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Running a charity requires support from donors and volunteers in the best of times.
These two main sources of support are even more critical in challenging times.
2008 brought good change and challenge to The First Tee Snohomish County (TFTSC).
TFTSC served 358 youth in 2008. Total expenses were $118,000. Our impact to youth required an average investment of $329 per student. With financial scholarships included, per student tuition revenues averaged $75. Therefore, the funding gap between average student revenue and average student cost was $254 per student. This is why, when we ask consideration of a gift, we say it is $250 to �sponsor� one student.
Results of an October 2008 planning meeting with the Board of Directors produced a refocused energy and direction for the healthy long-term future of TFTSC.
An exciting future vision took shape: The First Tee of Snohomish County will be the premier youth development program in the area.
This vision includes a future dream of a �Learning Center� where children can enjoy affordable access to a youth-centered facility. The Learning Center will be a safe place to explore and develop individual academic skills, golf skills, and Life Skills for success.
The Board created 2009 goal statements for three committees under a streamlined organizational framework. The Board makes policy and sets strategic direction. The marketing, finance, and program committees will activate strategies for results.
The Board assessed the main strength of TFTSC, as well as, its most important opportunity for improvement.
TFTSC is most strong in the delivery of our Life Skills Education program through well-trained volunteer coaches.
TFTSC has the opportunity to most improve in fund development skills and strategies.
Our current strength is our program delivery for the kids. Serving our core customers well is a good strength to have. Our most valuable external asset is our volunteer coaches. In 2008 we added 16 new volunteer coaches to our ranks. In 2009 we will increase our investment in volunteer recruitment and training to double our volunteer ranks and empower more coaches, parents, and friends with a deeper understanding of the positive impact of our curriculum in the lives of our students.
We plan to continue to increase the quality of each student�s experience, serving 400 students in 2009, rather than grow significantly in total numbers of students served.
Our fundraising strategies will focus on doing fewer initiatives better. An example is our annual golf tournament. In 2009 we are changing venues to the Everett Golf & Country Club. This will be our only special event fundraiser. Save the date of June 8, 2009.
We will do a better job marketing and educating the community about our unique value for youth development, so we can confidently ask more individuals and businesses to consider �sponsoring a student�. Our most valuable internal asset is our Life Skills Education curriculum. Because of its value to the community, we should be bold in sharing the results it generates.
Every local The First Tee chapter receives startup grants from the National The First Tee Office in their first three program years. 2008 was the first program year that The First Tee Snohomish County (TFTSC) was independent from this national support. We took on several diverse funding initiatives in 2008 and did not reach the results we hoped for. 2009 will be an opportunity for us to focus on funding strategies that worked and further develop only those under our control. We will continue our maturation on a path toward an independent, sustainable business model.
As a youth development organization, we realize a great number of youth still remain under-served. We want to continue to reach out to socio-economically challenged families. We want to reach more girls with our program. We want to continue to work with more ethnically diverse students. We will partner with other agencies and seek grant funds to expand our outreach program to meet these goals in 2009.
Financially, we enter 2009 with very tight cash reserves and expect the 2009 national economy to be slow to recover. We anticipate this may affect some of our business friends and sponsors in their ability to respond to our charity. We do not expect as significant an impact on our program tuition revenues, or our individual donors.
In 2008 we went from a modest annual membership fee structure, to an increased per session tuition fee structure. This was received well by parents and also served to identify additional student families to receive financial scholarship. We will keep our 2009 tuition fees structure the same as last year. No student will be turned away.
We anticipate 2009 will be a year of organizational growth and improvement. Like improvement in golf, our desire for the youth will be a consistent, quality of impact.
Our 2008 Highlights are Listed Below
16 new volunteer coaches trained.
4 new student mentor coaches.
$10,000 grant from Wal-Mart
Student Sam Hogenson chosen to attend National First Tee Life Skills Academy.
Donation of a 1985 Saab Turbo coupe.
Program Access with City of Everett at Legion & Walter Hall Golf Courses.
Full classes in summer program.
Successful fundraising golf tournament. $5,000 Banner Bank sponsorship.
Dr. Dave Reynaud completes National Training to become a Recognized TFT Coach
Board of Director Organizational Redesign
New Board Members Brent Webber and Diana Jorgensen
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