2016 Generous Associates Campaign
Fundraising Tips
Thank you for being a part of this year’s Generous Associates Campaign this summer! In order to help
you help us make justice real for more low-income Washingtonians than ever before in 2016, we have
provided a list of tips from over the years to make your firm’s campaign a success!
Getting the word out:
o
Recruit another associate (or two! or three!) to head the firm’s Campaign with you
o
Set up a time to meet as a team to discuss at least once a week – even if it’s just for 15 minutes
o
Early on, begin to send targeted e-mail messages to colleagues
o
Use Facebook, Twitter & other social media with #2016GAC to share updates during the
Campaign and generate buzz around your Campaign events
Who & How to ask:
o
As much as possible, go door-to-door, and make a personal ask
o
If you have taken a case with Legal Aid, talk about that case and the help you were able to give
your client; if not, use the client stories we’ve included in the emails to personalize the ask
o
Solicit contributions by floor and/or practice area; see if you can get floors or groups to compete
o
Cultivate summer associates for contributions to Campaign
o
In your personal requests for contributions, be specific! (i.e.,“Please consider a gift of at least
$250 to help us reach our goal” works better than “Please give to the campaign”)
o
Whenever possible, get an interested colleague to give in the moment: use your phone to point
them to the QR on Legal Aid’s website, which they can grab right then, or email them the link
Incentives to give:
o
Mention the Outstanding Generous Associates! giving recognition program,” which recognizes
non-partner donors who give $250 or more during the Campaign
o
Be creative: create challenges between groups, floors, etc., and solicit partner matches. Use
friendly competition, food, guilt, humor, and peer pressure to encourage contributions
o
Create a sense of urgency w/numbers: 5,000 CPOs filed by domestic violence victims each year;
34,000 cases in landlord tenant court and only 5% of tenants have lawyers while most landlords
do; 40,000 people on DC’s waitlist for affordable housing
o
Mention the $750 or 1 percent of earned income as recommended by the Judicial Conferences of
the District of Columbia and D.C. Circuit1
o
Start handing out “I Made Justice Real” signs to donors as soon as possible, to create excitement
and give people a sense of how many of their peers are participating (your door can be first!)
o
Prior to distributing forms, complete information on firm to reduce the time for the donor to
complete; if copying materials, use bright and colorful paper
Ensuring success for your firm:
o
Set a clear goal for the firm based on past performance – and don’t be afraid to be ambitious!
o
Review individual and firm giving history from previous years (go to Coordinator Reports)
o
Seek out contributions from past donors, encouraging donors to increase his/her contribution
o
Use a firm and/or partner match to drive giving by individuals
o
Aim for 100% participation (by firm, by practice group, by associate class or law school – there
are lots of fun ways to slice this)
o
Use a billable hour or pro bono hour-based recommended giving level
Additional resources/support:
o
Be sure to contact your Campaign Co-Chair if you need ideas and suggestions
o
Don’t hesitate to contact a firm coordinator at another firm (listed on website) about what they are
doing that’s getting positive results; imitation is the highest form of flattery!
o
1
Contact Legal Aid if you would like one of our staff to come speak at a firm event
The comment to Rule 6.1 of the D.C. Bar Rules of Professional Conduct note that the Resolutions on Pro Bono Services passed by the Judicial
Conferences of the District of Columbia and D.C. Circuit call on all D.C. Bar members, call on members of the D.C. Bar, “at a minimum, each
year to (1) accept one court appointment, (2) provide 50 hours of pro bono legal service, or (3) when personal representation is not feasible,
contribute the lesser of $750 or 1 percent of earned income to a legal assistance organization that services the community’s economically
disadvantaged. . . .”