Excellence in Fund-raising

Quota International of Gridley, California

"Double the money, but not the work." Sound impossible? Quota International of Gridley proved it's not with last year's Boys of Gridley fund-raiser. Inspired by Quota International of Paradise's Boys of Paradise program, which pitted prominent local business officials against one another in a friendly beauty competition, the club wanted to try something similar in their community. After considering the investment of time and resources in running such a fund-raiser, members opted to capitalize on existing resources— their annual fund-raiser and the men themselves!

The Quotarians used their powers of persuasion to convince 12 local men—including the chief of police, school principal, and city administrators—to have their pictures taken as women for a calendar available for sale in the community. However, they also added a competitive element: each contestant had to collect votes at $1 apiece. Whoever collected the most votes was crowned Mr. Gridley. Motivated by competition, the men collected much more money far more creatively than the club possibly could have, including using cans by cash registers, luncheons, breakfasts, hot dog stands, and cocktail parties, while Quotarians kept a running tally that they publicized in the newspaper.

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The competition was picked up by two different television stations and featured on the morning, noon, and evening news—providing great publicity for the competition's culminating event: the crowning of Mr. Gridley at the club's annual wine-tasting and silent auction. The event alone was so popular that it raised $18,000, while the competition brought in an additional $10,000. With just a little extra effort, the club nearly doubled its money—and had the whole community talking about Quota!

To read or print the club's winning application, click here*.

Quota International of Salisbury, Maryland

For the past 20 years, Quota International of Salisbury has taken a crafty approach to fund-raising: their annual Christmas Craft Fair attracts thousands of paying visitors each year. In its first year, the fair made only a small profit and barely filled a room, but at its 20th anniversary last year, the event welcomed nearly 6,000 patrons and 168 crafters. Each guest left smiling in the spirit of the season thanks to the club's careful planning and collaborative effort.

Preparations for the fair began over a year in advance and involved contributions from all club members—every Quotarian is a member of the Craft Fair Committee, which is headed by several members who coordinate advertising, finances, and other responsibilities. Last year, crafters were recruited from three states and eight counties, making the event a truly regional affair. In the week before the big day, members gathered for a pep talk, work assignments, and an annual pot-luck dinner and then began the process of preparing the Wicomico Youth and Civic Center for festivities! On the day of the event, crafters were treated attentively while Quotarians directed traffic, collected admissions, fetched luncheons, raffled off lawn deer, ensured that 250 children had their free photos taken with Santa, and answered the day's most frequently asked question—"What is Quota?"—with enthusiasm.

By the end of the day, the club had netted nearly $25,000 and a feeling of accomplishment—proof that teamwork really pays off.

To read or print the club's winning application, click here*.

To return to the 2007 Excellence Award Winners main page, click here.

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