Good communication with your partner agencies will truly make all the difference for your MLK Challenge event.

How do you approach non-profits if this is your first year planning the event?
Some campuses send out an email to their non-profit list-serv in early November just to get non-profits thinking about the day. A week or two later, they make calls to specific agencies to follow-up and describe the event. Here's an example of an email sent out to non-profits from one campus:


Some points you might want to mention in follow-up calls with your agencies:

• You're looking for a substantial, goal-oriented service project for a group (#s of participants will vary between campuses).
• Explain the concept of the "challenge" -- the idea is that groups are given an overall goal for the day and that's it, the rest is up to the group.
• 12 really motivated students can get a lot done in 6 hours. Encourage non-profits to think of projects they've wanted to do for some time but just haven't had the manpower or resources to do. That's the kind of project you're looking for. Do they need the stone wall in front of their office rebuilt? SURE! Do their offices at the agency need a makeover? Be creative.
• Encourage them to not plan too much. An orientation and some general direction and motivation are all they need to give for the most part. True, groups could start working faster if the paint was already at the site. But, part of the day is about team-building and decision-making, so if the group has to figure out how to get 7 gallons of paint donated, they've already taken a part in making the day a success, and will be more invested and more willing to see it through to the finish.

Other tips:

• START EARLY. Start calling/emailing agencies in early November -- a lot of agencies will need time to meet with their board or to create a project -- be patient! Set deadlines for them to call you back, or for you to get back in touch with them.
• Be flexible when helping to develop projects with the agency. We want to meet the agency's needs...but we also want to make sure the project will take 12 people 6 hours to complete...and that it's somewhat of a challenge. If the project they have in mind won't work for the MLK Challenge, be sure to connect them with another group that could help, just on a different day perhaps.