United Way
Retirees Association
ENDOWMENT FUND
Honoring Retired United Way
Professionals
In Memory of Gordon Berg
Q - What is the mission of
UWRA?
Answer:
Two-fold mission:
1.
To
improve the quality of life for UWRA members, and
2.
To
help
To improve the quality of life of our members
in retirement and to utilize the skills and talents of UW retirees to assist
the
As the only organization dedicated to
Q – What are the purposes of
the UWRA Endowment?
Answer:
1. Broaden and strengthen our
mission in a way not possible through annual revenue.
2. Increase our impact on
communities, the profession, and fellow retirees.
Q - Why do we need a UWRA
Endowment?
Answer:
We are making progress
toward our goals but we can do more. UWRA programs are facing growing
demand from local
Q – Why give to the UWRA
Endowment Fund?
Answer:
A gift to the UWRA Endowment Fund honoring you, the
retired UW professional will perpetuate itself through managed investments,
growing each year as a portion is used to carry on in the spirit of the
unselfish contributions you made to our communities. The UWRA Endowment
Fund provides a means for retirees to continue to invest themselves and their
resources for community betterment and to better the lives of retirees.
Q – Who decided how funds be
dispersed?
Answer:
Survey feedback from our members, indicating which services
were of the highest priority in the future years for UWRA, has provided the initial direction for the disbursement of
funds. The UWRA Board of Directors has
approved targeting the Endowment income to:
1. Giving continual service to
local
2. Adding to and building
member services to retirees.
3. Fostering the development of
leadership in the UW field.
4. Ensuring the flexibility and
stability of UWRA and ability to respond to crisis situations.
Q – What is the basis for
Endowment expenditures?
Answer:
UWRA policy
statement relating to use of UWRA Endowment Funds:
The
UWRA Endowment Fund will provide a flexible source of funding for special
grants, projects, initiatives, or emerging issues that cannot be funded from
the annual operating funds of UWRA. Such requests can be made by any
committee of the organization to the Endowment Committee. Following their
review by the Endowment Committee a recommendation will be made to the UWRA
board for final decision.
Q – What is the Endowment
fundraising progress to date?
Answer:
The
nationwide Endowment campaign was officially kicked off in November 2005
complementing the 100% UWRA Board and Endowment Committee participation which
began in 2004. To date approximately $275,000 has
been raised.
Q - What additional program
capacity will the Endowment help provide?
Answer:
At this time, several program areas need further
development, as follows:
1. Mentoring - The program works and is
highly rated by Mentees. The need is greater
than we can fulfill. Mentors are
volunteer UWRA members. In the past we
have been able to support 10 mentoring relationships per program year. Twenty relationships are desirable
annually. We need $500,000 in Endowment
money to produce $25,000 annually to double the service, train people, and
increase resources.
2.
Service to Members - Services that can be offered to members are limited due to funding –
we would like to expand what UWRA is currently doing for members. To add to
current service levels, $10,000 more annually would provide for program
development. We need $200,000 to endow
more programs. Member services are currently
being reviewed. In addition, multiple
surveys and feedback from our members have indicated there is a current
unfulfilled need for a program to assist UW personnel plan for their retirement
years. UWRA is working to fulfill this need by implementing a
comprehensive retirement planning program that can be put into place in the UW
system.
3. Flexibility: New Initiatives
and Crisis Response/Emergency Assistance to local
a) Provide retiree coordination
of resources in an emergency
b) Pay appropriate expenses to
send a retiree to UW communities in crisis
c) Establish a “crisis response
fund”
We need $10,000 annually, or Endowment funds of
$200,000, to do this.
4. Leadership Development and Promotion of Professionalism - UWRA provides valuable
assistance in the Mentoring of new professionals within the UW system but would
like to further extend services to foster leadership development. We need $5,000 annually ($100,000 in
Endowment funds) to increase services to promote professionalism in the
field. One idea is to fund research as
to why some professionals stay in the field and others leave.
Other needs will emerge with time. The Board and membership will work to add
even further value to the UW system and help take care of each other.
Q - What is the goal of
Endowment fundraising?
Answer:
Based on the above analysis of program development
our five year objective is to raise $1 million in cash and $2 million in
expectancies from planned gifts or bequests.
Q – Are there really going
to be enough funds to make a difference?
Answer:
Your gift to the UWRA Endowment Fund, managed by the
Foundation For The Carolinas (FFTC), along with others, will continue to grow
while a portion is used each year to fund the services targeted by our
membership. Reaching the goal set above will generate $50,000 annually:
ACTIVITY ENDOWMENT INCOME
Mentoring $500,000 $25,000
Service to
Members $200,000 $10,000
Flexibility-
New Initiatives&
Emergency Response $200,000 $10,000
Leadership
Development $100,000 $ 5,000
$1,000,000
$50,000
Q - Does UWRA duplicate what
UWA is doing or could be doing?
