YYMGE

2014 Fundraising GuideYale Model Government Europe

Join us.Dear YMGE Delegate or Advisor,

It is my distinct pleasure and honor to welcome you to Yale Model Government Europe 2014. As Director of External Relations, my goal is to facilitate the journey of each and every one of you to this fantastic conference.

Reaffirming our commitment to diversity, accessibility, and transparency, I am privileged to share with you this Guide to Fundraising. As you begin to explore YMGE, I hope this Guide will be a useful companion to navigate the financial and monetary dimensions of participating in this conference. Please take the time to read through this Guide but remember that the recommendations provided are neither definitive nor all-encompassing. Use the suggestions provided herein as the foundation for your efforts and a catalyst for the realization of ideas far greater and more expansive than anything that could be listed here.

Thank you again for your interest in YMGE 2014 and best wishes in all your fundraising endeavors. As always, please feel free to contact me with any questions or suggestions, and, hopefully soon, your fundraising success stories.

Sincerely,

Clarey ZhuDirector of External RelationsYale Model Government Europe 2014

externalrelations@ymge.org

Why Fundraise?Most schools are unable to afford Model United Nations conferences on the basis of school funding alone. Fundraising enables schools to subsidize transportation, hotel, and conference fees in order to ease the financial burden on both delegates and advisors.

Getting StartedBudgeting for YMGE Before you begin fundraising, you must first determine the total cost that attending YMGE will incur. It is very important to prepare a comprehensive budget, as this will permit you to anticipate expenses, set goals and priorities, and have a projected budget available for making funding requests. Be sure to account for all possible expenses, including conference fees, hotel expenses, transportation costs, and any hidden expenses (visa fees, food, spending money, etc.). Be sure to know which expenses students will be expected to cover and how much the school will cover. Also, outline all fundraising projects you plan to execute, and how much revenue you expect from each project. This budget will be an important tool both in planning your fundraising campaign and obtaining sponsorship, and so it is essential to have as detailed information as possible.

Effective FundraisingPlan Ahead Organization is the key to effective fundraising. An important preliminary task is to create a calendar of all that you hope to accomplish before the conference. This should include:

• When to send out sponsorship letters, make follow up phone calls, etc.

• The dates of your various fundraising events• When you will book travel arrangements, hotel

accommodations, dinner reservations, tourism plans, etc.• Various conference deadlines, which you can verify at

www.ymge.org

Appoint a member of your Model UN team – or several members – to lead your fundraising efforts. Carefully consider the list of fundraising ideas listed below. Also, look at what other clubs at your school do to raise money. What clubs and organizations host successful fundraisers? Could you implement similar programs?

The head delegate of your Model UN team or your advisor should make sure that all preparations necessary to hold the fundraiser have been completed at least several weeks prior to the event. For example, if you are holding a raffle on September 30th, be sure that your raffle tickets are printed in advance of the event and that members have received a sufficient number of tickets to sell at least three weeks in advance of the drawing.

Publicity Do not overlook the importance of publicizing your Model UN team and YMGE. Donors will be much more generous if they understand exactly what their contribution is supporting. After registering for YMGE, draft a press release for distribution to your school’s newspaper and local news media. Include a basic explanation of Model United Nations and YMGE. Also include a description of your team, what you will be doing at YMGE, why it is important, and when you will be attending YMGE. Emphasize your team’s need for financial assistance, promote any upcoming fundraising events, and specify where donations should be sent. You can also refer sponsors to the sponsorship guide, which can be found on the YMGE website.

In addition to publicizing your Model UN team and YMGE within your school and community, you should also highly publicize your fundraising events. Successful fundraising activities require at least three weeks of publicity. Be sure to use all available means to publicize your event.

Suggested media include:

• Announcements in both your school and local newspapers• Announcements in parents’ newsletters • Class announcements• Radio announcements • Television announcements on local news channels • Announcements on classroom chalkboards • Leaflets distributed in the student center, student lounges, cafeterias, and

in classes• Phone calls • Announcements at student government meetings and meetings of other

extra curricular clubs• Announcements on a Model UN bulletin board • Online resources such as Facebook, Twitter, and blogs • E-mail lists

Grants, Sponsorship, and DonationsPreparation Prepare a list of local businesses, foundations, organizations, foundations, and private donors that you can ask for financial support. Utilize any personal connections that members of your high school may have with local businesses or philanthropists. Assign who will contact each business or person on your list.

Prepare informational materials for potential sponsors. Be sure to include a letter detailing your request, a copy of your budget, information on any publicity your team has received, a copy of the YMGE conference prospectus, and a self-addressed, stamped envelope to facilitate donation.

Follow Up As local businesses and philanthropists are often very busy, responding to donation requests is frequently not their first priority. Nevertheless, they may still be interested in supporting your Model UN team, and therefore it is important to follow up on your donation requests. Call the potential sponsor and ask to speak to the manager or the person in charge of donations. Politely explain that you have already sent a letter and remind them who you are, what you are doing, and why you need their assistance. As they will probably not have much time to speak with you on the phone, prepare what you will

say beforehand, and suggest that you would be interested in visiting their establishment to further discuss the matter.

