use your creativity to look around, you may be surprised who is willing to help.
Hint: Don’t walk into a business empty handed. Whether you are asking for a large donation or just for a gift certificate you should have ready a professional looking solicitation letter and an outline of the event.
5. Advertise your event
Know your target audience for your philanthropy and how to reach them. Students, alumni and community members each receive information from different communication channels. For maximum exposure you will need to advertise in many different ways. Develop several press releases to send to newspapers, radio stations and campus magazines. Make fliers and place them in popular spots on campus such as in dorms, bus stops, apartment complexes, building bulletin boards and local coffee shops. Read and be familiar with your schools rules on putting up fliers. Consider buying or soliciting a free ad in your school newspaper or on facebook.com.
Hint: Don’t be discouraged if you put up your fliers and the next day they are gone. Send out a team to flier periodically before the event and more frequently (everyday) as the event draws closer.
6. Stay Organized
Much of what you accomplish will depend on how organized you stay. As the philanthropy chair you need to know everything about the event. Even if you have a large committee you need to be up to date with everything that it is going on. Report often to the Lt. Master and maintain the chain of command.
7. Be open to new ideas
As you organize and put together your philanthropy stay flexible and open to other people’s ideas and to unique opportunities that may arise. Anything that can positively add on to your event will help it be successful and memorable. Remember the key word for raising money is “free.” See what is being offered to you at no charge. For example, if you know a band is interested in getting its name out see if they will play for free at your philanthropy event. If an organization does not want to sponsor your event see if they will supply supplies such as food or prizes such as gift certificates.
Hint: No matter how good you think your event will be there is always something more that can be done or added on to your event. Reach for the stars.
8. Evaluate
Always take the time to evaluate your program. Ask for comments from others involved and record them. Be sure to pass on what you have learned to the next philanthropy chair.
Hint: Identify early a brother that you think would be great for the next philanthropy chair. Be sure to involve closely him with the planning process.
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“Work smarter, not harder,”
Andy Borans, Executive Director, Alpha Epsilon Pi
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Event Planning Worksheet
Alpha Epsilon Pi
Date Submitted:_________________ Committee: _______________
Event Date: _/__/__Event Time: ____ Total Cost: $______________
Event Location: _________________ Event Name:______________
1) DESCRIPTION - Please provide a description of the event.
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
2) GOALS – List your goals for the event. Consider total money raised, publicity, attendance, etc.
Goal 1: ___________________________________________________
Goal2: ___________________________________________________
Goal 3: ___________________________________________________
3) Philanthropy – List the name and contacts for the benefiting cause
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
4) Partners – List the names and contacts for the organizations that you will work with for this event
Org. 1: ____________________________________________________
Org. 2: ____________________________________________________
Org. 3: ____________________________________________________
5) EXPENSES - Please provide all anticipated expenses in detail.
Description / Cost Description / Cost
________________ $________ ________________ $_______
________________ $________ ________________ $_______
________________ $________ ________________ $_______
6) CONTRACTS – Please list all contracts and their details. All contracts must be sent in to AEΠ’s international office before being signed. Proprietor / Details_________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
7) PUBLICITY / ADVERTISING - Please provide details of event publication.
Method / Details___________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
8) RISK MANAGEMENT - Please provide steps taken to ensure safety at the event
Guest List: (Yes/No): ______________________________
Security: (Yes/No): ______________________________
Sober Monitors: (Yes/No): ______________________________
Other:____________________________________________________
9) Insurance – If you are having a large program (more than 250 participants) it is mandatory to get an insurance rider from the international office. It has no cost to your chapter and but is necessary to obtain.
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II. Working with AEΠ’s international philanthropy
One of the most important things that you and your chapter will have to do to carry out your philanthropy is to sell yourself and your cause. Your skills acquired from rush will come in handy when you sell your philanthropy event to businesses, students, organizations and your chapter. Below are some handy talking points you can use to easily and effectively let people know about AEΠ and its international philanthropy.
Alpha Epsilon Pi
• Was founded in 1913 on Jewish values and continues to be one of the leading Jewish organizations on college campuses
• Is on 132 campuses in North America
• Has 6,000 active undergraduates
• Has 80,000 brothers and alumni worldwide
• Is the first fraternity ever to be at all the Ivy League schools at the same time
• Is the largest fraternity in Canada
• Is the largest fraternity in California
• Is the 13th largest of all national fraternities
Alpha Epsilon Pi and philanthropy
• AEΠ chooses a new international philanthropy every few years and has raised a significant amount of money for those causes.
• As a part of the general mission of Greek communities and as a part of the culture amongst Jewish communities, AEΠ has always been on the front lines helping to raise money for those in need.
