Setting a Yearly Goal
As part of your yearly business planning and goal-setting activities, there are several things for each market center to consider.
1. How much do you want to raise over the coming year?
Whether through fundraisers or Greensheet donations, the KW Cares challenge is to raise $30,000 per market center for charity each year, with $3,000 of that tithed to KW Cares. Decide how much you'd like your market center to raise overall for charity. It is our hope that most of the money you raise as an office will stay in your own communities. As a team, each MC should decide what portion of its overall goal is (1) to raise money for local area charities, (2) how much to keep within the office as an emergency needs fund, and (3) how much will be sent to KW Cares. Your emergency needs fund should not be called KW Cares.
It’s up your market center’s KW Cares committee to determine how best to direct your energies over the year. At a minimum, each office should set up an emergency needs fund. The best way to develop this is through fun team-building activities that cost participants only a nominal amount, or passive fundraising like collecting loose change, ringing cell phone penalties, and vending machine proceeds. It’s important to remember that anything you collect for this "rainy day fund" won't result in a tax deduction for the donor because the money is not going to a 501(c)(3) charity. Offices should do this so there will be money in the bank to provide immediate assistance for emergencies that sometimes arise.
If your market center decides to raise funds for a local charity, work directly with that charity to learn their expectations and procedures. Remember, all charitable fundraising efforts count toward your $30,000 goal despite the fact that KW Cares does not record these achievements. All market centers should track their own progress toward their goal. It's not about getting credit, it's about family helping family.
2. Assess your team's strengths and interests.
Do you have enough of a "core group" to take on something big? How actively will people volunteer for and help organize the various activities you might undertake? How often can you call upon them? This will tell you what scale of fundraiser is best suited to your office.
Small, new offices may feel they are not in a position to raise a lot of money, and their goals may be modest. "Passive" fundraising such as a percentage of vending machine concessions, collecting loose change, and raffling VIP parking spaces are ideal. Greensheet donations are also simple to do.
Larger, more established market centers tend to have a greater ability to handle larger fundraisers, such as a dinner and silent auction, carnival, golf tournament, etc. They also have more capacity to do frequent events, in addition to setting aside funds for smaller, local emergency situations.
3. Create an action plan.
Based on how much you hope to raise over the course of the year, determine how many fundraisers you want to undertake and for which causes. Will you do a fundraiser for KW Cares, or for another charity? Identify the dollar goals for each activity, how many people and how much time it will take from start to finish.
There are many types of fundraisers from which to choose, and whatever your plans, KW Cares is here to help. Feel free to contact KW Cares with any questions you have.
Please know that your decision to participate in KW Cares activities is strictly voluntary and will never be a reflection of your job performance at Keller Williams Realty.
4. Designate a KW Cares Representative
Choose a member of your ALC to be the KW Cares point of contact for your market center. This person can expect to receive KW Cares communications, share pertinent information from KW Cares with the market center and be responsible for working with the MCA to send forms and funds to KW Cares.
Once you have chosen your KW Cares Representative, let us know at kwcares@kw.com or (512) 306-6727.