ducks unlimitedsponsor manual

purpose of SponSorS

Every time a wetland acre is lost, we all lose, because wetlands are among nature’s most productive ecosystems that provide critical habitat to more than 900 species in North America. Working with private and public partners, Ducks Unlimited can turn your sponsor payment into the conservation of these irreplaceable wetland acres.

By being a sponsor you can make a difference, acre by acre.

Stability and growth in our sponsor program ensure both short and long term success for our mission. Sponsors provide nearly $10 million a year toward our mission and are a primary source for future major donors. To ensure growth in the program we must retain all existing sponsors and recruit new sponsors to replace those who upgrade their financial commitment to the mission by participating in the major donor program.

Because of their importance, ducks unlimited national recognizes

sponsors in several ways:

• A special recognition listing on www.ducks.org • A special DU sponsorship card • A sponsor decal • A sponsor lapel pin

Special multi-year sponsor programs have also been offered by Ducks Unlimited during our last two campaigns. The current Wetlands for Tomorrow sponsorship program, like the Key Sponsorship program before it, allows individuals and companies to make a four-year commitment with annual payment options of $250, $500, or $1,000. In addition to the benefits above, these sponsors receive a Wetlands for Tomorrow sponsor pin.

Ducks Unlimited National recognizes that the real recruiters of Ducks Unlimited sponsors are Ducks Unlimited volunteers. Our volunteers have developed and implemented many creative and successful ways to encourage people to join the sponsor program. This guide is meant to share those ideas. It is a compilation of stories and sales tactics used by your fellow volunteers across the country. While the methods may vary, each one has been proven a successful tool.

HigHligHts:

underwriting is the name of the game:

• A common theme among all successful tools is getting underwriting for as many of the costs of the sponsor program as possible. Your Regional Director has access to tools that can help you with underwriting strategies.

start recruiting before the event:

• Set a committee goal for total sponsors. — Your goal should contain growth. Payments from major donors are always valued; however, they do not count toward the sponsor goal. • Assign a Sponsor Chairman.• Pre-sell sponsorships. — Identify last year’s sponsors — Look at all of last year’s attendees and new attendees for new candidates.• Ducks Unlimited National can also help you with lists of names, just ask your Regional Director.• Split the target list between volunteers- with each one assigned a specific contact list.• Ask face-to-face if possible, or make a phone call. — See the Talking Points section for suggested talking points.• Follow a telephone call with an “invoice” to prior year sponsors (ask them to renew through the committee).• It is easiest for committees when they recruit sponsors by example, i.e. a sponsor will be better able to recruit a sponsor.• Pre-assign someone to work a sponsor sign-up table the night of the event.

VolunteerS

at the event:

• Set up a special sponsor recruitment area or table.• Make sure those working the table have enough information to really sell the sponsorship to attendees that did not sponsor during your pre-event push.• Use the incentives provided by DU National as sales tools.• Use tools outlined in the Incentive Ideas from Volunteers section of this manual to help encourage participation.

after the event:

• Make sure you have your sponsors properly identified on the tickets that will be sent to DU National so that they will receive proper recognition and credit.• Follow up with any sponsors from the prior year who may have missed the event and not renewed during your pre-event sales. Ask them to renew through your committee.• Follow up with any sponsors that received and did not respond to your pre-event “invoice” if you used one.

VolunteerS continued…

The primary incentive for being a sponsor should be support of the mission. Maximizing the amount of money sent to DU National for conservation is the priority. Use of incentives can often result in higher overall participation in the sponsor program, resulting in greater funds available for Conservation.

Ducks Unlimited committees use a variety of incentives that can basically be split into several categories.

Free or very low cost incentives:

• Acknowledgement/recognition at the event. • List sponsor names on banner or video screen. • Announcement of new commitments on PA system • Special ribbon, button, pin to wear. • List pre-sold sponsors in program. • Call sponsors up to the front to receive their print or incentive (see low cost merchandise incentives below). • Use the auctioneer to announce the goal at the event, and update progress towards the goal. • Cross sell sponsor dinner in conjunction with another event: — Have a pre-event sponsor dinner that includes a ticket to the regular dinner, — Or, have a post-event sponsor dinner as a reward for sponsoring at the dinner • Exclusive access at the event: — Special seating section for sponsors — Special sponsor bar — Special sponsor check-out table — Additional raffle tickets to the general raffle — Special sponsor menu

low cost merchandise incentives received by each donor:

• Decoys • Knives • State prints • Hats, etc.

chances on high-end merchandise through raffles. underwriting is critical for

these types of incentives:

• Guns • High-end art • High-end decoys • Other high-end DU merchandise • Many committees have volunteers donate prior year merchandise back to the event

IncentIVe IdeaS from Volunteers:

Below are stories from your fellow volunteers, in their own words. they have made their

committee more successful through their recruitment and retention of sponsors:

• We set up a separate, high visibility prize table for our sponsor items — Large banner on the wall listing the names of the sponsors and a bar graph with current number of sponsors and our goal number — Each sponsor receives a sponsor hat, we typically have at least two choices (baseball, stocking) with embroidered DU sponsor — We draw five raffle tickets at a time through out the evening to keep the excitement level up — Typically we feature guns as our raffle items — Most other raffle items are upper end (artwork, fishing poles, high-end coolers, footwear/boot packages) — Normally, 60-75% of the sponsors will receive a prize

• We use a “Guaranteed Winner” raffle to get higher payments. We charge a member $1K and guarantee them to win a gun the night of the event. Those who bought this level of sponsorship were on the sponsor board and their names were drawn first. We get all of the guns underwritten via corporate table underwriting.

• Wehaveasponsoreventamonthortwobeforethedinnerandcharge$250plusdinnerto attend. The events are just like traditional DU events, raffles, auctions, dinner, etc., but the sponsors can also attend the dinner, for just the cost of a meal, at which time their name goes on the sponsor board and they receive the benefits of being a sponsor.

• We use a “Sponsor Thermometer” at the dinner where if a specified number of attendees upgrade to the Bronze Sponsor level we will have a drawing to win a gun. The cost of the gun or guns to be given away will be partially offset by a surcharge over the $250 sponsor payment. Utilize donated guns and underwriting. If the committee would like to utilize higher end guns, options would be to increase the number of sponsors required for a gun to be awarded or increase surcharge. During the banquet, announcements are made on the progress of the thermometer and how “high” it’s getting! We are not above “goading” people into getting on the thermometer.

• Prior to our annual banquet we offer sponsor packages in our regular invitations. These $300 packages include a framed sponsor print, sponsor hat, entry into a special sponsor drawing, $50 in raffle tickets, a sponsor lapel ribbon, and a special invitation to our Fall Sponsor Shoot and Dinner event. At the banquet we set up a separate manned table with these items and information.

Key ingredients to success include a large, dedicated core of sponsors that actively recruits new sponsors. There is also much emphasis put on the fact that each person sponsoring is helping preserve an acre in perpetuity.

SucceSSful StorIeS from the field

Our sponsor drawing at the banquet is particularly successful because of the items we choose for the drawings. We average fifteen to sixteen high-end products, most of which are not DU procured items, but rather, unique and interesting things which the committee helps locate. There are also five guns in the drawing of which one or two are high-end guns. With sixty-plus sponsors, that makes the odds of winning one in four.

• We made the whole event focus on sponsors. But to get over 300 people to sponsor, we put on an all day event. It is an “all you can eat” wild game dinner. You name it, we have probably served it for dinner (fish, venison, bear, elk, wild pig, duck, geese, pheasant, rattle snake, and the list goes on and on). We have great sponsor only raffles, a large variety of guns, boats, and other merchandise. We have had air boat rides on the river, balloon rides, all sorts of shooting activities. This is an event that everyone wants to go to and participate in.

• Our Sponsor Chairman has the committee manage existing sponsors by sending them an “invoice” for their sponsorship well before the event. Many respond to this “billing”. By doing this early, it narrows down the list of existing sponsors that we have to actually call and ask. Of course, we have a sponsor recruitment table at the D-event. We also use “every one recruits one” meaning each existing sponsor from the previous year is asked to recruit at least one new sponsor for the current year’s event.

•Our chapter uses a sponsor only raffle. The concept is to charge an additional $50 to the cost of the sponsorship and include them in a sponsor only gun raffle. There is a gun for every 8 sponsors that pay the extra $50 and the guns average around $350 with high-end and low-end guns in the raffle. The limited chances with a high-end gun as the first choice can be very appealing. We use underwriting to offset the cost of the guns.

• Our chapter has a volunteer only raffle that provides an incentive to the committee members for selling sponsorships. The raffle occurs at a wrap-up meeting. The prizes are donated or underwritten without any expense to the committee. The prizes’ total value is about $150 and there are 3-4 winners. The way it works is that the committee member receives chances for the drawing as follows: 1 chance for each regular membership, 3 chances for each sponsor, 5 chances for each new sponsor, and 5 chances for each new volunteer recruited to the committee. The new volunteer also receives 5 chances for the drawing. This concept promotes all of our basic principles: promotes membership sales (fill the hall), volunteer recruitment, event efficiency, and in addition, there is a well attended wrap-up meeting, and underwriting is solicited.