• Past causes include
o In one semester, fall of 2005, AEΠ chapters raised more than $58,000 for Hurricane Katrina Relief
$2,000 of this was donated to the New Orleans Jewish Day School through AEΠ’s Foundation
o More than $100,000 was raised by AEΠ for Magen David Adom, the Israeli emergency response service from 2001-2003
o $135,000 was raised by AEΠ for the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
o AEΠ has also assisted Mazon: A Jewish Response to Hunger, and The National Tay Sachs & Allied Diseases Association, Inc.
• AEΠ is currently working to fulfill a pledge of $50,000 it made to benefit two Ethiopian Jewish Community Centers in Israel.
The Ethiopian Jewish Community Centers in Israel
Background
AEΠ is currently in the second year of its two-year campaign to raise $50,000 for two Ethiopian Jewish Community Centers. AEΠ first encountered the Ethiopian Jewish Community Centers when the participants of the fraternity’s first all AEΠ birthright israel trip in January 2004 visited the Winnipeg Center in Be’er Sheva. Since then, the Ethiopian Jewish community in Israel has been extremely well received by AEΠ chapters. Members of the Ethiopian community have joined the fraternity at its regional leadership conclaves as part of the Israel at Heart program.
• The centers, which are located in Be’er Sheva and Lod, provide computer and vocational training, academic tutoring and other programming to help the Ethiopian community fully integrate into Israeli life and culture.
• Even amongst Jewish communities of the world, Ethiopian Jews and their struggles have long been a forgotten piece of the global community.
• Through many various efforts, Ethiopian Jews have immigrated to Israel and the total population stands to reach nearly 120,000 in a country of only six million.
• On average the Ethiopian population of Israel is below the poverty line.
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III. Choosing and working with a local philanthropy
Aside from raising money for AEΠ’s international philanthropy, each chapter is encouraged to establish a relationship with a philanthropy in its community.
Picking a local charity can be the most important decision that you make as a chapter. The cause you choose can often be the difference between a successful philanthropy program and an unsuccessful program; a good event and a great event. There are many factors to consider when picking a local cause:
1. Picking a well-known cause vs. a lesser-known cause
There are two schools of thought on this issue. There are bigger, more easily recognizable charities and then there are charities which are usually overlooked. Each obviously has their pros and cons. If you decide to go with a larger charity, then the promotion of the event may be much easier. People in general are more likely to donate their time and money to a cause that they already know about and believe in. For example, raising money for cancer is probably going to be a lot easier than raising money for pseudohypoparathyrodism. However, sometimes it is these overlooked diseases that need the most support. There are thousands of organizations that exist to support cancer research. Therefore, it may be a good idea to focus your energy on the lesser known causes. Picking a lesser known philanthropy also creates greater awareness for it which can help the philanthropy for years to come.
2. Using Jewish values to pick a meaningful cause
Alpha Epsilon Pi is a Jewish organization and we stand on Jewish ideals and principles. The organizations that you choose to work with can incorporate Judaism in some way. The need not be strictly Jewish (as in raising money for Tay-Sachs disease), it could be something like Mazon: a Jewish approach to hunger. You will find that the best results always come when the charity is meaningful to the brothers of your chapter. If there is a brother in your chapter with a particular condition, or has a family member in need then consider raising money for that cause. Giving your cause a personal touch always brings out the most support and as a result the most success. But, always make sure that whatever you decide, you decide as a chapter or a committee in large chapters. Never let one person make this decision on his own (whether it is the philanthropy chair, the master or anyone else).
Tip: When going for a personal touch, make sure that you never use or exploit an individual brother or person to benefit your charity, rather use a charity in order to benefit a brother/person.
3. Picking a charity that will benefit your chapter
When you are researching various causes to support, one factor to consider is how different causes are willing to involve themselves with your chapter. Some charities will match donations made by the fraternity, some will provide PR help and others send representatives to your event to work with you. Other charities may offer community service opportunities. It is part of our fraternity’s mission and our Greek mission to help out those in need, but at the same time we, as a fraternity, are doing a service. We are taking time out of our lives to raise money or donate our time, thus we welcome all the help that we can get.
Remember that the charity, although very important is only a means to an end. The more meaningful the charity to your chapter, the more support you will be able to garner and the more successful the event will be. Success now can equal future success. Get out there and start looking. It’s never too early to find a new charity or develop a long lasting relationship with a cause. It’s all up to you and your brothers.
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IV. Investing your chapter
As a leader in your chapter, an important thing you will have to do is motivate your chapter to get involved in a project whose principle beneficiaries are not brothers. Don’t worry though. The skills you have already learned through rush and pledge will help. Investing your chapter can be done through a variety of ways:
1. Delegate and include a vast number of brothers in the planning phases
As a chapter leader, you can and should delegate responsibilities to a cross section of the brotherhood that can assist you in the planning of any charity event. Have the group bring ideas for what kind of event the philanthropic endeavor might entail, what the budget might be, who the beneficiary (beneficiaries) might be, and so on. In the later stages of planning for the event, have group members take on individual roles and responsibilities designed to further immerse themselves in the planning and execution of the event. For instance, have individual members of your philanthropy committee deliver update reports to the brotherhood during meetings. Have some of the brothers make phone calls on behalf of the fraternity to other collegiate clubs and organizations who might be interested in sponsoring, or otherwise supporting the event. Try appointing someone as the person who is responsible solely for the activities pertaining to the day of the event or its duration.
