Village eyes park renovations, seeks community support - Grand Traverse Insider

By Kyle Kaminski
Lead Writer - Grand Traverse Insider

With broken glass, chipped paint on the swings, a doddering play
structure and an antiquated tennis court, the village of Lake Ann has
recognized problems with the existing condition of the park. Photo by
Kyle Kaminski

LAKE ANN — A fundraising campaign is underway to rejuvenate Lake Ann’s downtown park.

With broken glass, chipped paint on the swings, a doddering play structure and an antiquated tennis court, the village has recognized problems with the existing condition of the park. Without a specific recreation fund
to cover the costs, Lake Ann is leaning on community support to spruce up the park.

Head of the Park Renovation Committee, Ellie Flaherty, said the project took flight after a donor — who wishes toremain anonymous at this time — offered to donate money for a new basketball court.

“It started in May when he came to the villagecouncil meeting with the request,” she said. “He said he rode his bike to the courts every day when he was younger and went on to play in college and have a successful career. He just wants to give something back.”


More ....

Village eyes park renovations, seeks community support - Grand Traverse Insider - Morning Star Publishing

Scholarship Offering

From the TC Record Eagle -

Education Newsmakers: 03/28/2015
Posted: Friday, March 27, 2015 8:18 am

Zonta Club of Traverse City is offering a $1000 Ann Mapes Scholarship to area college students. Applications are available at www.zontatc.org under scholarships. The deadline for applications is May 1 and should be mailed to Ann Mapes Scholarship Committee, Zonta Club of Traverse City, PO Box 1412, Traverse City, MI 49685-1412.


Applicants must be pursuing a degree in business, science, maritime, aviation, culinary or nursing, leading to career employment; must be enrolled as at least a junior in any state accredited college or an NMC baccalaureate program; must have at least a 3.0 GPA; must be a resident of Grand Traverse, Leelanau, Benzie, Kalkaska or Antrim county; must write a one page narrative of how the career degree chosen fits into Zonta and its mission; and must include an academic reference.

+++
I remember Ann as a fiery, devout, and passionate women who has now touched many lives forever through her estate gifts to Zonta, Grace Episcopal Church - Traverse City, and her University of Michigan as a fan and learner. Her memory lives on through this kind of giving.  She is missed. Her gift lives on...

Remembering Ann - Click here and click audio.

TC To Ann Arbor Train Effort Raises $19k : News : The Ticker

TC To Ann Arbor Train Effort Raises $19k March 25, 2015 - TC Ticker

An effort to return passenger rail service between Traverse City and Ann Arbor is now nearly $19,000 richer. The Michigan Land Use Institution (MLUI), the local organization advocating for the rail service, recently took first place in the "$10,000 Charity Challenge Thing," an annual crowdfunding competition among ten causes nationwide. In addition to the fundraising effort yielding $13,650 over two weeks, it received the $5,000 top prize. The competition is hosted by outdoor companies Patagonia and Moosejaw.

More ...

TC To Ann Arbor Train Effort Raises $19k : News : The Ticker

Norte! Lands $25k Grant For Safe Cycling : News : The Ticker

Norte! Lands $25k Grant For Safe Cycling March 24, 2015

Norte!, a Traverse City group committed to inspiring youth through bicycles, has been selected by The Michigan Fitness Foundation and Michigan Department of Transportation to receive a $25,000 Safe Routes To School grant for the Traverse City Area Public Schools. This grant will help fund The Great Traverse City Bike Train Experiment, expanding Norte!'s Bike Train network to connect more Traverse City neighborhoods to more neighborhood schools. More ... Norte! Lands $25k Grant For Safe Cycling : News : The Ticker

Cherryland Humane Society Names Interim Leader : News : The Ticker

March 21, 2015

John Noonan has been named interim executive director of the Cherryland Humane Society in Traverse City. He replaces Mike Cherry, who is retiring at the end of the month after 26 years leading the organization. Noonan has more than 25 years of experience working with nonprofits, most recently as the executive director of the Great Lakes Children's Museum for 12 years. He will assist the board in the search for a permanent executive director, as well as maintain operations until the next leader is in place. The Humane Society board of directors has engaged NorthSky Nonprofit Network for assistance with searches for both the interim executive director and the permanent director. Permalink

Cherryland Humane Society Names Interim Leader : News : The Ticker

Communication forever...

From the LeadingAge Philanthropy listserv:

True story why communication is important:  

A long time fundraising mentor and friend of mine gave $100,000 to a Richmond area (VA) organization during a campaign and named it after her late husband.  About 5 years later, the organization failed to talk to her about their new expansion plans and the garden disappeared without her knowing in advance.  She discovered it on a visit …

She was not only insulted, but she never gave them another dime, plus she talks about them to her friends (people of means)!  Had they picked up the phone and shared their expansion plans, she would not only have not been insulted, she would have probably given them another $100K to the new campaign.  

What a loss for both the donor and the organization.

