Posted by PDG Jeanie Morgan
At the July 10 District celebration, The Rotary Vocational Fund of Arizona will be recognizing the top three clubs in District 5495 for their financial support of TRVFA.  The following four factors will be taken into consideration in selecting the top three clubs:
  1. The total number of donors 
  2. Percentage of number of donors compared to number of club members as of July 1, 2020
  3. The average dollars donated per member, again using July 1, 2020 membership data
  4. Total dollars donated
The majority of dollars received by TRVFA come from tax credit donations from individuals.  In the long run, those donations cost the donor nothing since the donor receives a dollar-for-dollar credit toward their Arizona State income tax obligation.  There is a lot of room to grow in this area.  Just under 10% of Arizona Rotarians have taken advantage of this tax credit giving opportunity this Rotary year.  Nearly 1/3 of Rotary Clubs in Arizona are not represented by even one donation.  This type of giving is not limited to Rotarians.  18% of dollars received in 2020-21 have come from donors not associated with a Rotary Club. 
 
At this time, the three clubs which appear to be the likely recipients of the 2020-21 recognition, have a relatively high percentage of member participation, but the highest percentage at this writing is only 61%.   A very small club could easily pass them with getting all their members on board to give something and maybe even pass them in average dollars per member by also writing a check from their club’s charitable funds.
 
 
One of the three top clubs has some larger donations credited to them from both their club foundation and a private endowment fund belonging to one of their members.  If this type of additional support were to become common practice, the maximum grant amount could be increased from the current $2,000 cap.  If TRVFA income were to grow significantly, additional vocational programs could possibly be added to the current TRVFA list of preferred programs for priority funding.
 
The club with the current top ranking in total dollars given to TRVFA this year was credited with a significant donation from a private donor who also requested that their identify remain anonymous.  Advocacy with friends, family, neighbors, and business associates just might result in a similar donation from someone you know.  Do some bragging about Arizona’s unique Rotary Vocational Service multi-district program.  Your bragging will have a lot more credibility if you are bragging about what you personally support.
 
One club currently in the top three has more members participating in the monthly recurring donation option than Rotarians in the rest of Arizona put together.  If more donors would choose that option, it would enable a painless way to accrue the tax credit to claim on their next Arizona income tax return, and it would help even out TRVFA cash flow.  Clubs could easily encourage their members to go to trvfa.org and click the DONATE NOW button to give and possibly start their own monthly recurring donation.   Allowing and encouraging members to do it during a meeting without fining them for being on their phone might actually be a good way to get the job done.
 
If you have a passion for the difference TRVFA makes in the lives of their grant recipients and want to drive some last minute support from your club, CLICK HERE to e-mail Jeanie Morgan and she will let you know where your club currently stands.   
 
TRVFA board members would love to see a final “sprint” change the leader board in this recognition competition.