Effective delegation of responsibilities not only assists you, but also helps you manage the magnitude of the event. Delegation of both small and large tasks is a remarkable way to make the chapter feel that they have some ownership over the event and that it is not merely an effort being forced on the brotherhood by the executive board or a minor board chairman. Remember, you have other responsibilities within your chapter; delegation is a part of being successful because it allows you to plan an effective event while accomplishing various other chapter-related tasks as well.
2. Make a philanthropy committee and be smart when selecting its members
It is important that when you pick brothers for your committee you bear in mind that a few influential members of the brotherhood can be an integral part of rallying the brotherhood behind your cause. It is crucial to select a few seniors and a few underclassmen. The end result of successfully pairing older guys with some younger guys is a committee that represents the very diverse views of the brotherhood. Also be sure to pick brothers based on their skill sets. It is a good idea to have brothers with different majors from advertising to social work. Another good way to invest more brothers is to pair your committee with another committee such as the Jewish life or social committee. By doing this you will bring a new perspective to your event.
3. Find ways to reward outstanding brothers as well as the chapter as a whole
Some chapters have tried to devise systems wherein brothers are held accountable for their participation in an event. Others have tried to organize systems wherein brothers are rewarded through raffles and prizes for the individuals who are most involved in planning the event. All are good ways to help the brotherhood take accountability for a philanthropic event. Additionally, this will help to motivate the brotherhood and encourage them to get involved in your function. For prizes you can give away a gift certificate that was donated to the event. Another reward would be to honor the brother that was most helpful. Let this brother be the one that gets to present the check to the charity at the end of the event. Take a picture. Send it to the Lion.
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V. Partnering with other organizations
There are two reasons to partner with another organization for a philanthropy event: 1) to help you plan and execute the event or 2) to work with a philanthropy event that is already set up. By having partners your chapter’s philanthropic event will be maximized to its full potential. Additionally, it helps your chapter grow its reputation and creates a strong network for your chapter to rely on in the future.
1. How to create partners
On every college campus there are many organizations that, like AEΠ, are focused on improving the community and doing philanthropic work. These groups would love to join in on your chapter’s efforts and are a great place to look for help to take your event to the next level. Depending on demographics there may be organizations beyond your campus, in the surrounding area, that would also like to assist your chapter. To create strong and helpful partners follow these steps:
Step 1: Create a chapter resumé
A chapter resumé is an efficient way to show organizations and businesses what your chapter is all about. Things to include in this resumé: amount of brothers in your chapter, how long you have been a chapter, philanthropies your chapter is involved with, fund raisers your chapter participates in, some of your chapter’s goals and objectives, your chapter’s goal specifically for the philanthropy event.
Step 2: Search for Partners
After your chapter has the resumé put together, it is time to search for partners. A good way to start this process would be looking on your very own campus. Try beginning your search by contacting Jewish organizations on campus. These organizations should be familiar with Alpha Epsilon Pi, which will help create a strong bond from the beginning.
Remember that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. One of the most central pillars of every Greek organization is service. When you are planning your next philanthropy event try reaching out to your inter-fraternal brothers and sisters in the Greek system. You will find that they are more willing to help then you originally imagined. In fact, you might even find that they have tried something similar before and have great advice to help you out.
Find other groups on campus that have similar goals and objectives. These organizations can be non-religious groups. For example, if your chapter’s philanthropy is the American Cancer Society and your school’s baseball team supports the same cause, then the team would most likely be willing to help with your efforts.
Another way to find partners is by contacting local organizations that are off campus. Contact local synagogues, Jewish youth groups, Jewish Federation, etc. These groups are well aware of Alpha Epsilon Pi and would most likely be more then willing to partner up. Also, this could turn your philanthropy into a very large event, as these organizations are made up of all different ages.
Having trouble getting brothers to do community service (answer yes); having trouble getting brothers to meet women (answer no); okay, blend the two; Sororities have to meet the same philanthropy requirements that you do, so why not do it with them, have a good time and help people at the same time?
Step 3: Make your philanthropy known
Beyond searching for partners, other organizations can search for you. If your philanthropic event is well known throughout campus then other organizations might want to partner up. Do whatever it takes to have your philanthropy advertised. This includes posters, e-mails, fliers, online photos, etc.
Step 4: Maintain communication before, during and after your event
Be sure to check in with your partner organizations often so that they are in the know on all the details necessary for the event day.
