Plan Your Campaign
United Way’s Annual Campaign runs from September until December each year to raise much needed funds for Oakville’s social service sector.
Thanks to the generous support of more than 80 Oakville organizations, their employees and local unions, United Way invests in more than 30 health and social service agencies benefiting thousands of people annually.
Consider coordinating a United Way Campaign at your workplace! The information below will help you get started.
Rally your employees and join the nearly 100 organizations in Oakville that support United Way each year to help raise more than $2.15 million for the community.
Hosting an employee campaign will help your organization:
- Energize your team and instill pride and satisfaction among employees.
- Boost employee morale.
- Offer professional development to your campaign team. Members learn project management, leadership and organizational skills.
- Increase community awareness among your employees.
- Generate positive recognition for your organization. United Way’s Community Achievement Awards recognize the exceptional commitment, leadership and creativity shown through participation in the annual campaign.
United Way staff are available every step of the way to help to make running a workplace campaign a fun and rewarding experience. To get started, simply contact Dawn Essoe, Director, Resource Development at (905) 845-5571.
At United Way, we believe that each campaign should be tailor-made to fit your organizational culture. Using the six building blocks outlined below, you can develop your most successful campaign yet!
- Learn About United Way
- Learn how to Build Your Team
- Find out how United Way can help you run an effective Campaign
- Secure support from management and labour leadership
- Establish a Campaign committee and canvassers
- Analyze and Develop an Action Plan
- Review past Campaign results
- Hold a strategic planning session with your United Way Staff Partner
- Develop an action plan, including goals, strategies and a timetable
- Get Ready
- Arrange for an agency speaker or agency tour
- Order supplies
- Personalize pledge cards (if possible)
- Educate and communicate with employees
- Train canvassers
- Kickoff and Canvass
- Mark the beginning of your campaign with a kickoff
- Run a Leadership Campaign for senior management
- Canvass employees for their donations
- Monitor progress
- Remit returns to United Way
- Special Events and Wrap-up
- Organize and promote special event(s)
- Participate in United Way events
- Signal the end of your Campaign with a wrap-up
- Recognition and Evaluation
- Thank and recognize all donors and volunteers
- Evaluate the strengths and challenges of your Campaign
- Employee Campaign Coordinator Manual (PDF)
For more information, please contact Dawn Essoe, Director, Resource Development at (905) 845-5571.
Successful United Way campaigns involve people at every level of an organization including labour representatives. It is essential to have visible support from labour. It's a great opportunity for all employee groups to interact together and show support for the community. We know that by involving a cross-section of all employees within an organization, overall participation levels rise.
Here are some suggestions on how labour can help:
- Appoint a Labour Representative to the United Way committee.
- Provide a letter/memo endorsing the campaign.
- Recruit effective labour canvassers.
In addition, labour representatives are encouraged to:
- Show leadership by personally supporting the campaign
- Encourage and help plan proper recognition
For more information on involving unions, please contact Dawn Essoe, Director, Resource Development at (905) 845-5571.
