SNEAD STATE COMMUNITY COLLEGE

Dr Bob Exley, accepts Mathison Award 01 (Photo credit: Larry Miller)

Official seal of Boaz (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Homecoming 2010 at Snead State Community College 24 (Photo credit: Larry Miller)

A FIRST CLASS COMMUNITY COLLEGE

I spent yesterday morning with Dr. Bob Exley, President of Snead State Community College in Boaz, Alabama.  The night before was spent in the best Hampton Inn in the world (my humble opinion) on Guntersville Lake, home of many top-flight fishing tournaments.  The hotel has a commanding view from its perch above the lake and a great seafood restaurant...Wintzell's Oyster House.  

The portico of the hotel was populated by a flock of barn swallows, attaching themselves to the ceiling and beams like bats.  Just don't walk slowly under them or park your car in their vicinity!

Back to Snead State...founded in 1898 as a Methodist Episcopal seminary.  John Snead. a Boaz businessman, provided land, money, and leadership to the seminary.  Now Snead State is a dynamic community college with strong academic programs, very reasonable costs, and a unique setting on a beautiful campus.  Dr. Exley and his team are providing outstanding leadership, including a long-range campus master plan that will soon result in a pedestrian campus with up-to-date facilities.  Classes available on campus (including evenings) and on-line for students' convenience.

At Cargill Associates we have always said that community colleges are the nation's true bargain in education, providing easy access for millions to a diversity of associate degrees and a strong start to further educational opportunities.  We hope to be strategic partners with President Exley and Snead State in the near future!

FLORIDA UNITED METHODIST CHILDREN'S HOME

Image via WikipediaI recently completed a very positive feasibility study for Florida United Methodist Children's Home (FUMCH), headquartered in Enterprise, Florida. Now they are beginning the silent phase of their capital plan for an exciting project. The campaign will fund the facilities on a ranch environment north of Madison, Florida for children from dysfunctional families. One of the exciting aspects of this project is that the 120 acres of land was donated by one family. In addition, the feasibility study was paid for by another donor.

FUMCH provides services related to sexual abuse, physical abuse, abandonment, or family breakdown due to divorce, drug abuse, illness, or parental death.

The campaign is seeking $12-million to improve the beautiful pasture and timberland, constructing cabins, offices, barn, open-air chapel, and lake. The barn is needed because they use equine assisted psychotherapy(EAP).

We are excited about this campaign and, most importantly, the positive future impact it will have on children and families

CAMP AND CONFERENCE CENTERS

Image by adobemac via Flickr

Each Methodist conference, Baptist state convention, Episcopal Diocese, and other similar faith-based organizational structure usually has a camp and conference center program. These programs are vital to the energy of the denomination because major personal changes take place in these recreational settings: young people learn critical life skills, meet persons who may become their life partners, become Christians, grow closer to God, hear God's call to the ministry, and many other significant events shaping the remainder of their lives. These facilities allow the time, solitude, and setting for similar impacts on young adults and adults.

In addition, conference centers provide creative spaces for church gatherings, conferences, weddings, reunions, picnics, baptisms, youth rallies, and a variety of other events important in the lives of individuals, churches, parishes, and groups.

Many camps and conference centers operate on fees charged for camps and programs. This schedule usually does not allow for sufficient funds for adequate maintenance, repair, and expansion.

New meeting centers, complex rope courses, larger dining halls, updated cabins, technology, off-site events, staff training, and special entertainment are normally out of the question unless the organization has an endowment for these items.

Carefully crafted comprehensive campaigns designed to strengthen annual funds, secure major gifts, and provide for and recognize planned gifts are necessary for camp and conference centers to thrive and continue to be a very relevant part of the life of the church and its members.

Cargill Associates has extensive experience in faith-based camp and conference center feasibility studies and campaigns. They understand these special programs and their unique needs.

HOW WIDE, LONG, HIGH & DEEP IS THE LOVE OF CHRIST

Image via Wikipedia

As we consult with organizations to meet their needs, I am reminded of Paul's letter to the Ephesians as he wrote:

"...so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you...may have power... to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge--that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be the glory..."

DONOR BILL OF RIGHTS

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

Several organizations developed and endorsed "A Donor Bill of Rights." Every non-for-profit organization should have its Board adopt this document and reinforce its principles through daily use. We declare that all donors have these rights:

I. To be informed of the organization's mission, of the way the organization intends to use donated resources, and of its capacity to use donations effectively for their intended purposes.

II. To be informed of the identity of those serving on the organization's governing board, and to expect the board to exercise prudent judgement in its stewardship responsibilities.

III. To have access to the organization's most recent financial statements.

IV. To be assured their gifts will be used for the purposes for which they were given.

V. To receive appropriate acknowledgement and recognition.

VI. To be assured that information about their donation is handled with respect and with confidentiality to the extend provided by law.

VII. To expect that all relationships with individuals representing organizations of interest to the donor will be professional in nature.

VIII. To be informed whether those seeking donations are volunteers, employees of the organization or hired solicitors.

IX. To have the opportunity for their names to be deleted from mailing lists that an organization may intend to share.

X. To feel free to ask questions when making a donation and to receive prompt, truthful, and forthright answers.

A DONOR BILL OF RIGHTS

Image via Wikipedia

Four associations, including AFP, AHP, CASE, and the Giving Institute, developed A DONOR BILL OF RIGHTS to strengthen the confidence donors have in nonprofit organizations.
These rights include the right to be informed of the organization's mission, of the way the organization intends to use donated resources, and of its capacity to use donations effectively for their intended purposes; To be informed of the identity of those serving on the organization's governing board, and to expect the board to exercise prudent judgement in its stewardship responsibilities; and To have access to the organization's most recent financial statements.

There are ten rights in total. More in a later Blog.

THE "SECRETS" TO A SUCCESSFUL CAMPAIGN

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I am often asked what makes a successful campaign. In my opinion, the following elements result in successful campaigns:

1. Strong mission that effectively meets the needs of their clients
2. Exciting vision that evolves out of a comprehensive strategic plan
3. Passionate case statement that discusses the history, results, needs, and campaign details with dynamic graphics and testimonies.
4. Dedicated, hard-working, committed board members who invest in their organization with time, energies, connections, and dollars.
5. Capable leadership structure for overall campaign and constituent groups.
6. Combination of priority needs, annual fund, and endowment (planned gifts) opportunities.
7. A range of naming opportunities
8. Outstanding stewardship and ethics
9. Professionally done feasibility study

Let me know if you have additional thoughts. If you are considering a campaign, contact me if you have questions or need advice. Best wishes!