Involving young professionals

Over the decades, this group and its membership have evolved, but one thing remains the same – it is a group of dedicated young professionals making a difference in the lives of children in Iowa who are at-risk, underprivileged, critically ill and living with special needs. 

We have found that it is important to get buy-in from young professionals while they’re still early in their careers. They may not yet have the financial resources to support your organization, but they have the time, talent and energy needed to make a difference. Our Young Variety group is constantly innovating and helping us think outside the box on new fundraising and programming ideas. 

This past year, we held our inaugural kickball tournament at George Davis Softball Park, which brought together corporate teams from throughout the metro and raised $20,000. Just two years ago, a couple of guys on the Young Variety board had the idea to start a sporting clay shoot to raise funds for Variety. That first year, their event raised an impressive $24,000. This past year, they more than doubled their fundraising amount at $57,000, which is the most any Young Variety event has raised in the history of our organization. When I say that this group is impressive, I mean it. 

Our Young Variety board members are relentlessly reaching out to their own connections to share Variety’s mission, and they are raising more dollars year-over-year that will have a direct impact on the children of Iowa. Each board member serves as a Variety Telethon VIP (Very Interested Person), where they ask their friends, families and co-workers to donate to their personal fundraising page. Oftentimes they are keeping track of what each other raises, and things may occasionally get a little competitive. 

These young professionals are also learning how to be effective and engaged board members. They meet monthly for board meetings, where they are encouraged to discuss and evaluate ideas and problems we are facing as an organization. This helps prepare them for what board meetings are like and sets a foundation of success. We often see our Young Variety board members move up to the state board level, where the expectations and responsibilities are higher.

Each Young Variety board member is also heavily involved in our charity grant review process, which in my opinion is one of the most important things our boards (State Board, Eastern Iowa Board and Young Variety Board) do. Each board member is assigned one or more grant applications from a children’s nonprofit seeking funding from Variety. That board member will then go and meet with their assigned nonprofit to review the nonprofit’s grant application and see the need firsthand. The board member then participates in our subcommittee meeting where applications are reviewed and we hear directly from the charity asking for funding. It is an incredibly thorough process that takes time and dedication to getting it right. If our board members are heavily engaged in fundraising for our organization, we believe they should also be heavily engaged in distributing the funds they have raised throughout the year. 

One of the most rewarding things, and in my opinion one of the most indicative of the success of our Young Variety group, is seeing the lifelong friendships and relationships that have developed between these board members. They work well together because they are friends, inside the boardroom and out. They are holding each other accountable for their commitments and are pushing each other to do more for the children of Iowa. 

To say I am proud of this Young Variety board is an understatement. These young professionals are full of energy and talent, and I am honored to be able to work alongside them to improve the lives of Iowa’s children who are at-risk, underprivileged, critically ill and living with special needs.

How do you see philanthropy efforts changing in the next five years?

There’s always a challenge to raise more money and generate a greater impact. As I look ahead to the next five years, I believe the economy and inflation will play a bigger role in donors’ decision making. As things continue to progress, it will be vital for nonprofits to increase their collaboration with other nonprofits to continue to make an impact and help the people they serve. At the end of the day, it’s about making a difference.