Finance committee

FOEC Finance Committee Meeting

June 29,2012

Notes provided by V. Aveni 

In attendance: Virginia Aveni, Ken Rapport, Jeanette Evans, Claire Posius, Christie Carlson

Grants

Claire Posius shared a list of grant opportunities, “A Summary of Grant Opportunities for Watershed Protection and Restoration in the Rocky River Watershed.”   The document summarizes a number of existing grant programs which might be applied to the watershed.  These are largely public grants and by no means all of the grants, especially those private grants.  Many of the programs require matching money which may be raised by other contributions and by partners in other organizations.

Membership dues and contributions

The group agreed that it should recommend revisions of both the dates that dues are due and the levels of dues.  The date should be moved to the end of June, just before the Annual Meeting, and the membership (and its publication in our mailings and brochures) levels should be only two, $15, students, and $25 for everyone else.  (Barb has suggested that the committee consider raising the top rate to $30).  These decisions will be finally decided by the Steering Committee.*

Yearly contributions should be solicited before end of year since we are raising some funds at the Holiday party.  A special letter, possibly with a well-designed Annual Report would highlight FOEC accomplishments, our non-profit status to attract contributions for special, local benefits.

Major Donor contributions

The team will research possible individual and corporate major donors. Members can help by sharing any lists or names with the committee.  Several which may be used would be local Kiwanis’, Rotaries, Chambers of Commerce, Garden Clubs, Dad’s Clubs, Church Social Action Committees, garden centers, and referrals of people with whom members do business.

Ken wondered what had happened to the Fact Sheets that he and Bob Gibbons developed for the donor packets.  We believe that they are in the boxes with the packets.  (I called Fran , who was not available, to see if she has those boxes..talked to Larry M to see if he had any of the packets.  He didn’t, so, hopefully they are at Fran’s house).

The Committee agreed that, while it may work on the elements of raising money, that the Steering Committee should move forward with strategic planning and a clear development plan for the organization.  Funds would be tied to the goals of FOEC .  

The plan would be a further demonstration on the efficiency and focus for purposes of selling FOEC.

Specific projects which might be part of future goals continue to be:

1. The Bishop Road land preservation parcel
2. Scholarships
3. A projector screen (this ends up at the bottom of the list every time)

Added were:

1. Money for restoration and maintenance of the Dusty Goldenrod meadow.  Claire mentioned that the meadow may have been somewhat degraded in the last few years.
2. Money for strategic planning

Strategic planning

The Committee discussed several specific facilitators who might conduct a day or two’s s.p. process.  It will have a list to refer to the Steering Committee, but several local people were mentioned, in addition to a facilitator from The Institute for Conservation Leadership which is funded by the George Gund Foundation.

Fund-raising events

Barb Holtz suggested that we discuss a road race in Euclid Creek Reservation.  The Committee wanted to recommend the race.  It was raised several years ago, but problems with the logistics sidelined the suggestion.  Hopefully there would be ways to remove the roadblocks (no pun intended).

Spring major fund-raiser

The Committee had to adjourn before discussing this project.

Next meeting: July 27, 3 p.m. at Ginny Aveni’s house.