Answer:
No. UWRA enhances and adds our unique experience to
the mix of services by our investment in communities and our personal
involvement. By the nature of our membership (former and current UW staff) we
offer the
The Endowment is the best way to ensure UWRA will
continue to grow programs. We are the
only organization that focuses on UW retirees. This has long been recognized by
local
Retirees can best make decisions on retirees. We
provide a means for retirees to continue to invest themselves and their
resources for community betterment.
UWRA works in partnership with UWA whose common
objective is to positively impact communities.
UWRA is in constant communication with UWA and them with us when
activities are identified that can best utilize the talents and assistance of
retirees.
Q – Why is the UWRA
Endowment established in memory of Gordon Berg?
Answer:
Gordon was the founder and first President of UWRA
and a long time
Q - What entity is to
receive and manage Endowment resources in order to carry out the UWRA Board’s
objectives?
Answer:
The Foundation For The Carolinas (FFTC) in
Q – What are the Roles and
Responsibilities of the UWRA Endowment Committee, UWRA Board, and the
Foundation For The
Answer:
1.
The UWRA Endowment Committee makes recommendations on endowment
policies, materials, and disbursements of funds to the UWRA Board of Directors.
2.
The UWRA Board of Directors makes the final decisions regarding
policies and recommendations on the disbursements of funds in keeping with
UWRA’s continuous overview of our purpose and changing needs.
3.
The managing and investment of gifts will be handled by the FFTC.
Q - Who are the UWRA Board
members on the Endowment Committee?
Answer:
Bernard Hyman
- Chair
Dick Aft
Tom Brown
Jim Colville
Anthony Folcarelli
Leon Matthews
Henry Monaco
Alice Thacker
Henry Zimmer
Q - Is there a way I can
give that won’t harm my low cash position?
Answer:
Yes, there are ways. For instance, rather than
current dollars, your estate could provide an investment through a bequest. There are several ways to assure that your
heirs are remembered and also provide for UWRA. We’ll help you find a way.
Q – In the event UWRA goes
out of business, what happens then?
Answer:
The UWRA Board will make recommendations to the
Foundation For The Carolinas as to ultimate disposition of funds, in keeping
with the priorities of the Endowment and UWRA’s mission.
Q – How will my gift be
recognized?
Answer:
All donor investors will be recognized in UPDATES, on the UWRA website,
and on a Founders Wall in the UWA building. However if you chose to remain anonymous we will of
course honor that. All donor investors
contributing before the end of 2008 will be considered Founding members. Founding
members will be honored on a UWRA wall design in the
Q – Is there a minimum gift?
Answer:
There is no minimum gift to the UWRA Endowment
Fund. However, $10,000 is the minimum to
establish a named fund within the Endowment should a donor wish to do so.
Q – Can I give a restricted
gift?
Answer:
Donor investors are encouraged to make gifts to the
general Endowment Fund. Gifts for
certain purposes may be designated with a donation of $25,000 or more.
Accomplishments to Date
Please
refer to 2008 Annual Report (www.UWRA.org).
Historical Highlights
·
1989 – UWRA created. Gordon
Berg, UWRA founder and former CEO,
·
1990 – First formal gathering of UWRA in
·
1991 – UWRA received cash grant for $50,000 and in-kind services from
UWA.
·
1992 – Updates newsletter
premier edition published.
·
2000 – UWRA recruited members for Service
Corps. Website, www.uwra.org, was
launched. Member access to insurance
products at group rates made available.
·
2001 – UWRA became a 501 (c) 3
organization. UWRA implemented the Mentoring, Planned Giving, and Crisis Consultant Programs and adopted
a Strategic Plan. The UWRA Endowment was approved for
establishment within the Foundation For The Carolinas.
·
2002- UWRA launched the Phone/Email
Consulting Program.
·
2003 – Feasibility study
initiated for the UWRA Endowment
Fund, designed to benefit local communities and UW retirees. UWRA began preparation of a Pre-Retirement
Planning guide for those active professionals thinking about retirement.
·
2004 – UWRA member Dick Aft and his wife Mary Lu published a
comprehensive history of the UW system: Grassroots
Initiatives Shape an International Movement. This effort was initiated and research funded
by UWRA. UWRA members surveyed to
determine their views on the priority of distribution of UWRA Endowment income. UWRA Board kicks off Endowment with 100%
giving.