Recap of Give & Gain and Prepping for Conference #2

Yesterday I had the great opportunity to attend the AFP Give and Gain Conference on planned giving.  The opening speaker Viken Mikaelian was an energetic individual with a very unique perspective on how to build a planned giving program.  Coming from a background in marketing, his expertise was truly in how to engage an audience and capture the attention of a donor base.  Here are a couple of his “rules.”

• Don’t use jargon that donors do not understand.  Nix “foundation”, “bequest”, “CRT”, “501(c)3″, and other industry terms from your language.  (I’m not sure how we are to get rid of Foundation from our name, but I get where he was going with this.)
• Donor recognition should always be done in print and in a very prominent location.
• Utilizing donor stories as a way to capture attention is a great idea.
• People enjoy being a part of a successful enterprise.  Be careful not to sound too desperate for funding.
• Pursue planned gifts that don’t affect the donors cash flow today.
• Stop telling the prospect we can’t wait for them to die!  (This is important!) Instead give them helpful information that will benefit their planning for the future.
• Focus on gifts that anyone can make, such as appreciated stock, life insurance policies, IRAs, etc.

He also shared from very interesting statistics:

1. 69% of planned giving donors give less than $500/year.
2. 50% of planned gifts are from people ages 45 years and younger.
3. A typical planned gift is 200-300 times larger than a donor’s annual gift.
4. Only 5% of the nation’s wealth is in cash.

I was struck by the practicality of these ideas and facts, and look forward to recrafting our messaging for Legacy Society prospects to reflect this great new information.  More information from Viken can be found at his website: www.PlannedGiving.com.

I’m also excited to begin preparing for the next AWESOME conference that I will have the chance to attend.  The Foundation is sending me to the National Conference of Community Foundations in San Francisco, CA!  I’m thrilled about the line up of speakers, sessions, and networking events.  I’m also excited to share that I have the opportunity to be a blogger for the event.  I’m going to be sharing updates from the conference Sunday – Wednesday on this blog and at http://www.cofinteract.org/rephilanthropy/.

The first post will be on Sunday night recapping the first networking event with John Korbara. I’m thrilled to be able to share my experiences with all of you and hope that you will follow my comments next week! 

 

 

Pumped About Conferences! 1 of 2: “The Science and Art of Fundraising”

I love professional development conferences, and by love I mean LOVE!  When you enjoy your job as much as I do the chance to get to spend the day with super smart colleagues who love what they do too, is a real joy.  And I’m a sponge, I always learn something new and  something I think I can implement into our work at FACF.  I’m the one who shows up early with a big pad of paper for notes, has her sessions all planned out, passes out business cards throughout the day, asks questions during sessions, and usually has a follow-up question or two for the speaker that I address via email later in the week.  Yes, I am “that” person…

In the next couple of weeks I get to attend not one but two terrific conferences.  The first is the Nebraska Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Conference titled, “The Science and Art of Fundraising.”  This conference is focused on planned giving, and for the Foundation this is a very timely topic as we continue to talk to the community about the importance of leaving estate gifts back to the community, and how to utilize the Foundation as a vehicle for doing so.  I’m very excited to learn how better to work with donors and their professional advisors, and to learn more about the effects of tax rates. 

I would encourage any nonprofit development officer or executive director to attend this conference.  It would also be a great resource if you have a super engaged board member who wants to learn more as well.  More information can be found at, http://www.afpnebraska.org/index.php?bid=60.

I’ll be reporting back on this event on September 16th, so stay tuned…  And conference number two, well that one is even more exciting… more information coming soon!

 

 

Business Supporters: Breaking down the Who, How Much, and Why!

Last month the Foundation launched its annual Business Supporters drive to request operational support from our area businesses.  Each year that we initiative this drive I look forward to answering questions and inquiries from supporters about the “Who,” “How Much,” and “Why” of our request.

So let’s break it down.  The “Who” is the Fremont Area Community Foundation requesting direct support from businesses in Fremont.  We have not typically extended our requests beyond Fremont because we want to Affiliate Funds in Hooper, North Bend, Uehling and Arlington to also have the opportunity to sustain their funds in their own communities.  “How Much?” The answer to this depends on your business.  We have five levels of support that are recognized: bronze, silver, gold, platinum, and diamond.  Every dollar counts!

