Learning to Give, Curriculum Division of The LEAGUE

Objectives:

• To explore causes the participants care about and to learn how to support these causes financially
• To identify ways to solicit or raise dollars to support these causes

Activity Theme:

“Having money is one thing, but giving money is a great way to show you care.”

~Wal-Mart Commercial

The facilitator explains to the participants that the session will focus on sharing their own money. The facilitator asks participants if they have ever given money to help out someone or some cause in the community. The participants are asked to share their stories of giving money. The facilitator explores with the participants the reasons why they gave the money.

Facilitator needs to bring out the idea that most people relate their reasons for giving to causes that they value. Giving money at school to save the rainforest represents a value of protecting the environment. Contributing money at a place of faith represents the value placed on the freedom to worship.

The facilitator explains to the participants that money can be shared, even if one doesn’t have much money. The participants will be looking at how one can give and how people are able to get others to give or raise money for these causes.

To get started, the facilitator asks that, in the next hour, the participants will determine how much might realistically be given to a community cause by this group of participants. Individual participants are to write down the guesses on a slip of paper and pass it to the facilitator who will write the range of estimates on flip chart paper.

NOTE: Do not identify who guessed which amount.

Activity:

Divide the participants into groups of four or five. The facilitator asks each group of participants to think of a cause in the community that they would like to help by contributing money. It could be something at their school, in the neighborhood or faith-based institution. The facilitator asks several of the groups to share their cause with the total group. They should explain why they value this cause.

Determining Cause to Support and Financial Goals
The facilitator asks each group to determine the amount of money needed to help this community cause the way they would like to or feel is needed. Examples to share with the group are:
- If the group wants to make a contribution, what amount are they thinking to give?
- If they want to buy teddy bears for children at the local children’s hospital, what would they need to raise to do that?
- If they want to fill food baskets for their elderly neighbors, what amount is needed to be raised?

They will also need to determine a financial goal, the total amount of money they would like to raise. The financial goal should start at $50 for their cause and can go higher. The facilitator asks each of the small groups to give their financial goal. The amount should be written down on flipchart paper so the participants can see the goals. The facilitator has the group look at the totals and decide if some adjustments need to be made. Is the goal too high? Too low? Consistent with actual costs?

The facilitator will need to assist the group in thinking through their financial goals by asking questions. It is important to let each group establish their own financials goals; after they have decided as a group what the goal is, do not request that they change their goal. The facilitator totals up each group’s financial goal and writes the total under “Fundraising Goal” on flip chart paper.

Determining Personal Resources
The facilitator instructs the individuals in the group to determine within their own group just how much each of them could give today from their own money for this cause. The facilitator instructs the participants that they may not ask parents and others for money. Discussion should emphasize that it is not HOW much money a person can contribute but that one contributes. Each individual must decide how much out of their own money they could give. It might be money they have saved from an allowance, it might be money they earned for a special task they did, or it might be money that grandparents gave them for their birthday. The facilitator explains that in community fundraising individuals must give of their own money before they can ask others for money. Allow time for each group to determine how much they would give of their own money. Ask each group to subtract this amount from their financial goal and record the amount. Ask the groups to report how much they could give and record the total on flip chart paper under “Personal Giving.”

Asking for Resources
The facilitator instructs the participants in the group to come up with a list of people or local places of business that they know that might contribute to their cause and to estimate/guess how much they could ask that person or business to give. Each person in the group should identify at least three people or businesses that they could ask to give money to the cause. Now participants can include parents, relatives, or neighbors. The facilitator should check with groups to see if they were being realistic about the amounts of money they would ask these people or businesses to give. Ask the participants to add up the amount of money that they estimated they would receive from the people they identified. Next the group needs to subtract that amount from their financial goal. Write down the amount remaining to be raised. The facilitator asks the groups to report the total from their group and come up with a total that is recorded on the flip chart paper under “Asking Others.”

Fundraising Goal
The facilitator asks the participants to report on how much additional money is needed for each group’s cause. They reach this amount by subtracting their personal contribution and the money they expect to raise from asking other people and businesses. At this point, some of the groups may have reached their financial goal. Each group that has not met their financial goal should report how much more they need. Total this amount and write it under “Fundraising Event.” The facilitator instructs the total group to think of a fundraising idea that they could do as a total group to raise the amount of money listed. Ideas could include selling things, car washes, etc. Brainstorm a list of ideas with the total group. Have the group estimate the amount of money each idea might raise and reach consensus on which one or two ideas might be the most likely fundraiser to reach the Fundraising Event.

The facilitator has the participants look at the figures on the flip chart and asks if they thought at the beginning of the activity that they could raise money. The facilitator returns to the amounts of money participants originally thought it might be possible to raise. The facilitator asks participants if they thought it would be possible to actually raise this amount of money. The facilitator asks partici¬pants to think about the most important things to consider when having a successful fundraiser. HINT: The key to fundraising is believing in a worthy cause and explaining this cause to others so they will want to help. The facilitator explains to the group how philanthropists are persons who care and share with others. The activity closes by asking the group if they think it would be possible to do the fundraising. Could this group be philanthropists?

Processing Questions:

1. How did you like today’s activity? What did you like about it? What did you dislike about it?
2. What did you learn from this activity today?
3. What did you learn about each other? What did you learn about the group you were a part of?
4. We have been talking about philanthropy, caring and sharing with others. What does this activity have to do with philanthropy or you becoming a philanthropist?
5. How might you use what we did today in everyday life? How might you use what you learned today at school? Or at home? Or in other places in the community?
   

Application:

The group may consider doing the fundraising project for a cause they agree on. Ask participants to talk to the people they identified to determine if they would have been willing to donate to the cause identified. Have the group members report back at the next session.

Have the participants talk to philanthropists who have donated to their organization, school, or church. Ask the philanthropists why they gave to their organization. Explore with the philanthropists their advice on raising funds for charitable causes.