UNPRECEDENTED NEED…UNPRECEDENTED RESPONSE
With the recent actions approved by the FMC Endowment Fund Committee and the ACDA-MN Board of Directors, and in addition to its annual scholarship program, the FMC Endowment Fund will offer direct financial assistance to support the salary of the ACDA-MN Executive Director during the 2020-21 fiscal year. In addition, the leadership group also approved redirecting unallocated scholarship dollars from cancelled events, to support the annual stipends of the ACDA-MN Executive Assistant and Web Editor.
These actions are a result of the cancellation and/or major reduction of several major revenue producing programs in 2020-21 that ACDA-MN depends upon to fund its annual budget and to support the many services of its paid staff. Projections for this budget shortfall exceed 75-90% of expected revenue. Without this crucial support from the FMC Endowment Fund, the ACDA-MN leadership team would be planning for a major transition to a different administrative support model for our organization.
Further, in direct response to the impending financial challenges imposed by the Covid 19 outbreak, the ACDA-MN and FMC leadership teams eliminated the position of Director of Development, effective on March 31. Duties have been assumed by the Executive Director.
Now more than ever, please consider your capacity to donate to the FMC Endowment Fund and in so doing, support both the FMC scholarship program and the ACDA-MN organization in the remaining months of 2020.
The annual fall donation campaign will be scheduled to launch in mid-September. Donors may give by sending personal checks or providing credit card information within the return remittance envelope, or may donate at GiveMn.org with giving link available at: ACDA-MN.org
GIVE TO THE MAX DAY
Teaming up with hundreds of Minnesota non-profits, the ACDA of Minnesota through its FMC Endowment Fund will participate in the annual Give to the Max Day scheduled for Thursday, November 19, 2020. Special incentives will be offered throughout the day for donors to maximize their contributions. Historically, millions of dollars are raised each year for Minnesota non-profit organizations through the Give to the Max campaign.
SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE INVESTING
At the August 2020 Board of Directors meeting, the following policy on socially responsible investing was approved:
ACDA-MN leadership overseeing the F. Melius Christiansen Endowment Fund and the Alice T. Larsen Memorial Scholarship Fund, annually advises our investment management firm to adopt selective investment strategies that utilize socially conscious investment options that focus on environmental, social, and corporate governance criteria.
WHO ARE THE DONORS TO THE FMC ENDOWMENT FUND?
Pulling statistics from the 2019 FMC Annual Report, reveals this quick look into who donates to the FMC Endowment Fund.
- Total Donations $44,122
- Total Donors 290
- Average Gift $151.15
- Individual Donations $35,872
- Individual Donors 276
- ACDA-MN Member Donations $23,768
- ACDA-MN Donors 197
- Non-Member Donations $12,104
- Non-Member Donors 79
- FMC 150th Anniversary Donations $8,250
- FMC 150th Anniversary Donors 18
- Summer Dialogue Donations $5,476
- Summer Dialogue Donors 151/199 registrants or 75%
- Give to the Max Day Donations $1,573
- Give to the Max Day Donors 18
- Alice T. Larsen Scholarship Donations $4,150
- GiveMN.org Donations $2,986
- GiveMN Donors 38
Leadership Participation Summary:
- ACDA-MN Board of Directors 100% (18 out of 18)
- FMC Endowment Fund Committee 95% (20 out of 21)
- FMC Advisory Board Members 60% (6 out of 10)
- ACDA-MN R&R Chairs 62% (10 out of 16)
The 2019 FMC Annual Report is conveniently located on the ACDA-MN website homepage at:
http://acda-mn.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/FMC-Annual-Report-2019.pdf
ACKNOWLEDGING OUR DONOR SUPPORT
As a new feature within this regular column, a list of FMC donors who have donated since the previous Star issue, will be displayed. Many thanks for your ongoing support to the FMC Endowment Fund that has (to date) provided scholarship support totalling $287,557 to over 501 ACDA-MN members and their students since the first award was presented in 1997.