Step 5: Keep up the relationship
Even after the event is finished, follow up with your partner organizations. Send thank you notes, pictures and press clippings to your partners.
2. How to get involved with philanthropic events already set up
Beyond putting together your own philanthropic event, it might be beneficial to meet your philanthropy goals by assisting and working with another organization. Other organizations on your campus most likely do their very own philanthropies. Possibly your chapter can lend them a hand, so that they will help with your chapter’s future philanthropic efforts. By following the steps listed below, your chapter should be able to find philanthropic events already set up by other organizations that work with your chapter’s values.
Step 1: Research
Think of many different ways to find out about other events on campus. These ways include: reading signs on campus, searching the internet, speaking to members of other organizations, etc.
On each campus, Hillel is an umbrella organization for many great student groups. Be sure to stick your head in at your Hillel to find out about these groups and the projects that they are undertaking. Another place to look is your IFC, Campus Y and your student union.
It could be very difficult to find the right partner, but once you find the right one it is pretty easy from there.
Step 2: Contact
Call and/or e-mail the person chairing the philanthropy. In that e-mail/call include a brief history of your chapter and of course your chapter’s desire to assist with their event. Make sure to include your contact information in that e-mail. If meeting face-to-face dress for success; keep in mind first impression is everything!
Step 3: Arrange a meeting
Meet with your potential partner. Find out what Alpha Epsilon Pi can do to help with their efforts. In that meeting let the partner know that your chapter is interested in starting a mutually beneficial relationship in which your chapter might call on them for assistance with future a philanthropy event.
Step 4: Update your chapter
It is very important to keep your chapter updated. Make sure they know where they have to be and when they have to be there to help with this philanthropic event.
Step 5: Maintain communication with partner organization
Ask for feedback and make sure you are working toward the standards and goals set in place by your partner.
Step 6: Stay in touch
Send thank you notes after the event is finished to let your partner know how much you appreciated being included in the event and mention your interest in working with them on future events. Send pictures and pressing clippings with your note to show them the success of the event.
By following the steps listed above, your chapter will surely form a positive partnership. Helping out and working with another organization goes a long way in establishing and growing your chapter’s reputation campus wide. Additionally, there is that chance that the organization which your chapter helped, will surely help with your chapter’s future philanthropic efforts.
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VI. Soliciting sponsorships
Here is a model letter and sponsorship form used by AEPi at York University for its Floor Hockey League.
Ms. Susan Smith
The Restaurant
1234 Address Court
Toronto, ON L4Q6A5
January 24, 2006
Ms. Smith,
Toronto is home to three AEPi chapters at York University, University of Toronto and Ryerson Polytechnic University. Together we form a base for Jewish life on campus, while working with Hillel and various other Jewish organizations. These different associations allow us to organize and implement a variety of programming ranging from philanthropic efforts to athletic leagues to Jewish programs.
At the moment, we are focusing on improving the York University (Eta Pi Chapter) Floor Hockey League. For many years this league has been a major highlight of the chapter as it is the premiere way in which our alumni interact with our active brothers and pledges. The league has 8 teams, with approximately 11 players per team. It runs from mid-September to mid-April with one game per team, per week and with a full playoff to round out the season.
Each year, the league and its teams are sponsored by local businesses. The money raised through sponsorships goes to fund the purchase of equipment, jerseys, insurance, and to fund the rental of our gym facilities. In the past, our sponsors have been Lick’s Homeburgers and Ice Cream, Shopper’s Drug Mart, Dundas Auto and Starter and Print 3.
We would like you to take the time to look over the enclosed sponsorship kit, and consider sponsoring the Eta Pi Floor Hockey for the 2004-2005 season. It promises to be the best yet!
If you have any questions, feel free to contact us. Our contact information is listed below.
Sincerely,
Paul Hertz
Chapter President
(222) 333-4444
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VII. How to get the media to notice your event
Write a press release
Write a formal press release to distribute. A press release adds validation to any event and makes an event more legitimate. Write about the who, what, when, where and why of your event. Remember that in your press release you are selling the event. The end goal is that the newspaper or media outlet will be interested in your philanthropy and cover a story.
Here’s a press release from the Upsilon Alpha chapter at University of Arizona:
October 1st, 2005
For Immediate Release
Brad Wulff, Philanthropy Chairman, Alpha Epsilon Pi, (222) 333-4444
Alpha Epsilon Pi and Sigma Kappa Announce “Eat for Relief” Philanthropy
Tucson, AZ – The University of Arizona chapters of the Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity and Sigma Kappa sorority have proudly announced the beginning of the “Eat for Relief” Philanthropy. In conjunction with Chaffin’s Family Restaurant and the American Red Cross, these Greek organizations will be donating all proceeds of the event to the American Red Cross’ Hurricane Relief Fund.
