Run for Shelter - Record Eagle Story

June 23, 2014

Run for Shelter supports Goodwill Inn

BY KATE HANSEN chansen@record-eagle.com Traverse City Record-Eagle

TRAVERSE CITY — Community members will put their best foot forward for the homeless at the annual Run for Shelter race to benefit the Goodwill Inn.

“The Goodwill Inn is one of our neediest programs,” Events Manager for the Goodwill Industries Lilly Nowicki said.

Funds raised from the race set for Saturday will support more than 700 area homeless people by providing shelter, three meals per-day and one-on-one counseling with case managers to help with job placement, training, and finding permanent housing.

Donations from local sponsors will help cover event costs, including timing systems, T-shirts for participants and rental space, and ensure that the $30 registration fee for runners directly benefits a neighbor in need.
“We try to have sponsors on board to pay for the event so the registration fee is a direct donation to our programs,” Nowicki said.

In past years the Goodwill Industries partnered with other local agencies to host the race. Now, in their sixth year, they are organizing the event on their own and regular participants may notice some changes.
“We’ve made some adjustments to make the race more family friendly,” Nowicki said.

She attributed the changes to the increase in the number of runners for this year’s race. Currently there are 125 participants registered and the Goodwill Industries hope to have at least 200 runners by race time.
The race will start at Willow Hill Elementary, 1250 Hill Street in Traverse City on Saturday at 9 a.m. Runners and walkers are encouraged to bring children, pets, and friends.

Those interested in supporting the Goodwill Industries through this event can visit www.goodwillnmi.org/runforshelter for more information.

Giving USA 2014 Report Highlights

click here for site.

The Giving USA 2014 report Highlights provides an overview of key 2013 data. The Giving 
USA 2014 report Highlights is instantly downloadable.

Some of the highlights:

Who gives the $335.17 billion in 2013?

72%   Individuals
15%    Foundations
  8%    Bequests
  5%    Corporations

I wonder if we should have our fundraising plans shaped to spend 72% of our time with individual donors?

The dead still out pace corporations in giving.

Rotary Announces $210k in Grants

From TC Ticker, Note link below June 11, 2014

Rotary Charities of Traverse City has announced 11 grants totaling $210,000 for its Spring 2014 grant cycle. They are all single-year capital or program grants. The recipients are below: Area Agency on Aging: $10,000 program grant Area Seniors of Bellaire: $5,000 capital grant Conservation Resource Alliance: $25,000 capital grant Elmwood Charter Township: $20,000 capital grant Grace Episcopal Church: $20,000 capital grant Lakes to Land Regional Initiative: $35,000 program grant Leelanau Conservancy: $30,000, capital grant Mt. Holiday: $10,000 capital grant Northwestern Michigan Fair: $15,000 capital grant Peter Dougherty Society: $15,000 capital grant Traverse Health Clinic: $25,000 program grant To learn about each group's plans for the grant money, click here. The next opportunity to apply for funding is September 2. Permalink

Newsletters in the Modern Era

The necessities of newsletters today for charity are that they provide constant communication, consistent release of timely information, and continual thanks for service and gifts no matter the form of gift.  

The stories could be as simple of a picture with a short paragraph by-line under it or full fledged articles broken up by thumbnail pictures and pull quotes. 

If I were going to design a monthly philanthropic newsletter for a charity, I think it would have the following stories:

·         Lead with a donor profile and why they gave to your organization.

·         Have a composite or real beneficiary story of someone who benefited from your program.

·         Profile of a volunteer who is helping your program.

·         Staff profile giving some up-to-the-minute information on your cause or field of service as an expert.

·         Featured program and how giving helps to advance the program.

·         News about key donations and donated dollars at work.

·         Review of key events or sponsored outreach programs.

·         Calendar of events that donors might participate.

·         Listing of new donors.

·         Philanthropic officer describing a way of giving.

·         The CEO having an article or a picture where mission is in action.

·         Pictures showing how your celebrating the activity of your mission.

In this day and age, newsletters can be traditional printed and designed format, or electronic working on all platforms like e-newsletters, blogs, websites, twitter links, etc. 

In all newsletters they have to be visually pleasing and picture laden. In the electronic environment, your newsletter could be broken up to appear weekly with a differing parts of the list above happening throughout the month.

All stories need to focus on the mission you are about and the impact you are making to your service area or people.

Fri, April 04 2014

What Cap’n Crunch Can Teach You About Fundraising

By Caryn Stein

 

Have you ever felt like you were being watched in the supermarket? 

In a new study from Cornell Food and Brand Lab, researchers found that characters featured on kids’ cereal boxes make incidental eye contact with children and cereals aimed at adults make incidental eye contact with adult shoppers. Cereals presumably marketed to children (think Frosted Flakes, Froot Loops, Trix) were found on lower shelves, and the gaze of the characters on these cereal boxes look downward at an angle of 9.67 degrees.  

More - Click here

TC Boom Boom looks for donations to Boom Boom

From TC Ticker enewsletter on 2 June 2014 ...

Funds Needed to Help Fireworks June 2, 2014

Believe it or not, the 4th of July holiday is just over a month away and the TC Boom Boom Club is actively raising funds to put on a brilliant fireworks display over West Grand Traverse Bay. According to club spokesperson Tim Hinkley, it costs $45,000 for a 30-minute show – an amount the nonprofit hopes to raise via support from municipalities, businesses and individuals. The Boom Boom Club was formed back in 2001 to build grassroots support for the annual celebration. Great Lakes Fireworks of East Jordan puts on the display. Donations to help the city celebrate the 4th can be made here. Permalink

Cherryland Humane Society needs $500,000

From the TC Ticker e-newsletter 2 June 2014

Humane Society Facing Closure, Needs $500k June 2, 2014

By Lynn Geiger

For the second time in three years, the Cherryland Humane Society is facing a desperate financial situation and possible closure. The board of directors says it needs to raise $500,000 to keep the more than 60-year-old nonprofit animal shelter afloat and caring for the 60-plus animals currently lodged there. Letters have been sent to previous donors and other fundraising activities are in the works while the board explores “numerous ways to ensure financial stability going forward.” Local veterinarian and Board President David Burke says donations are down considerably, costs are up and the organization has enough money to operate “another three or four months.” If funds don’t materialize, he sees two choices: cut operational hours and staff or close down completely. More here