ST.
CATHERINE OF SIENA FOUNDATION
WELCOME to the St. Catherine of Siena
Foundation Web Page!
Click on any topic or simply scroll down to learn more about
your Parish Foundation. |
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The St. Catherine of Siena Foundation was established on
September 27, 1998, as a division of the Drake Newman Community
in Des Moines by a vote of the Drake Newman Community Board
of Directors. The Drake Newman Community in Des Moines is
an incorporated Iowa nonprofit corporation and a parish in
the Roman Catholic Diocese of Des Moines. St. Catherine of
Siena is the Drake Newman Community in Des Moines.
The resolution establishing the Foundation states: “RESOLVED,
that Drake Newman Community in Des Moines hereby creates a
separate endowment fund to be established within the financial
structure of this corporation to be known as the “St.
Catherine of Siena Foundation” which may also at times
be known as the Drake Newman Community Foundation.”
The Foundation is governed by its Bylaws and has its own
bank account. The endowed fund was created “exclusively
for the purpose of soliciting, collecting, investing and disbursing
funds for the benefit of Drake Newman Community in Des Moines
and St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Student Center.”
The original fundraising goal for the endowment was $250,000.
The resolution establishing the Foundation as
well as the Foundation’s Bylaws may be amended from
time to time by the Foundation’s Board of Directors.
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| The St. Catherine of Siena Foundation’s mission statement
is taken from the September 27, 1998 resolution of the Board
of Directors of the Drake Newman Community creating the Foundation.
St. Catherine of Siena Foundation promotes the advancement of
the parish by soliciting financial support and by management
of the funds entrusted to its care, retaining the principal
whenever possible. |
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I
Would Like To Make a Contribution to the Foundation |
“Some are called by gospel values
to a more radical lifestyle of voluntary poverty.
Others, the majority of us, are called by gospel values to
stewardship of our resources –
striving to live simply and care for the needs of others.”
Mich, The Challenge and Spirituality of Catholic Social Teaching,
p.12 (2005)
The St. Catherine of Siena Foundation Board respects that
there are many ways in which each of us could financially
give of what we have to support others, whether individually
or in a collective goal. We encourage your consideration of
and welcome your contribution to the Foundation. While most
contributions come to us in gifts of cash (checks), some have
been transfers of shares of stock or via legacy planning such
as naming the Foundation in a will, on an insurance policy,
in a retirement plan, or in a charitable annuity.
Our Foundation is young. It continues to gain strength both
in its financial base as well as in putting available funds
in motion through the granting process. Please contact Fr.
Jim or Sr. JoAnne or any member of the Foundation Board if
you would like to know more about a legacy gift to the Foundation.
We recommend that you consult with your attorney and/or financial
advisor to best understand the tax and other ramifications
of your gift. Monetary contributions by check should be made
payable to the St. Catherine of Siena Foundation. |
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| To view the St. Catherine of Siena Foundation Bylaws (with
amendments adopted through April 1, 2001), click here. |
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| The St. Catherine of Siena Foundation Bylaws state that the
affairs and management of the Foundation, including the control
and distribution of its property and funds, are vested in the
Board of Directors. All powers of this Foundation, including
the power to adopt Bylaws and amend and alter the same, are
vested in the Board of Directors. Directors are elected by current
Board members.
The number of directors shall be not less than five (5) nor
more than fifteen (15). The pastor of St. Catherine of Siena
Parish is an ex officio voting member of the Board. Members
can serve two consecutive three-year terms.
The officers of the Board include a president, a vice-president,
a secretary and a treasurer. The officers are chosen annually
by the Board of Directors at its annual meeting.
The annual meeting of the Board is held on the second Sunday
of March. Regular meetings generally are held 3-5 times a
year at times agreed upon by the Board.
Consult the St. Catherine of Siena Foundation Bylaws for
further information on the Board, its composition, authority
and operations.
To view a roster of the 2007-08 members of the St. Catherine
of Siena Board and its officers, click
here. |
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| The St. Catherine of Siena Board has three committees and
other committees as may be named from time-to-time based on
need. Each committee shall consist of two or more directors
of the Board. Committees serve at the will of the Board of Directors.
The Nominating Committee identifies, considers, and then
nominates candidates for Board consideration as directors.
The chair of this year’s Nominating Committee is Christine
Paulson.
The Investment Committee monitors the Foundation’s
investments and budget, makes suggestions relative to investment
policies, and is empowered to make investment decisions on
behalf of the Foundation. The chair of this year’s Investment
Committee is Denise Peterson.
The Grant Committee announces to the parish the availability
of grant funds, advises parish members regarding the grant
application process, receives and reviews grant requests,
makes recommendations on grant awards to the Foundation Board
(which then makes its recommendations to the Pastoral Council),
studies and recommends changes to the granting process, and
requires reports from grantees on their use of funds and project
outcomes. The chair of this year’s Grant Committee is
Mark McAndrews. |
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Board
Objectives for 2007-08 |
Adopted by Board Consensus
March 11, 2007 Annual Meeting
“People say, what is the sense of our small effort?
They cannot see that we must lay one brick at a time.”
Dorothy Day
1. To fulfill our fiduciary responsibilities
consistent with our Bylaws and other Board policies.
2. To receive and review grant proposals for the 2008 program
year, to award grants as appropriate, to make recommendations
(if any) for changes in our grant processes, procedures
and criteria, to receive and review reports on grants awarded
for the 2007 program year, and to assess the feasibility
of a broader role for the Foundation in seeking and administering
outside grant support.
