R Fund Captains? How's it going?
- Thread starter KeithK7624
- Start date
We've had 2 meetings thus far. The first at end of July was essentially just a kickoff and the one in Aug we got a lot of great ideas flowing around.
Numbers wise since it just kicked off we won't have our first reported numbers until Septembers meeting in a few weeks.
Lots of exciting things being discussed but at end of the day success will come down to the willingness of RU supporters to donate. Thus far myself I've had mixed results. Definitely requires a ton of time to contact people (friends, acquaintances ) and then followup with each and everyone and try to convince them.
Also trying to think of creative ways to get organizations involved. I made a post of this board asking people to commit to donating $30 per Rutgers win this year and only got 2 responses between both Round Table & Free boards. Was a little disappointed with that but I'll bump the post right before the first game.
If anyone is interested in donating to the Build Fund. Email me at queenz152002@yahoo.com
Also if anyone on the board have ideas, please share and we'll discuss with Rutgers fundraising staff at next meeting
Numbers wise since it just kicked off we won't have our first reported numbers until Septembers meeting in a few weeks.
Lots of exciting things being discussed but at end of the day success will come down to the willingness of RU supporters to donate. Thus far myself I've had mixed results. Definitely requires a ton of time to contact people (friends, acquaintances ) and then followup with each and everyone and try to convince them.
Also trying to think of creative ways to get organizations involved. I made a post of this board asking people to commit to donating $30 per Rutgers win this year and only got 2 responses between both Round Table & Free boards. Was a little disappointed with that but I'll bump the post right before the first game.
If anyone is interested in donating to the Build Fund. Email me at queenz152002@yahoo.com
Also if anyone on the board have ideas, please share and we'll discuss with Rutgers fundraising staff at next meeting
How about this- The Mets have a program where for every home run hit at Citi Field, Citi gives $2,000.
Could we get a sponsor to do the same for every TD at HPSS? Or even individual donors could be solicited to donate smaller amounts. Or larger amounts for each kickoff/punt return for a TD. Just a thought.
Are captains incentivized at all? Are there prizes for the top captains?
And are these ideas commitable?! For instance, donate $100 now if Rutgers shuts out an an opponent? I sign up now but when Rutgers does, will an auto deduction take place?
I like the every td suggestion. Like all state does for every extra point.
And are these ideas commitable?! For instance, donate $100 now if Rutgers shuts out an an opponent? I sign up now but when Rutgers does, will an auto deduction take place?
I like the every td suggestion. Like all state does for every extra point.
Generally with things like that the donations go to charity. I'm sure High Point Solutions would be interested but it'd probably be tough to convince them if they're donation is just going to Rutgers athletics rather than the good PR they could get for it going to charity. Just a guess.
Wins or TDs are a great idea but you have to get social media involved...FB challenges, Instagram challenges, and Twitter challenges...make young alumni like myself donate a dollar (or 5) per TD but it has to have a social media aspect to it. Also, while it is vital and super important to get donations, IMO in the long run, getting casual fans/alumni converted to folks who show more pride in Rutgers and athletics is going to be a lot more significant...and again social media is vital in this
Take a look at the #ShowYourR impromptu campaign...you had younger folks joining in because the Official Rutgers accounts would retweet and provide some "fame"
Take a look at the #ShowYourR impromptu campaign...you had younger folks joining in because the Official Rutgers accounts would retweet and provide some "fame"
Yes, but the Build Fund is a charity of sorts. Not the same positive press as giving to kids with cancer or some other charity, but perhaps it could encourage some to give. Was just a random idea.
Forgot about this one, which is nice, but a dumb choice on where spend the money:
For the second straight season, 100 students randomly selected from the crowd will win $1,000 apiece courtesy of Autoland.
That's $100,000. How about finding another Autoland (Ray Catena?, Sansone?, Shop Rite, Brother? ) to do the same for the R Fund?
For the second straight season, 100 students randomly selected from the crowd will win $1,000 apiece courtesy of Autoland.
That's $100,000. How about finding another Autoland (Ray Catena?, Sansone?, Shop Rite, Brother? ) to do the same for the R Fund?
Yes I am trying to get people involved for $30 for every RU win this season. It's a very small price to pay for the happiness each win brings. I think this is a really fun one and I'm going to do my best to push it. I'm keeping a list of people's emails and names who agree to pledge per win.
I have found that social media blasts don't work great when you're asking for donations to a specific school athletic department. The personal contact seems more effective.
There are incentives for the captains. Top 3 get RU related prizes such as a lunch with Hobbs, signed memorbilla by coach of your choice. Right now there are only 30 captains so would love to have more sign up and be part of the movement. Just have to fill out a very short application on www.rutgersbigtenbuild.com under Captains tab.
I have found that social media blasts don't work great when you're asking for donations to a specific school athletic department. The personal contact seems more effective.
There are incentives for the captains. Top 3 get RU related prizes such as a lunch with Hobbs, signed memorbilla by coach of your choice. Right now there are only 30 captains so would love to have more sign up and be part of the movement. Just have to fill out a very short application on www.rutgersbigtenbuild.com under Captains tab.
