Third Party FundraisingHelp kids succeed through music

THIRD PARTY EVENT GUIDE

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THIRD PARTY EVENT GUIDE TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction Why Support Regent Park School of Music? What Will Your Fundraising Accomplish? Contact Us

Step-by-Step Guide Fundraising Opportunities Online Fundraising Host An Event

o Event Ideaso Set the Date and Venueo Determine your Fundraising Goal and Budgeto Do you need a License?o Donations and Tax Receipts – What you Need to Knowo Recruit Volunteerso Use of the Regent Park School of Music Name and Logoo How to Promote Your Evento After the Event

Resources Event Proposal Form Thank You Letter Template Donation Collection Form

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THIRD PARTY EVENT GUIDE INTRODUCTIONThank you for choosing to support Regent Park School of Music (RPSM) by fundraising online or hosting an event. Whether you are celebrating a special occasion and accepting gifts for our kids, or hosting an event in support of RPSM, we are so grateful that you’ve chosen to work with us to achieve your philanthropic goals, build community spirit, and help kids succeed with music. At Regent Park School of Music, we believe that when kids learn and make music, they are building their ambition and confidence. When you raise funds for RPSM you are making a difference in the lives of kids in high risk neighbourhoods throughout Toronto.

WHY SUPPORT REGENT PARK SCHOOL OF MUSIC?Founded in 1999, Regent Park School of Music (RPSM) started with 71 students studying music in a church basement. This year, over 1,000 youth in need will receive a music education across Toronto through RPSM, with both classical and non-classical options. Our offerings range from piano to violin, ukulele ensembles to African drumming, steel pan to community choirs, and digital and electronic instruments to found sound. Students are given the opportunity to play and perform solo as well as in groups, ensembles, choirs, and even with the odd celebrity.

Music lessons are open to every kid regardless of financial means, but due to limited space and resources we constantly have a waiting list of at least 100 kids. Families pay as little as $1 for a group lesson, and $2 for a private lesson. We receive less than 10% of our annual funding from the government, and RPSM’s programs and operations are made possible entirely through the generosity of our donors and volunteers. Every dollar raised for RPSM goes directly towards providing musical experiences for our kids.

WHAT WILL YOUR FUNDRAISING ACCOMPLISH?The music education provided to the kids at RPSM helps to build character and teaches students valuable social, creative, and critical thinking skills – all necessary traits for a commitment to school work, academic achievement, and success in the workforce later in life. Your support will directly benefit our kids as they develop focus and concentration, as well as skills in expression, creativity, persistence, imagination and the ability to tackle problems. Thank you for your kind support.

CONTACT US Regent Park School of Music staff are here to help you with ideas and provide you with information and support in planning your event. Please contact:

Regent Park School of Music Katrina Potts585 Dundas Street East, Suite 220 Development CoordinatorToronto, ON M5A 2B7 Katrina@rpmusic.orgwww.rpmusic.org 416-364-8900 x 6

FUNDRAISING OPPORTUNITIES

Funds can be raised for Regent Park School of Music either through online fundraising or by hosting an event.

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THIRD PARTY EVENT GUIDE

Online FundraisingWith our online fundraising tool, you can raise money with limited effort by creating your own personal fundraising page. Not only is it fast and easy to do, but online donations are, on average, double the amount of offline donations. Contact us or visit our online fundraising tool to get started, and continue reading for some creative ways to bolster your online giving to its full potential. RPSM handles the financial and receipting aspects of the effort for all online fundraising events.

For your birthday this year, consider raising funds for RPSM in lieu of receiving gifts.

Are you doing a walk or run, or participating in another athletic event? Sign up to fundraise online in support of your event.

Collect donations in behalf of another person for a personal milestone and we will help create a certificate in their honor to present to them, reflecting the funds raised.

Host an EventA third party event is an opportunity for you to use your creative ideas to help raise support for Regent Park School of Music. A third party event can be as simple as gathering few friends together for dinner and giving your guests the opportunity to donate, or as large as hosting a gala event in support of RPSM. All events should reflect RPSM's core values and mission.

To get started, please fill out the event proposal form included in this guide. After filling out the event form, an RPSM staff person will let you know how to proceed. Event forms should be submitted 3-6 weeks prior to your event date. 

All third party events are planned through the event host independently and must be approved by Regent Park School of Music before the event can be promoted using the RPSM name or logo.

If you would like an RPSM staff person to speak at your event please let us know. We will notify you if a staff person is available to attend.

We have assembled RPSM resources like posters, photos, and logos for you to use and will provide them to you upon approval of your event.