For corrections or additions, please contact Bruce W. Becker, Executive Director at: execdirector@acda-mn.org
Donations received from May to August, 2020
NAME SPECIAL DESIGNATION
- Dariush & Margaret Akhavan
- Steven Albaugh
- Rolf & Laurie Anderson
- Anonymous
- Armstrong High School Choir Boosters
- Linda M. Armstrong
- Miriam Augsburger
- Greg & Julie Aune in memory of R. H. (Harry) Aune)
- Carol Barnett
- Bruce W. & Paula M. Becker in honor of Katelyn Larson, award recipient
- In honor of Judy Sagen, award recipient
- In honor of Michael Sellheim, board member (ret)
- In honor of Rebecca Wyffels, award recipient
- Larry & Linda Berger
- Dr. James & Meredith Bloedel
- Steven & Margaret Boehlke
- Paul & MaryLou Brandvik in memory of Paul J. Christiansen
- Philip & Carolyn Brunelle
- Zachariah Carlson
- Erik P. Christiansen
- Judith Cronen
- Carolyn Davies
- Katherine G. Doepke
- Dr. Peter J. Durow
- Marie Spar Dymit
- Mike & Pat Elton
- Kim B. Embretson
- Karle & Hannah Erickson
- Geneva Eschweiler Estate In memory of Geneva S. Eschweiler
- Gordon & Rikka Estenson
- Paul & Nancy Lee Gauche
- Paul & Barbara Geier
- Janice Gilbertson
- Stephen & Nancy Grundahl
- Keitha Hamann
- Diane Heaney
- Diane G. Hamre Horsager
- Michael S. Jeffrey
- Pat Jensen In memory of Lauretta P. Graetz
- Jeff & Melanie Kjellberg
- Mark S. Johnson
- Sharon K. Johnson
- Sigrid Johnson
- Matt Kiminski
- Stephen Kingsbury
- Jennifer Krinke
- Bruce & LeAnn Kugath
- Diana J. Leland
- Sanda C. Looney
- Mattson Gleason CPAs, Ltd
- Dr. David L. Mennicke
- Mark & Ardys Nelson
- Rodgers Classic Organs, LLC
- Bruce & Candace Phelps
- Patrick & Kathy Romey
- Jake Runestad
- Randy Schafer
- Janet Seim
- G. Phillip Shoultz, III In honor of ACDA-MN staff and leadership
- Sheila Shusterich
- Singers In Accord
- Axel Theimer
- Leon Thurman In memory of Dr. John Cooksey
- Mark & Stephanie Trump
- USA Community Chorus In memory of Gladys Thompson
- Craig & Rebecca Waller
- Michael Walsh
- Dale & Ruth Warland
- Cory A. Westgard
To donate ONLINE to the FMC Endowment Fund by credit card go to:
To donate with CHECK payable to ‘FMC Endowment Fund’, send to:
FMC Endowment Fund
Bruce W. Becker, Executive Director
13288 Downey Trail
Apple Valley MN 55124
THANK YOU FOR PROVIDING LEADERSHIP AND SUPPORT TO THE FMC ENDOWMENT FUND
Working on behalf of our organization, we wish to acknowledge and thank these leaders for their service and contribution of time and resources to support the FMC Endowment Fund:
- FMC Committee Current Members
- Rolf Anderson
- Daniel Digre
- Marie Spar Dymit
- Rikka Estenson
- Nancy Grundahl
- Stephen Grundahl
- Paula Holmberg
- Robin Hughes
- Jon Kietzer
- Melanie Kjellberg
- Jennifer Krinke
- Kathryn Larson
- Karla Miller
- Mark Nelson, Chair
- Bruce Phelps, Vice Chair
- Allycia Smith
- Michael Walsh, Chair-Elect
- Bruce W. Becker, Executive Director
- FMC Committee Emeritus Members
- Steven Albaugh
- Linda M. Armstrong
- Steven O. Boehlke
- Paul Brandvik
- Lawrence Burnett
- David Docter
- Katherine G. Doepke
- Richard Edstrom
- Barbara A. Geier
- Mary Kay Geston, Past Chair
- Janice Gilbertson, Past Chair
- Thomas Wm. Hassig
- Charles Hellie
- Wayne M. Kivell
- Diana J. Leland
- Carl H. Lipke, Past Chair
- Larry McCaghy
- Robert D. Mix
- Robert L. Peterson
- Tim Peterson
- Linda M. Smith
- Roger H. Tenney, Past Chair
- Axel Theimer
- Michael Wolsted
- FMC Advisory Board Members
- Anton E. Armstrong
- Carol Barnett
- Abbie Bettinis
- Philip Brunelle
- Rene’ Clausen
- Sigrid Johnson
- Jake Runestad
- Kathy Saltzman Romey
- Dale Warland
Since 2014, investment holdings within the FMC Endowment Fund have been professionally managed by JNBA Financial Advisors, Bloomington.