How To
Videos and guides on your most asked questions
Team Captain Resources
How to Be a Team Captain
1. What is a Team Captain?
A team captain will organize and encourage a group of employee owners to participate in a team for ESOPATHON. Whether this is an acitivity based team or fundraising only, the team captain is responsible for managing the team page and participants.
2. What Makes a Good Team Captain?
A good team captain will be a source of encouragement and leadership. You will work to recruit members of your network to not only donate to ESOPATHON but also recruit team members. You can be the one to organize your activity, promote a competitive spirit in your team, or organize phone banking and emailing campaigns. A good team captain thinks of creative ways to not only engage their network, but also help ensure participants know the value of ESOPs.
3. What are The Main Steps in Being a Team Captain?
1. Set up your profile as a team captain
2. Set up your team profile
3. Recruit friends, family, and colleagues to participate and donate to you
4. Organize fundraising events or activities to engage during ESOPATHON
5. Be a source of information and leadership
VIDEO: Registering as a Team Captain
Video Description:
This video details how to register as a team captain. This includes the following topics:
1. Registering as Activity Based versus Fundraising Only: If your ESOPATHON 2024 campaign is activity based (i.e. walk-a-thon, game night, t-shirt drive) you will register as an activity based. If you and your team are working to collect donations only, you will register as fundraising only.
2. Personal Details: You will register with you name, email, and set up a password. You will also enter your personal activity and personal goal. You will register with your state and affiliated chapter.
Note: It is suggested that you register with your TEA associated email.
3. Create Your Fundraising Page: You will set up your personal fundraising goal and upload your profile picture.
4. Team Set Up: You will name your team and set up a team goal for your fundraising page. You will also upload a team photo and can recruit people to join your team via email.
5. Donate: The best way to kick start your fundraising page is by donating yourself!
6. Profile Dashboard: Once registered you will be led to your public dashboard where you can post on your social media and share your link to potential supporters.
Notes: If you have participated in ESOPATHON in the past, you will already have a log-in. If you do not remember your log-in, please reach out to us to reset your password.
VIDEO: Navigating Your Team Captain Dashboard
Video Description:
This video details how to navigate your team captain dashboard. This includes the following topics:
1. Public Dashboard: How your dashboard will look to people who navigate to your page. This is where you can receive donations, post your personal testimony, where your activity and fundraising trackers are located, and where your blog posts and media are posted.
2. Private Dashboard- Home: This is your personal dashboard where you are able to see your personal metrics including your activity progress and your fundraising progress.
3. Asking for Support: This landing page is where you can customize and send out fundraising asks. You can send out messaging on your preferred social media outlets or you can send emails to a personalize contact list. Templated language is available for you to refer from or you can customize your own.
4. Donations: This will show you who and how much your supporters have donated. This will allow you to track who still needs to contribute and who to send your thanks to.
5. Editing Page: This page will allow you to update your fundraising goal as well as your personal URL. You may also review your past blog posts and your gallery.
6. Uploading Activity: You can link your page to a fitness app to track your activity in real time. If your activity is not fitness based or you cannot track via the apps, you can manually log your activity as well as adjust your activity goal.
7. Editing My Account Settings: If you need to update your personal information or account information, you can do so through this page.
Participant Resources
VIDEO: How to Register
Video Description:
This video details how to register as a team captain. This includes the following topics:
1. Registering as Activity Based versus Fundraising Only: If your ESOPATHON 2024 campaign is activity based (i.e. walk-a-thon, game night, t-shirt drive) you will register as an activity based. If you and your team are working to collect donations only, you will register as fundraising only.
2. Personal Details: You will register with you name, email, and set up a password. You will also enter your personal activity and personal goal. You will register with your state and affiliated chapter.
Note: It is suggested that you register with your TEA associated email.
3. Create Your Fundraising Page: You will set up your personal fundraising goal and upload your profile picture.
4. Join a Team: You will receive the name of your team from your team captain or join via their link. If you do not know that information yet, you can always join a team later on.
5. Donate: The best way to kick start your fundraising page is by donating yourself!
6. Profile Dashboard: Once registered you will be led to your public dashboard where you can post on your social media and share your link to potential supporters.
Notes: If you have participated in ESOPATHON in the past, you will already have a log-in. If you do not remember your log-in, please reach out to us to reset your password.
VIDEO: Navigating Your Dashboard
Video Description:
This video details how to navigate your dashboard. This includes the following topics:
1. Public Dashboard: How your dashboard will look to people who navigate to your page. This is where you can receive donations, post your personal testimony, where your activity and fundraising trackers are located, and where your blog posts and media are posted.
2. Private Dashboard- Home: This is your personal dashboard where you are able to see your personal metrics including your activity progress and your fundraising progress.
3. Asking for Support: This landing page is where you can customize and send out fundraising asks. You can send out messaging on your preferred social media outlets or you can send emails to a personalize contact list. Templated language is available for you to refer from or you can customize your own.
4. Donations: This will show you who and how much your supporters have donated. This will allow you to track who still needs to contribute and who to send your thanks to.
5. Editing Page: This page will allow you to update your fundraising goal as well as your personal URL. You may also review your past blog posts and your gallery.
6. Uploading Activity: You can link your page to a fitness app to track your activity in real time. If your activity is not fitness based or you cannot track via the apps, you can manually log your activity as well as adjust your activity goal.
7. Editing My Account Settings: If you need to update your personal information or account information, you can do so through this page.
Donations
Different Ways to Donate
Online Donation
You can complete an online donation with a valid debit or credit card. You may either complete a donation to (1) a fundraiser donation page, (2) a team donation page, (3) a chapter donation page, or (4) home page. Before you complete a donation, please ensure that you use the correct page to properly give credit to teams and fundraisers.
