Canning | Pledge Booking | Letter Solicitation | Corporate Donations | Alternative Fundraising | Recycling Effort
One of the greatest parts of the Penn State IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon is how all of the money is raised by students! It is their hard work that brings in all of the money that goes to help the children of The Four Diamonds Fund. Penn State students have raised more than $46 million since the first Dance Marathon in 1973. Contrary to what some people think, the bulk of the money is not raised during THON weekend. It is raised because of the hard work and dedication of Penn State students from October until February. There are several ways that the funds are raised. They include Canning, Pledge Booking, Letter Solicitation, Corporate Donations, as well as Alternative Fundraising Events.
Have you ever seen someone standing on a sidewalk with a sign that says “HELP KIDS WITH CANCER”? That person holding the sign and can is a Penn State student who is “canning.” Canister Solicitation, otherwise known as “canning”, has been one of the most profitable forms of fundraising for the Penn State IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon throughout its history. Over a period of four predetermined weekends, students travel all over the Northeastern USA to “can”. The THON 2007 “canning” weekends are:
All students canning should wear bright, visible clothing, carry their Penn State student ID, and should have signs and cans that provide information about THON, including the phone number, website and the name of their organization. As a donor, feel free to ask the canners questions about THON. For reference, browse this website or call our toll free hotline 1-800-392-THON (8466). All students will follow the Pennsylvania Vehicle Code, as outlined in the THON Rulebook. That means NOT going in the middle of the street and staying on medians and sidewalks. The safety of the canners is the most important thing. There is no amount of money that can substitute for your safety when you are canning.
Students are REQUIRED to call ahead to the places in which they will be canning. They should ask whether or not canning is legal in that area. If it is, they should ask if it is possible to obtain a permit to can legally. If any official asks for the tax ID number of the Penn State Dance Marathon, its Tax-exempt ID Number is: 24-6000-376. You should always give them the THON website and hotline number when calling.
If you happen to drive by Penn State students during one of the canning weekends, help save the life of a child and donate money to THON! The students, Overall Committee, and most importantly, the families of The Four Diamonds Fund appreciate all your support!
Any question you may have about canning can be directed to the Rules and Regulations Overall Chair.
Unlike Canning, Pledge Booking / Door to Door Solicitation is not confined to a set of weekends. Students are allowed to do this at ANYTIME they want starting Friday October 1, 2006, and ending on February 17, 2007.
You should turn in all pledge books as soon as they are completed. Pledge books are available in the THON Office (210 HUB) at all times. Make sure your name, your organization, and your organization number is on the front of the pledge book, as well as on every individual pledge in the book. You can drop off pledge books and cash/checks to the THON Office (210 HUB). For any questions about dropping off money, contact the Overall Finance Chair.
If you are a student looking to go Door to Door Soliciting, here are some ideas:
Always go in neighborhoods you trust to be safe. Go in pairs. Always carry your Penn State Student ID, and always be polite and courteous. Make sure you can answer questions about THON and The Four Diamonds Fund.
If you have never gone Door to Door by yourself, and you’d like help, feel free to contact the Overall Communications Chair for THON. Here is a sample skit you can follow when going door to door:
First, politely introduce yourself
“Hi, my name is _______ and I am a student at Penn State.”Tell them why you are there
“I am going door to door raising money for children with cancer through the Penn State Dance Marathon.”If they don’t stop you there, go on…
“It is the largest student-run philanthropy in the world. The Dance Marathon is held up at Penn State at the end of February.”Tell them what their money is going to benefit
“All the proceeds benefit The Four Diamonds Fund at the Penn State Children’s Hospital.”Give more detail
“The money covers all of the medical expenses that insurance won’t cover for the kids, and all kinds of extra costs so the parents don’t have to take second jobs.”Now tell them about the money
“You don’t have to give any money today. You can pledge a donation. All you have to do is leave your name, address, and any amount you would like to donate, and THON will bill you for that sometime in the spring.”