From October 1st at 6 AM until October 7th at 11:59 PM Chaffin’s Family Restaurant will be taking 50% off all bills with any monetary donation to the Red Cross. Members of Alpha Epsilon Pi and Sigma Kappa will be on hand at Chaffin’s as representatives of the Red Cross to collect donations and to explain the procedure to customers.
“We all know people who have been affected by Hurricane Katrina, losing their homes, possessions, and even some, their lives. This fundraiser is such a simple and enjoyable way to raise money, I don’t see why all of Tucson shouldn’t participate,” stated Michael Biegelman, event coordinator for Alpha Epsilon Pi.
Chaffin’s Family Restaurant is located at 902 E. Broadway, with major cross streets at Broadway and Euclid. They operate 24 hours a day, serving breakfast all throughout.
About Alpha Epsilon Pi
Alpha Epsilon Pi has been a leading Greek chapter on the University of Arizona campus since 1961. With 130 members, AEΠ remains one of the largest and most active Greek chapters at the University of Arizona
About Sigma Kappa
Sigma Kappa is one of the top sororities on the University of Arizona campus, excelling in both academics and campus leadership. Sigma Kappa is a tremendous group of women with a strong bond of life long sisterhood who pride themselves on scholarship, diversity, philanthropy, leadership, and fun.”
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How to distribute your press release
You must research all local forms of media so that they can cover your event. Find out where press releases are supposed to get emailed. Send the email to that specified address, but that is not enough. You also must make a follow-up phone call to ask the status of the story and if they have any additional questions. Questions are good. If the press has questions that means they are interested. Make sure to contact your local campus newspaper again and again until they do a story on your event.
Also if your philanthropy has a “wow-factor” that could make it national news, then do not hesitate to submit the release to hundreds of publications across the country. The University of Arizona’s iPose Philanthropy received over 10 million hits in two weeks from receiving international press from New Zealand to Japan all because of a “wow-factor” event and a well done press release.
If the press cannot make it out to your event be sure to send them another press release that summarizes the event, highlights its achievements and includes a couple of high resolution photographs. Sometimes a great photograph with a proper cut line is better than a long press release and can lead to better coverage.
Selling your chapter
Be sure that when you work with the media you are not only emphasizing your event but also AEΠ and your chapter. It is beneficial to alert the press of your efforts in order to increase the awareness of your event and the reputation of AEΠ and your chapter specifically.
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VIII. Philanthropy checklist, making the best event better
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Be sure that you have done all possible advertising for your event
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Use posters, fliers, e-mails, website, Hillel announcements, local radio station or newspaper, make a press release
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Contact all the people who are helping with the event to make sure they will be there on time and are aware of what they are doing
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Try and think of ways to make your event more exciting
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Try and find other organizations on campus who might partner with you for an event (Hillel, sororities, social action groups, other religious groups)
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Look for things that people could bring home from the event such as t-shirts
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Use personal stories to give people a connection to your philanthropy
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Be sure and get everyone involved, find a task for every member of your chapter
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Don’t be afraid to re-use ideas that have worked in the past
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Get Feedback
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IX. Frequently asked questions and available resources
Q. Do all of the philanthropy events have to raise money for AEΠ’s international philanthropy?
A. AEΠ encourages that a chapter creates some programs to support the international philanthropy and others to support local causes that your chapter chooses.
Q. Does a philanthropy event have to raise money?
A. Of course the answer is no. Philanthropic work is not just raising money, but direct action with those who need help.
Q. When is the best time to start publicizing for an event?
A. In general, the earlier you start publicizing, the better. There is often a lot of bureaucracy to get through to get publicity put up on campus. You want to have fliers up a minimum of two weeks before the event, so be sure that you have plenty of time to make sure that happens.
Q. How do I sell a Jewish charity to non-Jewish students?
A. Speak to them in terms in which they can relate. People give money to causes that they can relate to. Find out ways to communicate the philanthropy you are working on to anyone. Oftentimes the circumstances of the Jewish population that you are raising money for are such that anyone can identify with them. For example, when asking for donations for the Ethiopian Community Centers in Israel talk about how the centers are helping a poor and alienated population assimilate to their country and live their lives as full citizens. A good point to keep in mind is that people in need will always be in need, regardless of their religion.
Q. Do we need to pick a Jewish Philanthropy?
A. No, your chapter should pick a philanthropy that you care about. In many cases that will be a Jewish charity, other times it won’t. Discuss with your chapter what types of charities you would want to raise money for. See if any of your brothers, or their families, have an illness you might want to raise money for. Keep your ears open for news on current events that may need fundraising efforts (such as Darfur). Check with the local community near your school for opportunities. Look to Hillel, a local synagogue, the newspaper, local organizations, city council, etc. As long as the charity is something that your brothers care about, it does not need to be Jewish. However, there is a Jewish charity for almost every cause, so don’t be afraid to look there as well.