Be Persistent Do not take no for an answer, with the exception of what prudence might demand. If a business or private donor is unable to donate the amount you requested, graciously accept whatever amount they are able to give. If they are unable to donate money, ask if they would be willing to support you in another manner, by donating items (these could be used in a fundraising event such as a silent auction or raffle) or providing you with a reference to another sponsor.

Thank Your Sponsors Immediately after receiving a donation, send a letter of appreciation to the donor. Be sure to follow through on any promises made to the sponsor, such as advertising for them on your team’s website, t-shirts, or in any other news publications.

Additionally, after attending YMGE, send a second thank you letter to your sponsors. This letter should detail any successes your delegation had at YMGE while also thanking your sponsors again. Emphasize that this engaging learning experience was only possible because of their assistance, and indicate that you hope that they will continue their support of your program in the future. This allows for the possibility of establishing an annual donor base.

Fundraising ProjectsSchool Funding Consult with your student government and school administration to determine if there is any funding available for your Model UN team. Model UN programs are commonly funded directly through school administrations, or particular academic departments. Make note of any deadlines that have been established in regard to the budget process. Also, check to see whether your Student Government has access to discretionary funds, and see whether these might be available to your team.

Raffle Raffles are one of the best moneymakers available. Raffles are frequently held for the following kinds of items donated by local establishments:

• Groceries from a local grocery store (e.g. $200.00 worth of free groceries)• Gasoline • Free lodging for a weekend at a hotel • Free trip donated by a local travel agency• Gift certificate at a clothing store or other local merchant • Free season passes or tickets to:• Local symphony • Local theatre • Local theme park • Local sports games

Usually, successful raffles involve selling tickets for $1.00 or $2.00 each, or using a ‘3 tickets for $5’ deal. Raffle tickets can be sold at school, at home, at work, outside shopping malls, etc. An aggressive ticket sales campaign can raise a significant amount of money for your Model UN team. Once the raffle is completed, publicize the results so the people who bought tickets will know a winner was awarded the prize.

Car Wash Host a car wash at a local fire station, service station, or other community space. Ask local merchants to donate soap, sponges, and other supplies. Be sure to advertise the car wash at school and in the local community. Have members of your Model UN team sell car wash tickets prior to the event itself. This will ensure that you make a profit even if people do not show up to have their car washed.

Movie Screening Select a movie popular among high school students. As certain regulations stipulate that to charge admission for a movie you must have permission from the company with distribution rights, you should rent the movie directly from the movie company rather than your local video store. Select a central location for students, and charge a small admission fee ($2-5). Ask local merchants to donate movie snacks, such as popcorn, soda, and candy. This can be a great fundraiser, particularly if you sponsor several movie screenings per year.

Sales Sales are one of the most effective fundraisers. Though by pre-purchasing the goods to be sold you risk taking a financial loss, if executed properly, sales can provide considerable monetary support for your Model UN program. Some successful sales include:

• Host a bake sale. Bake sales are usually most effective when paired with other fundraising events, such as a car wash or silent auction. They can also be successful at other school programs, such as sporting events. Sometimes grocery stores or local bakeries will be willing to donate ingredients or goods to support your bake sale, which can help increase profitability.

• Sponsor a weekly or daily sale of a food or drink item (such as coffee, donuts, or pizza). Be creative! Many companies have programs where students can sell their products and receive a portion of the profits. Companies that do not yet have such a program may still be interested in selling their products through you, so propose this idea to them. However, be sure to check with your school to see whether they have any regulations regarding long-term sales. Sometimes the school food service will have an exclusive contract, which does not allow groups or clubs to do anything except short-term sales (e.g. bake sale for a day).

• Host a t-shirt sale. Select a creative theme for your t-shirts that is likely to be popular with students. Once the design has been finalized, consider having students pre-order t-shirts to minimize the risk of revenue loss.

Student Information Guide Create a booklet in which you list information related to your school, including a calendar of school events, your club’s calendar for the year, your school’s athletic teams’ calendars, a list of teachers and departments, a list of school and club offices and phone numbers, a list of area eating establishments, and information on local stores and merchants of interest. Distribute this guide to students at the beginning of the year. As with a school directory, profit is either generated by advertisements or from sales to students. Additional revenue could come from donations made by the student government and/or school administration to your Model UN team for providing this service.

Walk-A-Thon, Run-A-Thon, Bowl-A-Thon Donors partake in a walk-a-thon, run-a-thon, or bowl-a-thon sponsored by your Model UN team. Donate part of the proceeds to charity and keep a portion of the revenue for your team. An entrance fee, food or drinks sold during the event, and other activities (such as carnival games) during the event can serve as additional sources of revenue.

