Traverse Bay Area SwingShift and the Stars Nonprofit Discovery Questionnaire for 2020

SwingShift and the Stars Mission Statement

Innovative Productions...Impacting Lives.

The SwingShift and the Stars (SATS) platform provides unequaled philanthropic opportunity by creating partnerships with local for-profit and nonprofit organizations through high quality and friendly competition. The for-profit business champions (referred to as "Sponsor Champions") that step on board know that they are financially supporting their chosen nonprofit as well as SwingShift and the Stars (also a 501(c)(3) nonprofit).
There are two different ways a nonprofit organization can can become a participant:
1) You and your board determine a for-profit business that knows and loves your organization. You introduce them to us and we explain the obligations and perks to becoming a Sponsor Champion for your organization.
2) We find local businesses that know and believe in what SwingShift and the Stars does to build stronger communities. The business then chooses from the group of nonprofit organizations that have expressed interest, displayed full readiness to participate and have included the SwingShift and the Stars team in a meeting with their board. The nonprofit they select will be invited to participate and will be Sponsor-Championed by this business.

What does a season on the SwingShift and the Stars platform bring to an organization? Great question! Here are just a few benefits of participation:

Specialized training sessions that include best-practices for success.
Time-tested material for your SwingShift and the Stars success.
Gaining new skills in the areas of raising awareness and fund-building. These are immediately applicable in SATS participation and serve our nonprofits long into the future.
Five months of exposure "on the stage and under the lights" in radio, TV, print and social media.
Two opportunities to be featured in front of a packed City Opera House where the other three organization's guests will also be seated.
A 2-3 minute Impact Video that tells your story and sends viewers to your website and donation portals.
New relationships will be formed with the media, our sponsors and seven other organizations,
A larger donor-base serves you long after your "season with the stars" has ended.

Now, we'd love to learn more about your organization!

NOTE: A Season Participation Fee is required to be a participant in SwingShift and the Stars. This fee is applicable only if you are invited to be one of the season's non-profits. Inquiring, completing this questionnaire and meeting with us does not obligate you to pay a fee. Full acceptance in SwingShift and the Stars 2020 Season requires a $1,500 non-refundable season participation fee to be paid within 2 weeks of being invited to the platform. Official invitations will go out starting in April and concluding in May/June. Additional costs of participation include the purchasing of tickets (historically $5,350 for the minimum full season, but could change slightly for the 2020 season). And, you may opt to have COH approved food or beverages placed at your tables on event nights (this cost is optional and varies).

The 2020 Season Show Dates are Sept. 18, Oct. 16, Nov 13 and Dec 11. All events take place at the City Opera House, in Traverse City. Additional Reveal and Wrap-up events occur in mid Aug 2020 and early-mid January 2021.

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* 1. Please tell us about your nonprofit organization.

Your organization's name:

Your website:

Your physical and mailing addresses:

Contact information (including email and phone number) and title for the main contact person:

Your mission statement including a brief description of your service to the community:

Your Facebook page URL (include all social media page info):

How long have you been an established nonprofit organization?

Is your nonprofit organization housed under a parent company of a different name? If so, please list the name of that parent company/organization.

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* 2. Tell us a little bit about your other fundraising activities; past and current.

What has/hasn't worked in the past and how did you measure that success?

When (specific dates please) will your current/planned fundraising events occur in 2020/2021?

How much money did you net on your last major fund-raising event?

Do you currently have a fundraising chairperson, a development director or marketing director?

Additional information:

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* 3. Tell us about how your mission and works are funded.

What percentage of your annual budget is funded by donors?

What percentage of your annual budget is funded by grants or state/federal monies?

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* 4. What do you hope to accomplish by getting involved in the SATS platform?

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* 5. Please tell us about your board:

How often does your full board convene and have a majority present?

Do you have a sub-committee or individual that could be a dedicated team-lead for the full season of SATS?

How would you rate (scale of 1-10 with 10 being EXTREMELY engaged)your full board on their active engagement in your organization?

What scheduled or expected turnover of board members or staff do you have in the next 6-18 months?

Additional information:

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* 6. I understand that my organization will be placed on an internal list (we never sell any information on our nonprofit or for-profit partners) that will be shared with for-profit businesses to review and potentially select as their organization to champion through a season of SwingShift and the Stars.

yes, we are thrilled to be considered!

no thank you, we will work with the SwingShift and the Stars team to find our own sponsor before April 2020.

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* 7. Please share anything else you'd like us to know about your nonprofit organization:

* email to:sherry@swingshiftandthestars.org**
mail to:
SwingShift and the Stars
510 Depot View No. 11
Traverse City, MI 49686