Q. My chapter has never done philanthropy programming before, how do we start?
A. Philanthropy programming is not always the most glamorous part of being in a fraternity. With that said, philanthropy programming can be some of the most important things your chapter does. Philanthropy programming helps you make a difference in the world, and can also improve your image on campus. Be sure and remind your chapter of that. From that point on, it is as simple as finding a cause you care about and a fun program to help promote that cause. The rest of this manual has plenty of programming ideas and suggestions to help you get going.
Q. My chapter seems to have a lack of motivation when it comes to Philanthropy events, how can I help drive my chapter to put on a successful philanthropy event?
A. The most important thing to remember is that the event should be fun. Although the cause you are supporting is serious, the chapter cannot lose its spirit. Always remember to involve all of your brothers and inform them why they are creating this program and who they will be helping.
Q. How do you measure a successful event?
A. One important way to measure the success of an event is to determine whether or not the event met and exceeded the goals you set at the beginning of the planning process. Did you stick to your timeline? Did the brothers participate and buy in to the extent that you desired. Did you work well with your partners? Did you garner corporate support? Before you execute your event you should be able to identify what is most important to you to accomplish. If you accomplished these things to the extent that you desired then you were successful. Part of a successful event is evaluation. It is important to know what went well and what would work better for the future. Also, consider how well you developed leadership in members of your committee. Did the event help your chapter succeed as AEΠ?
Resources for Philanthropy events
• http://www.aepi.org
AEΠ’s webpage. Has useful information for brothers such as this and other online manuals.
• http://www.cancer.org/docroot/par/content/PAR_1_Relay_For_Life.asp
Relay for Life is a wonderful philanthropy that can easily be brought to your campus.
• http://www.habitat.org
Habitat for Humanity is a great philanthropy that is needed in nearly every city.
• http://www.orderofomega.org/pdf/financial.PDF
This is a good guide to fundraising by Order of Omega.
• http://www.afpnet.org/content_documents/2005_NPD_Manual_online.pdf
Association for Fundraising Professional’s guide to philanthropy.
• http://www.tke.org/resources/communications/PR_Manual.pdf
This is a useful guide to public relations by Tau Kappa Epsilon.
• http://www.campusfundraiser.com
Campus fundraiser is an organization willing to help your chapter raise money.
• http://www.hillel.org
Hillel’s homepage. Has a comprehensive program bank as well as information on every Hillel in North America.
• http://www.hillel.org/Hillel/NewHille.nsf/fcb8259ca861ae57852567d30043ba26/3dc60b65201d7aaf85256cca005357d2/$FILE/TzedekHow-to2005.pdf
Hillel’s Tzedek How To guide. A 53 paged manual on how to run a social action program.
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X. Philanthropy Program Bank
_____-a-thons
• Basketball "dribble-a-thon"
• Board game-a-thon
• Dance-a-thon
• Hot tub-a-thon
• Immobile bike-a-thon
• Rock -a-thon (rocking chair)
• Slack-a-thon (drag old furniture to campus quad and slack for 36 hours)
• Swim-a-thon – get every lap sponsored
• Teeter-totter-a-thon
• Walk-a-thon
Host a tournament
• 3 on 3 basketball
• Board games
• Dodge ball
• Mini Olympics competition
• Nintendo/video games
• Poker tournament *
• Sorority soccer tournament
*Red tape alert*
The items in this bank that are starred may conflict with some of your state’s rules and regulations. If the event does conflict with state law, oftentimes you can still do these events but you must fill out some paperwork first. Be sure to check your state’s Department of Treasury/Revenue website for info.
Sorority soccer tournament
Have each sorority sponsor a 6 person team $18/player. Make t-shirts and use the back for both the jersey number and for sponsorship space. Ask local businesses to sponsor a team or the entire tournament. Have food donated for the spectators and participants. This is a great photo-op for the press!
Have a social event for charity
• Benefit dance
• Date auction
• Dating game
• Fraternity Feud (like the TV show)
• Greek carnival with booths
• Hold a casino night*
• Hold a fashion show
• Hold a gong show
• Holiday bazaar
• Host a roast for a popular personality on campus
• Roving dinner party
• Sponsor a party at a club**
** Make sure that these events comply with AEΠ’s Risk Management Policy
Sell items to raise money*
• Ad book
• Art/poster sale
• Hold a garage/rummage Sale
• Make a distinctive or unusual t-shirt. use school name or logo if possible
• Put up brother’s unwanted good-condition stuff on E-bay
• Hold a baked goods Sale
• Hold a used book Sale (text books)
• Magazine subscriptions
• Plant sale
• Sell candy grams for Valentine's Day
• Sell coffee and bagels on/near Campus
• Sell finals care packages
Work at the game
Oftentimes your school’s facilities need help operating during major events. Get in contact with your school’s stadium, arena or concert hall because these buildings will sometimes hire groups to help clean up before or after events, or to work concession stands. Make this a philanthropy event by having brothers volunteer and use the money to donate to your
Provide a service
• Clean up after events at stadiums, arenas
• Hold a car wash
• Hold a tuck-in service with milk and cookies
• Sell balloon-o-grams
• Service auction
• Singing telegrams
• Usher at plays, shows, games, etc.
