Hello everyone!
Here is some info that I have received regarding the toolkit that has been made to help with fundraising, membership, and whatever else you need for conference!
If you would like this in a word document, contact me at kaycee.morganto@gmail.com!
About the Toolkit: The SWE Conference Program Board worked with collegiate leaders and members to identify ways to increase collegiate member attendance at the SWE Annual Conference, which included:
- Collect best practices on how successful collegiate sections fundraise for the annual conference, with the intent to create templates and tools (e.g. sponsorship letters), for collegiate sections to use.
- Collect tips on annual conference fundraising and on how collegiate sections can sustain corporate sponsorship relationships with the intent to communicate these tips throughout the collegiate section community.
SWE Annual Conference
Collegiate Fundraising Ideas & Recommended Timeline
Collegiate Fundraising Ideas
Enclosed is a list of fundraising ideas collected from the SWE Conference Program Board Collegiate Focus Subgroup to aid SWE collegiate sections in fundraising for the Annual Conferences.
- Fundraising letters sent to corporations.
- Fundraising letters sent to local businesses.
- Sponsorship/Donations from the College of Engineering.
- Sponsorship/Donations from Engineering Departments.
- Sponsorship/Donations from other university organizations.
- Raffles.
- Sales:
- Food: baked goods, pizza, beer
- T-shirts
- Books
- Final Exams Survival Kits
- Beads at football games
- Mugs
- Car washes.
- SWE Boutique sale proceeds.
- Fundraising dinners at your university.
- Hosting an engineering career fair.
- Fundraising letters sent to SWE Alumni members.
Recommended Timeline
January – Start of Spring Semester (9 months prior to conference)
- Determine budget for the upcoming annual conference
- Registration costs
- Make hotel reservations
- Travel costs- drive vs. fly decision
- Determine approximate # attendants that can attend conference
- Send out corporate/business sponsorship letters
- Start organizing and conducting raffles/sales events (for ideas- see #7 and #8)
- Start organizing and/or hosting career fairs and/or fundraising dinner
- Investigate registration of SWE Boutique booth at upcoming annual conference
August or September – Start of Fall Semester (1 to 3 months prior to conference)
- Follow-up on corporate/business sponsorship letters
- Submit sponsorship request letters to:
- College of Engineering
- University organizations- student governments
- Engineering Departments
- Continue raffles/sales events
- If not completed, sign-up for SWE Boutique
- If not completed, host engineering career fair and/or fundraising dinner
- Send fundraising letters to SWE Alumni
SWE Annual Conference
Ideas for Collegiate Sections – Conference Cost Cutting Measures
Enclosed is a list of ideas for cost cutting measures for SWE collegiate sections for the Annual Conferences.
- Use the sponsorship template letter (enclosed in this document) and send to corporations and/or local businesses to assist in conference fundraising.
- List of recommended fundraising ideas and recommended timeline.
- If available, SWE HQ will provide assistance and/or less expensive hotel rooms for collegiate sections and Faculty Advisors.
- SWE collegiate awards with monetary prizes (list compiled in this document) which can be applied towards conference fundraising.
- If possible, apply for university funds and utilize university resources to reduce the cost of attendance
- Example: apply for university travel grant to use student government vans for free and therefore reduce overall travel costs
- Share hotel rooms amongst members- recommend four people per room.
(These may be used to Aid in Annual Conference Participation)
After the name of the program there are symbols which designate the section awards for participating and winning.
$$ – Region monetary prize
$ – Section monetary prize
$! – Individual monetary prize
# – Section Award
@ – SWE Annual Conference banquet ticket(s)
& – Free Annual Conference Registration
1. SWE Region Programming Excellence Award [$$]
Each year there is an award for the region that creates and delivers the most outstanding region conference session, program or event on a predetermined select topic.
2. Team Tech Competition [$!, $]
• 1st Place $5,000 ($400 per team member; remaining funds donated to sponsoring SWE Collegiate Section)
• 2nd Place $2,500 ($200 per team member; remaining funds donated to sponsoring SWE Collegiate Section)
• 3rd Place $1,250 ($100 per team member; remaining funds donated to sponsoring SWE Collegiate Section)
3. SME Bowl Competition [$$, $!]
The prize distributions will be:
Award Level Region & Team Prize Amount
1st Place Region Prize $2000
Individual Team Member Prize $100
2nd Place Region Prize $1500
Individual Team Member Prize $75
3rd Place Region Prize $1000
Individual Team Member Prize $50
Total Cash Prizes $5625
4. Outstanding Collegiate Section Awards Program [#, $]
All Collegiate Sections chartered or reactivated within the past two society fiscal years can compete for the Society Outstanding New Collegiate Section (ONCS) Award. The awards include cash grants to all winning sections. Collegiate Sections may also receive Outstanding Collegiate Activities Certificates. All award and certificate winners are announced at the Annual Conference during the Celebrate SWE! Awards Banquet. (Financial awards are $150 for gold, $100 for silver and $75 for bronze.)
5. Collegiate Poster Competition [$!, &, @, #]
All 20 finalists will receive a $250 travel stipend to attend the SWE Annual Conference, FREE Collegiate Member registration, and one ticket to the Celebrate SWE! Awards Banquet. All finalists will be recognized at the Celebrate SWE! Banquet and receive a Certificate of Participation. In addition, the following awards with cash prizes will be presented annually:
Undergraduate Collegiate Category
1st Place – $500 2nd Place – $250 3rd Place – $100
Graduate Collegiate Category
1st Place – $500 2nd Place – $250 3rd Place – $100
6. Selling SWE-related items at the SWE Annual Conference SWE Boutique [$]
Sections from across the nation merchandise their products in a central location near registration. Each section is responsible for choosing and purchasing the items they sell at their SWE Section’s booth. 100% of profits from these sales go to the SWE Section.
7. The Boeing Company Multicultural Awards [$, #] These awards recognize Collegiate Sections that have developed and implemented the best multicultural program to increase and retain a diverse membership. Financial award given up to $1000 at the Celebrate SWE! Awards Banquet.
8. Region Membership Award [$$, #]
An award will be handed out to the SWE Region with the highest growth & retention rate. This Region Membership Award will be given to one region each year and has a cash value of $2000 plus a trophy. Financial award is based on available funds.
9. Communication Awards [$, #] Sections submit their best examples of their website and print newsletters. Winning sections receive $125, $75 and $25 for first through third place at the Celebrate SWE! Awards Banquet.
10. Professional Development, Awards [$, #] Sections submit their best examples of PD programs and events. This category is separated by section size (large, medium and small). All winning sections receive $95 at the Celebrate SWE! Awards Banquet.
11. Outreach, Awards [$, #] Sections submit their best examples of programs in three categories: Event Series, MOU Partnership and Adult Influencer. This category is separated by section size (large, medium and small). All winning sections receive $150 for Event Series and MOU Partnership, and $100 for Adult Influencer at the Celebrate SWE! Awards Banquet.