What Can CAP Do to Cut Costs?

[Capt Rivera]

...Has he asked my reps to join? (and... Yes I have asked, have you asked yours?)

What's with the hostility?  Someone said we need to have someone is a position.  I said we already had one.  There's really no need to get defensive before there's even a sign of a battle, don't you think?

If you think I was getting testy, I really wasn't. 

I didn't think that at all... and wasn't trying to appear that way... I apologize that it appeared that way...

The part about... "I have... have you..." was in advanced of the person (anyone) who I assumed we all know (someone) would ask...  It was more of a pointed joke then anything... no offense directed really to anyone... Ill try to more clear going forward.

[LTC Don]

Additionally, many of the funding issues we have are felt locally, where, for some reason, nobody feels like fund raising.  I always hear excuses like, "Why should we have to?" etc.  It's what we do, we are members, we decided to support the organization, so organize some fundraising.

^This right here is truth.

There are multiple squadrons in my wing who have no home.  I can tell you it gets pretty tiresome running a squadron out of the trunk of the car.

This whole discussion really isn't about National, it's about the local units.

Squadrons should be running as local community non-profits, with the financial expertise to work their local communities to meet funding needs.  Unfortunately, most squadrons, mine included just don't have members with that expertise at writing grants, solicitation, contacts, etc.  It is very hard competing for the few local philanthropic dollars available with all the other great non-profits out there.

To "work the programs (missions)" the way they need to be worked, it takes facilities not unlike a school.  And that takes a lot of money.  And that takes a lot of financial expertise.  It's not National's job to raise money for squadrons.  It's the squadron's responsibility.  National didn't start the local squadrons (post WWII, of course), the local squadrons applied for a charter, accepting responsibility as a local unit of CAP.  That said, each fundraising project should be for big bucks, to be applied to a budget.  Hot dog sales, car washes, etc. are to small, and suck the energy out of a squadron, especially small ones.  Should they be discouraged? Not if they are the only option available, but the money raised should always be used to plan a larger fundraiser to maximize the return the next time.

Financial management in CAP has always been a contentious issue, but one that has languished badly for the local units with not nearly enough training for unit Finance officers (who usually burn out very fast and leave).

I wonder how many units have a dedicated Finance Officer who have assigned assistant FOs working their local communities and giving agencies like United Way.......


Cheers,

[FW]

Speaking as a former dedicated unit finance officer, I think there are very few such units indeed.  However, development of local support for a squadron should not be the finance officer's first responsibility.  That honor goes to the commander.  However, the whole squadron should feel a "want" to be part of the effort. NHQ calls this effort "Friendraising".  It is important to identify those in the community who will support your efforts.  Contributors will come from this pool. 
As for grants; there is staff at NHQ who will assist you in writing them.  There are also many websites which will guide you in the endeavor.  There are grant sites which even have their own forms.

[Patterson]

One HUGE cost saving measure is to actually move to a "paperless operation".  It is 2010, paperless business practices are the trend these days.

Honestly, we are being forced to verify members identities very soon when they fill out an application.  Why can't Squadron Commanders electronically sign applications as well as the applicants?? 

In the most recent Cadet Program mailing from National, I appreciated the L2L Texts and associated materials, but everything could and should have been electronic except the books themselves. 

As for the notion that not everyone has internet, well too bad.  That was an excuse 10 years ago.  If you do not have internet, that is a choice.  If you are capable of attending a CAP meeting, you can surely get yourself to a library, school, inner-city rec center etc. 

As a Squadron Commander I should not have to touch a single piece of paper, yet it seems like the more electronic CAP gets, the more physical paper is associated with it.