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Tag: Donate

Over $400,000 to SCTP & SASP Teams Through Vision 20/20

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The 2017 Vision 20/20 campaign is in the books and has raised the bar for Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP) and Scholastic Action Shooting Program (SASP) local team fundraising efforts. Participating teams raised a total of $134,706 from October through December for the 2017 campaign. Through these fundraising efforts, participating teams receive a total of $59,241 in cash grants from the Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation and a MidwayUSA Foundation team endowment account benefit of $353,697! Total SCTP and SASP team benefit for the 2017 campaign is $412,938!

“Our teams worked hard and were creative on this campaign to generate donations and at the same time promote awareness about the positive benefits of youth shooting sports in their community,” said Ben Berka, President and Executive Director of the Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation. “One team sent in $10,000 generated from a simple tip-jar at their host gun club! Another small-town team solicited only local businesses and received over $7,500 in donations with the average donation being $345! Others did email solicitation campaigns and social media efforts to reach team supporters near and far.”

Vision 20/20 provides local SCTP and SASP teams with a way to raise funds locally and provides cash needs for today through an SSSF cash grant in January 2018 and funding needs for perpetuity via donations to SCTP and SASP team endowment accounts at the MidwayUSA Foundation. For every ten dollars received by the team, the team receives a cash grant of $5 and up to $25 to their team endowment account through generous match funding.

The donations and matching funds from SSSF to MidwayUSA Foundation Team Endowment Accounts established to benefit SCTP and SASP member-teams are made possible, in part, by grants to the SSSF from the Tulsa Community Foundation Youth Shooting Fund established and funded by the generosity of Larry and Brenda Potterfield.

“The generous match funding and the perpetuity of an endowed account was a real driver for local team success in this campaign,” Berka said. “There are not very many community sports teams who can knock on a potential donor’s door and offer match funding for their donation AND guarantee that their donation will be used to support the team FOREVER via an endowed account. Our partnership with the MidwayUSA Foundation helps our SCTP and SASP teams do just that!”

The Team Endowment Program at the MidwayUSA Foundation gives a community the ability to financially support a competitive youth shooting sports program at the high school and college level. The team can then request a grant of up to 5% of their endowment account balance once each year, in either June or December, to pay for team expenses.  There are no fees associated with a MidwayUSA Foundation Team Endowment.

About Vision 20/20
The SSSF’s Vision 20/20 campaign is a multi-year fundraising effort started in 2016 with the goal to grow national youth participation in the Scholastic Clay Target Program and Scholastic Action Shooting Program to over 20,000 student athletes annually by the year 2020. In partnership with industry partners, civic organizations, member teams and donors the SSSF will provide the opportunity and funding for more students to join existing shooting teams and create new teams where none exist today. Please watch www.sssfonline.org/vision2020 for more information on the upcoming 2018 campaign.

Support SSSF on #GivingTuesday!

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By supporting SSSF with a tax-deductible donation on #GivingTuesday – November 28, you are supporting youth development through the shooting sports through our nation-wide network of teams involved in the Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP) and Scholastic Action Shooting Program (SASP)!

Here are 5 easy ways to support youth in the shooting sports today!

  1. Become a Supporting Member
    By joining the Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation as a Supporting Member you are part of the great movement of youth development through the shooting sports! Memberships start at as little as $40 annually and include a membership card, Supporting Member decal and other benefits. As a special one-time offer, the first 500 members to join as Supporting Members will receive a limited edition Browning knife set and be commemorated as part of the SSSF 500 Club!
  2. Donate to our Scholarship Fund
    In 2017 the SSSF awarded nearly $100,000 to young adults in the SCTP and SASP to assist with college education. SSSF has awarded over $300,000 in college scholarships since 2013.
  3. Give to our Vision 20/20 Campaign
    The SSSF is in the second year of a campaign entitled, “VISION 20/20”! The goal is to grow participation to over 20,000 student athletes involved in the SCTP and SASP annually by the year 2020. Use Team ID SSSF at the time of your donation or give to your favorite team by using a specific Team ID at the time of your donation! The campaign runs through 12/31/17.
  4. Donate to the SSSF Endowment Fund
    Donate to the SSSF Operating Endowment Fund and have your donation matched 1:1 by the MidwayUSA Foundation doubling your donation! This endowment account is a perpetual source of funding needed to support the Scholastic Clay Target Program and Scholastic Action Shooting Program!
  5. Take a young person to the range!
    Not able to donate this #GivingTuesday? Consider taking a youngster or two out to the range for a day of plinking or smashing clays! If you enjoy teaching and mentoring youth in the shooting sports, please contact us on how you can start your own SCTP or SASP team or become a coach for an existing team!

