Endowment Building

1. Endowment Building Community Foundation of the Ozarks January 12, 2010

2. Welcome Hosted By: Dr. Julie Leeth

3. Introduction The importance of endowment building/planned giving CFO’s commitment to assisting organizations with endowment building through grant opportunities “Making a Case for Planned Giving” – Missouri Prairie Foundation article

4. Endowment Building Grant Recipients OTC Foundation Developmental Center of the Ozarks Our House Foundation Eldon Community Theatre NAMI of Southwest Missouri Alton Public Schools Foundation Boys and Girls Clubs of Springfield Trails Regional Library (Warrensburg)

5. OTC Foundation • How did your agency arrive at the plan for endowment building/planned giving?  Is your board of directors engaged? •  In 2009, we started actively pursuing a planned giving program. It was a result of us entering our first capital campaign. Our board of directors is very engaged and two if our members have recently given us planned gifts. • To date, what do you consider your successes to be in terms of implementation? • When we began the planned giving process, we had zero planned gifts. Now we have four. Even though that might not seem like a lot, our education of planned giving has increased tremendously and going from zero to four is a huge accomplishment. • To date, what have been your biggest challenges in terms of implementation? • Our biggest challenge has been the education of the benefits received to the donor for a planned gift and building relationships with professionals such as estate planners, who are aware the program exists at OTC. • Have you seen any endowment gifts and/or planned gifts come to your agency that you believe are a direct result of this effort? • Yes, the two gifts from our board members is a direct result of our education process. Also, our largest planned gift was a result of having a relationship with an attorney who was aware of our planned giving program and the benefits of giving to OTC.

6. DCO How did your agency arrive at the plan for endowment building/planned giving?  Is your board of directors engaged?  My predecessor started researching endowment building/planned giving and kicked off an event to help create some awareness to the possibility.  I know that brochures were printed, however, I cannot find record that anything more than sharing brochures at the awareness event was completed.  Our board has had limited involvement in this area.  Honestly, last year was quite stressful in raising general operating funds and the endowment campaign took a back burner.  It’s been difficult for me to focus the necessary attention here. To date, what do you consider your successes to be in terms of implementation?   $24,000 has been raised for our Endowment Fund in the last two years.  The first year, a little more than $8,000 was raised.  The remainder was done in 2009.  These dollars were a result of the fundraising/awareness event.   To date, what have been your biggest challenges in terms of implementation?  A couple of challenges have been noted.  One of those being the economy and the fund development department being stretched more last year than we were prepared for.  I also have not found resource material that I felt was quality enough for the audience I would be sending this information to.  It really boils down to time and motivation.  Knowing we have to raise $1 million dollars from a group of donors who have become accustomed to getting something tangible in return for their gift (like event tickets) or searching for grants to make up the difference – I haven’t had the energy to focus on endowment. Have you seen any endowment gifts and/or planned gifts come to your agency that you believe are a direct result of this effort?  Yes.  We receive an anonymous gift each year because we have an endowment fund.  

7. Our House Foundation How did your agency arrive at the plan for endowment building/planned giving? Is your board of directors engaged? I spoke with the present Board members and all agreed. Having "Boot Camps" would be inspiring; informative as well as entertaining. Strategically, with new people on board, they will be encouraged to encourage their friends / acquaintances to come, listen and become an important part of our heritage..On January 14th, we are having a "informal reception" to bring aboard many new faces on the Board of Directors, Clergy Advisory Board and new as well as old volunteers. These people are committed to seeing this project up and running hence, yes, they will be engaged. To date, what do you consider your successes to be in terms of implementation? We have worked tirelessly toward “branding” our name in the public’s eye. Thankfully, we deem our important successes as:  having the general population of this community and, well known respected community agencies knowing who we are; what programs we offer, acknowledging we are a responsible member of this community AND, the most welcomed success is their response to our requests for help regarding the military personnel and their families having “troubled times.” What have been your biggest challenges in terms of implementation? Dorothy (from the Wizard of Oz) said it best (and I would have to agree with her statement) when she said “People just come and go so quickly here!” Stability of personnel and their becoming personally involved with potential donors is the key to implementation.Working with volunteers is a rewarding challenge. Because they are volunteers and not paid staff, their pocketbooks need ample justification to give what they may not have and, in this economic environment their needs must come first. Also, we have had quite a few service connected people who have gotten their deployment papers and needed to go. In conclusion, shifting populations has been problematic. Also, we have had the most difficult time finding a competent grantmaker. This has been the most challenging task so far. Have you seen any endowment gifts and/or planned gifts come to your agency that you believe are a direct result of this effort? On January 14th, 2010, the “Our House” foundation is having an “Informal reception” for the new members joining the Board of Directors (representing the business community); the Clergy Advisory Committee and our volunteers. Bringing on board the quality and quantity of qualified persons will allow the organization to be moving in a more positive direction.

