Guidelines
Guidelines for the Recipient Selection Committee
OVERVIEW OF THE COMMITTEE
The Recipient Selection Committee is responsible for researching, interviewing, and presenting to the membership potential non-profit 501 c (3) agencies in Santa Clara County to receive funds raised from a Summit League (SL) fundraising event. The committee consists of a minimum of five members; one of whom is a carry-over member to guide the next term. Committee members are expected to commit to ethical conduct and must sign a Conflict of Interest Policy document.
Recommendations:
The committee should consist of experienced SL members; however, it is also a great placement for new members as they will be steeped immediately into one of the key missions of the Summit League.
The Summit League fundraiser occurs every two years. Recently we have been holding the major fundraiser in late May or early June. As used in these Guidelines, “bye year” means the planning year in-between the main SL fundraiser.
The committee’s work should begin soon after the SL biennial fundraiser is completed. The membership vote/selection should occur at either the October/November general meetings, if the event is held in May/June. The early selection of the recipient is very valuable to the Ways & Means Co-Chairs and their planning process. For example, the recipient organization can be critical to choosing the theme, a speaker/entertainment, securing funding, and garnering community support for the upcoming event.
Per the bylaws, the committee must present at least 3 agencies, but up to 4 agencies may be presented to the general membership to be voted on at the October or November General meeting.
It is important to keep vetting the 3 or 4 agencies to be presented to the general membership (e.g., scouring the internet for media articles or talking to the agencies themselves) up to the time of the membership vote. Experience has shown that adverse information can surface or the agency’s own fundraiser may coincide with the timing of the SL fundraiser in May or June, and thus weaken both events.
The carry-over member may be considered an informal advisor to the Holiday Giving committee during the “bye year”, because of her knowledge of the agencies who were not selected as the recipient. This member may also act as liaison to the recipient agency during the planning year(s) of the fundraiser, if one is needed.
Candidate Agencies Selection Considerations:
Require minimum 5 year operating history – May avoid potential failure of the funded nonprofit and agency will stand up to scrutiny and comparison better. Although could miss opportunity to help launch a new worthy endeavor.
Restrict grant to Santa Clara County agency – Members, guests, and underwriters might be more inclined to support the event. Be aware that some charities serve broad geographical regions, however.
Require 1-year period for using the grant funds – Spending is easier to track and agency could be held accountable for a report, although we do not require one. However, smaller agencies or those seeking funds for capital improvements may take longer to effectively use the funds.
Not a past recipient – It makes sense to spread our funds around as there are so many needs. Nevertheless, some large organizations have many programs covering many different needs.
Size of organization or program – Large agencies are easier to vet and are usually more stable, and they may have small or new programs available to fund. Smaller programs can make our contribution more impactful. Smaller agencies always need more help.
Ability of agency to provide volunteers – This is not as important a factor for a single day event and we often hire professional help, such as parking attendants and caterers. Our active members are normally able to handle the need for volunteers. Sometimes, however, it is important to have members of the recipient’s board and its executive officers attend the event, and even speak.
Ability to match funds – Clearly the higher the leverage of our members’ and guests’ contributions, the more worthwhile our time and effort in running the event. Just be mindful of “donor fatigue” or the inability for matching by the recipient’s board.
Willingness to share mailing list with us – We have used the mailing list to promote the function and the agency in the months leading up to the event, with good success. Sometimes the agency provides us with address labels, and not their list electronically, to maintain the privacy of and propriety of their donors, as it is good policy on their part to keep their mailing list confidential.
Unrestricted grants permissible – We attempt to restrict our funds to special programs that the agency has identified which can assist in our “ask” to underwriters, yet often arts organizations particularly (but others also) need general funds.
Funds for “overhead” i.e., allocations for HQ rent, employee salaries, and general administration – Overhead costs are realistic and actually a partial unrestricted grant, however, requests with higher overhead (e.g., 15-20%) can make the agency less competitive.
Suggested Timeline of Committee Activities:
Month 1 – Collect SL membership input on interest in area of need and agency recommendations. (May use the Prospective Recipient Questionnaire.) Determine area of need to research and review organizations that have been considered in the past, funded or not funded (see attached SL funding history), and add suggestions from SL members and the co-chairs. Research websites and narrow down the list to a manageable number. Divide the list so that each committee member has between 3-4 agencies to research further.
Month 2-3 – Based on financial health, professionalism, and match with our area of focus, determine agencies to send letter of invitation, application, and site visit. Six is recommended. Complete site visits with as many committee members as possible and collect applications.