• Work a concession at school or local sporting event
Host a contest
• 5K
• Battle of the bands
• Best looking contest/Hot or not contest
• Card board box boat race
• Dump for dollars
• Guess how many beans in a jar contest
• Greek sing competition
• Greek Idol
• Hold a bingo night *
• Hold a raffle for donated prizes*
• Lemmon eating
• Rubber duck race down a river
• Walk for a cure/cause
Money ball
Purchase a giant beach ball (8’ diameter) and roll it around campus while playing music and having a good time. Have people tape a dollar to the ball and take their picture. Keep going until your entire ball is green. Then simply peel off the bills and donate!
Jail Bail
Have a “jail” on a popular part of campus. Arrest leaders of popular groups on campus and put them in the jail where they can enjoy free food (donated from restaurants) and drinks while they wait for their friends and others to post bail ($100 minimum).
Organize an event around food
• AEPie throwing contest
• BBQ/Other meal fund-raiser
• Giant steak eating contest
• Hot dog eating contest
• Milk drinking contest
• Organize a way to donate meal points on campus
• Wing eating contest
Other miscellaneous ideas
• Alumni event
• Car smash
• Go-cart race track
• Hold a baseball card show
• Hold haunted hose for community
• Jail bail
• Milk jug drive – place empty milk jugs at key areas for spare change
• Money ball
• Penny line
• Show a movie on campus
• Student dollar drive
• Student/faculty talent show
Penny Line
Have brothers stand around an entire city block. Ask people walking by to help you create a line of pennies (change) around the whole block. One line is good, but if you can get up to eight lines around the block of spare change that is real money you raised!
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XI. Success comes to those who want it
As the men of Alpha Epsilon Pi we are the pillars of our honorable Jewish mission. Within the mission resides a powerful message that calls to each of us to “support Jewish causes and to prepare to be one of tomorrow's Jewish leaders, so that we may aid ourselves, our family, our community, and our people.” With the spirit of our mission in mind each year our brothers develop new and exciting philanthropic activities to support these causes. If you are one of these selfless men you are to be commended for your stewardship of our principals. If you or your chapter is new to philanthropic events, hopefully you will find this manual helpful in starting your own tradition of giving.
There are endless ideas for successful philanthropy events. From Dumps for Dollars to the AEΠe Throw there are always new ways to get your chapter excited about supporting a worthy cause. Below are the accounts from some of our most successful recent philanthropy events. Hopefully these can lead to some fantastic ideas of your own.
1. Real examples of AEΠ success
a) Dump for dollars – Maryland, Delta Deuteron, $5,000
b) GIVEHELPLOVEHOPE – U Penn, Gamma $25,000
c) Greek Idol – Florida State, Phi Tau $19,000
a) Dump for Dollars by Sam Rank, Delta Deuteron ‘07
This event has become well known in AEPi for it being both a successful money raising event and a fun event.
Since its beginnings in the year 2002, Delta Deuteron’s Dump for Dollars has not only been one of the most successful and original philanthropic events held at the University of Maryland, it has also been one of the most notorious philanthropic events in Alpha Epsilon Pi. After all, it’s not every day that a student sees a cow in the middle of this urbanized campus just outside of the District of Columbia. To date, this event has raised monies for no less than four local charities while amassing a total yield of approximately $20,000.
The idea behind the event is rather simple. Brothers and supporting organizations sell tickets for this event in which a cow will graze on a field until it defecates there. When it does so, the event is over. The field on which the cow grazes is divided into a grid which has as many squares as tickets bought. The owner of each parcel of land is determined at random by a computer which will assign ownership to a given square. Therefore, the “catch” of the event is that the buyer, not knowing which parcel of land he buys with each ticket, is enticed to purchase a significant number of tickets in order to increase the likelihood of winning. This is essentially the theory behind the event and the source of our chapter’s successes. The owner of the parcel of land on which the cow defecates is the winner of the event and that person is entitled to a cash prize.
In past years, the chapter has made the event even more attractive by providing more opportunities for passers-by to interact with brothers and community members who support the fraternity. For instance, one year the chapter had a local-area band come and perform for free because of the philanthropic nature of the event. A DJ once offered his services free of charge for the same reason. We’ve had food at past events and even sold shirts advertising the annual Dump for Dollars.