• Our sponsor only event is a high-end event with great food, unique merchandise (mostly donated), and a great time. The main driver of event success is based on personalized asks and follow up, as well as providing a great time.

• We signed up 108 sponsors last year. The main push is at our sponsor dinner where about 80 sponsors are signed up. One individual has recruited many of his employees to attend this dinner and become sponsors. We have a sponsor table with a large board where the names of sponsors are displayed for everyone to see. There is also a gun incentive program to entice new sponsors. Our DU members also “twist a few arms” to get new sponsors! The sponsor program is also pushed at the five other events that we hold throughout the year.

SucceSSful StorIeS continued…

• Our original goal was to create a sponsor only chapter that would have 100 sponsors at the dinner, each one paying $350. A group of dedicated volunteers started this unique chapter. From the beginning, the chapter volunteers sold the sponsorships to friends and business clients. It is face to face sales. We have grown to about 150 paying sponsors. At this year’s dinner, the mission was to have a DU garage sale, high- end of course! Most of the merchandise used at the dinner was all donated back to the Ducks. Anything from prints to guns were all donated for the event. Our success comes from the volunteers. We think outside of the box for each event and will host up to four events a year, including a Dove Shoot, Wild Game Dinner and Sporting Clays.

•We have an all afternoon and evening D event. We have been doing it for 39 years. We set up a VIP Tent (bronze sponsors, major sponsors, corporate sponsors). Our minimum cost is $375 for a bronze sponsor; corporate sponsors go up to $2500. We have a large banner with all sponsors’ names. We also have a major sponsor board. Our VIP tent has better appetizers (shrimp, salmon, etc) and liquor. The tent opens earlier than general membership bars. Everything is underwritten. We print an extremely nice program. This is a networking/social event. We send the corporate sponsor letter 60 days out and bronze sponsor letter 35 days out.

• Our committee is in a rural county. All of our committee members are sponsors. Six to eight years ago we started selling a $300 sponsor package at our D event. We created a sponsor benefit package. At the D event we have a special section for sponsors with a better bar and appetizers (wild game). We also have a special sponsor drawing and call each sponsor up to the front to receive their sponsor print. We use a sponsor board or a power point to recognize sponsors. We have a free standing sponsor event in the spring that is included in the benefit package. There is someone in charge of the sponsor section and the sponsor event.

• We actively pursue sponsors through personal, face-to-face contact, focusing on repeat customers and also getting new sponsor to help with growth. We use a state sponsor print, sponsor pins provided by DU National, and promote the “save an acre” message to increase sales. Sponsor ticket pricing is structured to cover the cost of the print, meal and a raffle, which includes a single firearm with little or no cost. The integrity of each sponsorship is maintained. Most sponsors are sold in advance of the event and are recognized in a listing of sponsors in the program.

SucceSSful StorIeS continued…

talking poIntS

General poIntS:As the leader in delivering wetlands conservation, Ducks Unlimited has conserved, restored and protected more than 12.5 million acres of wetlands and other critical habitats. However, we didn’t do it alone. We had help from visionary people like you- partners who could imagine the possibilities for the future of our wetlands. Our sponsors realize that wetlands conservation programs provide more than just waterfowl habitat. They know that our continent’s wetlands also provide clean water, flood control, erosion control and recreational opportunities. As a grassroots, volunteer based organization, Ducks Unlimited depends on conservationists and outdoor enthusiasts who share our vision to fill the skies with waterfowl today, tomorrow and forever. After decades of pursuing our worthwhile mission, Ducks Unlimited is proud to be the world’s largest and most effective private waterfowl and wetlands conservation organization. In spite of our considerable progress, there remains much to be done, and we need your help. In fact, we can’t imagine succeeding without you.

State SpecIfIc poIntS:Many people want to know what DU is doing in their state. Our State Fact Sheets are an excellent source for detailed information, and are available on www.ducks.org. Below is a brief statement for each state that has been useful to our fundraisers:

• alaBama: In Alabama, we focus conservation efforts on the Mobile Bay Delta, the Tennessee River Corridor, and along other major river corridors in the State.

•alaska: Alaska’s Boreal forests are one of DU’s top conservation priorities. These projects range from mapping of important wetland habitats on federal lands in the state to working on increasing nesting success of Dusty Canada geese on the Copper River Delta.

• ariZona: In Arizona, our Sonoran Wetlands Restoration project is aimed at restoring hundreds of acres of waterfowl habitat.