Silent Auction Obtain items to be auctioned from local merchants (e.g. gift certificates, gift baskets, lunch or dinner for two, and items from sports, electronics, or clothing stores) or consider auctioning teachers that would be willing to give the winner a prize, such as lunch or a basketball game. Obtain a room for a party which will last about two or three hours. Place all items to be auctioned on tables. Next to each item, place a sheet of legal-sized paper with a description of the item to be auctioned, and a minimum bid at the top of the sheet. Number 1-20 on the left side of the paper, where persons making bids can place their name and the amount of their bid. Also, charge for drinks and food at the party. Consider having a minimum admission charge. Alternatively, consider holding a silent auction as a component of another fundraising event, such as a theme party or dinner banquet.

Writing Official CommunicationsPress Release The purpose of a press release is to publicize you interest in global affairs and your involvement in YMGE. A press release is a great way connect with potential sponsors. Be sure to include your contact information, as well as details about the conference so that potential sponsors will be inspired to support your delegation.

Donation Solitication Letter Within your own commmunity, once you have identified potential sponsors, a carefully written letter will convey to the potential donor the reasons why they ought to support your involvement in YMGE. Be sure to emphasize the learning outcomes of YMGE, and how valuable their support is to your academic and extra curricular goals. You might consider including a stamped envelope addressed to your school to facilitate potential donations.

Sample Press Release

Contact:John Q. SmithXYZ High School Model United Nations123 Main St, Town, XY 99999Phone: (999) 123-4567Fax: (999) 123-4567Email: jqsmith@xyz.edu

1 May 2014

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Local Students to Represent Poland at Yale Model Government Conference

The XYZ High School Model United Nations (XYZMUN) team has been selected to represent the nation of Poland at the prestigious Yale Model Government Europe conference to be held in Budapest, Hungary from 27-30 November 2014. Twenty students will have the chance to attend and are actively fundraising to make the trip possible.

This will be the XYZ students’ first chance to participate in the international conference. The conference, staffed entirely by Yale University students, is an opportunity for the students to experience firsthand the challenges of international negotiation and diplomacy and to share their experiences and opinions with students from around the world.

The trip is estimated to cost around $500 per student, a figure which the team hopes to reduce significantly through a variety of fundraising efforts, including a walk-a-thon scheduled for 15 May at the school track. The XYZMUN delegation will also benefit from the generous sponsorship of the Widget Corporation. Yet, even with this help, the cost of attending may still be prohibitive for some students and the XYZMUN team is actively seeking other forms of sponsorship and support from the community.

For more information about XYZMUN, contact John Q. Smith, head delegate, at (999) 123-4567 or jqsmith@xyz.edu

“I would say the integrated crisis system [at YMGE] was the best part about the conference. I liked it because I liked the fast-paced debate... I also hadn’t been to conference that ran crisis like this before.”

Sample Donation Solicitation Letter

15 May 2014

Dear Mrs. Jane Doe:

My name is John Smith and I am writing on behalf of XYZ High School Model United Nations (XYZMUN), an award-winning Model United Nations team. Through participation in interactive simulations, our team provides students at XYZ with the opportunity to learn about the United Nations and world affairs, share their opinions with students from around the world, and become active global citizens.

On 27-30 November 2014 our team will be attending the Yale Model Government Europe (YMGE) conference in Budapest, Hungary. This simulation is the first of its kind and a unique chance for us to interact with over 400 fellow students from around the globe. This will be XYZ’s first year attending YMGE, and we are very excited for this new opportunity. However, the trip will cost us about US$500 per student in travel, hotel, and conference costs to attend, an amount few of our members can afford to pay.

In order for us to participate, we are seeking your sponsorship. As the Widget Corporation has long been a leader in supporting educational initiatives throughout the world, we were hoping you might be interested in sponsoring our team. Were the Widget Corporation to sponsor us, we would be more than happy to include information about the company on our team website, list it as a sponsor in all of our publications, and feature its logo prominently on our team shirts. We strongly hope to be student representatives and ambassadors of the Widget Corporation in this exercise of diplomacy and intercultural dialogue.

For more information about our team and YMGE, I have included with this letter a note from XYZ High School Dean of Student Life Michael Jones, our team budget, the YMGE invitation letter, and a XYZ News article on our team’s recent fundraising efforts.

In a globalized world, international education is critical to foster today’s citizens and tomorrow’s leaders. With the opportunity to actively debate international problems and interact with fellow students from around the world, we believe that YMGE will be a uniquely valuable educational experience. Any support you could provide would be immensely appreciated.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

John Q. Smith

Head DelegateXYZ High School Model United Nations123 Main St, Town, XY 99999Phone: (999) 123-4567Fax: (999) 123-4567Email: jqsmith@xyz.edu

General Information David Steiner president@ymge.org

Corporate and Delegation Sponsorship Clarey Zhu externalrelations@ymge.org

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YMGEYale Model Government Europe, 2014Nov. 27—Nov. 30 | Budapest | ymge.org