What’s the first step?
The first step is probably figuring out how much money you want to raise, which will probably be related to how many people you can get to work. We can only accommodate a certain number of fundraisers—or rather, a certain number of people—on a given weekend, so please make sure to contact us early in order to make sure you get the time you’d like.
How do I figure out how much money we can make?
We pay $11.80 per hour, so just multiply the number of people working by how many hours they’ll be working by 11.80. For example, if you wanted to raise $1000, two reasonable ways to split it up would be to either have 10 people work for 8.5 hours each or to have 20 people work for 4.25 hours each.
Since the paychecks go to individual members of the group, do they still get taxes taken out?
Yes, taxes still apply to the paychecks, since they are the same as a regular paycheck. Unfortunately, we can’t calculate how much will be taken out of the paycheck or whether the people being paid will receive the money back—it’s different for every person depending on how many hours are credited to them and how many hours they work at any other jobs they have.
How do we schedule a time to work?
The most common way to do it is in long (usually around 5 hour) chunks on weekend afternoons, over the course of one or more days. Our hours are quite flexible, though, so it’s really up to you—generally in each House, you can work any time from 11am to about 7 or 8pm. There’s almost no schedule we can’t accommodate!
Do we have to do the work all together at the same time?
Not necessarily—most groups just find it’s easier that way. If you want us to train your group members at the beginning of the week and have them come work later at their leisure, that’s fine too.
What’s the work like? Give me a breakdown, start to finish.
When you arrive, your group members will receive a brief training in how to clean a bathroom from one of our captains. (This training is paid, so it counts as part of your work.) They’ll then spend the remainder of the scheduled time going around, usually in pairs, and cleaning students’ bathrooms in your designated House.
Is there any preparation we need to do ahead of time?
For every four group members working, one member will have to fill out paperwork in order to be entered into Harvard’s payroll system as a Dorm Crew employee. Anyone who is already on Harvard’s payroll from another job (excluding HSA) or has worked for Dorm Crew before has already completed some or all of the paperwork. To expedite payroll setup, group leaders should determine which group members are already on payroll. Then provide us with this information, and we’ll help you determine what, if any, additional paperwork is required. If you or your group members are unsure of your payroll status, you can figure out what paperwork you need to turn in here. This page includes instructions for and links to any necessary paperwork. We can also come to one of your group meetings and get everybody set up on the spot. It shouldn’t take more than 15 minutes.
How do we receive the money afterwards?
The designated group members who are on payroll will have to pay you directly based on the paychecks they receive, which will be two weeks after the work is completed, as long as all your paperwork is turned in on time. (We can’t issue a check directly to your organization.)
What do we do if we have to cancel our fundraiser?
We understand that sometimes plans change, so if you need to cancel your fundraiser, please contact the fundraising captain as soon as you can (at least 24 hours in advance). A lot of planning goes into a fundraiser both on your end, the captains that train you, and the Houses that host you. If you cancel a fundraiser without 24 hours’ notice, we may not be able to accommodate your group in the future.
Okay. I’m ready to contact you. What information should I have?
We will need to know:
1. How many people will be working
2. How many of these people are already on Harvard payroll
3. How long they want to work
4. When they want to work
If you are unsure about some of these details, don’t worry—we can help you figure out a plan.
What’s that email address again?
fundraising@dormcrew.com