Development Committee Annual Report 2022

submitted by Sara White

Current Roster

  • Sara White, Chair (2021)
  • Lindsay Hansen-Brown (2021)
  • Steve Landstreet (2021)
  • Terry Lewis (2021)
  • Matthew Vest (2021)
  • Elizabeth Hille Cribbs (ex-officio)
  • Paula Hickner (ex-officio)
  • Stephen Mantz (ex-officio)
  • Serena Vaquilar (ex-officio)
  • Liza Vick (ex-officio)

List of Previous Goals and Progress Made

  1. Lowering Endowment Minimums:
    • Previously, a fund reached endowment when it accumulated $50,000. Development wanted to change this to reflect a reached endowment when a fund accumulated $25,000.
    • Task completed: The motion was passed by the Board to change the endowment minimum of funds to $25,000.
  2. Emergency Relief Fund:
    • The Development Committee decided to continue accepting donations for the Emergency Relief Fund. This helps members in need of financial assistance by allowing individuals to receive up to $500 by applying for this funding.
    • Task Ongoing.
  3. Encourage Planned Giving:
    • Announcements have been made asking members to consider planned giving.
    • MLA has had members reach out to establish planned giving. A member has generously establish a planned gift to create a scholarship, the MLA LGBTQIA+ Diversity Scholarship, which will provide academic support for students who identify as LGBTQIA+ and are pursuing music librarianship.
    • Task Ongoing.
  4. Text-to-Give Fundraising:
    • The Development Committee is looking into different platforms to give MLA members the option of texting to donate. QGiv has been looked at extensively. Other platforms are being evaluated.
    • Task Ongoing.

List of Future Goals

  1. New fund and donating to conference registrations: Development is looking into options for members to provide funds privately to offset conference costs for a specific MLA member. We are also looking into how to create a general conference registration fund (communal fund), and how members can donate to this fund. 
    • Goal Area 1: Organize Strategically
    • Goal Area 2: Develop and Retain Membership
  2. Planned Giving: Encourage long-time supporters of MLA to leave a planned gift to the association. This could be naming MLA in a will or as a beneficiary for a retirement plan. Development would like to promote planned giving through our planned giving organization, the Susan T. (Suki) Sommer Society.
    • Goal Area 1: Organize Strategically
    • Goal Area 2: Develop and Retain Membership
  3. Diversity Scholarship Initiative: Ignite the Spark. Ignite the Spark is an initiative to raise funds for the Diversity Scholarship. This will be promoted during Giving Tuesday and outreach opportunities.
    • Goal Area 3: Cultivate Inclusivity
  4. Text-to-Give Option: Development is looking into different platforms that would allow members to give to MLA through text donations. QGiv is one platform that has been looked at extensively. The Development Committee will continue looking at other platforms before implementing this option.
    • Goal Area 2: Develop and Retain Membership
    • Goal Area 4: Strengthen Communication