Check Donation
You can send a check donation to the Foundation. Please ensure that the following information is sent: Donor Full Legal Name, Email Address to Send Invoice, and Credit to Trustee or Fundraiser.
200 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Suite 410, Washington, DC 20001
Cash donations are accepted. If you are sending via mail or giving to a Fundraiser, please ensure to include the following information: Donor Full Legal Name, Donation Amount, Email Address to Send Invoice, and Credit to Trustee or Fundraiser.
200 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Suite 410, Washington, DC 20001
VIDEO: How to Log a Pledged Donation
Video Description:
A Pledged Donation is a donation that has either been verbally committed to a fundraiser for the foundation or is a donation that has been submitted (via check or cash), but has not been recieved by the Foundation. Please see below for examples:
1. A Donor has communicated to a Fundraiser "I will go ahead and send $50 to your ESOPATHON page"
2. A Donor has confirmed with a Fundraiser "I sent a $100 check in the mail yesterday"
3. A Donor has handed a Fundraiser a check or cash and the Fundraiser has sent the cash or check in the mail to the Foundation
Steps
1. To log a pledged donation, a fundraiser will go to their dashboard, under "Donations" tab, and click "Add a Pledge Donation"
2. The Fundraiser will log the following reuqired information: Donor Legal Name, Donation Amount, and Email of Donor
3. The pledged donation will appear on the Fundraiser's "Donations" tab, but will not appear on their main or public donation.
4. Once the donation is considered "Paid," the donation will appear on the Fundraiser's main and public dashboard.
How to Have a Contribution be Paid
A Paid Donation, is a donation that has been received by the Foundation. Credit card transactions are immediate and therefore considered "paid." Until the Foundation has physically received cash or check contributions, they are considered "pledged," even if the Fundraiser themselves have physically received the donation.
If you received a verabl pledge and the donor would like to pay via credit card, a Fundraiser can manually enter the contribution from their "Donations" tab by entering the credit card information.
If the pledged contribution is a check or cash, the cash and check must be physically mailed to the Foundation. Once it is received by the Foundation, an administrator will go into the Fundraiser's page and mark the contribution as "paid." Only an administrator can perform this function.
How To Fundraise
Tips and Tricks on Fundraising from Your Network
1. Know Your Audience
Identify Potential Donors: Start with people who are already supportive or have a connection to your cause. This includes friends, family, colleagues, and acquaintances.2. Tell Your Story
Share Personal Stories: Explain why Employee Ownership matters to you personally. Telling your personal story let's people know that their support does have an impact.Highlight Impact: Show how their contributions will make a tangible difference. Higlight the effects that your membership has had on you, as well as the Foundation's programs.
3. Be Clear and Specific
Set a Goal: Let potential donors know how much you aim to raise and how their contribution will help achieve that goal.Provide Options: If a person cannot donate or support financially, ask them to post on their social media or join you in your activity. Support is not just financial, get creative in ways your community can support you!
4. Choose the Right Medium
Personal Outreach: Face-to-face meetings or phone calls are often more effective than emails or social media.Digital Tools: Use social media, crowdfunding platforms, or email campaigns to reach a broader audience within your network.
5. Engage and Follow Up
Regular Updates: Keep your network informed about progress and milestones. Share stories and successes along the way, especially to those who have already donated. Showing your progress thanks to their support is a great way to re-engage them.Express Gratitude: Always thank donors promptly and sincerely. Show them the impact of their generosity. There may be a few who will consider supporting you multiple times.
6. Create a Personal Appeal
Write Personalized Messages: Tailor your ask to each individual. Highlight why their support matters to you and the cause. While we have templated outreach, it is always better to make it your own.Be Authentic: People respond to genuine passion and honesty. Share your personal connection to the cause. Make sure to make your profile your own!
SCRIPT: How to Fundraise from Your Network (Phone)
"Hi [Name], this is [Your Name]. How are you doing today?"
[Wait for a response and engage in a brief, friendly conversation if appropriate.]
Purpose of Call:
"I’m reaching out because I’m involved with the Employee Ownership Foundation, and we’re currently running a fundraising campaign to help support our educational and research programs for Employee Ownership. I wanted to personally share with you what we’re doing and see if you might be interested in supporting this cause."
Share the Story:
"As you might know, I am a part of the Employee Owned community, as I am an Employee Owner. I wanted to be a part of this community because [share a personal story or connection]. Our goal is to raise money for our Foundation to continue the research and educational programs that allow us to continue to grow the message of employee ownership."
Explain Why its Important to Them:
"Many business in our community are employee owned and its essentail to continue to support these businesses. My company is employee owned and [explain how your business impacts the local community]."
Make the Ask:
"I was hoping you might consider making a donation to help us reach our goal. Any amount you’re comfortable with would make a big difference. Can I provide you with more details on how to contribute?"
Handle Responses:
-
If They Agree to Donate: "That’s wonderful! Thank you so much for your support. I can send you the donation link/details right away. Is there an email address or another way that’s most convenient for you?"
-
If They Need More Information: "Of course. I’d be happy to provide more details. Would you prefer I send you some information via email, or would you like to discuss it further now?"
-
If They Decline: "I completely understand. Thank you for taking the time to listen. If you have any questions or if you’re interested in supporting us in the future, please don’t hesitate to reach out. If you are not able to donate today, I would appreciate if you could help me spread the word of my campaign by posting to social media. Your support in any form is always appreciated."
Express Gratitude:
"Thank you so much for considering this and for your time today. Whether or not you’re able to contribute, I really appreciate your support and interest inThe Employee Ownership Foundation. Have a great day!"
Close the Call:
"Take care, [Name], and thanks again for your time. Goodbye!"
More questions?
#esopathon #employeeowned
Follow us on our socials for the latest news!