Month 3-4 – Review all applications thoroughly and narrow selection to 3-4 organizations to present at the general meeting. Assign one member to each agency to assist in readying their presentation. The committee member should remain neutral and uncommitted to the agency, but give technical advice for the presentation. Continue to vet the agencies by researching the internet for news media.
Month 5 – Email all applications and materials to SL membership to peruse at least 2 weeks prior to the voting meeting. At the meeting, committee members introduce the agency to SL membership and the agency presents. Agencies leave, membership votes, committee counts and announces the winner at the end of the general meeting.
Included in these guidelines:
2019-2020 final committee report, meeting agendas and minutes
Bylaws pertaining to Recipient Selection Committee
SL Conflict of Interest Policy and signature page
SL complete funding history and charities considered in 2017 and 2019
Prospective Recipient Questionnaire for SL members
Intro letter to potential recipient requesting a site visit, application for funding, and committee member’s site visit questionnaire
Letters of acceptance to present and rejection letter to those not chosen
Email message to SL membership announcing the top 3 candidates that will present. Attach more information about each agency to the email as members are to read ahead of the presentations. (There is also a message that explains why one charity was dropped late from the presentations in 2020.)
Ballot used at 2020 meeting and results.
Rejection letter to charity not chosen in 2020
Completed applications for the final 6 charities in 2020
Charities that solicited SL for funding (Holiday Gifting) but no donations were made.
Information on Hunger at Home, an agency that was not vetted for 2020, but is recommended for consideration another time.
*Note: These guidelines were first written in December 2020.
Community Volunteerism Committee Guidelines
Per the Summit League bylaws, the President Elect selects two or more active members to serve a one year term on the Community Volunteerism committee. This committee assesses worthy non-profit agencies in Santa Clara County in the Summit League’s philanthropic areas for support. The Committee proposes, organizes, and schedules members to perform various volunteer activities throughout the year. All financial needs are “self-funded”.
Historically, these volunteer activities have also offered members a chance to socialize while “doing good deeds”, and therefore it is suggested that the committee consider communicating and coordinating with the League Leisure committee, if such an opportunity arises. Furthermore, it has been suggested that these events be used to introduce prospective new members to the league and our membership.
Check SL insurance coverage on allowing non-members to participate in volunteer activities.
*Note: These guidelines were first written in December 2020.
Holiday Giving Guidelines
Holiday Giving should follow Summit League’s mission to give to non profit (IRS qualified 501(c)(3) agencies in Santa Clara County .
Traditionally, in the year that the recipient of the major fundraiser is selected, the membership has given Holiday funds to the other non-profit agencies that were thoroughly vetted by the RRSC but were not chosen by the membership for the major event. Currently, with the major fundraiser occurring in the spring, these votes will take place at the October and November meetings, consecutively.
Members vote on the amount to give the non-profit(s) based upon the funds available that were withheld in our fundraising account with advice from the Fundraising Treasurer and determined by the Executive Board. The Holiday Giving committee can also decide to research other non-profits, if for some reason the non-profits that were not selected for the major fundraiser, were not appropriate at the time of Holiday Giving.
During the planning or “bye” year of the major fundraiser, the Holiday Giving Committee should research non-profits in Summit League’s four areas of giving. The committee should decide appropriate criteria for the particular year, confirm the agencies’ missions, financial stability, and determine that these agencies would benefit from the size of the donation(s). The committee will present the vetted agencies to the membership at the November general meeting for a vote. The committee should present no more than three for a vote, and membership can select up to three agencies to receive an equitable division of the available funds.
Membership voting should take place after a motion has been presented by the committee (not requiring a second) to the membership. The committee may provide the membership a copy of the motion via email at least 5 days prior to the November general meeting. Any member can amend the motion, and the amendment must be approved by the membership at the November meeting before a vote is taken on that amended motion. If the amendment does not pass, the membership will vote on the committee’s original motion. The committee members will assist the President in counting the number of votes for each motion or amended motion.
*Note: these guidelines were first written in December 2020.
Fundraising Treasurer Guidelines
It is suggested that approximately 5% of the year end cash balance in the fundraising account be held back for start-up funds for the next fundraiser. The Executive Board recommends the amounts of the final fundraising distributions. In addition, funds should be held back for the Holiday Giving for the next two Novembers.
The FR Treasurer prepares a calculation before Summit League fiscal year end in the fundraising year so that the Board can review the calculation, and make a decision in time for the check to be prepared and dated by June 30 of the fundraising year, in order that the primary donation(s) will appear in the same tax return year.
For Holiday Giving donations, the FR Treasurer should remind the membership in the fall of each League year that funds have been allocated for holiday giving. The actual amount of the holiday donations will be voted on by the Active membership after presentations have been made at the November general membership meeting.