For more information and to apply to host a third party event, read through this guide and fill out our event proposal form on page 7. Contact us with any ideas or questions at 416-364-8900 x 6 or email katrina@rpmusic.org.

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THIRD PARTY EVENT GUIDE Event Ideas

Concert or Variety Show: In the past, these events have been very successful for supporters of RPSM. Feature local bands and talent, charge a ticket price at the door, and donate the ticket cost (and any additional donations) to RPSM. Here is an example of a very successful annual concert held in support of RPSM.

Golf or Tennis Outing/Tournament: Arrange for a group outing or tournament at a golf course or tennis court. Charge a fee over the price per player to participate and donate the amount.

Host a Dinner Party: Invite friends and family to your home and give them the opportunity to donate in support of RPSM.

50/50: This is one of the easiest and most popular ways to get your fund raising started. Choose a raffle ticket price. Decide, for example, that each ticket will cost $1. Then 50% or 50 cents of each dollar is awarded to the winning ticket holder, and the other 50 cents goes to RPSM.

Car Wash: Host a car wash and donate the money raised to RPSM. Garage Sale: Host an individual or community garage sale and donate the

money raised to RPSM. Free Lunch: At the office, raffle free lunch coupons for a week at the

employee cafeteria. Silly Costume Contest: Each department in your office competes and raises

money to vote on whom they would choose wearing the Pink Ballerina Hippo Costume (or another costume office decides upon). Each department head and section managers' names are put in the ballot. Employees will then vote who they would like to see wear the costume. Even the candidates can wager high and vote for their opponents so that they can avoid wearing the costume. Whoever has the most votes will "win".

Set the Date and VenueSchedule your event for a day that gives you enough time to plan and promote it. Make sure it’s not competing with another event happening in your community or circle and don’t forget about holidays that occur throughout the year. Booking your event in an accessible location is crucial. Make sure your site has all the amenities you need, at a price you can afford. If you are planning an outdoor event always have a Plan B in case weather doesn’t cooperate. Also look online to see if you need a license or agreement to use a public space.

Set Your Fundraising Goal and Budget Set a fundraising goal for your event and plan how you expect to reach your goal. Create a budget to manage all expenses like rental equipment, fees, decorations, etc. and estimate the potential income from your fundraising activities. Determining your budget will help you to decide whether your fundraising target is realistic. Remember to always monitor your expenses and plan a small amount as a contingency.

Do You Need a Licence? Check with the City, Police and/or Alcohol and Gaming Commission in your community to determine if you need any licenses and how long it takes to get them. There may be long lead times in processing some permits. As well, if you are

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THIRD PARTY EVENT GUIDE serving or selling alcohol, a special occasion permit is likely required. Application forms can be obtained from your local LCBO (Ontario) or other provincial alcohol retailer.

Donations and Tax Receipts All donation cheques should be made out to Regent Park School of Music and

mailed to 585 Dundas Street East, Suite 220, Toronto, ON M5A 2B7. If you are creating your own online fundraising event page with our online

fundraising tool, your donors will each receive electronic receipts automatically by email. RPSM is a registered charity and will issue charitable tax receipts provided that event organizers fill out the Third Party Event Application Form and submit it to RPSM 3 to 6 weeks prior to the event date. The form can be found at the end of this event guide.

Some Canadian Revenue Agency conditions apply for issuing charitable tax receipts. No receipts are given for amounts paid for goods, services or for which a direct benefit is derived by the purchaser. For offline events, RPSM issues tax receipts for donations of $20 or more, and in accordance with Canada Revenue Agency guidelines. Only monetary donations are eligible for tax receipts. In order for participants to receive tax receipts, event organizers must send a clear and legible listing of donors, including full contact information and donation amounts, within 30 days of the event. Note that in the case of ticket purchases, you must indicate the value of any benefits received by the participant (e.g., food and drink, entertainment, gift bags, etc.), as this amount must be deducted from the full ticket price to determine the receiptable portion of the donation. RPSM retains the right to review and approve all receipting decisions.

Note: RPSM will not issue tax receipts for purchases of raffle tickets or auction items; event sponsorships by companies; or gifts-in-kind (non-cash donations of a tangible item or service). Instead of a tax receipt, an acknowledgement letter can be issued indicating the fair market value of gifts-in-kind or sponsorships, as many companies deduct these gifts as business expenses with associated tax benefits. For more information, please visit the Canada Revenue Agency site http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/chrtsgvng/menu-eng.html.

Recruit Volunteers Do you need help leading up to the event and/or on the day of your event? If so, determine what duties need to be done, recruit and assign to your volunteers. To recruit volunteers for your event, consider postings through social media, community message boards, local newspaper, and/or through word of mouth. Friends and family are often a great source of trustworthy recruits for a variety of tasks.

