The Saul and Dayee G. Haas Foundation’s mission succinctly states its unique commitment to the education of children.

Mission

The Saul and Dayee G. Haas Foundation is committed to improving the quality of life among needy secondary students in communities throughout the state of Washington, by supporting schools to encourage students to stay in school, return to school or get involved within their learning community.

We fulfill our mission by:

• Distributing grants to public and private secondary schools within the state of Washington so that they can make a difference in the lives of needy students;
• Providing funds so that school personnel, using their discretion, can identify and immediately respond to individual secondary school student needs;
• Promoting philanthropy at all levels of giving by finding and encouraging other sources of funding to support our mission and increase and expand our philanthropic capabilities;
• Establishing a permanent endowment program thereby enhancing our ability to solicit outside funds for on-going program activities;
• Providing responsible and effective financial management through efficient budgeting, financial systems and processes thereby maximizing funding for program activities and minimizing overhead expenses.
• Telling the Haas Foundation story to elicit understanding and support; to educate, solicit and inform.

Definition

Corpus: Corpus is a principal or capital sum as opposed to interest or income. Capital gains become a part of the corpus. Other sums can be added to corpus at any time.

Core Beliefs

Relationships: Haas Foundation funds are used to encourage secondary school students to remain in school or return to school. This is accomplished by the Foundation’s nurturing the development of a trusting relationship between the student and the school.

Development: We believe all students should be treated with dignity. Through the schools’ discreet use of Haas Foundation funds, we hope to encourage character development and increased self-esteem in the recipients.

Goals

• Increase our capacity to serve through better professional staffing, infrastructure, systems and processes to ensure goals are achieved;
• Broadening our financial base and increasing the capacity to serve more schools and students through activities such as: the creation of a donor database; on-line giving; matching funds campaigns; adopt-a-school program; annual appeal campaigns; writing and applying for a variety of grants and an annual signature event for the Haas Foundation;
• Design Haas Foundation Guidelines to address the special needs of ethnically diverse student populations;
• Increase awareness of the Saul and Dayee G. Haas Foundation through proactive marketing and promotion initiatives that include public speaking, web presence, newsletters, personal correspondence, publicity, etc.; and
• Continue to target needy secondary school students by providing Haas Foundation funds to as many needy secondary school students as possible. The growth strategy is based on serving secondary schools (public and private) within Washington state, and identifying opportunities to expand as new funding becomes available.

Marketing Strategy

Marketing Goal

The marketing goal is to increase community and school awareness about The Saul and Dayee G. Haas Foundation and to share the Foundation’s story.

Marketing Plan

1. Adopt A School Campaign

• Hold school presentations at each Educational Service District (9), reaching 80% participation by administrators or school representatives.
• Make presentations to Rotary Clubs, PTA’s and the statewide PTA conference.
• Distribute quarterly newsletter to school administrators.

2. Matching Gifts

• As schools raise donations (gifts) toward a matching grant, ask them for the names of donors so that the Foundation can send thank-you letters.
• Matching gifts (growth within school building) campaign.

3. Testimonials

• Request testimonials along with the required timely financial reports.
• Reduce school participation attrition by recruiting a volunteer who can support Haas staff and call schools when the online account appears inactive. The culture of schools is “transitional” and staff retention is challenging, therefore, having fewer schools drop from the program would be beneficial.

4. On-line Presence

• Continue to improve online, password-protected access for school administrators.
• Continue to improve web link information for school administrators, including definitions of items eligible for support to students.

5. Marketing Materials

• Create marketing collateral including: a logo for The Haas Foundation; brand identification; brochure with new brand and funding options; video updated, branded public website; PowerPoint for presentations.

Development Strategy

The Haas Foundation was started with two bequests from Saul and Dayee G. Haas. In 2004 the Haas Foundation Board voted to make development a top priority. The creation of a development plan, coordinating a calendar and clarifying roles will be critical for the success of the implementation phase.

Development Plan

1. Increase Fund-raising

Leverage other sources of annual funding, reducing the need to withdraw funding from the corpus. Create a goal of perpetual sustainability through the following activities:

• Annual Board and Staff giving campaign;
• Adopt-a-school campaign;
• On-line donations capability on Haas Foundation website;
• Matching gifts (growth within schools) campaign;
• Grant application program focus;
• Spring or summer signature event(s) for 2006;
• Annual community appeal starting in 2006;
• Bequests process participation for Heritage and Haas Foundation Board; and
• Eighteen-member Haas Educator Ambassador Program (HEAP) to help with statewide fundraising initiative and advocacy.

