A successful fundraising event is a combination of passion, purpose, and fun! If you want to create your own United Way Winnipeg fundraiser, here’s a helpful checklist to get you started.
1. Create your event concept.
Themes are an effective way to get people excited about your event. What’s your passion? This is your opportunity to put the fun in fundraiser! Maybe it’s sports, nature, or animals! Maybe it’s a type of scavenger hunt game. Catchy names and puns also work well to help you promote the day. Please consult our Event Guidelines to ensure your concept fits with our policies, values, and goals.
2. Confirm your event details.
Pick a date and a location. Do you need a venue? Book well in advance so you’re not disappointed. Work back from your event date and make a plan that outlines all the steps to coordinate, promote, and execute your concept. Once you have the details in place, fill out and send us your event application! Once you’ve registered your event, we will provide you with a letter of support. This is often helpful, and in some cases required, when securing a venue, auction prizes and sponsorship, and may be required to obtain permits and licenses.
3. Collect your funds.
There are so many unique ways to raise money! How will you collect your funds?
Silent auctions and 50/50 raffles are just two of a ton of great ideas to raise money at your event, as well as event ticket sales. Some questions to ask yourself: How will people get tickets to your event? How will you track number of guests? EventBrite can be a useful tool. Remember, you are responsible for collecting all fundraising and sponsorship monies. Please remit one cheque of all your event proceeds to United Way Winnipeg (see Payment section for details).
4. Check your legal responsibilities.
Do you need a permit, license, and/or insurance to host your event? All events in support of United Way Winnipeg must abide by all Manitoba gaming and liquor laws. Call 311 to research your city obligations, and investigate conditions set out by the Liquor, Gaming and Cannabis Authority of Manitoba.
United Way Winnipeg can act on your behalf to obtain a gaming (raffle) license if required with a minimum eight weeks’ notice. Reach out to events@unitedwaywinnipeg.ca for details.
5. Promote it!
Once all your pieces are in place, you’ll want to promote your fundraiser so everyone knows about it! Save the Date emails, posters, and social media splashes are just three of many ways to spread the word and ignite excitement about your event.
We’re here to help, too! We can amplify your reach by sharing on our United Way Winnipeg social channels, and we have United Way Winnipeg-branded banners, coin boxes, brochures, and stickers for you to use (refer to the “Promotional Materials” area of the Event Application when registering your event). For use of our logo, please read our Event Guidelines.
7. Celebrate your supporters!
Celebrate your participants, volunteers, teammates, and service providers with a much deserved THANK YOU! Your gratitude and recognition of their efforts to make your event a fundraising success will be appreciated and remembered.
Pro Tips
Turn your participants into fundraisers.
We can help set up an event web page using our peer-to-peer fundraising platform. From there, your guests will be able to ask for donations from their own friends and family. Your supporters will receive an immediate electronic tax receipt.
Offset costs with sponsors.
You may be able to solicit sponsors as part of your event to help offset costs. Please contact United Way Winnipeg’s Events Team before making sponsorship asks. United Way Winnipeg cannot solicit sponsorships on your behalf.
Event Guidelines
Promotion
It is solely your responsibility to promote your event. United Way Winnipeg will not distribute promotional materials to donors or provide donor contact information on your behalf. United Way Winnipeg will also not contact the media, though you are welcome to do so.
United Way Winnipeg Logo
United Way Winnipeg is a registered trademark. You must ask permission, in advance, for the use of our name and logo on any promotional materials and advertising.
United Way Winnipeg reserves the right to withdraw consent to use our name or logo at any time if such use could damage our reputation in the community.
Authorized use of United Way Winnipeg’s logo or name does not constitute an endorsement of any specific business, product, or service.
For a business to be eligible to use our logo on promotional materials, your event must anticipate raising at least $1,000.
Tax Information
Your donors, participants, and sponsors may be eligible to receive tax receipts. You personally, as the convener of the fundraising event, will not receive a tax receipt for total donations, since they are the sum of gifts made by your donors, participants, and sponsors.
It’s important you understand the rules about tax receipts BEFORE planning your fundraiser so you can comfortably and correctly communicate Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) policies to your participants and donors.
Please do not promise any kind of receipt without contacting United Way Winnipeg’s Events Team first at 204-477-5360.
United Way Winnipeg is a registered charity and is eligible to issue income tax receipts providing certain criteria are met. We are obligated to adhere to CRA regulations regarding the issuance of all tax receipts. Failure to do so could result in the revocation of our charitable status.
Income tax receipts are issued to donors who make gifts to charities. A gift is a transfer of property (usually cash) where the donor receives no benefit in return. The donor is the source of the gift.
We are pleased to provide a tax receipt for all gifts of $20 or more, providing the donor did not receive a benefit in return for their donation. The total value of issued tax receipts cannot exceed the net proceeds of the event received by United Way Winnipeg.
More information can be found at the Canada Revenue CRA web site.
Please carefully review the Tax Receipt FAQs.
FAQs
Can tax receipts be issued for the purchase of an admission ticket?
United Way Winnipeg cannot issue tax receipts for admission or registration fees for events.
Can a receipt be issued for a donation of service?
Services (time, skills, or efforts) are not property and therefore do not qualify for tax receipts.
What are gifts-in-kind, and are they eligible for tax receipts?
In-kind gifts are physical property and, in most cases, eligible to receive tax receipts under CRA regulations.
In order to issue a receipt for gifts-in-kind, United Way Winnipeg requires an invoice or letter on company letterhead, including the company’s Manitoba business registration number, with a description of the donated item, clearly identifying the value.
If an individual purchases an item for donation to an event to facilitate fundraising, we require the original retail receipt from the retailer where the item was purchased.
Donations of art may qualify as a gift-in-kind. If an individual artist is donating artwork, the artwork must be accompanied by a professional appraisal at the artist’s expense.
Is sponsorship eligible for a tax receipt?
No. There is a benefit to the business in the form of promotion or advertising, so sponsorship is not eligible for a tax receipt. The businesses may, however, claim their contribution as an advertising expense. We can provide a letter of acknowledgement upon request, as proof of payment.
Can United Way Winnipeg’s name be used if looking for sponsorship?
Yes. We can provide a letter of acknowledgment to indicate our support for your fundraising event. The sponsorship ask must be positioned as sponsoring your event in support of United Way Winnipeg, not as sponsorship of United Way Winnipeg.
Can United Way Winnipeg look for sponsors for my event?
No. United Way Winnipeg cannot solicit sponsorships on your behalf. Please contact our Events Team if you intend to solicit sponsorships.
Payment
All cheques should be payable to:
United Way Winnipeg
Our mailing address is:
United Way Winnipeg
580 Main Street
Winnipeg, Manitoba R3B 1C7
Support
Contact the Events Team:
events@unitedwaywinnipeg.ca
204-477-5360
Regular office hours are:
Monday through Friday
8:30 am to 4:30 pm
Event Application
Thank you for organizing an event in support of United Way Winnipeg. Please use this form to tell us a little more about your activity.
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