Ideas for NPSTW Gifts and How to Fund Them

Based on a survey from the APCO Member & Chapter Services Committee

In February, APCO’s Member & Chapter Services Committee (MCSC) surveyed chapters about how they celebrate National Public Safety Telecommunicator Week. The survey included questions about financing NPSTW, theme days, gifts, public recognition and more. 29 chapters responded and we will share their results here to provide ideas for your initiatives.

95% of responding agencies said they provide gifts to their public safety telecommunicators during NPSTW. In this post, we share ideas for gifts and how they are financed.

Food is the most commonly mentioned gift or reward, followed closely by gift cards. Gifts mentioned by the responding agencies included:

    • Agency-branded items
    • Backpacks
    • Beach towels
    • Beanies
    • Blankets
    • Catered meals
    • Challenge coins
    • Electronics chargers
    • Food (any kind!)
    • Gift cards
    • Gym Bags
    • Headset bags
    • Hoodies
    • Lottery tickets
    • Lunch boxes
    • Mugs
    • Personalized items
    • Spillproof cups
    • Sweatshirts
    • Totes
    • T-shirts
    • Tumblers
    • Umbrellas
    • Other
      • Car wash tokens
      • Coffee vouchers
      • Fidget toys
      • Jackets
      • Laptop bags
      • Themed packages
      • Travel vouchers

     

  • As far as funding, almost two-thirds said they use personal funds while more than half have a budgeted line item. Funding sources include Budgeted line item
    • Donations from other departments, associations and auxiliaries
    • Funds from member agencies
    • Grants
    • Local/community donations
    • Personal funds
    • Raffles and fundraising activities
    • Snack sales
    • Sponsorships
    • State chapter
    • T-shirt sales

     

    Thanks to the MCSC for making this information available. In the next post, we’ll provide responses to the question of how agencies get recognition.