To find out about all of the ways to make a tax-deductible donation to the Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation and to download a printable donation form, please visit www.sssfonline.org/donate.

About #GivingTuesday
The Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation (SSSF) has joined #GivingTuesday, a global day of giving that harnesses the collective power of individuals, communities and organizations to encourage philanthropy and to celebrate generosity worldwide. Occurring this year on November 28, #GivingTuesday is held annually on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving and the widely recognized shopping events Black Friday and Cyber Monday to kick-off the holiday giving season and inspire people to collaborate in improving their local communities and to give back in impactful ways to the charities and causes they support.

Support SSSF This Holiday Season!

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Shop for everyone on your gift list this holiday at smile.amazon.com/ch/20-8484121 and support the Scholastic Clay Target Program and Scholastic Action Shooting Program!

When you checkout on Amazon through our special link, AmazonSmile Foundation will donate 0.5% of the price of eligible purchases to the  Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation.

Shop online and support youth in the shooting sports! It’s THAT easy!

 

MidwayUSA Foundation Adds Over Half a Million To Youth Shooting Team Endowments

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Columbia, MO– The year of 2017 continues to be a very positive one for youth shooting sports, specifically for those teams with a MidwayUSA Foundation Team Endowment. In September, alone, donations to the MidwayUSA Foundation generated $598,500 in matching dollars. The Matching Program matches contributions to youth shooting team endowments, 2:1, and is possible because of the generosity and passion of Larry and Brenda Potterfield. Their donations fund the program. Nearly 200 youth shooting teams benefited from this September matching contribution.

“There aren’t a lot of organizations that are able to offer a 2:1 match and we are thrilled to see more and more teams are taking advantage of that,” said Randy Moeller, MidwayUSA Foundation Executive Director. “With the giving season right around the corner we are expecting donations to continue to increase in the coming months and we are able to triple those contributions.”

Through the MidwayUSA Foundation website (midwayusafoundation.org/donate) donors can choose the team that will benefit from their contribution. Donations are tax deductible and 100% of the donation, as well as the match, benefits that team. The Foundation keeps zero for operating expenses. The 2:1 match will end in 2017.

The MidwayUSA Foundation is a 501(c)(3) public charity working to sustain the shooting sports industry by providing long-term funding to youth shooting teams. Every donation made is 100% tax deductible and supports the mission to help communities and organizations raise funds to support their youth shooting team. The Foundation supports all shooting disciplines. For more information about how the MidwayUSA Foundation is changing the future of youth shooting sports, please visit midwayusafoundation.org or call 1-877-375-4570.

Vision 20/20 Campaign Runs Through December

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In 2016 the Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation launched a  campaign entitled, “VISION 20/20” with the goal to grow national participation in the Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP) and Scholastic Action Shooting Program (SASP) to over 20,000 student athletes annually by the year 2020. In partnership with industry partners, civic organizations, member teams and DONORS like you the SSSF will provide the opportunity and funding for more students to join existing shooting teams and create new teams where none exist today. By introducing more student athletes to the world of clay target and action shooting, we will also ensure the protection of the Second Amendment for generations to come!

Donors have the choice to support a local Scholastic Clay Target Program / Scholastic Action Shooting Program team and/or the national efforts of the Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation to start SCTP and SASP teams where none exist today. For a limited time, donations to your favorite team will be matched 4:1 and donations to the SSSF’s national efforts will be matched 2:1! All donations are tax deductible.

Donations directed to teams support local SCTP and SASP teams in two ways:

  1. Cash grants provided by Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation for the upcoming season.
  2. Growth of the team’s endowment account held at the MidwayUSA Foundation to support the team needs of the future, forever! Generous match funding is available to participating teams as well as a grand prize of $10,000 team endowment funds for the top fundraising team!