If they do pledge money, make sure they sign and date the pledge, and then fill out the receipt and give it back to them. Thank them for their donation, and let them know that they can find more information on the receipt, and that the receipt also contains the THON website and toll-free hotline if they want more information.
If they want to give you money on the spot, hold onto any cash until you are done for the day. Make sure all checks are made out to Penn State Dance Marathon. Do not submit a pledge slip for any donations received while pledge booking.
The easiest, most underrated form of fundraising is letter solicitation. It can be done from anywhere and doesn’t require leaving your room. The way to start is to get contact information; talk to your parents and get addresses from your family, neighbors, and friends. The more you can get the better.
Next, write your letter. You can write your own letter or you can use ones that have already been written for you, which you can find here. They are all in Microsoft Word format, so you can personalize them by adding a paragraph about your personal THON involvement or about your organization. It is very important to make sure that each letter you send has an address that people can send donations to, most likely the address of your THON chair. For any questions about the letters or help on how to write or personalize them, contact the Overall Communications Chairperson.
If you are a THON Chair, ask everyone in your organization to get addresses of their family and friends. You can have them submitted to you, or have organization members send letters for themselves. Just make sure that the proper contact information is on all of their letters so that checks are all sent to the same place. Make sure all checks are made out to Penn State Dance Marathon with your organization name and number in the memo.
Send out the letters as soon as you can. In the letter, you should also include self-addressed stamped envelopes to make it easier for donors to send back money. Once you’ve sent your letters, money will come in at all times of the THON season. As a courtesy to donors, please make sure that you bring all checks and cash to the THON office (210 HUB) as soon as they come in. Take all money to the THON Office (210 HUB) as soon as you can. For any questions about dropping off money, contact the Overall Finance Chairperson.
The Corporate Donation Process holds great fundraising potential for THON. Even if the Donor Relations Committee secures a donation from a contact you have found, your organization will receive full credit, year after year.
The Donor Relations Committee is here to help you with every step of the THON Corporate Donation Process. We want to make it as easy as possible for all organizations to contact companies they feel may donate to THON. We have corporate packets and other information that can be sent to company contacts. Please work closely with your DR Liaison Captain so we can work together to achieve the maximum level of success.
Once you identify the company you would like to pursue for a donation, complete the Corporate Contact Form on THINK (think.psu.edu). This must be done so we are not contacting a donor while they are being pursued by other organizations. If they are free to contact, your request to contact that company will be given a green light and the process can begin.
Your assigned DR Captain will discuss the right strategy on how to go about obtain a donation. Check the included list to find your DR Liaison Captain. We can send a Corporate Packet personalized with your information in the cover letter on behalf of your organization to educate potential donors about THON and the benefits we can offer them. Before we can send a corporate packet, and to make sure your organization gets full credit, the Corporate Contact Form must be completed via THINK (thon.cse.psu.edu) and approved.
Once you receive a check from a company, make sure you bring it to the THON office (210 HUB) so your company can be recognized by THON as a corporate donor. This allows them to receive the benefits they are entitled to and receive a tax credit for the gift. We hope to strengthen the relationship with all donors to build a strong base of support for THON. Your organization will receive all credit for the donation made by a corporation year after year, even if Corporate Relations contacts them.
Any questions you have about Donor Donations, contact the Donor Relations Overall Chair for THON. The DR committee is here to help you with any questions or problems you are having. Also, please check the Documents section for any documents that may help you to secure a corporate donation.
As an organization, or as an individual, don’t limit yourself by thinking you can only use one of the “standard” methods of fundraising to help out THON. There are an unlimited number of things you could do.
For any type of fundraising that is NOT canning, pledge booking / door-to-door solicitation, letter solicitation, or corporate sponsorship, you MUST submit an Alternative Fundraising Request Form as found on THINK.
Ideally, the form must be filled out before you start planning the event, or at a minimum one week prior to the event. While almost all events are approved, the Alternative Fundraising Request form is simply a way to track the various efforts that benefit THON. It also allows THON to assist your event by publicizing the event. If you have any questions about Alternative Fundraising Events, contact the Rules and Regulations Overall Chair for THON.
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