Published July 22, 2021 at 7:41 pm.
Story by Mary Martin. Photos courtesy of My Possibilities.
The staff and volunteers at My Possibilities are nothing if not passionate. They work with Hugely Important People (HIPsters!) who have intellectual and developmental disabilities to create life skills, vocational skills, and independent living. For North Texas Giving Day, they are once again gearing up to share about their programs, and maybe throw a party or two.
With a goal of getting 100% of the their staff involved in the North Texas Giving Day efforts, My Possibilities created five color teams to compete for the highest fundraising amount. Staff and HIPsters partnered together and challenged each other with TikTok dances and silly videos asking friends and family to donate during North Texas Giving Day. “We learned very quickly we have a very competitive staff,” says Adrienne Mageors, Associate Director of Marketing for My Possibilities. “During the TikTok challenge, if one team couldn’t do the dance, they would have to donate to the other team.”
My Possibilities also found ways to incorporate job skills into the fundraising challenges for the HIPsters. Last year HIPsters handed donation forms to friends and supporters, and this year they were challenged to bring in three to five email addresses and will work on writing professional emails to each potential donor.
The winning team, just like last year, will get to choose a prize like a party in the courtyard or taking a half-day off from work and training. But for 2021, the HIPsters will be leading each team, brainstorming ideas for virtual fundraisers and tracking the donations as they roll in. In 2020, My Possibilities brought in just under $100k during North Texas Giving Tuesday Now, and over $225k in September for North Texas Giving Day!
On the staff side, the development team is also working to connect with past donors, share about new programs, and steward their resources well. “We are intentional with crafting a message that is easy and accessible so our entire team can share a consistent story,” Adrienne says. “We want to set everyone, including the board, up for success. We typically create graphics, curate images, and share sample posts.”
And there is plenty to share about for this North Texas Giving Day, as My Possibilities has just launched its expanded virtual program, MPower Online Learning. “The MPower program was very intentionally developed with a representative who actually sits on the diversity foundation board in the Netherlands, and helped us build out the platform and craft the curriculum,” Adrienne says. “There are curriculum topics planned for the next three years, and the program will be soon be open to new HIPsters outside of Texas. We learned through the pandemic that if we need to do it virtually, we can do it successfully.”
Ready for some tips from the North Texas Giving Day team for how your nonprofit can use FUNdraising pages this year?
1. Anyone who is a super fan of your mission can create FUNdraising pages on your behalf including board members, donors, former clients, volunteers, staff. And remember they don’t have to be set up by just individuals, groups of stakeholders can also set up a FUNdraising page (i.e. your young professionals group, a group of volunteers, a staff department).
2. Help your FUNdraisers craft their story for why your nonprofit is important to them and why others should join them in supporting your mission
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What is the nonprofit’s goal for North Texas Giving Day?
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How will the donations propel the work forward?
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Why is this organization important to this FUNdraiser—did your organization help this individual at some point along the way?
3. Provide volunteers with instructions on how to set up a FUNdraising page on the North Texas Giving Day site.
4. THANK all donors that give through your FUNdraising page!
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