8. Eldon Community Theatre How did your agency arrive at the plan for endowment building/planned giving? Is your board of directors engaged? We had been talking about a nice evening out for potential donors for about a year.  I then saw that CFO had some grants available for just such an occasion, we applied and received a grant for a Donors Gala.  So we proceeded then to set a date and plan a very nice Heavy Hors d'ouvres evening with some built in fundraising and CFO is going to speak about Planned giving.  Our Board like any board are all the people that are busy doing good things with every organization in town...But I would say we are very engaged and really trying to make a success of this organization. To date, what do you consider your successes to be in terms of implementation? Well of course getting the grant would be our biggest success so far because (and thank you again CFO) we would not be able to consider doing this without it.  But other successes have been engaging the help (cost free) of a  chef to provide an upscale evening of food.  Also a local decorator has offered her services and goods to help decorate our serving tables.  The whole organization and board will be on hand, to help make the evening a success. What have been your biggest challenges in terms of implementation? Finding time.....Other than that we really have not hit a stumbling block yet(crossed fingers, knocking on wood)  CFO has been supportive and we anticipate and hope for a large turnout. Have you seen any endowment gifts and/or planned gifts come to your agency that you believe are a direct result of this effort? We have not hosted our event yet.

9. NAMI • How did your agency arrive at the plan for endowment building/planned giving? Is your board of directors engaged? • NAMI Southwest Missouri is still working on our endowment building plan, with input and direction from our Board’s Fund/Finance Development committee. The committee and staff have met several times in the past month, and we are in the process of putting together guidelines and a marketing plan for endowment building. • To date, what do you consider your successes to be in terms of implementation? • Our Board members have been very receptive to the idea, and it has been pleasant to see them get behind the idea of an endowment, despite the current financial climate. • To date, what have been your biggest challenges in terms of implementation? • Our biggest challenge has been in understanding all the legalities involved in planned giving, and putting the proper terms and information in an easily understandable format that distills the idea down for a marketing type brochure. • Have you seen any endowment gifts and/or planned gifts come to your agency that you believe are a direct result of this effort? • We have not completed the information yet, but hope to have it up on the website and mailed out in the next month. At that time, we believe we will receive a positive response from many of our past supporters.

10. Alton Public Schools foundation • How did your agency arrive at the plan for endowment building/planned giving? Is your board of directors engaged? • Our Board of Directors remain fully engaged.  It was decided that the Public Relations/Marketing Committee should develop the plan for our Endowment Building/Planned Giving Campaign.  We met several times to finalize the brochure and letters to be mailed to AHS Alumni age 60 and over and to our prior donors along with our Summer 2009 Newsletter which covered all APSF activities since our inception in November 2007.  These mailings went to 410 Alumni and 167 prior donors in late October. • To date, what do you consider your successes to be in terms of implementation? • We have received several thousand dollars in donations as a direct response to this mailing and the brochures handed out at various school and community activities. • To date, what have been your biggest challenges in terms of implementation? • With most of our Board Members employed full time the biggest challenge has been the lack of time to devote to the Campaign. • Have you seen any endowment gifts and/or planned gifts come to your agency that you believe are a direct result of this effort? • Many of the contributions received as a result of this mailing/distribution have been designated for the Endowment Fund.  No significant endowment gifts have been received, but there are discussions and considerations of establishing scholarships which hopefully may happen as a result of the mailing/distribution and the three follow-up mailings/distributions we have planned for this year.

11. Boys and Girls Clubs of Springfield • How did your agency arrive at the plan for endowment building/planned giving?  Is your board of directors engaged? • Thankfully endowment building has been an ongoing process at the Boys & Girls Clubs since the 60’s. Our board is heavily engage in soliciting Planned Gifts as well as giving themselves. We have an active Planned Giving committee that meets quarterly. • To date, what do you consider your successes to be in terms of implementation? • Our successes stem from our active Planned Giving committee, making peer to peer  face to face asks as well as we’ve established a Heritage Club society for Planned Givers to join like a membership. • To date, what have been your biggest challenges in terms of implementation? • Our biggest challenge has been finding the prospect and approaching them at the right time. Getting a deferred gift sometimes requires tons of research and cultivation. This type of gift can be sensitive to donors, so you need to be prepared going in. • Have you seen any endowment gifts and/or planned gifts come to your agency that you believe are a direct result of this effort? • Absolutely, as I mentioned previously we have formed a society called the Heritage Club and we host a luncheon every year to recognize those members as well as invite potential Planned Givers.  Recognition, publications and cultivation has played huge part in our success and we believe the endowment building grant has been instrumental in our growth.

12. Trails Regional Library • How did your agency arrive at the plan for endowment building/planned giving?  Is your board of directors engaged? • We arrived at the plan because of the urging of CFO.  I attended the seminar in Clinton last year and was really inspired at the practical approach and felt that was the best way for our Foundation to look at fundraising (using the long-term approach).  My Board is getting more engaged now.  At first, we struggled for a direction.  We're still not surging ahead, but I do see some progress. • To date, what do you consider your successes to be in terms of implementation? • Just getting professional looking brochures ready is a great start.  The Board has asked me to extend our scope to include former donors to our library.  Great idea, especially since we were able to have additional brochures printed. • To date, what have been your biggest challenges in terms of implementation? • Time has been our biggest challenge.  It took longer than I expected to get the brochures completed.  We focused on contacting the accountants before tax season began.  And of course that was when I was going to be out of town.  But the Board members stepped up and made the contacts. • Have you seen any endowment gifts and/or planned gifts come to your agency that you believe are a direct result of this effort? • Not yet, but I truly do believe this will have an impact, we just haven't had enough time to contact the people we need to.

13. Questions and Answers

14. Thank you! Thank you for participating in this e-conference! You may watch this presentation on our website or view the PowerPoint (beginning Thursday) at: http://www.cfozarks.org/essential-questions-series/