By far, my favorite question to answer is “Why” and better yet “Why is this request different?” These questions from savvy corporate philanthropists and strategic business owners are the best because they give me the opportunity to explain why the Foundation exists in the community, and why giving to operational support is important to us.  Very simply stated the Foundation exists to help donors support the community and make it a great place to live both today, and in the future.  Operational support is important because it means that we do not have to use any of the Foundation’s unrestricted endowment for operational expenses, freeing it solely for funds available to the community through our granting.  And why is our operational support different from other requests?  In some respects it is not.  We maintain a very streamlined budget for basic operational expenses, but the difference is our dedication and support invested back into the community in everything that we do.  The best way to explain what a Business Supporter’s contribution means, is to use the illustration of a pebble tossed into a pond.  One contribution starts off by supporting the Foundation’s basic operating, but that basic operating support ripples to support the operating of our Affiliate Funds in four towns and two counties, which supports the growth of those communities.  It then ripples into support for nonprofits in the Fremont area; in some cases through start-up funds to launch new initiatives, and in others through direct training provided to organizations to help them become stronger, more efficient, and sustainable.  And then the ripple extends even further to operational support that is reinvested back into the community through our committment to “buy local” whenever possible for office supplies, marketing materials, insurance and other expenses.

Our tagline “Give to Grow” nicely sums it up.  For our Business Supporters, they have committed to helping the Foundation grow and by doing so have helped the community grow!

Our special thanks to these businesses who have committed their support in 2011!

Adams Oil, Inc.

All Metals Market Inc.

Allied Appliance

Boschult Engineering Co.

Charlie Diers Ford-Lincoln-Mercury

Christensen Lumber Inc.

Dodge County Title & Escrow Co.

Don Peterson & Associates

Dugan Funeral Home

Eagle Distributing

First State Bank & Trust

Fontanelle Hybrids

Fremont Contract Carriers

Fremont Area Medical Center

Fremont Electric

Fremont Eye Associates

Gene Steffy’s Chrysler

Gringo’s Cantina

INSPRO, Inc.

Leonard Management

Metropolitan Community College

Midlands Printing

Miller Pharmacy

Moser Funeral Home

Nye Senior Services

OfficeNet

Overland Products

Paden Enterprises

Park Professional Group

Pathfinder Company

Pinnacle Bank

Scribner Bank

Sid Dillon Chevrolet-Buick-Pontiac

Sidner, Svoboda, Schilke, Thomsen, Holtorf, Boggy, Nick & Placek

U.S. Bank

Valmont Enterprises

Vance Plumbing & Heating, Inc.

Wal-Mart Super Center

Yost, Schafersman, Lamme, Hillis, Mitchell & Schulz, P.C.

Fremont Women’s Connection

I feel so privileged to be a part of a great group of women who have created this new group in the community! 

This spring a group of women began meeting to discuss the critical need to support women in the Fremont community.  Our initial discussions started narrowly with a focus on the need to uplift women in our community into leadership roles in their professional positions, nonprofit Boards and City leadership.  While an important focus, our continued discussions led us to realize that the most critical need is to encourage, educate, and empower all women.  In our community, there is no current opportunity which is supportive and inclusive of all women and provides opportunities for women to connect, share from one another’s strengths, and become inspired. 

Through these discussions the Fremont Women’s Connection was initiated.  The mission of the Fremont Women’s Connection is to encourage, educate, and empower women.  Our vision is to help women make a difference in the communities in which they live.  This organization has been established as a component fund of the Fremont Area Community Foundation.  

Fremont Women’s Connection will host monthly connections on the third Thursday of every month from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m., which will include a keynote speaker, opportunities to network and connect with other women, and facilitated breakout sessions.  We believe that by bringing women together in an informative and interactive environment, our vision will be realized and women will become inspired to make a difference in the communities in which they live. We are excited to begin with three events scheduled this fall. 

The kick-off event will take place on September 15th, with guest speaker Anne Boyle, of the Nebraska Public Service Commission, and our very own Jennifer Bixby sharing how she started in city government and the challenges she has faced.

The event will be held at the Clarion Inn on 23rd street in Fremont.  Tickets can be purchased in advance by calling, 402-721-4252 or at the door for $10.

We hope that you help us spread the word and join us for this great event!

A Few Funds and A LOT of Elbow Grease

Last year about this time we granted funds to the Fremont Area Art Association to help renovate their basement.  The building, which is more than 100 years old, had been subject to moisture problems, and mold and mildew plagued the basement, making it unusable.  I’m pleased to report that last week I received the final report for their grant, which highlights how with a few funds and a little elbow grease, anything is possible.