•arkansas: DU has worked to conserve over 300,000 acres of habitat throughout Arkansas, providing critical wintering habitat for ducks and geese.

• caliFornia: Over 60,000 acres have been restored in California’s Central Valley and along the coast.

• colorado: The Platte River is the key focus for our conservation efforts in Colorado. This year we are conserving over 1,700 acres of wetland habitat.

•connecticut: We have conserved nearly 1,500 acres and invested nearly $950,000 in Connecticut conservation programs.

• delaWare: DU has conserved over 14,000 acres in Delaware and has plans to restore nearly 1,000 acres of wetlands within the Delaware and Chesapeake Bay watersheds over the next two years. Ducks Unlimited has invested $2.4 million in Delaware conservation programs.

• Florida: DU has conserved almost 27,000 acres of important waterfowl habitat in Florida and has plans to conserve an additional 7,000 acres in the next five years.

• georgia: In Georgia, DU has conserved nearly 15,000 acres of habitat on both public and private land.

•HaWaii: We have restored and enhanced important wetland areas in Hawaii, and participated in programs to increase all endangered water bird populations above 2,000 individuals.

• idaHo: Wetland habitats in the Idaho Panhandle and along the Snake River provide vital migratory and wintering habitats for waterfowl coming from the Canadian Prairies. DU has restored and enhanced over 15,000 acres of these habitats in the last decade.

• illinois: More than 51,000 acres of wetland habitat has been conserved in Illinois. Recently, DU restored wetland habitat on Wightman Lake and donated the property to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Ducks Unlimited has invested $14.6 million in Illinois conservation programs.

•indiana: More than 23,000 acres of wetland habitat has been conserved in Indiana. Last year, we partnered with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Duke Energy and others to permanently protect 670 acres of floodplain wetlands along the Wabash River. Ducks Unlimited has invested $10.2 million in Indiana conservation programs.

• ioWa: In Iowa, we have conserved more than 67,000 acres of habitat providing critical migration habitat for ducks and geese.

•kansas: In Kansas, we have recently completed an effort to restore more than 4,500 acres of wetlands in the McPherson Valley Wetlands complex.

• kentuckY: We have worked to conserve more than 8,800 acres of waterfowl habitat throughout Kentucky including two recent habitat projects on the Barren River and Duck Island on Lake Barkley.

•louisiana: We have worked to conserve more than 240,000 acres of waterfowl habitat throughout Louisiana, including projects at Catahoula Lake, and Pointe-aux-Chenes Wildlife Management Area.

•maine: In Maine alone, we have conserved more than 16,000 acres. Ducks Unlimited has invested nearly $500,000 in Maine conservation programs.

• marYland: DU has conserved nearly 53,000 acres of habitat and invested $9.2 million in Maryland, focusing on the Potomac River, Upper Chesapeake, and Lower Susquehanna watersheds.

• massacHusetts: In Massachusetts alone, we have conserved more than 1,300 acres focusing on the conservation of coastal wetlands and watersheds. Ducks Unlimited has invested $1.5 million in Massachusetts conservation programs.

• micHigan: More than 62,000 acres of wetland habitat has been conserved in Michigan. Recently, DU provided funding and engineering services to restore 70 acres of Lake Erie coastal wetlands at the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge. Ducks Unlimited has invested $21 million in Michigan conservation programs.

• minnesota: DU has a very active conservation program in Minnesota. We’ve worked to conserve nearly 342,000 acres of habitat with a focus on shallow lakes and large marshes that provide important migration habitat.

talkInG poIntS continued…

• mississippi: We’ve conserved more than 280,000 acres of waterfowl habitat throughout Mississippi, including a recently completed wetland enhancement at Malmaison Wildlife Management Area.

• missouri: DU has conserved 86,000 acres of wetland habitat in Missouri including projects in the Delta and in the floodplains of the State’s major river systems.

• montana: Most of Montana’s Wildlife Refuges, Waterfowl Production Areas, and Wildlife Management Areas have at least one DU project. In total, DU has conserved more than 43,000 acres in Montana.

• neBraska: From the Rainwater Basins to the Platte River to the Sandhills, Nebraska is full of important wetland habitat. We’ve conserved more than 44,000 acres in the state.

• neVada: From the Carson Sinks to the Ruby Valley, we are committed to preserving Nevada’s Great Basin waterfowl habitats with responsible water usage. In fact we have conserved nearly 44,000 acres of habitat in the State.

• neW HampsHire: In New Hampshire alone, we have conserved more than 5,000 acres of wetland habitat focusing on the conservation of coastal wetlands and watersheds. Ducks Unlimited has invested nearly $400,000 in New Hampshire conservation programs.

