Scouting Client Successes

For over 110 years, Scouting has remained the premier youth leadership organization in the country.  Today, Scouting’s values, and the leadership skills taught through its program, are just as important as they were in 1910. As your council moves forward with its fundraising, here are some important things to keep in mind.

In these last several months, I’ve been impressed by the courage, conviction and tenacity of frontline fundraisers who passionately believe in the power of philanthropy. Several principles have emerged that may benefit you in your work advancing your council’s important mission. I call them “lessons learned while leaning into the headwinds.”

During this challenging time, when Scout offices, camps and shops are closed and councils face difficult decisions, we want you to know Kinetic is here to help. If you have questions on how to navigate this season of uncertainty, our team is available to answer your questions and offer insights gathered from over 30 years serving Boy Scouts of America councils.

The first quarter of each year is the right time for council and district campaign leadership to initiate their fundraising plans for the year. Starting off the year strong will help drive momentum to help reach your goals.  This is extremely important as it sets the tone for what will become the entire year’s revenue for capital projects, programs, operating and endowment funding.

As Boy Scouts of America councils finish out the year, many are starting to evaluate their budgets and needs for the coming year. Whether you are planning for a Friends of Scouting or Investment in Character annual campaign, Kinetic is ready to help you make strategic fundraising plans for 2020. Email us now to schedule a free consultation:info@kineticfundraising.com.

Pacific Harbors Council Boy Scouts of America (Takoma, Wash.) is situated on the western shore of Summit Lake in Washington State. Camp Thunderbird is the Pacific Harbors Council’s premier camp offering an array of camping options and waterfront activities. The Council has enlisted Kinetic to help with fundraising for capital, regular giving and endowment goals. Pacific Harbors Council serves communities throughout most of Southwest Washington. Over 18,000 youth are served annually through local programs led by over 6,000 adult volunteers.

Could your council benefit from an objective fundraising point of view?

Schedule a senior Kinetic consultant to attend one of your council’s Financial and Fundraising Planning meetings. A professional fundraising consultant can offer an outside perspective on your current fundraising plan and give you guidance on how to implement more effective fundraising strategies in 2020.

Scouting for Food is a great time to do a good turn daily. Use this giving season to begin planning for your 2020 fundraising events. Consider partnering with area grocery stores to help showcase your council’s good work. Invite Scouting for Food donors to visit your social media pages. Neighbors who participate in this annual Scouting program may be interested in volunteering on some of the council’s other projects. A proven fundraising axiom is that “involvement leads to investment.” So, don’t overlook relationship-building opportunities that are “right at the doorstep.”

Very Well Family is an easy-to-navigate, online resource for families, providing articles and information on a variety of topics including tips, ideas and activities for Scouts and their families. Just a few examples include How to Plan the Best Scout Campfire Program, How to Assemble an Eagle Scout Binder and Insider Tips for Earning Boy Scout Merit Badges.

Boy Scouts of America (BSA) represents one of the greatest opportunities for donors to make a positive and profound difference in the next generation. Does your council have a plan for educating potential donors on the value of legacy gifts? The following are just some options donors may have available…

Congratulations, National Annual Meeting Winners!

We thoroughly enjoyed our time at NAM in Denver. We met some great folks, and made lasting relationships with many councils. Here are our National Annual Meeting winners for 2019 along with Kinetic Executive Vice President Ross Pfannenstiel:

Previously, a Senior Vice President, Ross recently was promoted to Executive Vice President. He has a strong track record of development leadership and nonprofit management. Ross worked for the Heart of America Council, Boy Scouts of America for 14 years. During his tenure with Heart of America, Ross successfully worked in all levels of field service and supervised a staff of over 30 employees covering a 19-county metropolitan area. Ross has raised millions of dollars for the Heart of America Council and his Kinetic clients during his non-profit management and development career.

With Founder Bob Hartsook’s retirement, Matt Beem, PhD – who has been part of Kinetic since 2001 and served as the firm’s President and CEO since 2011 – was named Chairman and CEO of Kinetic and Chairman of Kinetic’s ESOP Trust.

