2010 Year End Report

REALTORS Care Foundation 2010 Year End Report

Written by Betty Doré, Foundation Chairman

I would like to take this opportunity to give an update on the Foundation as of year end 2010.

As the saying goes “we have come a long way” over the last few years.

What really made the Foundation take off was the introduction in 2008 of our Every REALTOR® Campaign whereby participating Boards and Associations pledge an amount per Member; currently twenty-two Boards and Associations are participating in this campaign, representing 86% of OREA’s Membership. In the first year of its existence, the campaign raised $70,616; in the second, $401,218; in 2009, $474,167 and, in 2010, $544,159. This revenue stream has made it possible for us to greatly increase the number of grants we have been able to make over what they were before 2008. In 2006 and 2007, most of our funds came from the interest on the Capital Fund combined with the proceeds from some small fundraisers.  In those years, the Foundation gave out only $90,000 in grants, compared to $280,000 in 2008, $300,000 in 2009 and $440,000 in 2010. In 2010 we received requests for grants totaling $891,584, so we were able to give nearly half the sums re  quested. Now that is success --- you are listening and you are participating both in funding and supporting charities in your communities – congrat’s goes to all of you. 

As a note the Policy Committee will be reviewing the entire Granting policy and procedures early this year so stay tuned for this information to follow. 

In addition, we are continuing to grow the Capital Fund at the same time as we are giving out more grants.  In 2006 the Capital Fund stood at $1,979,957 in 2006; by contrast, at the end of 2010 it has swelled to $2,900,000.  This is another win-win story: more money in the Capital Fund generates more interest and more interest means more money we can pump back into our communities. Plus of course provides stability to the Foundation.

As you know, at present the Foundation’s voting members are the OREA Directors.  However we are in the process of effecting a governance change that will make Ontario Boards/Associations the voting members. This will make it far easier for volunteers to run for the position of Foundation Director and far more equitable. After all, the Boards are providing the funding. It’s only fair that they should have a say regarding who represents them on the REALTORS Care Foundation Board. This change – which speaks to a greater sense of ownership of the Foundation by REALTORS® -- comes as a direct consequence of the Every REALTOR® Campaign.

To get off and running in, the Foundation’s Board of Governors held a strategic planning session earlier this year, identifying a number of challenges and opportunities the Foundation is currently facing.  After this and bearing in mind the RCF’s Mission Statement -- to advance the Foundation’s philanthropy by enabling REALTOR® members and Real Estate Boards to practice effective and ethical fundraising in support of shelter-related causes in Ontario – and its Statement of Purpose -- to receive and maintain a fund or funds to be applied for charitable purposes within Ontario by working with and through the Boards and REALTORS® who are members of OREA – the Governors arrived at the following objectives, various strategies to achieve those objectives  and a timeline upon which those strategies were plotted extending to 2012. They are:

  • To maintain current fundraising activities.

  • To successfully transition to new governance structure.

  • To better brand and market the RCF.

  • To provide Real Estate Boards/Associations with an RCF Toolkit.

  • To instill in REALTORS® and Real Estate Boards/Associations pride of ownership in the RCF.

  • To enhance/showcase donor recognition, whether that donor is a Board, a Member or other.

  • To achieve greater transparency and accountability as regards the financial management of the
    Foundation.

  • To tap into other sources of funds, e.g., Corporate Sponsors, where feasible; and

  • To simplify the granting process (post transition).

The REALTORS Care Foundation is a work in progress, but I can say without qualification that it is a very good work in progress . . . and getting better with each passing year. Moreover, the work that we have undertaken to do -- to brand and market the Foundation and toinstill pride of ownership in it -- will only serve to raise the profile of all REALTORS® in the Province  “REALTORS Care” is something that belongs to all of us that we embrace and uphold and are proud of. On behalf of our Board of Governors, I assure you that those two words are very precious to us. We will take good care of them.

The REALTORS Care Foundation is the legacy of all Ontario REALTORS®. Join us today by investing in your Foundation.