FOUNDATION
Growing Our Circle EXPANDING OUR IMPACT TOGETHER BY MORGAN ELAM (EPSILON ZETA, AUBURN UNIVERSITY), FOUNDATION COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST
T
GROWING
he Foundation exists to help fulfill the promise of the Real. Strong. Women. Experience that Alpha Chi Omega makes to its members. This mission is realized through the Foundation’s support of the Fraternity Grant request.
OUR CIRCLE
Every year, the Fraternity submits a grant request to the Foundation for the total cost of its educational and philanthropic programs eligible for funding under IRS guidelines. The Foundation’s goal is to fund the request fully; however, the Fraternity’s need significantly outweighs the available funding in most years. Leadership Circle donors, who give $1,000 or more annually to the Real. Strong. Women. Fund, play an important role in the Fraternity Grant process. Their gifts make up a significant portion of the Foundation’s annual unrestricted fundraising and are critical to our ability to fund the Fraternity Grant request. (To learn more about Leadership Circle and its benefits, check out the “All About Leadership Circle” article on page 19!) In February, the Foundation launched Growing Our Circle, an initiative to increase the Foundation’s ability to fund the Fraternity Grant through ambitious growth in annual giving to the Real. Strong. Women. Fund through the Leadership Circle program. Growing Our Circle aims to expand this circle of support through three goals: 1. 2. 3.
More than double the number of Leadership Circle donors to 850 Increase the level of annual giving by Leadership Circle members Reach a new generation of donors through the addition of the Olive Circle
Increased participation in Leadership Circle leads to more dollars for the Real. Strong. Women. Fund and the Fraternity Grant, which means that the Fraternity can continue to develop and expand its programs each year. Keeping our programs relevant and accessible ensures a strong and thriving future for our sisterhood. 16
ALPHA CHI OMEGA
THE FRATERNIT Y GRANT FUNDS A VARIET Y OF EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS FOR COLLEGIANS AND ALUMNAE INCLUDING LEADERSHIP ACADEMY, WOMEN & WISDOM, MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES, ROTATIONAL PROGRAMS AND MORE!