There are "prizes" of sorts for the captains. Person with the most donors gets lunch with Hobbs is the one prize that stands out in my mind. We were able to tour the Hale center last week & watch a practice as a "captain perk", which was pretty cool.
I am finding donors slowly but surely. It is a lot harder than I thought to get people to donate even the minimum of $10/month but it is happening. I am expecting that once football season takes off more donors may come forward. That being said a number of posters from this board have joined my team and I am very grateful for that.
At our last conference call, we were told that the captains have brought in about $60,000 in pledges so far.
If anyone wants to join my team, #TeamMegg please let me know. I will be happy to help you through the process.
I am finding donors slowly but surely. It is a lot harder than I thought to get people to donate even the minimum of $10/month but it is happening. I am expecting that once football season takes off more donors may come forward. That being said a number of posters from this board have joined my team and I am very grateful for that.
At our last conference call, we were told that the captains have brought in about $60,000 in pledges so far.
If anyone wants to join my team, #TeamMegg please let me know. I will be happy to help you through the process.
$60k in pledges that's it!? That's 10 people pledging a $100 a month for 5 years. Thanks to Scarletkid responding first he's up another $6k.. If people can spend $10 a month on Netflix they can spend it with us.. Are there any incentives for making a pledge? I'm sure we would get more if for $500 you received a tshirt, a $1000 you receive 2 tickets to Howard, for a $5000 pledge you're invited to happy hour with ash (where I'm surely milked for more).
No incentives for pledging at the current time. They are, however, starting to send chrome block Rs to those who pledge.
I have reported 10 donors so far & have another 4 to add to this weeks report. I don't ask people what they are donating...not my business ..and RI does not tell me.
Believe me when I tell you multiple people have said no to donating even $10/month for a variety of reasons. Its not for me to argue. I just say thanks anyway &,move onto someone else.
I have reported 10 donors so far & have another 4 to add to this weeks report. I don't ask people what they are donating...not my business ..and RI does not tell me.
Believe me when I tell you multiple people have said no to donating even $10/month for a variety of reasons. Its not for me to argue. I just say thanks anyway &,move onto someone else.
For what it's worth, the effort I'm undertaking involves balancing interest of alumni and fans because I need to draw in alumni for academic endeavors - namely SEBS, but also some of the other professional schools - as well as fans for the Rutgers Big Ten Build. Learning on the fly who is interested in donating to what can be "interesting" to say the least.
As MrsScrew notes, the biggest hurdle is just how many people do say no to donating even $10/month for either of the support efforts. But it is far easier to just thank them for taking a few moments to listen and wish them well instead of doing a hard sell.
As MrsScrew notes, the biggest hurdle is just how many people do say no to donating even $10/month for either of the support efforts. But it is far easier to just thank them for taking a few moments to listen and wish them well instead of doing a hard sell.
I can say this. I didn't go to Rutgers. My sister went back in the late 80s. I was probably on campus during her 4 years maybe 4 times-including her graduation. I went to a small D3 school to play soccer in Pa. and when I graduated, I gave $35 a quarter for about 3-4 years. I've since stopped because they kicked my fraternity off campus and have made a lot of decisions at the school overall I just don't agree with. I just never felt connected to the school since I graduated coupled with those decisions. It was easy to stop donating.
I've been a RU Football Season Ticket Holder since 2009 and had never given money to Rutgers except for the tickets and now the mandatory seat donation. I've since joined the R Fund Big Ten Build through another captain @ $50/month for the next 5 years. I actually feel more connected to Rutgers than I do my college and, in some cases, I see I have more passion for Rutgers than some alumni.
I think it was easier for me to donate to Rutgers because I had a emotional connection to the school through my tickets and my football experience. It does seem like, and it can happen at any school, that people who tend to have bad experiences somewhere are less likely to want to donate back to the school.
It may not be that simple but I guess finding out what people's experiences are with Rutgers in the past may be able to bring people around to who might not necessarily want to donate. Of course there are always people with financial difficulties. But maybe trying to engage potential donors who don't go to games, haven't been on campus, haven't seen the improvements being directly caused by the donations and getting them there might help?
Just my two cents. I probably wouldn't have donated without the experiences I've had here.
I've been a RU Football Season Ticket Holder since 2009 and had never given money to Rutgers except for the tickets and now the mandatory seat donation. I've since joined the R Fund Big Ten Build through another captain @ $50/month for the next 5 years. I actually feel more connected to Rutgers than I do my college and, in some cases, I see I have more passion for Rutgers than some alumni.
I think it was easier for me to donate to Rutgers because I had a emotional connection to the school through my tickets and my football experience. It does seem like, and it can happen at any school, that people who tend to have bad experiences somewhere are less likely to want to donate back to the school.
It may not be that simple but I guess finding out what people's experiences are with Rutgers in the past may be able to bring people around to who might not necessarily want to donate. Of course there are always people with financial difficulties. But maybe trying to engage potential donors who don't go to games, haven't been on campus, haven't seen the improvements being directly caused by the donations and getting them there might help?
Just my two cents. I probably wouldn't have donated without the experiences I've had here.
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