Use of the Regent Park School of Music Name and LogoTo assist you with promotion and establishing your legitimacy, RPSM can provide a logo for your promotional materials (brochures, flyers, invites, e-blasts, web postings, etc.) To ensure that RPSM’s identity is represented correctly, all material with the RPSM name or logo must be approved by RPSM staff prior to use.

Promote Your Event

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THIRD PARTY EVENT GUIDE Promote your event with posters or other traditional methods, but don’t overlook online opportunities. Social media, particularly Facebook and Twitter, are other effective means to get the word out about your fundraising event in support of RPSM. You can request that RPSM advertise your event on our website’s event page or through social media shares and reposts. We will accommodate as often as we are able. Please don’t forget that you can also use our online fundraising tool to help you in generating emails and promoting your event.

After the Event Now it’s time to tally and submit the funds you raised for RPSM. Please do so within 30 days of your event. Remember to thank those who helped make your event a success – we’ve attached a sample thank you letter to this guide. When their efforts are recognized, your supporters will feel better about having contributed and will be more excited to help at your next fundraising event. Don’t forget to showcase your event by posting highlights and outcome of your event through social media. Please share photos or any other media from your event with RPSM.

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THIRD PARTY EVENT GUIDE EVENT PROPOSAL FORM

Thank you for your interest in supporting Regent Park School of Music. Please return this form to katrina@rpmusic.org at least 15 business days prior to your event.

*Please note, if you would like to host an online event or accept payments online, you will not need to submit this form. Please call Katrina at 416-364-8900x6 or visit our online fundraising tool to get started.

Event Name: _________________________________________________________________________________Date: ___________________________________________ Time: _______________________________________Location (Address/Facility/City): _______________________________________________________________ Contact Name: _______________________________________ Contact Phone: ________________________ Contact Address: ________________________________________________ Postal Code: ________________ Contact Email: _______________________________________________________________________________Fundraising Goal: ____________________ Expected Number of Attendees:______________________ Description: _________________________________________________________________________________ Would you like a Regent Park School of Music representative to attend the event (circle one)? Yes / NoIf yes, what involvement will they have? Please note this is subject to availability.

□ Speech □ Cheque Presentation □Press Conference □ Other: _____________ Additional details: ______________________________________________________________________

Would you like to use the RPSM logo on your event promotional material (circle one)? If Yes, it will be emailed to you at the above email address: Yes / No

Would you like a sample Event Checklist to assist in your planning (circle one)? Yes / No

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I acknowledge that Regent Park School of Music reserves the right to withdraw its name from the event at any time. I acknowledge that I have read and understand the information contained in the Regent Park School of Music Third Party Event Toolkit and will adhere to all of RPSM’s fundraising guidelines.

______________________________ _____________________________ ___________________ Applicant Name Applicant Signature Date

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THIRD PARTY EVENT GUIDE ______________________________ _____________________________ ___________________ RPSM Staff Name RPSM Staff Signature Date

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THIRD PARTY EVENT GUIDE THANK YOU LETTER TEMPLATE

It is always important to say thank you to those who helped with your event. Successful fundraising is about building relationships with your supporters. Writing a thank you letter will show your appreciation and also build stronger supporter relationships for your next event.

Use the template below as a guide to write an email or a letter to your key supporters and fellow team members thanking them for their dedication and contribution to your event.

Dear Friend,

Thank you for supporting my fundraising event, Event Name, held on Event Date at Event Location.

Proceeds will be donated to Regent Park School of Music, a community music school offering highly subsidized music education for over 1,000 children and youth in high risk areas across Toronto. The music education provided to the kids at RPSM helps to build character and teaches students valuable social, creative, and critical thinking skills – all necessary traits for a commitment to school work, academic achievement, and success in the workforce later in life. Your support directly benefits these kids as they develop focus and concentration, as well as skills in expression, creativity, persistence, imagination and the ability to tackle problems.

By donating to Regent Park School of Music, you are helping to give kids a chance to succeed through music.

Thank you again for your support.

Sincerely,

Your Name

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THIRD PARTY EVENT GUIDE FUNDRAISING DONATIONS FORM

If you are collecting money in person, use this form to keep track of donations. Information collected must be complete and legible to receive a tax receipt. Tax receipts will be issued for donations of $20 or more. All cheques must be made payable to Regent Park School of Music.

Regent Park School of Music respects the privacy of our donors. Personal information below will not be shared with any other organization.

Event Name: ____________________________________________________________________________

Event organizer: _______________________________ Phone: ___________________________

Donor Name Address City, Province Postal Code

Phone # Donation Amount

Thank you for your support!

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