Group Fundraising Challenge
Over the first two fundraising quarters, the campaign received an historic amount of money. But the true achievement wasn’t the amount raised, but the fact it came in small donations from over 258,000 Americans like you. 258,000 people that felt strongly enough about the direction of our country to actually do something about it.
You didn’t just build a campaign. You built a movement.
Now we need your help to make it grow.
We’re launching the My.BarackObama Group Fundraising Challenge so we can all see what is possible when a group of dedicated people come together and decide to grow a movement one person at a time.
The goal of the challenge is simple: Get as many people as you can to donate to the campaign between now and September 30th, the end of the third fundraising quarter.
You’ll be working as a team with the other members of your My.BarackObama group (You can join a group if you’re not already in one). Each group needs to use their group fundraising page in order to compete against other groups for the grand prize: a chance for the top three groups to speak directly to Barack on a conference call in October.
The amount of the donation isn’t as important as bringing new people to the campaign and growing the movement you’ve helped build. We have less than two weeks left in the quarter and less than five months until the first primaries. It’s up to all of us to make this happen.
The My.BarackObama Group Fundraising Challenge is a friendly challenge between My.BarackObama groups to see which group can get the greatest number of people to donate to their group fundraising page by the end of the quarter on Sunday, September 30th.
Here are the details of the challenge:
Participants
Every group that uses their group fundraising page is automatically entered into the challenge. Since some of your groups have 20 members and others have 200, each group will be placed into one of three tiers based on the number of members in each group as of Monday, September 17th:Tier 3 = 0 – 29 group members
Tier 2 = 30 – 84 group members
Tier 1 = 85+ group members
Online Donations
Groups will only receive credit for online contributions that are made directly through their group fundraising page. (Check out our guide on using group fundraising pages for a brief introduction on how to raise money through your group page.) Please note that if you email a friend who then goes to the home page to donate instead of your page, the contribution will NOT count in the challenge. It’s up to you to make sure people donate directly through your group fundraising page.Offline Donations
Groups also have the option of collecting donations offline and sending them to us in the mail. In order for these donations to be added to your group fundraising page, you must:- Include a contribution form with EVERY donation. Your group name, your name and your email must be noted on the form so we are able to credit your group for the donation.
- Mail your donations and contributions forms to:
Obama for America
Attn: New Media Action Center
233 N. Michigan Ave, Suite 1100
Chicago, IL 60601
We must receive all donations by October 5th and be notified that are on the way before October 1st if they are to be counted in the challenge.
If you are not sure if we will receive your mailed contributions by Friday, September 28th, please fill out this form online to let us know your collected donations are on the way. As we begin to calculate the winners on October 1st, we will credit your group page with the amount you have indicated we will receive. We must receive these donations by October 5th or we will be forced to disqualify your group from the group fundraising challenge.
Winners
The group from each tier with the greatest number of donors at the end of the day on September 30th will be declared the winner. Only group members that have sent at least one fundraising invitation will be invited to join in on the call. The winning groups will be announced the first week in October.Please note: The group fundraising challenge is NOT based on the total amount your group raises, but instead on the total number of people who donate through your group.
Prize
The three winning groups will be invited to participate in a group conference call with Senator Barack Obama so he can personally thank you for your efforts. The call will take place at a time to be determined during the month of October.While only three groups will win a call with Barack, every group should take pride in knowing that they helped grow the movement. Every new supporter brings us one step closer to the White House and one step closer to a better future.
Resources
List of All Your Groups' Fundraising PagesManaging Your Group Fundraising Page
Using Your Group Fundraising Page
Contribution Form
Financial Guidelines
FEC website or hotline 800-424-9530
Step 1: Personalize Your Group Fundraising Page
You can view your group fundraising page by going to your group page and looking for the fundraising thermometer. While every member can use your group fundraising page, only your group administrator can edit the default settings. Please ask your administrator to personalize the text, photo and fundraising goal on your group fundraising page. The more compelling the message is, the more likely someone will donate to your group.Managing Your Group Fundraising Page
List of All Your Groups' Fundraising Pages
Note: If you’re not already in a group, find a group in your area and join today!
How to Contact Your Group Administrator: Visit your group page to see a list of members in your group. Your group administrators will have asterisks by their names. Click on their name to see their profile and send them a message. If you're having trouble reaching them, email Nikki at nsutton@barackobama.com.
Step 2: Know the Guidelines
Read over the details of the challenge on the previous tab of this document. While every contribution helps the campaign, only contributions made directly through your group page or sent to us in the requested manner will be counted in the group challenge.Step 3: Set a Group Fundraising Goal
Reach out to other members of you group and let them know about the challenge. Discuss how your group can raise money both online and offline. Can every person in your group get five people to make a donation? How many donations total can your group collect? Set a fundraising goal for your group and get started today!Step 4: Raise Money Online
Your group fundraising page makes it easy for everyone in your group to reach out to friends and family. Check out our guide on using your group fundraising page.Encourage every member of your group to send at least one invitation. Remember, it’s not the size of the donation that matters but the donation itself. Tell your friends and family why you support Barack and why this election is so important to you. It helps to personalize your emails and follow up with people after you’ve sent them.
If you’ve written a great email to friends and family and don’t mind sharing it with others as an example, please send it along to us.
Step 5: Raise Money Offline
As long as you have a contribution form available, you can collect donations in person from people you know and even people you don’t! My.BarackObama groups have been successful at holding bake sales, garage sales, raffles and other fundraising events. Check back soon for more ideas.Step 6: Share Your Ideas
Have you held a successful fundraiser? Or do you have an idea you think someone should try out? We’d love to hear about it! Asking for donations can be intimidating. If you have any tips for your fellow grassroots organizers or would like to share your group’s fundraising progress with us, please let us know.The winning groups will be announced the first week in October. But remember, everyone that participates is a winner! This movement is being built one person at a time.
Resources
List of All Your Groups' Fundraising PagesManaging Your Group Fundraising Page
Using Your Group Fundraising Page
Contribution Form
Financial Guidelines
FEC website or hotline 800-424-9530
Submit your data.
Did you reach your goal of bring five new people into the movement? Enter the data from the supporter cards you collected.
Please take a moment and tell us everyone who came to your event by entering the information from your sign-in sheets.
If you’d prefer, you can send your sign-in sheets to:
Obama for America
Attn: New Media Action Center
233 N. Michigan Ave, Suite 1100
Chicago, IL 60601Let us know how it went!
Your feedback is very important. What worked? What didn’t? Did you reach your goals?
Write a blog and post it to the Action Center Updates group
Thank your guests.
Send a thank you email to all of your guests and encourage them to join your My.BarackObama group to stay informed of future events.
Report back to your group.
Send an email to your group listserv and let them know how it went. Have you decided who is going to host the next action event?