All SCTP and SASP teams are being invited to participate by engaging in team-centric fundraising activities in support of Vision 20/20.

Donations directed to the Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation will be 100% dedicated to the SSSF’s operational endowment account to support the needs of the Foundation FOREVER! Generous match funding will be provided through the Vision 20/20 campaign to maximize all donations directed to the SSSF.

This years campaign runs through December 31, 2017 and donations can be made securely online or mailed to the Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation headquarters using the provided form.

Match funding is made possible because of the generous donations from Larry and Brenda Potterfield.

For complete details on the campaign or to make a donation, please visit www.sssfonline.org/vision2020.

Fundraising for Your Team: Soliciting Donations

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This is part of a series of posts on fundraising for SCTP and SPP teams.

DollarJust seeing the words “soliciting donations” may make you cringe. For some people, it isn’t an easy thing to do. But asking for donations doesn’t have to mean standing on the corner with a cardboard sign. Just like soliciting sponsorships, there is a professional and effective way to ask for donations.

Many people who support the shooting sports designate a portion of their charitable donations for shooting-related organizations, and they would be receptive to helping your team if they knew how or even knew you needed their support. The very people who make an annual donation to the NRA, join conservation organizations, or make donations to other youth athletics programs are potential donors to your shooting team.

Here are some pointers to make the process less painful:

  • Create a simple printed presentation with all the info potential donors need to know about your team, SCTP-SPP, and your fundraising campaign’s goals. This can be as simple as a one-page information sheet you’ve printed yourself or a little more elaborate, but don’t overdo it. Much of the information in it will be the same that you create for sponsorship proposals.

  • Determine how the funds will be used. Will the money become part of the annual operating fund, be used as a donation to your team’s MidwayUSA Foundation endowment fund where it will be matched 1:1, or designated for a particular use, such as travel to the National Championship or new uniforms? Include this in your presentation.

  • Treat this as a campaign with a beginning and an end. This will keep you from being in a perpetual state of asking for money, and having a deadline will create some urgency to get the job done. However, make it easy for people to donate any time of the year.

  • You may wish to establish different levels of donations, as with sponsorships, but it might be a good idea to evaluate your prospects the first year to determine how to set these. Consider your own circumstances in making this decision. If you think most of your donations will come in very small amounts, it probably isn’t necessary.

  • Publicize your fundraising campaign and your team’s activities. Contact the local newspaper, distribute a press release, and use social media. Is there a local chapter of Pheasants Forever, NWTF, NRA, or other shooting/hunting/conservation organization? Its members will almost certainly be interested in your team. Offer to do a presentation at a meeting. Ditto local civic organizations; keep the solicitation very low-key and make it mostly about awareness of your team.

  • Before launching your campaign, create a list of prospects. Since businesses would usually fit into the sponsor category, for these purposes, we’re referring to individuals. Include people from your community whom you know to be shooters or hunters, supporters of youth programs, family friends who are interested in your activities, and others from your community. Assign those prospects to someone specific to contact. That way, good prospects won’t be overlooked, nor will several members of the team contact the same person.

  • Add a donation button to your team’s website and social media pages so people can donate year-round, if they wish. You won’t have to process credit cards or have a sophisticated payment system on your website if you use Paypal. Anytime you produce printed materials, direct people to your website. Don’t have a website? Google “build a free website” to find many options.

  • Consider using an online fundraising platform, especially if you are raising money for a specific purpose, such as travel to your state shoot or the National Championship. Google “online fundraising websites” for ideas.

  • Make use of SCTP and SPP videos in your presentations. We have short videos that can help you tell the SCTP – SPP story. See our video channel.

  • Be prepared to follow up. In addition to perfect record-keeping, plan to send follow-up acknowledgements for donations.

  • Recognize your donors. Take every opportunity to thank your donors and recognize their generosity. Add a page on your website to recognize your donors by name. If you receive a major donation, you may even want to announce it publicly through a press release, with the donor’s permission.

