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The Rules
With all fundraising activities, please remember that if you are sending a check to MCULAF/MCULLAF, you must also send a remittance form. Legally, we cannot accept miscellaneous money. We appreciate all of your hard work, and want you to get credit for it! All remittance forms can be found online at: http://www.mcul.org/MCULLAFMCULAF_507.html
All checks should be designated to the individual PAC: MCULAF (State) or MCULLAF (Federal). As a refresher, all contributions to MCULAF (State) must have the name, address, employer, and occupation listed for all of the contributors; contributions to MCULLAF (Federal) only need to contain that information if an individual contributes more than $50.
All checks should be mailed, within 30 days of receipt of contribution, to:
MCULAF/MCULLAF
P.O. Box 8054
Plymouth, MI 48170
Remember, anyone contributing to the PACs must know that they are making a “political contribution” and that it is not tax deductible. Here are the disclaimers:
MCULAF/MCULLAF are state/federally registered political action committees that make campaign contributions to candidates for elective office in Michigan/federally. Contributions to MCULAF/MCULLAF are not considered charitable or business expenses for income tax purposes.
Contributions are voluntary and there shall be no reprisal for those who decide not to contribute.
Raising Money
Fundraising goals are set so that each credit union can realistically achieve theirs. Quite possibly one of the biggest fundraising stumbling blocks is thinking that one has to raise all of the money at once or all with one activity. Credit unions are not judged by what size PAC check they send in – send $5, $50, or $500 at a time, it doesn’t matter. What does matter is achieving the State and Federal goals each year, most notably the State goal. One of the easiest (and most recommended) ways to raise money and meet the goals is to set up a fundraising plan at the beginning of the year. Break down the goal into manageable pieces. If the goal is $120, that is only $10 a month that needs to be raised. Break down the amount monthly or quarterly – it becomes much more manageable.
PAC fundraising is not as daunting of a task as it may appear, it just requires a positive outlook and a sense of creativity. If you haven’t fundraised before, or even if you meet your goals every year, have you thought about PAC fundraising as a staff potluck, a summer festival, or a book exchange? The Grand Raffle, Coins of America, Lapel Pins, and 50/50 Raffles are great ways to fundraise, but they don’t have to be the only way to raise money.
Consider this: if every credit union raised $25 each month in 2008, the PAC would top over $100,000 before the year was over! $50 a month would see the PAC top $200,000 (without any other fundraising!) and put MCULAF and the MCUL in an elite category of State PACs.
MCULAF Fundraising
The strongest State PAC fundraiser is the Lapel Pin Program. Lapel Pins are offered at levels from $25 to $500 and are one of the most important steps one can take in ensuring that the credit union movement remains strong. Making a contribution to the Lapel Pin Program is a commitment to political and legislative advocacy, giving the MCUL the ability to make political contributions to credit union-friendly candidates and further the message of Michigan’s credit unions. Wearing the pin is a strong showing of your support for the credit union industry – lawmakers at every level recognize the pin and your commitment to advocacy in favor of credit unions. Be sure to check out the Gold Star Credit Union Program to compliment the Lapel Pin Program. Also, the Payroll Deduction program helps to increase participation.
The Gold Star Program distinguishes credit unions that achieve 100% participation in the Lapel Pin Program as well as reaching 100% of their State PAC (MCULAF) goal – in many cases these two successes will be synonymous! For the credit union to achieve 100% participation, the following must all make a contribution to the Lapel Pin Program: CEO, Senior Staff, Staff who report directly to the CEO, all members of the Board of Directors, all members of the Supervisory Committee, all members of the Credit Committee (where applicable).
Casual Days are a big fundraiser for MCULAF – they are both easy and fun, and can help you reach your PAC goal in no time. Some credit unions create a “payroll deduction” option for employees and have designated casual days, whether it be once a week or once a month. Some announce a day or a week and collect the money at that time. Find what works for your credit union and dress down to watch the money go up! Casual days are highly encouraged as an easy way to include staff in the credit union movement, have some fun, and raise much-needed State PAC money. Credit unions that have traditionally held casual days and those looking to start are strongly encouraged to hold them for the State PAC.
