The Mountaineers
It may come as no surprise that the high-holiday season is one of the largest fundraising opportunities of the entire year. Through generosity, goodwill, and a strategic reduction in taxes, many people are thinking about their personal philanthropy during this time. In fact, more than 26% of Mountaineers donors choose to make a gift during the weeks between Thanksgiving and New Years Day.
As we celebrate the beginning of 2020, we are giving thanks for our 13,800 members, 3000 volunteer leaders, and 600 individual donors who have contributed to an amazing first quarter.
On October 1, 2019, we kicked off our new fiscal year and our board of directors approved an operating budget of $9.28M in support of our mission and outdoor programs. To confidently deliver on our Vision 2022 Strategic Plan, our development team and program leaders will partner with Mountaineers members, volunteers, and donors to raise the $1.6M in philanthropic revenue needed to support our organization’s donor-funded programs by September 30, 2020.
As part of our annual fundraising plan, The Mountaineers facilitates a robust year-end appeal campaign. We invite you to keep reading and learn more about how year-end giving works at our organization and why it’s so important!
Year-End Appeal Basics
- What: 10 blogs, 7 emails, 1 social media fundraiser, and 1 mailed fundraising appeal letter
- When: Nov 15-Dec 31
- Who: Mountaineers members and donors
- Why: Raise $95,000 in support of donor-funded programs like scholarships, youth, conservation, volunteers, books, and more
In Fiscal Year 2019 (Oct 1, 2018-Sep 30, 2019), we saw more participation in the year-end appeal than ever before. In total, 465 donors contributed over $92,000, with half of those donors making their very first gift to The Mountaineers. About $5,500 of additional funds arrived through matching gift programs and $17,000 directly supported donor-funded scholarships. One donor family even surprised us by making a $10,000 gift (their first gift ever!) so that more students may benefit from the transformative power of the outdoor experience, just as they had nearly 20 years ago.
Generally, the year-end appeal campaign lasts 6 weeks, and we share impact stories that highlight the many ways your donations support critical programs at The Mountaineers. Starting with November’s global day of giving, #GivingTuesday, we have recently focused the event around donor-funded scholarships and how they improve our ability to welcome new people and support existing members - regardless of their ability to pay. It is through the stories of Super Volunteer Krishna Dase, and budding climb leader Elizabeth Ng, that we witness how the gift of scholarships give back to our community again and again.
Scholarships are not the only way contributions support Mountaineers members and volunteers during the year-end appeal. Donations provide our 3,100 volunteers with high-quality educational opportunities, advanced skills training, and specialized programs to help hone their leadership skills and support growth and recognition in our programs.
Additionally, our conservation and advocacy program is nearly entirely funded through philanthropic gifts, including those received during the year-end appeal. Over the last year our community took more than 4,500 individual actions to protect public lands and volunteered 9,491 stewardship hours cleaning up and restoring the places where we play. The people of the Pacific Northwest want to be informed and empowered to do more, and The Mountaineers advocacy and conservation efforts work to increase awareness and provide education to bolster our ability to act on these issues.
Our strength lies in our community, and together, we are a powerful voice in support of conservation and outdoor access. Today Mountaineers members have contributed just over $90,000 toward our $95,000 year-end goal. We even had a donor have extra fun with their giving when they arrived at the Seattle Program with ten $100 bills to renew their Peak Society membership! Even though 2019 has come to a close, your gift can still count toward our year-end appeal efforts and we still need your help to raise the remaining $5,000 needed to keep the momentum going strong.
How to Participate
There are many ways to make a gift! We can help you over the phone at 206-521-6006, you can make a gift online, or you can send a check to 7700 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle WA 98115. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, The Mountaineers can serve as a beneficiary of a required minimum IRA distribution without owing taxes, you may direct a gift through your donor advised fund, and you can give us a call to find out how easy it can be to make a gift of securities.
If you haven’t had a chance to make your gift in 2019, now is your chance to welcome 2020 in support of The Mountaineers! Add your name to the list of donors at mountaineers.org/yearendgift.
Thank you for your incredible support.
The Mountaineers® is a 501(c)(3) organization supported through earned revenue and elevated through charitable contributions, tax ID:27-3009280, 7700 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle, WA 98115.
If you are inspired to make a gift, please visit mountaineers.org/yearendgift or call Bri Vanderlinden at 206-521-6006.
