Earth Share Georgia Development Committee Meeting Minutes
July 14, 2009 - 8:30 – 10:30
Hosted by the Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta

ATTENDEES: Leigh Chapple, Madeline Reamy, Tami .., Andrea.., Kari.., Bill .., Diane Oberkrom


AGENDA:

8:00am Warm Breakfast
8:30am Welcome and Introductions – Chair
8:35am ESGA Status Update – Executive Director
Director of Development
8:45am Overview of ESGA Strategic Plan – Executive Director
9:00am Overview of Proposed Development Committee plan – Chair
· Overview proposed objective (below) for meeting ou goal of $100,000 for direct support
· Discuss approach for setting a time table and benchmarks

9:15am Begin Round Table discussion about objectives – Committee Q&A
Identify people on the committee who can:

· Act as Access Representative(s)
- This person will partner with the Director of ESGA to:
- Report on progress for membership campaigns
- Be a thought leader, assist with new campaigns
- Be a net-worker; help identify new access targets
* Committee, please note, we have one nomination

· Act as a Board Pledge Representative(s)
- Communicate expectations to the board (goal of $20,000)
- Create a status report and measures for board donations (thermometer)
- Follow-up with board member who have not pledged

· Act as Donor Representative(s)
- Identify opportunities for bringing in “Friends” as supporters
- Work with Executive Director to cultivate our “leadership giver” program
- Generate leads for Small Donor Party events (e.g. food)

10:15am Set calendar for FY2010 meetings – Chair (& Committee)
10:30am Adjourn

DISCUSSION
Madeline’s board report:
We ended Fiscal year 2009 in the black.
We brought in $500,000 in campaign pledges. This is a 15% growth from past couple of years.
We generate funds to enable us to support other like-minded environmental initiatives by managing workplace campaigns, Board pledges, corporate gifts, individual gifts and online gifts through the new website.
Earth Day events generated $138,000 in gross revenues, which equals $90,000 in net revenues.
We cannot organize anymore large events, our hands are full

Andrea’s Development report:
- Campaign 2008 was down by $70,000 from 2007, but did surpass our goal
- This was because Home Depot’s campaign was poorly managed and was 80% lower than 2007.
- Accenture and Walmart did very well, as well as, Cox and Kaiser Permanente
- The average corporate employee fills out a pledge for payroll deductions directly to Earth Share
- Shrinkage is when an employee pledges an amount and then cancels the payroll deduction before the total pledge amount is met. This normally due to layoffs and tight home budgets.
- Expect higher shrinkage in the future because of impact of increased layoffs
- $490,000 is the goal for campaign 2010
- $490,000 is the goal for campaign 2009
- $470,000 was the goal for campaign 2008
- Donors new habits are spend less and give less. They are conserving funds
- Our efficiency rating is 8.9%
- Our goal is to promote the environment and become sustainable

Ideas to increase giving:

Tami –
- Sow seeds of goodwill for future giving by offering companies free or low cost ideas on how to Go Green
- Instead of giving a basket of small gifts, give one substantial gift
- Offer the best way to spend your Enviro-Dollar or Eco-Dollar



Leigh, Madeline and Andrea will support all sub-committees. Bill will assist Madeline with campaigns and reports. The Workforce Automation tool should be a great help.

Access Representatives nominated and accepted are: Bill and Tami
- Additional nominations for committee members not present - Sally & Maci
- Next Steps
- Email ideas to the attendees of today’s meeting
- Baseline the committee (where are we?)
- No “cold turkey” contacts
- Generate a hit list: Follow rules
- Attend Access workshop
- Figure out how to get into corporations
- We have leadership group list
- Offer benefits to member groups: free admissions, kayaking, etc

Board Pledge Representative nominated and accepted is: Diane
- Additional nominations for committee members not present – Celia, George, Cheryl, Andrew Shock
- Next Steps
- $20,000 goal
- % of givers on the board
- Average dollar amount needed
- Status report
- Create board package (Doug Abramson create)
- Write a statement to be signed by the president
- Develop a Call Plan
- Baseline the committee (where are we?)
- Peer to peer
- No names
- Needs reminder and ongoing education
- Remove Madeline from communication loop here

Donor Representatives nominated and accepted are: Steve Kari, Tami, Bill, Leigh
- Additional nomination for committee members not present – Ryan
- Next steps
- Small meetings with good energy and structure
- Derek Jacoby said Atlantic Station would be a prime location for small parties
- Need money for food and alcohol
- Need hosts
- No budget for parties
- Review Strategic Plan
- Develop tier strategy
- Had three donor events, none met our goal
- Hosting at homes is a great idea
- Kari is willing to help with North Georgia – Budweiser, carpet industry, Forest Watch
- Do not pursue foundations…they have limited pots
- Get another breakfast together to guide administrative leaders
- Leigh call Angelou, Maci, Herman, Ryan Lewis