New Revenues = New Support for Centers!

Because of the success of our Investing in America’s Future campaign, the NEC Foundation’s Board of Trustees is offering scholarships to enable more of our Exchange Club Child Abuse Prevention Centers to participate in our Annual CAP Symposium this year. These funds represent some of the first revenues received from our capital campaign. We know the recent economic climate has been extremely hard on our local centers, and we especially want to show our support at this time.

This year’s Symposium will begin July 20, shortly before the 92^nd National Exchange Club Convention at the historic La Quinta Resort in Palm Springs, California. The Symposium Planning Committee has been hard at work making arrangements for this year’s event. Our kick-off reception will be on Tuesday evening, with lots of training and networking events throughout the week. On Thursday, we will join with the Exchange Club convention, which will provide additional opportunities for learning and sharing. Symposium will conclude with our traditional CAP Breakfast on Friday morning. 

Symposium is our annual opportunity for professional training, networking, and leadership development for our network of Exchange CAP Centers. Workshop topics this year will include improving outcomes for people living in poverty, non-violent discipline practices for parents, compassion fatigue, developing relationships with charitable foundations, and unveiling of the new Exchange Parent Aide training manual. Seminars are open to Exchange Club members as well as CAP Center representatives.

 

INVESTING IN AMERICA’S FUTURE

Your Capital Campaign

We are pleased to report that the campaign is on track with the financial goals set forth when the campaign was launched last March. We are still in the major gifts and leadership solicitation phase, which has taken a bit longer than expected to accomplish. As a result, applications to charitable foundations have been delayed until late spring, with results expected to begin by end of calendar year. Currently, commitments are at $2,131,200 with approximately 40% representing cash gifts and pledges of cash gifts, and 60% in estate gifts. It is anticipated that the distribution will be about 50-50 by the end of this first campaign. Cash received to date has enabled us to assure payment of fundraising expenses through the end of the year, and begin to restore services to CAP Centers.

Your Foundation leadership has made a firm commitment to this endeavor to advance the programs of Exchange. The Campaign Steering Committee (consisting of Yvonne Ledoux, Mike Jernigan, Gerald Franklin, Charlie Braddock, Ken Warner, Karen Askew, and Rick Gordon) is meeting regularly to oversee the progress of the campaign and make sure we remain on course.

We are excited about our progress to date and believe this successful fundraising effort will give Exchange the confidence a national organization with our mission and resources deserves. We have a vision for Exchange, and we are moving forward every day. While the first phase of the campaign is designed to strengthen our existing leadership position in the field of Child Abuse Prevention, subsequent campaigns are expected to focus on Exchange’s Programs of Service including Americanism and youth programs. Our initial campaign goals are:

• Sustain Child Abuse Prevention Efforts through Perpetual Endowment
• Establish Proactive Leadership Role in Contributing to the Prevention Field
• Evaluate and Research Programs and Impact
• Restore and Expand Network Resources

Marilyn and I were so excited about the launch of the Foundation Campaign that is underway, that we were pleased to make our donation and pledge. Finally, we have a major capital campaign in progress to assure the long lasting success of our great organization. We urge all Exchange Leaders especially to join in so we can demonstrate the serious commitment of Exchange to this effort. This then will help to engender major outside financial support from corporations and foundations.

--John and Marilyn Hood

 

IIAF Campaign FAQ

This is YOUR campaign, so each month we will focus on questions asked by our members regarding our capital campaign.

Question: Why are we paying for an outside firm to raise funds for us?

Answer: During the past ten years, we have commissioned two studies – at significant cost – to help us determine the best course of action to raise substantial funds, strengthen our identity, and expand our reach. Both studies have recommended steps that we did not have the internal capacity to handle. Therefore, one of the recommendations was that we hire a professional fund developer to implement a major national fundraising campaign.

When we decided to seriously look at this path in late 2007, we developed a formal request for proposals that was sent to over 30 fundraising firms whose work closely matched our purposes. Responses were narrowed down, finalists interviewed by national leadership, and Hartsook Companies, Inc. chosen as the best fit for our circumstances. Hartsook is a nationally recognized leader in the field of fundraising. They have assembled a team of professionals with expertise in virtually all facts of fundraising and development. Their experience in nonprofit fundraising includes over 2,000 projects over the past 23 years, helping raise billions of dollars in philanthropic support. 

In the field of fundraising, company founder Bob Hartsook is seen as a visionary who has helped raise the bar in fundraising by laying the groundwork for research and training to create the best of professional practice in his field. “Improving the quality of life for people is, in the final analysis, what fundraising is all about. To achieve that objective, however, requires excellence at all levels of the profession…” In that spirit, Bob helped expand the capacities of the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University by creating the nation’s first endowed chair in fundraising. He also formed a partnership with Avila University to provide a master’s degree in management with an emphasis in fundraising.

Hartsook Company’s entire team of professionals is available to help us succeed in our first capital campaign, while also providing guidance on maintaining our traditional giving programs, strengthening our identity, and helping position us for a strong future. Through their focus on building relationships, we will be able to take advantage of their partnerships to advance our cause. Members of the Hartsook Team will again be providing training at symposium and convention. They are also periodically offering seminars to our centers and clubs at no cost.

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CAMPAIGN FOR KIDS 2010

“Your Foundation is an Oasis for American Families”

Information has recently been mailed to clubs about our annual opportunity for Exchange Clubs to rally together to help America’s youth. Just as water sustains an oasis, your dollars sustain the Foundation. Without one the other could not exist. Every dollar your club contributes helps keep our centers strong, and helps Exchange Club members everywhere with programs to help make America strong. Whether $5 or $5,000, demonstrate your club’s support for the programs of Exchange! With your club’s help, we can reach this year’s goal of $75,000!

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 Did you know…         

                                                                        …you have options!

 When you want to support your Foundation, you have choices to do so!

 Contributions can be made in lump sums or pledged over time.

• A lump sum donation can be made by sending your check or credit card information to the National Exchange Club Foundation headquarters.

• Credit card donations can also be made online via PayPal by clicking the donation link from any of the NEC or Foundation web pages.

• Regular (monthly, bi-monthly, etc.) contributions can be made either by credit card or by bank draft. By filling out a simple form, you can be regularly supporting the programs of Exchange.  Contact your national headquarters for a form.

We appreciate your generous support!

Together, we are making a difference in communities across America!

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Thank you for all you do for Exchange, and in support of our Foundation. We encourage you to ask questions and learn more. Please do not hesitate to contact me at 909-758-0857 or rdgordon@pngusa.net; or Interim Executive Director, Karen Askew at kaskew@nationalexchangeclub.org or 800-816-4570. And please visit our websites at www.exchangeclubfoundation.org and www.preventchildabuse.com.

Yours, in Exchange,