Patricia S. Morris, MPA, CFRE

Vice President

Virginia Baptist Homes Foundation

1900 Lauderdale Drive | Richmond, VA 23238

Office: (804) 521-9229 | Cell: (804) 873-0918

pmorris@vbh.org  | www.vbh.org/foundation

Good Record Keeping for Charitable Deductions

Via Planned Giving Design Center

The Internal Revenue Service reminded taxpayers planning to claim charitable donations to make sure they have the records they need before filing their 2014 tax returns.

For any taxpayer, keeping good records is key to qualifying for the full charitable contribution deduction allowed by law. In particular, this includes insuring that they have received required statements for two contribution categories—each gift of at least $250 and donations of vehicles.

First, to claim a charitable contribution deduction, donors must get a written acknowledgement from the charity for all contributions of $250 or more. This includes gifts of both cash and property. For donations of property, the acknowledgement must include, among other things, a description of the items contributed ...

More ... click here

The Leelanau Conservancy looking for a Director of Charitable Giving

From the TC Ticker -

Director of Charitable Giving

The Leelanau Conservancy, one of the nation’s top land trusts, is seeking an organized, self-motivated individual to serve as Director of Charitable Giving. Our mission is to conserve the land, water and scenic character of Leelanau County, Michigan. In our 26-year history, we have conserved over 11,300 acres, including 24 natural areas and preserves, 155 permanent conservation easements and 42 miles of streams and shoreline. The Leelanau Conservancy’s culture of philanthropy is donor-centric, valuing integrity above all else. We have a sophisticated fundraising program in place, including robust systems, an engaged Board of Directors and a dedicated fundraising staff. We concluded an enormously successful $21M capital campaign in December 2014 and are heavily emphasizing thanking our campaign donors throughout 2015.

More - Click here

Launching a Bequest Program

Crescendo is one of many educators and providers of planned giving software and workshop.  Here is a good overview and/or review in getting a bequest program going.

​​ ​​​ Do you have a strategy for securing bequests to your organization? As the most popular planned gift, bequests can build your organization’s endowment and create a sustainable source of current revenue for the future. Learn how to launch a bequest campaign using your website, print, email, social media and other marketing tools to reach your donors and motivate these transforming gifts. To join us for this free webinar click here to register.   April 16, 2015 9:00 am (PT) ​ ​

From Record Eagle - TC residents raise money to restore GT County's historic courthouse clock and bell

Record-Eagle photo/Jan-Michael Stump | From left, Traverse City residents Bernie Riker, Karen Mauro-Doren, Peter Doren, Carol Hale, Ed Kalat and Gary Schilkey are working to restore the clock atop the historic courthouse.

Posted: Saturday, March 14, 2015 

2:50 pm 

BY MICHAEL WALTON 

mwalton@record-eagle.com

TRAVERSE CITY — The 114-year-old bell that used to chime hourly from its perch high atop Grand Traverse County's courthouse fell silent almost 10 years ago. A handful of the courthouse's neighbors want to hear the music again.

"Next to the American flag, there's nothing more iconic to communities than their courthouse bell and clock," Peter Doren said.

Doren, a local attorney, is one of eight people who comprise a committee dedicated to raising money to fix the courthouse's bell and restore its four clock faces -- all without the help of public funding. The Save the Bell Tower committee thus far raised nearly $10,000 in private donations, including nearly $5,000 from one anonymous Boardman neighborhood resident.
The group isn't interested in creating an audible reminder of time's unending march forward, though that's an inevitable side-effect of their efforts to restore the bell and clock. Instead, the committee hopes to preserve a symbol of Grand Traverse County's history, and times long past.

More - Click here

NMC BBQ Funds Set For Good Works : News : The Ticker

Nine projects will share $40,300 in funds from the 60th Northwestern Michigan College Barbecue – set for Sunday, May 17.


Every year, college employees submit proposals for barbecue funds,
contingent on funds raised that day. A Barbecue Board, comprised of
college employees and community volunteers, then makes the final
selection. This year's recipients are:


 - NMC traditional pow-wow

 - Muti-parameter water quality sonde (probe)

 - Student Success Center workspace

 - Lean Champion flipped classroom equipment

 - College for Kids scholarships

 - Library laptop rental program

 - ROV student design team tether

 - Scholarship Open sponsorship

 - Side scan sonor for Nautical Archaeology

About 10,000 people attend the annual picnic, raising more than $1.5 million for college programs and equipment over the years.


Tickets are $6 in advance and available here.

Permalink

NMC BBQ Funds Set For Good Works : News : The Ticker

$2M grant will bring high-tech gear to NMC

By DAN NIELSEN dnielsen@record-eagle.com | Posted: Sunday, March 15, 2015 11:42 amMore - Click here

TRAVERSE CITY — A $2 million state grant will give students at Northwestern Michigan College a chance to train on state-of-the-art equipment in nursing, information technology and advanced technology.
"The beauty of this grant is they wanted to have this available quickly," said Ed Bailey, NMC's technical division director.

Plans call for the equipment to be purchased soon, installed over the summer and available for student use in the fall.

"This really is a game-changer for NMC," Bailey said. "This will enable us to get state-of-the-art equipment we otherwise could not obtain."

Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder in late February announced $50 million in grants to 18 community colleges to train Michigan students for careers in the skilled trades. NMC received $2,078,174, about 4 percent of the total. The Michigan Economic Development Corporation approved 18 of the 27 applications received for funding in the Community College Skilled Trades Equipment Program.

Snyder said the grants from the state program will help the schools buy machines and other tools. Each college had to provide a 25 percent match to qualify for the state grant.

"This is the biggest grant we know of providing equipment to community colleges," said Mike Shore of the MEDC. "We think this is going to be a big payoff for the state."

NMC's nursing program will get a variety of simulation equipment. The college's information technology program will get server computers and other equipment. Its advanced technology program will get a new underwater remotely operated vehicle (ROV), side-scan sonar gear and unmanned aerial equipment.
"We're basically going to outfit an entire high-tech lab," said Bailey.

The grant application included a wide range of specific pieces of equipment, including a Seaeye Falcon ROV, a hydraulic articulated crane, a pair of welding system simulators and a Sensefly eBEE UAV drone.
SenseFly's website markets the autonomous ultra-light eBee for a variety of applications including mining, emergency situations and disaster management. Made mostly of light foam, the eBee can be disassembled and folded up for storage. It has a wingspan of about three feet. The autonomous flight path can be planned in advance with the included software that allows the user plan, simulate and fly designated missions by just defining a mapped area.

Bailey said application for the grant program had to demonstrate "academic programs that aligned with the talent needs in the region."

NMC used the "Framework for Talent" developed by Northwest Michigan Works to help guide the writing of its grant application.

"Each proposal was evaluated comprehensively and individually," said Ryan Hundt, MEDC senior program manager.


More - Click here

Welcome

About/ A Scrapbook of Ideas from Dave Eitland

I have always wanted to put together a body of knowledge around philanthropy. This one is shaped in the context of my world in what I refer to Eden or the Grand Traverse Bay region of Northern Michigan.

It is rapidly becoming a mecca of film, food, wine, arts, seasons, transformation, innovation in thought and ideas, and spirituality in the context of beautiful water and nature.

Over the next decade this area will experience a growth of retirement people moving into the area bringing their own resources and demands for superior services.

The field of philanthropy in this region is represented by some 1,400 charities (please correct me if you have better data) and some 80 people employed in professional philanthropy "chasing" dollars, time and talent of an expanding pool of remarkable volunteers. These people will give if we meet their individual needs for commitment and creative use of their time.

It is my contention that there is more than enough money and time that can be donated. It only lacks the innovation and creativity for the professional philanthropic community to reach these people. In order to do this we as professionals will have to work together for the common good realizing that all of our donors will give to many causes of their personal interest and calling.

So here I go with ideas, resources, news, and other trivia that may be of some help to all that read this.

We truly live in exciting time and we are going to change the world and our region one donor at at a time.

Please note: I chose deliberately people doing white water rafting as the background because sometime it feels that way. But oh, the thrill....

DWE
28 March 2014 AD
Traverse City, Michigan, USA

Facebook group for Fundraisers in our Area

The Northern Michigan Fundraising Professionals have opened up a Facebook fundraising group page.

Check it out at http://www.facebook.com/groups/1596605567217846

The NMFP gathers twice a year to share information and hear of new trends in giving and philanthropy.  Watch Facebook for more information of upcoming events

Words that Work..

Check out the downloadable webinar by Dr. Russell James, called "Words that Work: The Phrase that Encourage Planned Giving."  down load - start here - click here .

James says philanthropy is a "synthetic family" - a social act using the mechanisms of family bonding.

I have also heard that by encouraging estate gifts for endowments is elevating the status of a charity to the status of being a family member.

Interesting to think about.

Help Wanted - Women's Resource Center

The Women's Resource Center is seeking a part-time Fund Development/Executive Assistant .  Click here for details.

Classified from The Ticker.

25 Documents You Need to Keep in One Place!

From PlannedGiving.com

Here's a valuable resource for both fundraisers and their prospects — a simple list of the documents every person should gather together to make sure all estate information is at hand when they pass away. It's the simple first step for preventing chaos, disappointment, hard work and unnecessary expense resulting from a ragtag, unprepared estate, and it strengthens your role as trusted friend. You can employ this useful document in electronic or hardcopy form to initiate and/or support estate-planning discussions with your prospects.

Click here for download of 25 documents that you need to put in one place.

Print and circulate to your planned giving donors.

Great resources from PlannedGiving.com

Record Eagle "Cheers" - 9 March 2015

To the community center at Lake Ann United Methodist Church, which plays host to a new neighborhood center, the first of five that Great Start Collaborative members hope to form across Antrim, Benzie, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska and Leelanau counties in the coming months. 

The centers are part of the collaborative’s latest project called 5 to One, which aims to improve kindergarten readiness, improve access to child care and parenting education and reduce abuse and neglect. 

The Consumers Energy Foundation recently donated $50,000 to 5 to One to help get each neighborhood center off the ground.

Traverse City Record Eagle - Click here