These initiatives have proved successful; one of the most important things about the event is not only its philanthropic nature but also the fact that the event raises money for charity in a very public, very visible location, always on campus. Therefore, this event easily garners publicity and brings in many curious individuals to see exactly what’s going on. As a result, this event has become somewhat of a rush event; it has brought many prospective brothers out to see what the event is, and brothers have seized these opportunities to get to know rushes.
b) GIVEHELPLOVEHOPE by Will Morrell, Gamma ‘06
The Gamma Chapter at the University of Pennsylvania raised more than $25,000 toward Hurricane Katrina Relief in an event called GIVEHELPLOVEHOPE. Here is a summary of how they did it:
Basically, Katrina hit right around the beginning of the school year, and I felt that we, as a fraternity, had the responsibility to try to do our part. The $25,000 exceeded our expectations, and we were very proud of our brothers for rallying so quickly on such short notice to create the flyers, organize the event with the club organizer, and get the word out and sell tickets both in advance and at the door. We organized to have one dollar from every beverage sold within the club to go toward the total, as well as 100 percent of the door cover, and the better part of 1,000 students attended. We knew that if we got other organizations involved, the benefit would increase exponentially, so we got another fraternity and two sororities involved. As the lead sponsor, we were responsible for the marketing (awareness) and the organization, and the other Greeks helped out by selling tickets, spreading the word, helping us front the money for the associated costs (which we originally planned to recoup but ultimately decided to donate anyway) and attending themselves. We partnered with the Coniceli Auto Dealership, who agreed to match the total raised, and the donation that was made to the Red Cross was in the amount of $25,000. The flyer, pictured above, was designed by our fundraising chair, Sam Kolbert-Hyle. We were very proud of ourselves and we're looking forward to our next community service event, "Rock for the Homeless," which benefits homeless shelters in west Philadelphia.
To any chapters that want to hold similar club events, I would give the following recommendations: Print and sell as many advanced tickets as possible, slightly discounted in comparison to the price day-of. Work out minimum in advance with the club promoter, and try to arrange to get all off the "door", or the covers that are charged upon entry. Try to get as much of the tabs upwards of the minimum, if you expect to get a good turnout, you can usually arrange for half of the total above the minimum. Try to get outside sponsors (local restaurants or retail shops, corporate sponsors, etc.) and promise them publicity and good PR. And finally, but most importantly, make sure that EVERY member of your brotherhood is involved, because without full support of the fraternity, it is very easy for a large event to fall apart because an individual didn’t do something as small as pay the printer for the tickets, or go down in advance to get a written contract with the venue.
c) Greek Idol by Andrew Panos, Phi Tau
AEΠ Phi Tau at Florida State planned and organized a singing competition called Greek Idol for the sororities on its campus. Here is a synopsis of how the event was planned.
In April 2005, shortly after our fraternity brother was killed in an alcohol related car accident, I began planning for our philanthropy, “Greek Idol”. Given the fact that there was no money in the account to begin with, I knew that the first step was to start raising some money. I wrote a letter to the President of FSU and asked if he would write us a support letter that I would present to prospective sponsors and donors. Not many people or companies fully trust student-run events, so it is helpful to having some backing from important people. After receiving this letter of support from the President, I wrote up a letter that would better explain our event. I told local companies (and some corporations) that in exchange for a $150 sponsorship we would give them exposure to 1,500 college students by putting their logo on our T-shirts, Greek Idol banner, and the projector screen for an hour before the show began. Our letter and the President’s letter were sent to 30 companies and 30 family and friends, which resulted in raising $4,000 in just a few months.
With some money in the bank, I started buying some stuff. In order to create interest in the event, I knew that I needed some cool judges. The first judge, musician Marvin Goldstein, I met at the University Center at school. We got talking about my event that I was organizing, and he suggested that he would want to participate. As a second judge, I called Marsha Doll, one of the top talent agents in the state. She quickly agreed. Both Marvin and Marsha offered exclusive prizes at the event. For a third judge, I invited the Beetlejuice character from the Howard Stern Radio Show. He was the only judge that charged me, but we all had a great time with him at our event. I bought four shirts for each sorority so that they could look at them before they bought them. When I announced the event to all the sororities, they all liked the idea that there were three celebrity judges and that the event was sponsored by big companies such as: Geico, Boston Market, Sprint, Dominos, Coke, Coldstone, and many more.
Next we turned our focus on selling tickets. Thirteen of the 15 sororities on campus bought into the event, with some making the event mandatory for their sisters to attend. We ended up selling more than 1,000 tickets, which were $10 a piece. The event was a huge success, grossing more than $15,000 and netting $4,500, which we donated to Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD).
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As members of AEΠ we hold tzedeka as an important aspect of brotherhood. The highest degree of tzedeka is one who holds the hand of a man reduced to poverty by handing him a gift in order to strengthen his hand, so that he will have no need to beg from others. You now have the tools to join the ranks of more than 93 years of philanthropy and tzedaka through the men of Alpha Epsilon Pi. We look forward to hearing the fantastic events that you and your chapter are holding. Good luck!
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