Nominate Your Charity for a Chance to Win $10,000

The Jimmie Johnson Foundation has launched the 2013 Blue Bunny Helmet of Hope program.  You have the opportunity to nominate a charity to receive a grant of $10,000, a Blue Bunny ice cream party and to be featured on five-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion Jimmie Johnson's helmet during the August 18th race at Michigan International Speedway. 

To date, the program has contributed more than $430,000 to 61 different charities across the United States. Visit www.helmetofhope.org to nominate your favorite charity today.

Posted in Fundraising. Tagged as Helmet of Hope, Jimmie Johnson, Member Opportunities.

Foundation for the Carolinas Teen Impact Fund is Accepting Applications

The Teen Impact Fund is looking for energetic and dedicated students who are interested in serving their community.

The Teen Impact Fund is a program that provides students in Mecklenburg County with leadership skills in philanthropy and civic engagement. Each year the Teen Impact Fund is entrusted with up to $10,000 to decide which youth serving agencies to award grant funding to. The yearlong program brings together a diverse group of students to participate in team building exercises, educational sessions and outreach activities. Connecting teens who care to causes that matter is the heart of this initiative.

Potential participants must be between the ages of 14 and 18 years old and be a high school student that lives or attends school in Mecklenburg County.

There is no financial obligation to participate and no previous experience is required.

Applications are available online via the Teen Impact Fund webpage http://www.fftc.org/Page.aspx?pid=880.  All applications must be received by May 10, 2013.

For more information about this program, contact Lauren Evans at
704.973.4568 or levans@fftc.org.

The Teen Impact Fund is a special program of Foundation For The Carolinas in partnership with Leading to Change.

Submit Your Nominations for Philanthropy Day Today!

The deadline for the 22nd Annual National Philanthropy Day Award Nominations is due April 5th. Be quick or you will miss your chance to nominate a deserving individual or organization. We need your help to honor those who continue to strengthen our community and their commitment to change the world. 

Below are the Award Categories. Click here to get your nominations in today! 
  • Outstanding Champion of Diversity Award recognizes an individual or family who has demonstrated leadership and promoted best practices in diversity in a broad range of their activities, including philanthropy.
  • Outstanding Emerging Philanthropist Award recognizes an individual 40 and under for exceptional generosity and civic responsibility demonstrated through financial contributions and volunteerism to charitable organizations within the Charlotte/Metrolina Region.
  • Outstanding Philanthropic Organization Award recognizes a philanthropic corporation or organization (e.g. civic groups, volunteer organizations, etc.) whose grant programs, gifts, and charitable activities enrich a community within the Charlotte/Metrolina Region. 
  • Outstanding Philanthropic Small Business Award recognizes a small business (less than 100 employees) whose gifts or charitable activities enrich a community within the Charlotte/Metrolina Region.
  • Outstanding Volunteer Fundraiser Award recognizes a person who provides exceptional leadership in coordinating fundraising projects or activities for a charitable organization or cause, with a preference for community work that has direct impact on the Charlotte/Metrolina region. 
  • Outstanding Student Philanthropy Award recognizes a student or student group (age 23 or under) whose voluntary fundraising efforts have demonstrated the spirit of philanthropy and set an example for others to follow.
  • Outstanding Legacy Award (chosen by the Leave A Legacy Committee) recognizes exemplary philanthropic contributions made in legacy form via bequest, trust, or other planned gift. 
  • Outstanding Professional Fundraising Executive Award recognizes a fundraising executive whose actions and leadership exemplify ethical and effective professional practice and whose performance has enhanced the financial resources and recognition of the organization(s) for which he/she works.
  • Outstanding Philanthropist Award recognizes an individual or family for exceptional generosity and civic responsibility demonstrated by significant financial contributions to charitable organizations within the Charlotte/Metrolina Region.
 

Posted in Fundraising.

40 Under 40 Recipient Credits AFP Charlotte for His Success

Last week, Benjamin Mohler (UNC Charlotte) for being named to the 40 Under 40 List by the Charlotte Business Journal. We asked Ben to share his the impact his AFP membership has had on him professionally. Congratulations to Ben on being named to this distinguished list!

by Ben Mohler

After moving to Charlotte in the summer of 2007, I was encouraged by co-workers to attended AFP Charlotte Chapter monthly chapter meetings. Unsure how attending the meetings would directly improve my daily responsibilities, I was reluctant to commit. However, after a few meetings, I began to see their importance. With time I grew to learn that although these meetings were important, the real value of the chapter membership happened before and after meetings.

You see, AFP Charlotte Chapter is far more than just monthly meetings. Its value comes in networking opportunities, committee work, and the opportunity to share common experiences with other leaders in the Charlotte nonprofit community.  I can easily say that the benefits of membership far exceeds the cost. In fact, I credit much of my success to the investment other members have made in my career. Many of these investments have been unintentional results of being involved and volunteering, but a few have been deliberate.

My most notable "deliberate experience" grew out of the mentoring program. When I began looking for professional development opportunities outside of monthly chapter meetings, Linda Breen encouraged me to join the mentoring committee that she led. She gave me the opportunity to help her administer the newly revived program. I also signed up to be a mentor. But as luck would have it, that first year was overbooked with mentors. Linda encouraged me to sign up as a mentee and I was paired with Martin Novom.

I credit Martin for being deliberate in guiding me to achieve many of the recent milestones of my career. These include his encouragement to take the CFRE in 2008 and present at the 2011 AFP International Conference in Chicago. However, the most important investment he has made in my growth as a leader in the fundraising profession is helping me master the art of the reflective practitioner. Although our formal mentoring relationship through AFP Charlotte ended in 2008, Martin remains one of my closest allies, strongest supporter, and a trusted sounding board.

The AFP Charlotte Chapter has experienced great growth since 2007 and many resources are available for no additional cost. Noting this, I encourage others to seek out the value of membership and build their vibrant professional network.

Tagged as CFRE, Mentoring, Scholarship.