Fraternal, Community and Member Programs

Fraternal Programs > It's as Easy as ABC 1•2•3 > B. Making A Plan
B. Making A Plan

Request chapter leadership board funding approval

After you've determined the activity you want to do, select someone to contact your chapter leadership board to get approval for funding. The contact person of the community service team must be a Thrivent Financial member.

The chapter leadership board may ask the contact person to complete a form (Care Abounds in Communities^® - Community Service Team Requests for Funding) with details about the activity you want to hold. Chapter leadership boards usually meet monthly to review requests. Ask the person you talk with when he/she may know if the activity is approved, so you can move forward with your plans. If the request requires immediate attention, let the chapter leadership board know this.

Keep in mind, that if the activity does not get approved for supplemental funding, it doesn't mean it's not a good activity. You may want to consider still holding the activity, even without supplemental funding.

Note: If you're planning a hands-on service activity, you may request up to 50 percent of the funding upfront to purchase supplies and materials. These funds can be sent directly to a designated member of your community service team.

Plan activity logistics and details.

Be clear about what you want to accomplish before you start planning activity details. If you don't have a set goal in mind—and if you don't stay focused on that goal—you and your volunteers will spin your wheels and become frustrated rather than fulfilled. Beforehand, determine such things as:

How much time do we have to plan this activity?
Who will help in the planning process?
Who is going to participate? How many people?
Who will you be providing service to/for?
What are the goals of this activity?
When will this activity take place? For how long?

Keeping tabs on things (blank form)

Action Step	Who Does it?	By When?	Resources	Costs?
Select type of activity	Team	June 1
Select location	Team	June 1
Select date/time of activity	Team	June 1
Reserve hall	June Smith	June 10		$50-$100
Determine menu	Ann Jones	June 23	Catering service
Recruit volunteers	Team	July 1	Need 15-20 volunteers
Develop sign-up sheet for recruited volunteers to sign up for shifts	Dave Edwards	July 1
Advertise – develop posters/flyers, newspaper ad, etc.	Joe Anderson	July 1

Get the word out

Invite your neighborhood, school, church members and community to help. Get ready to sell your idea!

Contact your chapter leadership board to utilize the promotional materials, posters and bulletin inserts that are available for chapter leaders to order to help promote your activity.
Publicize everywhere and with anyone you think may help.
Call people: family, friends, school groups, church groups, senior citizens, community officials, etc.
Send an e-mail to those you know and invite them to get involved.
Place announcements in your community newspapers.
Put together a recruitment committee to help you.

Advertise your event

Send out press releases. Check with your chapter leadership board for news release templates that are available.
Contact local radio and television stations for spots in their volunteer sections.
Consider promoting at churches using a bulletin insert.

Note: Any publicity materials that you create should clearly identify that support is provided by Thrivent Financial for Lutherans.

The Visibility Toolkit is full of great information to help you spread the news about your activities. Find out what promotional tools are available, which ones to use for your activity, how to use them, and much more including tips for working with the media, inviting elected officials and what to say or write.

Checklist

Fund-raiser checklist

Hands-on service activity checklist

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A Thrivent Financial community service team cleaned up a farm site in Blue Earth County, MN that had turned into the local dump. Owners of the farm are disabled and unable to manage the situation, but were being pressured by the county to clean up the debris.