In stride with new development efforts, the Foundation’s Board of Trustees has approved updates to the organization’s giving levels. Changes have been made to the Fellow & Community Fellow Programs. A one-time gift option has also been added for those who only want to pledge for that year. The pledge card to the right denotes these changes.
“We are now more than ever in the business of fundraising to create sustainable funding for our grantees. We took a step back and focused on the needs of our donors. We knew simplifying our programs and adding more options for the donor was a smart move,” says Jack Brown President of the Board.
The Foundation is currently funding 30 law-related charitable programs whose mission impacts legal services for children, seniors, veterans, victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. Services also include law education programs for students in grade school through law school.
“The need always outweighs the money we have to give. It is heartbreaking to review those applications knowing the impact these organizations make in communities across the state, but we can only give them a part of what they need. All of our grantees could serve more people if only they had appropriate funding,” says Grants & Awards Chair and President Elect, Millie Otey. “Our goal is to increase the funding stream in efforts to bridge the funding gap.”
The Fellows Program created in 1978 has been a solid giving program for individuals who support the Bar Foundation’s mission. These donors pledged $1,000 over the span of 10 years. Some paid in full all at once and some paid $100 per year for the 10 years. After the initial $1,000 had been paid donors had the choice to move up to the Benefactor level at $300 per year. Updates to this program are to waive the $1,000 commitment and ask donors to commit to an annual gift amount. As long as a donor continues to give year after year, they remain in the program. Recognition for Fellows will be on an annual basis and will include donors who have given that year. All current OBF Fellows will be sent a letter at the end of the year and can opt in to the new program during 2016. New Fellows who sign up between now and the end of the year will be added into the updated giving programs immediately.
The Community Fellows Program created in 2013 is a giving program for law firms, businesses, organizations, OBA Sections and other groups that wish to partner in the work of the Foundation. Changes to this program include adding higher giving levels and removing one lower giving level. Recognition for this program now begins at $1,000.
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