For over three decades, Kinetic has provided fundraising consultation tailored to meet the specific needs of BSA councils. Kinetic President and CEO Dr. Matthew J. Beem recently received the District Award of Merit from Blue Elk District, Heart of America Council – the highest district honor awarded a Scouting volunteer.

Crater Lake Council, Boy Scouts of America (Central Point, Ore.) has extended its ongoing campaign counsel contract with Kinetic to provide additional leadership and support for their campaign. The Council just announced its new Scout Executive and CEO James Westfall.

Kinetic Chairman  and CEO Dr. Matthew J. Beem recently received the District Award of Merit from Blue Elk District, Heart of America Council – the highest district honor awarded a Scouting volunteer. Matt is an Eagle Scout, a member of the Tribe of Mic-O-Say, and an active volunteer with Boy Scouts of America.

Do Your Donors Know? Boy Scouts Program Renamed Scouts BSA

When donors do not feel informed, they do not feel appreciated, and this will impact their feelings about an organization as well as their giving.

Congratulations, 2018 Eagle Scouts!

Only six percent of Scouts earn the rank of Eagle Scout. The final leadership project can take years to complete. From 1912 to 2017, only 2.5 million Scouts have earned this highest rank. Here are just a few exceptional stories from 2018…

Heart of America Council, Boy Scouts of America (Kansas City) has received several large gifts toward its Built on Character campaign including two $1-million gifts – one from an individual and another from a Kansas City foundation.

According to Tuft University’s Character and Merit Project (CAMP) study, the more time kids spend in Scouting, the better the outcomes in character development. Those who attend meetings regularly report higher outcomes virtually across the board when compared to Scouts with lower attendance.

As a reflection of Kinetic’s commitment to growing philanthropy, our team provides eligible nonprofits access to some of the nation’s most knowledgeable fundraising consultants. Kinetic Days of Service provide a tailored discussion about an organization’s most pressing fundraising challenges.

We hope you enjoyed this year’s Top Hands! We look forward to attending the National Annual Meeting in May, 2019. Until then, feel free to contact Ross Pfannenstiel, Jason Wood or Tammy Weinman to learn how Kinetic can help grow philanthropy for your council.

Over twenty Scouts in their 70s and 80s returned to Newport Beach, Calif to celebrate the 65th anniversary reunion of the seven-day national Jamboree held there in July 1953. Hollywood celebrities Jimmy Stewart, Bob Hope, Will Rogers Jr. and Danny Kaye had attended “Hollywood’s Salute to Scouts.”

The Mayflower Council Boy Scouts of America (Marlborough, Mass.), represented by Director of Development Jim Corcoran, won a free board training, as well as copies of the book Fundraising Leadership: The Essential Guide for Nonprofit Board Members Who Want to Make a Lasting Difference authored by Kinetic Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Creative Officer Karin Cox.

Boy Scouts of America (BSA) represents one of the greatest opportunities for donors to make a positive and profound difference in the next generation. Does your council have a plan for educating potential donors on the value of legacy gifts? The following are just some options donors may have available…

Success in training depends largely on the Scoutmaster’s own personal example. The Scoutmaster teaches Scouts through participation. Training is accomplished through involvement: When you want a thing done, ‘Don’t do it yourself’ is a good motto for Scoutmasters.

Heart of America Council, Boy Scouts of America (Kansas City) has retained Kinetic to help support its fundraising goals including its camp renewal projects. The Council recognizes that to attract Scouts to camp, they must continue to make maintenance and upgrades a priority.

Are you considering a capital, major gifts, or endowment campaign? Are you looking at opportunities to improve your overall development operation? Contact us to schedule an appointment to meet at the 2018 National Annual Meeting, May 23-25 in Dallas.

This time of year, Council staff, board members, and volunteers are energized with a renewed sense of urgency and expectation for fundraising. So, act on this momentum now!

Recent disasters, including devastating hurricanes in Florida, Texas, and Puerto Rico, prompted one Scout in Indiana to launch a blood drive during the holidays. His goal was to get 30 people to give blood and help replenish what local blood banks had given to address immediate needs.

A California landscaping company recently teamed up with local Boy Scouts to create an outdoor classroom and garden at a campground used by more than 40,000 each year