Get Involved! Become a rally coordinator and Improving Birth fund raiser in your area!
We offer you tools and a platform, making it as easy as we can to help you raise awareness and funds to make a real difference in our maternity care system. As a rally coordinator, you will directly impact your local community by getting the word out and inspiring change in your own area. You will also be participating in a national effort to bring real attention to this urgent cause affecting mothers, babies, families, and taxpayers everywhere.
“ImprovingBirth is DEFINITELY making a difference. We need to continue to build our momentum, and thus our ability to make change. What I am seeing personally here in Indiana, is that just the very existence of ImprovingBirth is helping women here who have long been discouraged about the lack of progress. They have new fire. We are giving them a platform, and the confidence to fight on.” –Amy Bauer 2012 & 2013 Rally Coordinator
Coordinators receive their very own “Action Pack” and “Fundraising Toolkit.” These include a marketing slideshow, press releases, marketing posters and postcards, accounting support for sponsors, and a Team Coordinator Handbook (including an Event Checklist to keep you on track). You will also connect with our extensive, 24/7 Facebook network and with other passionate coordinators throughout the country to build new friendships and share ideas.
Are you ready to Rally to Improve Birth and bring Evidence Based Care and Humanity to Childbirth?!
Check out the Find a Rally page to be sure there isn’t one already within a 40-mile radius of your location, and then apply below.
$50 Location registration fee is due upon submission of your application
(Your rally tool kit includes lots of fundraising tools and tips.)
Formal Application:
ImprovingBirth.org, Inc. (IB) is a non-profit, national advocacy organization. Local Coordinators are valued representatives of IB who function under the supervision of the Board of Directors, in accordance with the descriptions and guidelines found in this Agreement, and in any additional policy or procedural guides established by IB, until March 15, 2015 or until such time as the Agreement is dissolved by either party.
Our mission is to bring evidence-based care and humanity to childbirth.
Evidence-based care means practices based on the highest quality and most current medical evidence, tailored to the individual. We believe that women can make safer, more informed decisions about their care and that of their babies when they are given full and accurate information about their care options, including potential harms, benefits, and alternatives.
Humanity in childbirth means respect of the birthing woman, her autonomy, and her fundamental right to make decisions about her body and her baby. We believe that childbearing women, like all human beings, should be treated with dignity, respect, and compassion.
Our organizational principles include communication, inclusivity, respect, and integrity.
As a representative of ImprovingBirth.org, you are the face of our organization and the feet on the street! We thank you for choosing IB and offering your time and resources to volunteer for this very important cause — believing that IB is going to make an impact in our maternity care system. We ask you to abide by our principles and to further our mission and beliefs outlined above — including interactions with members of the press, passersby, rally attendees, hospital representatives, donors, and anyone else you may come into contact with as an IB representative. By submitting this document, you pledge to do so.
In this agreement, reference to IB “officers” means Dawn Thompson (President of the Board of Directors), Cristen Pascucci (Vice President), or Heather Thompson (Secretary).
I Agree:
- To assemble and maintain a team of two or more additional people to assist me with the local Rally that I am coordinating. We will meet together regularly prior to the Rally.
- That the IB logo/brand is only to be used on IB-approved merchandise. I will only distribute pre-approved marketing materials. I will only use the pre-approved rally slogans on signs unless otherwise discussed with an IB officer.
- That we will have a designated media contact, whether it is me or someone else on my team. I agree to stay on-message with the mission, beliefs, and principles of IB. I will not use the rally to promote a separate agenda, such as abortion, circumcision, vaccines, etc. but will remember that I am there as a representative of IB and to promote its mission and message.
- That either I or someone on my team will participate in or watch all live or recorded trainings prior to the Rally.
- To determine a location for the Rally no later than August 5, 2014. I agree to choose a location that has high foot and/or vehicle traffic, and that it will not be at a hospital or directly in front of a hospital. I understand that it is my responsibility to determine if the location I choose requires a local permit.
- To maintain or assign someone to maintain a local Facebook page, titled “Rally to Improve Birth—city, state, country” and create a Facebook event invitation for the local rally. Either an assigned team member or I will visit the main IB Facebook page (www.facebook.com/improvingbirth.org) at least twice a week and repost important updates, news, and event information onto my local page.
- To actively promote the Rally as the annual signature fundraising event for ImprovingBirth.org. I will make a personal financial contribution, set a fundraising goal of either a specific dollar amount or number of participants for my Rally site, and track progress of my fundraising success using a CrowdRise personal fundraising page.
- To maintain a sign-in sheet during the rally and return it to the corporate office within 30 days of the date of the rally.
- To maintain respectful, non-argumentative, positive speech when communicating in social media, email, with the media/press, passersby, and all other forms of communications with regard to the IB organization and Rally.
I Understand:
- That the purpose of the 2014 Rally to Improve Birth (hereby called “Rally”) is to:
– Raise awareness about the lack of evidence-based care and humanity in childbirth
– Reach the local and national media with our message
– Reach mainstream moms who are not aware of the problem in maternity care
– Raise funds for ongoing awareness and advocacy projects - The Rally to Improve Birth is an awareness campaign, but it’s also our annual signature fundraising event. The money raised as part of the Rally is used to support the Improving Birth mission and promote Improving Birth strategic initiatives throughout the year (read more in our Strategic Plan 2014-2016 Executive Summary).
- That the 2014 Rally will take place on Labor Day, Monday, September 1, or Saturday, September 6. (Each location will choose the date of their event.)
- That only pre-approved press releases are to be distributed. I agree not to alter these press releases without written confirmation of an IB officer.
- That raising funds to meet my Rally site goal may include soliciting personal donations from friends and family or soliciting business sponsors. I understand that all local and national sponsors must sign up through the main IB website, including, but not limited to, regular package sponsorships or product sponsors
- That only those who have reviewed and signed this agreement will be added to the private coordinator Facebook group. I agree to keep private all things posted in the private coordinator Facebook group, as well as to keep private any emails I have received from IB (the organization or officers), unless otherwise directed by someone on the planning team (additional board members or designated moderators). I agree to communicate the most current information to my team members.
- That if I need to step down from my position, I will make an effort to transfer the responsibility to another in my geographic area if possible.
- That I may contact any IB officers at any time if I wish to alter or it becomes necessary to alter any of the terms of this agreement.
- That I’m helping to take part in real change for mothers and babies and I know we can do it!