The Art Association first installed a commercial grade dehumidifier to prevent similar moisture problems from reoccurring; then began sandblasting, treating, and sealing the floor and exterior walls of the basement.  Everything received a fresh coat of paint.  To make the space more useable and conducive to a variety of art classes, a wall was added to divide the larger portion of the basement into a pottery studio and a smaller area into a multipurpose space.  They were also able to section off a fiber arts studio space. 

The result was amazing, and now the basement serves as a much needed classroom, studio and storage space for the organization.  A Fiber Arts group meets weekly to create and collaborate on works in a variety of fiber media, and weaving classes are now offered.  In January, the first pottery class in over ten years was held for adults and teens, and with its success published in their monthly newsletter, a generous donor provided funds for a second kiln!  The multipurpose room also became an important space as “Benchmark Project” benches were primed and painted before public installation. 

Here are just a couple of before and after pictures.

Congratulations to the Fremont Area Art Association!

You have made this possible!

A special thanks to all of our amazing donors who have generously given.  You have made an impact in the community.  The number we can measure is roughly $10.5 million, but the lives touched and changed is too many to count.

Thank you!

$10.5 Million in Grants

More than $10.4 Million Dollars Given through the Fremont Area Community Foundation

The Fremont Area Community Foundation has reached a landmark, more than $10.4 million dollars given to the community since 1980.  Contributions have been given through donor advised funds and Foundation grants. 

 

We are excited and believe this is a really big deal, not just for us, but for the entire community!  The impact that $10.4 million dollars has made in our community is truly astonishing.  But we can’t take credit. 

 

First of all this amount granted comes in large part from the generosity of donors who have created donor advised funds with the Foundation.  Donor advised funds are an excellent vehicle for individuals to contribute to community projects.  Donors can set up a fund at the Foundation, take an immediate tax deduction, and then later make recommendations on where to grant their funds.  It is a simple process that streamlines giving, and makes a big community impact.  Funds granted also come from our unrestricted endowment (the undesignated fund of the Foundation, which has grown by the gifts of many donors over 30 years), and from funds from the Lester A. Walker Trust and Hazel Keene Fund.  Each and every one of our donors should be proud of this accomplishment, because they are the ones that have made it happen.

 

Secondly, we commend the amazing nonprofit organizations that exist in our community and elsewhere, that strive every day to make the biggest impact possible with the most conservative dollars available.  They are on the front line of change making a difference for good of the entire community in which we live.  Our thanks and congratulations goes out to you!

 

With this announcement, we are also excited to announce four additional Field of Interest Grants that were awarded for the first time this year.

• Care Corps Homeless Services, Projector/PowerPoint – $1,350, Social Services Field of Interest Grant. Funds will support the purchase of a projector/PowerPoint system and educational DVDs to enhance their Life Skills Programs by offering more visual aids. The Life Skills classes offer educational opportunities and the tools needed to help move clients from homelessness to permanency.
• Fremont Public Schools: Back to Basics program – $3,000, Education Field of Interest Grant. Funds will support the “Back to Basics” program, which has a two-fold purpose; 1) information to educate parents and preschool teachers about activities they can provide for their children to do to help them develop the basic fine motor hand skills that will lay the foundation for later success in the classroom, and 2) exposure to make sure children have experience with skills that use the fingers, such as doing finger plays/action songs and building with blocks, and to make sure children have what they need to gain experience with art media (play dough, crayons, scissors, etc.)
• Metropolitan Community College Foundation: Broad Street Scholars program – $1,000 match, Education Field of Interest Grant. Funds will help to establish a Broad Street Scholars Fund, which would provide scholarships for low income Fremont High School students taking dual credit courses through Metro. 
• Fremont Family YMCA: Fremont Well City, Speaker – $3,000, Health and Recreation Field of Interest Grant. Funds will help to bring national wellness speaker, Dr. Ann Kulze to speak at a luncheon and evening community event as part of the Fremont Well City Initiative. The evening presentation will be free and open to the public.

Field of Interest Grants were a new category for the Foundation this year. In 2010, as part of the organization’s 30^th anniversary, the Foundation set up five new endowment funds in each giving area; arts and culture, education, health and recreation, social services, and civic improvement, and the income from these endowment funds is used to help support the Field of Interest Grants. 

Each individual donor has special interests that touch their heart.  These categories allow donors to be specific with the area that they want to contribute to, knowing that grant dollars will be expended to organizations and projects that meet those interests.

Our most sincerest thanks to all that have made our community a great place to live.  Thank you for helping us reach this important milestone in just a short 30 years!