Two page document outlining the guidelines and principals for selecting a Twestival Local charity in 2011.

1. THE ‘GIVE’ IN TWEET. MEET. GIVE.
How to Choose a Local Charity to Support
Choosing a charity is not an easy task. There are so many worthy causes that deserve the funds
and awareness that Twestival Local is likely to bring. Use this as an opportunity to discover some
great organizations in your local community and gain valuable fundraising skills.
Guidelines for Selecting a Twestival Local Recipient
• Twestival Local organizers must award a single nonprofit as recipient
• A nonprofit must be selected with input from the community; nominations not voting
• Recipients must be a registered / established nonprofit, based locally and their work must
have a direct impact in your community
• Nonprofit recipients should pinpoint a specific use for the Twestival Local funds
• Nonprofit recipients should have a social media and online presence
• Lead organizers of Twestival Local must not work or have other objectives regarding the
charitable recipient as this is a conflict of interest; they can be a general volunteer
• The nonprofit selected is informed about Twestival Local and agrees to be the recipient
• Do not select nonprofits which are overtly religious or political in nature; or
organizations whose aims do not result in a tangible, measurable impact
• 100% of funds collected through ticket sales and donations from the Twestival Local must
go direct to the nonprofit; this money is not to be used for event costs
Accept Charity Nominations from your Community
Although not mandatory, it is a great idea to put out a call for nonprofit nominations on Twitter,
Facebook or blogs asking people to suggest local causes important to them. Creating a shortlist of
nonprofits to support by accepting nominations can create buzz in your community, while profiling
organizations you might not have discovered. The best thing to do is to write a post on your
Twestival.com blog explaining what kind of cause you are looking to support, list short questions
you’d like answered and explain what you might offer in return - don’t forget to set a deadline.
Use comments, email or embed a form to collect these suggestions. Another idea is to use Twitter
and have people tweet their suggestions with a designated hashtag like #twestivalcharity and
#cityname or Twestival Twitter handle. Remember, these are nominations only and not a final vote.
The Official Vetting Process
Once a local organizing team has decided which charity they wish to support for Twestival Local
2011, the final stage of the process is to submit a form to the Twestival Global team for vetting. If
cities followed the guidelines, there should not be any issue with the recipient selected as only a
handful of nonprofits are ever disqualified at this point. The process takes approximately 24 hours,
but can take longer depending on how quickly the organization responds to additional questions.
The reason this process is in place is because we acknowledge that it is not always easy to identify
an effective charity and we want to protect everyone working under the Twestival brand. It is also
very important to ensure the relationship between local organizing team and local nonprofit is
solid and leaders are clear on financial responsibilities. Final global approvals starts on January 28th
and runs until registration closes on March 10th http://twestival.com/causes
PLEASE POST ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS TO THE GLOBAL WORKSPACE ON HUDDLE.

2. Establishing Goals
It is important to set a fundraising goal for your Twestival Local. This is a powerful motivator for
organizers and will inspire those in your community to rally together to achieve the result. You
want to set the goal high enough to push everyone to work hard, but not so high that it will be
impossible to reach. Every city is different. Set a quantitative goal (i.e. reaching $5000 will result in
XX or $20 = XX) as this will help you when marketing your event or promoting the impact of
ticket sales. Please do not promise your charity they will receive a specific amount of money, as
there are too many variables with fundraising and it isn’t fair to set those expectations. Research
the goals of the organization and work with them to identify a specific local project that Twestival
could potentially support. The ability to communicate the direct impact Twestival funds will be a big
incentive for many to give. It is also an incredible way to profile their work as cities will be able to
follow the progress with a feeling of ownership. Establish milestones for reaching levels towards
your fundraising goal and create rewards where people are recognized for their contribution.
Twestival’s 100% Donation Model - What does this mean?
The great thing about Twestival Local events is that they are run by volunteers. Our heavy use of
technology and social media provides us with very little overhead and all event expenses are
covered or donated by sponsors. Since the inaugural Twestival, we have worked diligently to
maintain a 100% donation model for Twestival. This has nothing to do with believing organizations
shouldn’t invest a percentage towards good administration or salaries. Instead, our 100% model is
in place to be able to be transparent about where the funds are going across the board, in any
country. We have a strong message to share and this keeps that message clear to show the
potential impact of funds. Twestival has global partners that cover fees which make 100% possible.
Setting the Record Straight on Charity Receipts
One of the most popular questions we get every year has to do with how people can get
charitable receipts. There seems to be some misunderstanding of the legalities and realistic impact
of these tax breaks. It is important to note that Twestival is independent from any nonprofits we
support. In addition, Connect the Dots Foundation, which was set up as a legal body to protect
Twestival does not have the capacity to distribute receipts or banking requests. It is not permitted
to provide charitable tax receipts for event ticketing and even in cases where a small percentage
does qualify for this, we are not a charity and therefore do not have the power. However, this year
Twestival is partnering (from Feb 15) with well known online fundraising platforms that are tied to
nonprofits and if your organization is registered, this is where direct donations can indeed receive
a charitable receipt. It is a great way to channel large sponsorship donations and ensure they get
credit. Alternatively, what most sponsors will be looking for is some acknowledgement of where
the funds have gone, so you can write them an official thank you letter. Anyone buying a ticket to
an event is getting a great experience in return and we do give 100% of funds to great causes.
Responsibilities of the Charity Recipient
While Twestival Local does run independently, we are very conscious how we represent any
charitable organization or brand. Twestival Local charities must agree to be named as the recipient
as they could be quoted in press releases, asked to provide digital design assets and work with our
fundraising partners to ensure donations are transferred safely.
How Can Our Local Nonprofit Get the Most out of the Twestival Experience?
Twestival Local is about more than just handing over a cheque to a charity after the event. Past
recipients will tell you that Twestival offers a unique opportunity for them to widen their network
and improve social media knowledge. Once nonprofits are officially approved, they will be sent a
document and video with hints and tips of how to engage with their Twestival Local. Remember:
Nonprofits are under no obligation to get involved beyond providing a handful of details.
PLEASE POST ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS TO THE GLOBAL WORKSPACE ON HUDDLE.