3. To assure ongoing and successful Board
development.
4. To develop effective financial development/planned
giving strategies.
5. To discern the unique role of a parish-based
foundation consistent with principles of Catholic social
justice teaching.
6. To initiate Foundation outreach activities
to the Parish.
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Board
Agendas and Minutes - 2007 |
Please note: Minutes are posted after approval
by the Board at its following meeting.
January 7, 2007 meeting Agenda
and Minutes
March 11, 2007 annual meeting Agenda
and Minutes
May 20, 2007 meeting Agenda
and Minutes
July 29, 2007 meeting Agenda
and Minutes
Sept 23, 2007 meeting Agenda
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Statement
on Use of Endowment Funds |
Affirmed by the Board
After Research, Study and Discussion
March 11, 2007 Annual Meeting
No particular “wish list” has been established
nor is one sought. The philosophy of the Foundation does distinguish
between the use of funds as to principal and income. As stated
in the initial publication concerning the Foundation, the
principal of and income from the funds will be used to promote
the continued financial solvency of the parish. Specifically,
the income as opposed to the principal can be used to support
programs and operations reflective of the philosophy of St.
Catherine of Siena. These include but are not limited to scholarship,
community outreach programs, fostering vocations/campus ministry
and major replacements or repairs not typically covered by
the operational budget. The use of the principal, while not
restricted, could be used for unbudgeted capital improvements. |
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| To view St. Catherine of Siena Foundation’s
Investment Policy (adopted July 9, 2000), click here.
The Foundation Board is also guided in its investing by the
Des Moines Diocese’s Statement re: Social
Responsibility in Investing. |
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| To view a current Balance
Sheet and/or Profit and Loss Statement
for the St. Catherine of Siena Foundation, click
here. |
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Grant
Application and Process |
The Foundation each year awards
monies from a pool of available dollars to student and non-student
members of the Parish who have submit applications for grants
to support projects meeting granting criteria. The first year
that grants were awarded was in 2004. After three years of
granting experience and lessons learned, the Grant Committee
made several recommendations for change and the Board approved
those changes at its July 29, 2007 meeting. Consistent with
past grant processes, grant application period is now open
with a deadline of October 1 for projects in 2008. Consistent
with the newly adopted grant processes, the grant application
period will open again in January-February 2008 with a submission
deadline of March 1. Available dollars are announced at the
time of each open grant period. Funding priorities of the
Foundation include campus ministry, community outreach, and
education.
Grant
Application Packet
Grants
Awarded by the Foundation and Approved by the Pastoral Council |
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The Foundation has set aside
$15,000 for a "Discretionary Fund" to support fuding
requests for smaller projects. Application for Discretionary
Fund monies can be submitted at any time and will be considered
by the Foundation Board at its next regularly scheduled meeting.
Click here
to learn more and to apply for funding. |
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| Each year the Foundation prepares
an Annual
Report of its activity. The Annual Report also is available
from the Parish office. |
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St.
Francis of Assisi Lenten Retreat
(February 14, 15, 16, 2008) |
| The Foundation Board is sponsoring
a Lenten retreat at St. Catherine’s entitled, “Franciscan
Spirituality and Justice Retreat – A Retreat for Fools!”
facilitated by Susie Paloma, a social justice consultant and
a member of our Parish. This retreat has been very well received
in other parishes. Mark your calendars for Thursday, February
14, 2008, 7:00-9:00 pm, Friday, February 15, 2008, 7:00-9:00
pm, and Saturday, February 16, 2008, 9:00-noon. More information
will be available closer to the retreat dates. |
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Diocesan
Wills Seminar
(October 8, 2008) |
| Most people are well-intentioned about preparing
and executing a last will and testament but many do not “get
around to it” for a range of reasons. The Diocese of Des
Moines is holding seminars in the parishes on wills. The Foundation
Board has schedule the wills seminar at St. Catherine for the
evening of Wednesday, October 8, 2008, from 7:00-8:30. Look
for information when available in the Bulletin and on this Web
site. |
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And
Now, A Reading Suggestion! |
| The Foundation Board includes parish outreach and incorporation
of principles of Catholic social justice teaching within its
operational objectives for the year 2007-08. To that end, we
will from time-to-time recommend reading for our parish members
reflective of Catholic social teachings, particularly in the
areas of economic wealth, money insecurities, and stewardship
or our monetary resources.
Catholic Social Justice Teaching
The next day he took out two silver pieces and gave them to
the innkeeper with the request: Look after him, and if there
is any further expense, I will repay you on my way back. “Which
of these three, in your opinion, was neighbor to the man who
fell in with the robbers?” The answer came, “The
one who treated him with compassion.” Jesus said to
him, “Then go and do the same.” The Good Samaritan
Story, Luke 10: 35-37.
Recommended Reading
Banker to the Poor – Microlending and the Battle
Against World Poverty by Muhammad Yunis. Professor
Yunus is the founder of the Grameen Bank which uses unique
mechanisms to loan monies to the very poor, thereby providing
them a means to sustain themselves in work projects they,
themselves, identify and develop, and to best assure repayment
of loan amounts. In his very readable book, Professor Yunus
tells how he came to think of this banking principle, steps
he took to implement the loan program, and its effect in bringing
people out of poverty and into sustainable living. Professor
Yunus received the World Food Prize in Des Moines and, along
with the Grameen Bank, the Nobel Peace Prize. |
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