Has anyone thought of this?

[Ned]

Colleagues,

I can assure you that development and alternate revenue streams are a primary focus of the senior leadership.  One or more National Staff positions as a(n) Development Officer were recently approved.  The NHQ corporate team has had one or more development officer positions in the past, and I expect it will have another in the near-to-medium future.

But as others have touched on, it is never as simple as recruiting a quality $100k + person and setting them loose upon Corporate America.

Many donors are understandably reluctant to contribute discretionary charitable dollars to a 501c3 that is 85% funded by appropriated dollars.  There are multiple reasons for this, of course.  One reason is that donors may come to believe that if a given need is genuine, Uncle Sam would already have taken care of it.  Or that a given donation is more highly valued in an organization that survives primarily from donations.  And so on.

I strongly agree with the fundamental notion that we need to strategicly establish and grow an aggressive development program to improve our services and reduce the risk of relying on a single revenue-stream, the US taxpayer, who may have other priorities in the future.  Indeed, I have been touting variations on that theme for years.

(I still think with over a million former cadets out there an Alumni Association would create substantial development opportunities as well as allow us a way to re-engage former members with CP.  I just haven't been able to get the project off the ground.  But like Thomas Edison, I have learned several different ways to not start an alumni association.    )

[ol'fido]

"Hey, Man, how did you get a slot for the Tampax Honor Guard Academy?"

"Oh, I pulled a few strings."

[titanII]

"Hey, Man, how did you get a slot for the Tampax Honor Guard Academy?"

"Oh, I pulled a few strings."

That's just too good... 

[Private Investigator]

Remember we had a National Commander a few years ago that said Commanders at all levels should spend 25% of your time fund raising and writing grants. Thats why he got his own unit now.

[Private Investigator]

"Hey, Man, how did you get a slot for the Tampax Honor Guard Academy?"

"Oh, I pulled a few strings."

Now that is funny.    :clap:

[RogueLeader]

"Hey, Man, how did you get a slot for the Tampax Honor Guard Academy?"

"Oh, I pulled a few strings."

Now that is funny.    :clap:

Thank Larry the Cable Guy.

[titanII]

Thank Larry the Cable Guy.

I knew I had heard that somewhere... but it doesn't make it any less funny.

[jimmydeanno]

I'm curious to know why isn't every wing in their local CFC as a "state-wide charity."

Nebraska and Alaska are the only Wings I know of that are involved in federated fundraising, and only because I'm a professional fundraiser assisting Alaska Wing in this way. In addition, I've only seen the NatCap Wing involved in the CFC as an independent agency.

I would recommend Wing Commanders take a hard look at alternative means of raising money that already exist, and that they can affiliate with, rather than CAP hiring an individual or group to work solely for the corporation. That seems like a good place to start, even considering my obvious biases.

I can't speak for my wing, but my unit is a member of the CFC.  Last year, someone wrote us in for $250 and we weren't really enrolled.  This past year, I got us approved and did a bit of solicitation.  It'll be a few months before I see what the return is, but we're hoping it'll be good.  I think most wings don't because most wings don't know about it.  Afterall, our criteria for wing commanders focuses more around their ops qualifications, whether they are a pilot, and if they've been successful in CAP, instead of whether or not they have corporate level executive leadership experience and training, fundraising experience, etc.  Granted, some of our "promote from within" guys do a great job, but I think overall, our membership lacks someone who has the expertise we need, and if they do have it, they are already employed in those jobs so they don't have time to be a CAP Wing Commander.

[ol'fido]

"Hey, Man, how did you get a slot for the Tampax Honor Guard Academy?"

"Oh, I pulled a few strings."

Now that is funny.    :clap:

Thank Larry the Cable Guy.

Git'r'done!

[RADIOMAN015]

I'm curious to know why isn't every wing in their local CFC as a "state-wide charity."

Nebraska and Alaska are the only Wings I know of that are involved in federated fundraising, and only because I'm a professional fundraiser assisting Alaska Wing in this way. In addition, I've only seen the NatCap Wing involved in the CFC as an independent agency.

I would recommend Wing Commanders take a hard look at alternative means of raising money that already exist, and that they can affiliate with, rather than CAP hiring an individual or group to work solely for the corporation. That seems like a good place to start, even considering my obvious biases.

I can't speak for my wing, but my unit is a member of the CFC.  Last year, someone wrote us in for $250 and we weren't really enrolled.  This past year, I got us approved and did a bit of solicitation.  It'll be a few months before I see what the return is, but we're hoping it'll be good.  I think most wings don't because most wings don't know about it. 

Great idea :clap: :clap:

Well the information can be found here on the Combined Federal Campaign:
http://www.opm.gov/cfc/    I looked up my geographic area to see how much was contributed and it shows about $335K was pledged for CY 2010 to support various non profit groups.

I wonder if in the future individual squadrons will be prohibited by National from directly participating in this (probably would prefer we sell Wreaths, candy bars or magazines).    It would seem to me that no one below the wing commander level should be signing that application to be listed, since there's only one federal ID# that has to be provided.   Perhaps each wing could file applications to be CFC eligible listed for every squadron in the wing (remember to look in the search box, since some states have more than one CFC office, based upon geographic location).  Doesn't look like it would require that much work. 
RM 

[Ed Bos]

Great idea :clap: :clap:

Well the information can be found here on the Combined Federal Campaign:
http://www.opm.gov/cfc/    I looked up my geographic area to see how much was contributed and it shows about $335K was pledged for CY 2010 to support various non profit groups.

I wonder if in the future individual squadrons will be prohibited by National from directly participating in this (probably would prefer we sell Wreaths, candy bars or magazines).    It would seem to me that no one below the wing commander level should be signing that application to be listed, since there's only one federal ID# that has to be provided.   Perhaps each wing could file applications to be CFC eligible listed for every squadron in the wing (remember to look in the search box, since some states have more than one CFC office, based upon geographic location).  Doesn't look like it would require that much work. 
RM

The only reason for units to be prohibited by any higher echelon from participating, is if that higher echelon was going to participate.

I had to coordinate with the only squadron in AKWG that previously enrolled in the CFC to find out the impact if they stopped applying to the CFC as a squadron and made way for the entire Wing to apply as a State-Wide agency.

The only issue would be if NHQ decided to apply as an Nation-Wide agency, but that seems to be against the spirit of the fundraising regulations, since:

Local CFC campaigns may publish a list of eligible organizations. If possible, units should attempt to be included.

This encouragement from NHQ seems to indicate that they won't be applying as a Nation-Wide agency in the near term.

[jimmydeanno]

CFC doesn't prohibit each echelons from participating.  Our wing could be in the same book as our squadron.  However, most CFC drives are locally driven by local non-profits, making our local chapters a better sell to the people donating.

It's really not that difficult to get enrolled.  The folks at the local united way have some seminars on how to fill out the paperwork, etc.  Your wing finance officer should be able to assist with the pro-forma 990.

Then its just a matter of advertisement to get people to donate.  However, I've found most people flip to the "local" section of the book and start picking. 

[Ed Bos]

CFC doesn't prohibit each echelons from participating.  Our wing could be in the same book as our squadron.

That may vary by area.

In Alaska, there is 1 state-wide "local" section. Multiple charters of the same organization (EIN) are not permitted in the same "Local Charities" section. In the case of organizations like the United Way, each one is independent, but affiliated (different EIN). Units cannot participate because they would be a duplicate EIN in the same section of the book.

If you're in an area where the "Local" is different that "State-Wide" this may not be an issue.  I also believe that there's some prohibition with duplicating an EIN in different sections of the book, but I have to do a little research to back that particular point up.