  • If you are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, get advice from your attorney or financial advisor on any fundraising requirements that might apply, such as different accounts for different purposes and record-keeping. Don’t risk your nonprofit status by overlooking these requirements. If yours is a school team, make sure to consult with school authorities to stay in compliance.

  • Finally, keep in mind that these are suggestions to spark your imagination. Not everything will be right for your team, nor is this a comprehensive list of everything you should consider. But having a plan and following it does apply to every team. Consider your team’s circumstances and opportunities, and get to work.

    Kim Rhode to Serve as Honorary Fundraising Chairperson

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    Five-time Olympic medalist is SCTP Alumna

    Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation (SSSF) is pleased to announce that Olympic Gold Medalist Kim Rhode will serve as its Honorary Fundraising Chairperson for 2014-2015. Kim is an alumna of the Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP), having been involved in the earliest days of SCTP.

    Kim Rhode“SCTP was very important to me as I began my competitive shooting career, and I am very pleased to lend my support to promote its ongoing growth,” said Rhode.

    “Kim represents the best attributes of our program and is a tremendous role model for our youth, not only as an Olympic athlete, but also now as a hard-working mom,” said Louise Terry, Chairperson of the SSSF Board of Directors. “Her extraordinary success in her career is due to her dedication to our sport and to her persistent pursuit of her personal goals. We are very proud of Kim and her outstanding achievements.”

    Kim Rhode starting shooting skeet at age 10 and won her first World Championship in American skeet only three years later. She won her first Olympic gold medal in women’s double trap at the 1996 Games in Atlanta, making the 17-year-old the youngest female gold medalist in the history of Olympic shooting. Kim followed this performance with a bronze at the Sydney Games in 2000 and another gold medal in double trap in 2004 at the Athens Games.

    When women’s double trap was eliminated from the Olympics following the 2004 Games, Kim refocused on international skeet, winning the silver medal in 2008 in Beijing and her third Olympic gold medal at the 2012 London Games, equaling the world record of 99/100 targets and making her the most decorated Olympic female shooter in history. In addition to her five Olympic medals, Kim has won 13 world championships, plus two ISSF World Cup wins in 2014 as she prepares for her sixth Olympic appearance in Rio in 2016.

    “Kim is also a Charter Member of the SSSF Champion’s Roundtable for major supporters,” said Dan Hathaway, Director of Foundation Development. ”Her leadership is most welcome as we embark on our new fundraising efforts.”

    SSSF Launches 2014-2015 Fundraising Initiative

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    The Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation (SSSF), the not-for-profit organization that powers the Scholastic Clay Target Program and Scholastic Pistol Program, has launched a new fundraising initiative for 2014-2015 to fuel the foundation’s mission.

    The fundraising effort will offer four different ways for supporters to participate: the SSSF Annual Fund, the Champion’s Roundtable for major gifts, Scholarship and Operating Endowment Funds for designated donations, and the Legacy Society for donors who wish to include SSSF in their estate plans.

    Larry and Brenda Potterfield
    Larry and Brenda Potterfifeld
    As part of this initiative, SSSF is proud to announce that Larry and Brenda Potterfield, founders of MidwayUSA, have been named “Founding Life Diamond Members” of the Champion’s Roundtable, which recognizes donors who have made major contributions to our mission.

    “Our Foundation is blessed to have strong leadership support from Larry and Brenda, whose generosity has allowed us to significantly grow our programs,” said Louise K. Terry, Chairperson of the SSSF Board of Directors. “We hope there are many other supporters who will find a level of giving that suits their circumstances and will join Larry, Brenda, and the SSSF Board members to ensure the future of our great programs.”

    Larry and Brenda are also Charter Members of the SSSF Legacy Society, which honors our donors who have included SSSF in their estate plans through deferred gifts.

    “We invite other donors to follow the leadership of Larry and Brenda and join them in support of our mission to develop the leaders of tomorrow who will perpetuate the future of youth shooting and be good stewards of our Second Amendment rights,” said Dan Hathaway, Director of Foundation Development.

    Click on the Donate page to learn more about how your gift can help SSSF stay on target. Your current gift may be completed online. To learn more about making a planned gift, contact Ben Berka, President & Executive Director, at donate@sssfonline.com, or 515-201-8395.

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