• neW JerseY: DU has conserved over 11,000 acres of wetland habitat and invested $3.9 million within the Delaware Bay and New York Bight Priority Areas of New Jersey.

•neW meXico: We have worked to conserve more than 3,200 acres of waterfowl habitat throughout New Mexico including several recent conservation projects on Bosque Del Apache.

•neW York: In New York, DU conserves wetland and waterfowl habitat on the Atlantic Coast as well as important areas within the Lake Ontario and Lake Erie watersheds. In total we have conserved over 45,000 acres and invested $17.4 million in New York.

• nortH carolina: DU has conserved over 50,000 acres in North Carolina including a recently completed wetland restoration on the Roanoke River National Wildlife Refuge.

• nortH dakota: Protecting grasslands containing high densities of wetlands in North and South Dakota is DU’s highest conservation priority. We have a goal of protecting 2 million acres of grassland in these two States. To date we have secured nearly 850,000 acres.

• oHio: More than 80,000 acres of wetland habitat has been conserved in Ohio. Recently, DU has hired staff and developed a land protection program to target the permanent protection of wetland habitat in the Lake Erie marsh region of northwest Ohio. DU has invested $17.1 million in Ohio conservation programs.

• OKLAHOMA: DU has worked to conserve more than 34,000 acres of waterfowl habitat throughout Oklahoma.

• oregon: DU has more than 50 active projects underway in Oregon concentrating our efforts on the Lower Columbia and Oregon Coastal estuaries as well as critical pintail spring staging habitats in south central Oregon.

talkInG poIntS continued…

• pennsYlVania: From the Great Lakes to the Susquehanna River and Chesapeake and Delaware Bay watersheds, DU has conserved nearly 26,000 acres and invested $11.7 million in Pennsylvania.

•rHode island: We have conserved nearly 500 acres of wetland habitat and invested $1.1 million in Rhodes Island conservation programs.

•soutH carolina: Ducks Unlimited has conserved nearly 155,000 acres in the State and has an active conservation easement and landowner outreach program.

• soutH dakota: Protecting grasslands containing high densities of wetlands in North and South Dakota is DU’s highest conservation priority. We have a goal of protecting 2 million acres of grassland in these two States. To date we have secured nearly 850,000 acres.

• tennessee: Working primarily in the Delta, DU has conserved 37,000 acres of wetland habitat.

• teXas: DU conserves habitat throughout Texas, and has recent conservation successes on the Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge and McFaddin National Wildlife Refuge. In total DU has conserved nearly 185,000 acres of wetland habitat.

• utaH: Our conservation projects in Utah are focused on maximizing the efficient use of limited water supplies. We have conserved nearly 37,000 acres to date.

•Vermont: Focusing on conserving wetland habitat for black ducks, ring-necked ducks, and geese in the Lake Champlain Basin, DU has conserved over 3,000 acres and invested nearly $600,000 in Vermont.

• Virginia: DU has conserved nearly 40,000 acres of habitat and invested $2.6 million in Virginia, providing important migration and wintering habitat for ducks. DU plans to restore and enhance nearly 1,300 acres at Chincoteague NWR and permanently protect more than 500 acres across the entire state within the next year.

• WasHington: The Puget Sound is one of the most important waterfowl migration and wintering areas in the Pacific Flyway, with over 500,000 ducks and 100,000 geese relying on these habitats. DU has restored over 12,000 acres of estuary and floodplain habitats in this area in the last decade.

• West Virginia: DU has conserved more than 1,000 acres of wetland habitat and invested $145,000 in West Virginia.

• Wisconsin: Ducks Unlimited has conserved more than 96,000 acres of wetland habitat throughout Wisconsin. Recently, DU completed important wetland projects at Bloomfield State Wildlife Area in Walworth County and at Big Muskego Lake State Wildlife Area in Waukesha County. DU has invested $16.8 million in Wisconsin conservation programs.

• WYoming: DU has conserved nearly 5,000 acres in Wyoming, providing important habitat for breeding and migrating waterfowl.

•Wisconsin: Ducks Unlimited has conserved more than 96,000 acres of wetland habitat throughout Wisconsin. Recently, DU completed important wetland projects at Bloomfield State Wildlife Area in Walworth County and at Big Muskego Lake State Wildlife Area in Waukesha County. DU has invested $16.8 million in Wisconsin conservation programs.

talkInG poIntS continued…

noteS

noteS

DU# Q0010

One Waterfowl Way | Memphis, TN 38120 | 901-758-3825 | www.ducks.org