Another easy activity to do for the State PAC is the Charity Match Program. Credit unions well embody the philosophy of “people helping people” and continue to raise a sizeable amount of money for charitable organizations. Raising money doesn’t have to stop at the charity, it can benefit both the charity and the State PAC through the Charity Match Program. Donations collected from participants will go directly to the State PAC (MCULAF) and the credit union will write a corporate check for a matching amount to a charity. The contributor has effectively doubled their donation dollars by participating in the Charity Match Program, and both MCULAF and the charity benefit from one simple action.
State PAC fundraising does not have to stop with casual days and lapel pins – the possibilities are endless! In 2007 there were many creative fundraising approaches. Credit unions held potlucks, book exchanges, bowl-a-thons, summer festivals, and popcorn sales just to name a few of the fundraisers. In all State fundraising, just make sure to record everyone’s name, address, employer, occupation, and amount given to comply with State fundraising rules!
Fundraising for the State PAC is usually easiest with staff as the credit union already had the employees’ requisite information (name, address, employer, and occupation) on file. This is a rule by the Secretary of State, not by the MCUL. Many credit unions make a master excel file with the required information for all of their employees, and re-use the file each time they complete a fundraiser, drastically reducing the work of filling out a new remittance form each time.
MCULLAF Fundraising
The Federal PAC (MCULLAF) does not require the name, address, employer, and occupation of the donor unless the donation exceeds $50, so in many cases Federal fundraising is easier, and is typically achieved through contributions from members.
The Grand Raffle is the largest fundraiser for the Federal PAC, bringing in over $124,000 in 2007. The excitement of the car or $20,000 is usually enough to convince members to buy tickets, and the $500 prize for the winning seller is a great incentive for credit unions! The Grand Raffle kicks off at the AC&E and ends in October. Many credit unions have met their MCULLAF goal solely based on participation in the Grand Raffle. It is an easy way to top off your fundraising at the end of the year. Something to remember is that the earlier you start with the Raffle, the more tickets you traditionally sell! Another incentive to start early is that by August 2007 all 30,000 printed Grand Raffle tickets had been distributed.
Candy at the teller window is a very popular option with many credit unions. The Downriver Chapter was very successful in their candy sale in 2007, raising over $10,000. If every credit union participates, it doesn’t take long for the Chapter to reach its goals. Every little bit helps! You don’t have to just stick to candy – pet treats proved very popular at one credit union in 2005. Think about your membership and what will work with your membership, maybe it is candy, maybe it is pet treats, maybe it is something else.
The Coins of America have proven to be a successful fundraiser for many credit unions. Credit Unions who did not participate in the State Quarters fundraiser have the opportunity to join in on the coin success with the new Presidential Dollar series that debuted in 2007. Credit Unions work directly with MPI Coin on this fundraising project.
50/50 Raffles at credit union or Chapter events are an easy way to raise money. Just make sure to follow the rules – you can raise as much money as possible, but can only award up to $100 in prizes (which usually results in more money for the PAC!). Some Chapters have raised upwards of $800 from a single 50/50 raffle at their Annual Meeting.
The Federal PAC (MCULLAF) allows for plenty of creativity as well. Credit Unions should not feel obligated to only hold fundraisers that are suggested by the League. Often times, the more creative the fundraising, the more fun it is, the more participation it receives, and the more money it raises! One credit union held a garage sale during the summer to raise money. The possibilities are endless.
Chapter gatherings (annual meetings, golf outings, CU Week celebrations) are a built-in opportunity to raise money. Don’t forget to conduct a raffle at your Chapter Annual Meeting, sell Mulligans at your Golf Outing, and do another raffle at your Credit Union Week Celebration. Governmental Affairs Staff is happy to help out when attending these events!
Finally, don’t be afraid to ask for help! MCUL Political Affairs Manager Nancy Short is always available to speak at credit union or chapter functions, and happy to meet with you or any member of your team to develop a fundraising plan or provide assistance. Please do not hesitate to contact her at any time with questions, concerns, or fundraising ideas at nes@mcul.org or 800-262-6285 ext. 353.
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Regulatory Affairs
