Special Events, Incentive Ideas & Themes

Special Events

Department cook-off: This takes a lot of planning.  Each department would have a cook-off on a different day.  A theme, menu and pricing are decided up; advertise with e-mails and posters; at the end of the campaign, a winner is decided on and all proceeds go to United Way.

Dunking booth: Rent a dunking booth for a kickoff meeting or carnival; determine who is going to get in the dunking booth (management); establish a cost for tossing the balls at the dunking booth; all proceeds benefit United Way.

Flower sale: Talk to a local hothouse and have flowers donated.  Decide when and where you'd like to have your event, establish pricing and all proceeds benefit United Way.

Formal Wear/Fancy Dress Day: Employee pays $5 to wear special clothes for the day; all proceeds benefit United Way.

Get gold for cash (ask a United Way representative for more details)

Ice cream social: Purchase of have ice cream and toppings donated; management scoops the ice cream and employees are asked to pay $2 a scoop; all proceeds benefit United Way.

Jeans Day(s): Employee pays $5 to wear jeans for the day; all proceeds benefit United Way.

Live auction: Items are either solicited or donated; pricing is established, all proceeds benefit United Way.

Pet Photo Contest: Employees are asked to bring in photos of their pets; pay $5 to guess whose pet it is; winners receive a gift card to a local coffee shop or store; all proceeds benefit United Way.

Pie in the Face: Recruit executive staff to be the recipient of whip cream pie(s) in the face. Purchase whip cream, aluminum pie tins and lots of paper towels. Charge staff $2 per pie . All proceeds benefit United Way.

Scavenger hunt: Decide on a theme and whether this will take place inside or outside; employees are asked to pay $5 to $10 to play;  employees are asked to take pictures with a digital camera; the first ones back to the starting line, with all of the items collected wins a prize and the remaining proceeds benefit United Way.

Silent auction: Items are either solicited or donated; pricing is established, all proceeds benefit United Way.

Sports Tournament: Flag football, softball, bowling. Establish multiple teams within your organization (or compete against another organization). Players pay $25 (or a set team price) to be on the team (receive t-shirt). Ensure each team plays at least 2 games in the tournament. All proceeds benefit United Way.

Talent or Fashion Show: Establish date, time & cost for attending event. Recruit talent through e-mail and posters. All proceeds benefit United Way.

Wii Tournament: Establish date, time & cost. Decide on prize for winner (ie. Nintendo Wii, gift certificate, cash). Advertise to your staff with emails and posters. Run the event in a bracket competition style. All proceeds benefit United Way.

Yard Sale: Items are donated; pricing is established, all proceeds benefit United Way.

Incentive Ideas

Breakfast or lunch
Gifts from vendors or suppliers
iPod
Lottery tickets
Movie passes
Parking space
Passes for jeans or casual days
Pizza party
Restaurant gift cards
Round-trip travel certificate
Tickets to sporting events
Time off (full/half day; 1-hr delay; 2-hr lunch)
Use of an employee’s vacation home