2. Increase donor base

• 2006 kickoff of “Taking Care of Donors” role as part of the development committee;
• Network financial support and contacts through Haas Foundation Board and Heritage Board;
• Corporate matching gifts program; and
• Fall 2005 donor newsletter kickoff with Haas Foundation successes (prior to annual appeal being kicked off).

3. Purchase donor database and training for staff and volunteers

• Collect and document volunteer hours to track the hours as matching gifts for grants and
• 2006 spring kickoff of annual volunteer recognition program.

Financial Strategies

By 2005-2006, the annual Saul and Dayee G. Haas Foundation operating budget will be $200,000. It is the desire of the Board to raise enough to fully cover the operating costs. Because fundraising is new, it will take between three to five years to build up the development momentum.

• Receive quarterly financial statements from the Executive Director, separately showing operational and investment results;
• Collaborate in the development of a fast-track process for approving ad hoc special events or projects. The approval process for a fast-tract proposal would first go through the Development Committee and then to the Executive Committee;
• Create an annual operation budget before the annual spring board meeting. The Executive Director will furnish the Treasurer with estimated administrative and school disbursement figures. The Treasurer will then make a report to the Board at the annual meeting, with estimated budget expense and income figures for the following fiscal year;
• Explore creating an endowment program for permanently restricted funds for The Saul and Dayee G. Haas Foundation;
• Inform all prospective Board members that giving and raising funds is indeed part of the responsibility of being on the Haas Foundation Board; and
• Review public vs. private status with the legal advisor, accountants, Executive Director and Board. As success with fundraising occurs, the Haas Foundation status may change.

Operational Strategies

Operations: Haas Foundation staff anticipates needing more space within the next two years, should the volunteer recruitment continue to be successful. When presenting at Rotary clubs, etc., we will put out feelers for free or affordable rent, on a bus route and with more room.

Computer Plan: An updated computer system was implemented at the office, with moderate success. The law firm’s firewall is not able to accommodate staff needs, and necessitates staff to use the internet for sending and receiving email, rather than Outlook.

Technology Plan/Website: Haas staff are working with a contracted webmaster to create a password protected Board website, which will have: the roster; Board photos and bios; and a governance area for meeting minutes archives, Board orientation, Board roster and other resources. In addition, the Haas Foundation public website will be overhauled and optimized since it presently does not show up well in Internet searches.

Management and HR: There will be a position description for each staff member that clearly depicts duties including the need for annual goals. The Executive Director will compose a personnel document that outlines vacations, sick leave, holidays, etc. reflecting a two-person operation.

Volunteer program: In 2005, the Executive Director launched an initiative for recruiting volunteers to help with creating a newsletter, performing data entry and other office support. Volunteers also include a copy editor, grant researchers, grant writers, etc. After Haas Foundation staff has reviewed volunteers’ résumés and cover letters, two people—one being a staff member—will conduct an interview with each finalist. Those who are selected will then have their backgrounds checked and references called prior to starting. The Staff have recruited a volunteer, “Volunteer Coordinator” to support these efforts.

The law firm of Preston Gates and Ellis has required that a Haas Foundation staff member be present at all times when a volunteer is working in the office. Volunteers having given the minimum of 50 annual hours will be invited to the semi-annual and annual board meetings, in addition to other key events. Volunteer hours will be recorded, as these hours can be used for matching monies, in obtaining grants.

Educator Ambassador Program (HEAP): Aligning with the nine Educational Service Districts (ESD’s) in the state of Washington, the Haas Foundation involves educators. Recognizing that time is limited, the Foundation will immediately start accepting applications for 18 people to form the founding HEAP advisory team. These ambassadors will be an asset for connecting the Foundation to key leaders around the state of Washington, by advocating and presenting The Haas Foundation to their communities. The team will aid in the design, creation and implementation of a bi-annual statewide fundraising event.

Board Orientation: An orientation manual and a governance section will be created on the website by the fall of 2005 for Board members

Business Description

Fiscal Responsibility - By design, the Haas Foundation runs a lean organization.  Two part time staff, plus a growing and critical volunteer workforce support the mission of the Haas Foundation whose fiscal year is July 1 through June 30.

Foundation Giving Guidelines

Proactive Response: The Haas Foundation prefers preventative actions to corrective ones. We believe that each child deserves a better future and that as a community it is important to be responsive to their unmet needs. Without Haas Foundation funds, many young people would not be as engaged in school as they could or should be. Many other young people would not have been able to stay in school. We believe that each child deserves a better future and that as a community it is important to be responsive to their unmet needs.

Once a school is approved and receives Haas Foundation funds, the school personnel may immediately begin using the funds to meet the needs of a young person.

Maximized Fund Reach: The Haas Foundation works to increase available funds by encouraging grants, matching funds, adopt-a-school, individual and group fund appeals, bequests, etc.