By : MIKE AVERILL World Staff Writer
Source : http://www.tulsaworld.com
Category : Small Business Grant
When it comes to raising money, the Tulsa Area United Way ranks at the top of a number of categories when compared with its peers.
It also raises more money than all but 33 of the 1,242 United Way organizations in the country, according to United Way Worldwide.
The Tulsa Area United Way ranks No. 1 in fundraising among the 1,209 United Way organizations bringing in $25 million or less, raising more money than larger cities such as Oklahoma City, Portland, Ore., and Tampa, Fla.
"For 88 years, the Tulsa Area United Way has been a part of the fabric of this community," said Mark Graham, president and CEO of the agency. "We give people confidence because we're soldiers out in the field investigating and vetting so they know their dollars are going where they need to go."
When it comes to donations from nonprofits, Tulsa's United Way also ranks No. 1 among its peers. In 2010, donations from nonprofits equalled $783,507.
"It adds extra credibility when we can go to a company and tell them that we're not asking them to do anything that our agencies and our employees aren't doing," said Derk Tenzythoff, senior vice president of resource development at the Tulsa Area United Way.
David Oliver, president and CEO of Goodwill Industries of Tulsa, said he thinks it's very important for his agency's employees to know the impact made by the United Way.
"We want our employees and the clients we serve to know that the scope of services and number of people we serve would be much smaller if we did not have funding from the Tulsa Area United Way," he said.
"Goodwill believes that a strong community support system is important in maintaining the quality of life we enjoy in our community. One of the best ways to ensure that happens is by supporting the Tulsa Area United Way because the community investment process examines community needs and matches funding with needs."
In 2010, small businesses gave $447,279 - the largest amount given by small businesses among Tulsa's peer cities.
"That didn't just kind of happen," Graham said.
About three years ago, the agency started developing strategies to specifically target small businesses as the number of large corporations in the area decreased while small business numbers grew, Graham said.
"We realized we had to do things differently to be successful," he said. "We wanted to become the catalyst to move the bar to where it needs to be."
The agency came up with a four-part plan: reach out to small businesses, educate them on the importance of giving, provide them with incentives for giving and provide recognition.
Part of the education process is getting people involved with the annual Day of Caring, when volunteers work on projects throughout the community.
"If they volunteer first we feel like they're more likely to donate because they know where the money is going and how important it is," Tenzythoff said.
As for incentives, the agency has partnered with QuikTrip for the QuikTrip Small Business Challenge Grant, a $100,000 grant that matched all first-time gifts by businesses with fewer than 50 employees.
"The ability to tell someone we can take their $1 and turn it into $2 is very powerful," said Graham, adding that all the money raised stays in the Tulsa area.
The retention of those first-time donors from 2010 to 2011 was more than 90 percent.
Donations from foundations were $2.4 million, or 10 percent of the campaign, ranking Tulsa second in its peer group behind only Omaha.
The agency also tied with St. Louis at third for lowest overhead nationally at 9.1 percent.
Tenzythoff credits part of that success to companies that loan their employees to the campaign, where they work full time for the agency for 12 weeks.
"The community and business leaders see the need and they see us as a conduit for all their employees to be philanthropists," Tenzythoff said.
Source : http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=11&articleid=20120303_11_A1_CUTLIN869773
Source : http://www.tulsaworld.com
Category : Small Business Grant
When it comes to raising money, the Tulsa Area United Way ranks at the top of a number of categories when compared with its peers.
It also raises more money than all but 33 of the 1,242 United Way organizations in the country, according to United Way Worldwide.
The Tulsa Area United Way ranks No. 1 in fundraising among the 1,209 United Way organizations bringing in $25 million or less, raising more money than larger cities such as Oklahoma City, Portland, Ore., and Tampa, Fla.
"For 88 years, the Tulsa Area United Way has been a part of the fabric of this community," said Mark Graham, president and CEO of the agency. "We give people confidence because we're soldiers out in the field investigating and vetting so they know their dollars are going where they need to go."
When it comes to donations from nonprofits, Tulsa's United Way also ranks No. 1 among its peers. In 2010, donations from nonprofits equalled $783,507.
"It adds extra credibility when we can go to a company and tell them that we're not asking them to do anything that our agencies and our employees aren't doing," said Derk Tenzythoff, senior vice president of resource development at the Tulsa Area United Way.
David Oliver, president and CEO of Goodwill Industries of Tulsa, said he thinks it's very important for his agency's employees to know the impact made by the United Way.
"We want our employees and the clients we serve to know that the scope of services and number of people we serve would be much smaller if we did not have funding from the Tulsa Area United Way," he said.
"Goodwill believes that a strong community support system is important in maintaining the quality of life we enjoy in our community. One of the best ways to ensure that happens is by supporting the Tulsa Area United Way because the community investment process examines community needs and matches funding with needs."
In 2010, small businesses gave $447,279 - the largest amount given by small businesses among Tulsa's peer cities.
"That didn't just kind of happen," Graham said.
About three years ago, the agency started developing strategies to specifically target small businesses as the number of large corporations in the area decreased while small business numbers grew, Graham said.
"We realized we had to do things differently to be successful," he said. "We wanted to become the catalyst to move the bar to where it needs to be."
The agency came up with a four-part plan: reach out to small businesses, educate them on the importance of giving, provide them with incentives for giving and provide recognition.
Part of the education process is getting people involved with the annual Day of Caring, when volunteers work on projects throughout the community.
"If they volunteer first we feel like they're more likely to donate because they know where the money is going and how important it is," Tenzythoff said.
As for incentives, the agency has partnered with QuikTrip for the QuikTrip Small Business Challenge Grant, a $100,000 grant that matched all first-time gifts by businesses with fewer than 50 employees.
"The ability to tell someone we can take their $1 and turn it into $2 is very powerful," said Graham, adding that all the money raised stays in the Tulsa area.
The retention of those first-time donors from 2010 to 2011 was more than 90 percent.
Donations from foundations were $2.4 million, or 10 percent of the campaign, ranking Tulsa second in its peer group behind only Omaha.
The agency also tied with St. Louis at third for lowest overhead nationally at 9.1 percent.
Tenzythoff credits part of that success to companies that loan their employees to the campaign, where they work full time for the agency for 12 weeks.
"The community and business leaders see the need and they see us as a conduit for all their employees to be philanthropists," Tenzythoff said.
Source : http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=11&articleid=20120303_11_A1_CUTLIN869773
