Endowment

Encouraging gifts to the endowment fund is one of Scouting's highest priorities. It is one of the best ways to insure that the Southwest Michigan Council can continue to offer the outstanding programs it now has long into the future and also grow to meet the needs of the youth and communities it serves.

Most of us have heard of the term endowment, but what does it really mean? An endowment is a fund is held in perpetuity to provide interest and dividend earnings for the benefit of a charitable cause. That is the textbook definition, but in reality an endowment is the life preserver of a charitable organization. To be healthy and stable, the Southwest Michigan Council needs to meet its current operating budget, without exerting 100% of its energy on fundraising. 10% of the operating budget is provided from investment income. After all, our mission is not to raise funds, but rather to continue our strong movement and build a foundation that provides our youth with a quality, values-based program. For more information on planned giving, click here for the Living and Giving publication or visit http://bsagiftplan.org.

In its gratitude for such support, the Boy Scouts of America nationally offers three distinct endowment recognition awards which are all a part of the Heritage Society. The SWMC presents these awards to donors who support Scouting's financial future through gifts to the endowment. For more information or to make a gift to the endowment fund, please contact Dan Busby at 269-343-4687

Endowment Recognition & Societies

The James E. West Fellowship

Application

This award is named after James E. West who was the first Chief Scout Executive of the Boy Scouts of America. Dr. West exemplified Ralph Waldo Emerson's observation that "an institution is the lengthened shadow of one man." Scouting today is the "lengthened shadow" of more than three decades of the farseeing and dedicated leadership of Dr. James E. West. Those who are recognized by the James E. West Fellowship Award will cast their own "lengthened shadow" as they help ensure the Scouting legacy for future generations of young people and create the financial stability of the program for the San Francisco Bay Area Council.

Qualifications
The James E. West Fellowship Award is a national recognition for individuals who contribute $1,000 or more in cash or marketable securities to the Council's Endowment Trust Fund. This gift must be in addition to – and not replace or diminish – the donor’s annual Friends of Scouting support. Many individuals and organizations make these gifts on behalf of someone else – such as in honor of an Eagle Scout, Silver Beaver recipient, Scoutmaster, Cubmaster, a retirement, a special accomplishment, or anniversary – or in memory of a special individual.

Recognition
The James E. West Fellowship Award is recognized with a personalized certificate. In addition, a distinctive lapel pin and an exclusive knot for the uniform are presented at a special recognition program. The recipient will also be included in special San Francisco Bay Area Council events and mailings in the future.

Second Century Society

This society has evolved form the former 1910 Society and the Founders Circle to focus donors on gifts to sustain the Boy Scout program for the next 100 years. It is a simple and flexible program that allows donors to fund any BSA operating, capital, or endowment projects at levels of $25,000-1,000,000 or more through a variety of outright and deferred gifts.

Click here to download the 2011 giving brochure.