Days in the Life of a CIP Volunteer

Hello Everyone!

Welcome to my 1st blog! ENF asked me to periodically write this blog 1) to share great CIP opportunities for our local Lodges; 2) to share tips I’ve learned as a CIP volunteer/Lodge Grants Coordinator so you “don’t have to reinvent the wheel” and 3) to serve as one of your CIP cheerleaders to encourage you, excite you and motivate you to apply for more ENF CIP grants, to have more of your members involved in the gift of volunteering on your CIP projects and having more of your members inspired to personally donate to the ENF.

Yeah…. big dreams, huh??? Well, let me get started!

I feel great right now. Our Lodge has had three grants approved already this year: a $2,500 Promise Grant, $2,000 Freedom Grant and $2,000 Beacon Grant. You’re probably thinking, “Yeah…braggart! That’s great for you; it would never happen for us.” That’s NOT true. ENF wants to award all of these grants to you, too!

Here’s a “shortcut” tip: consider forming a Grants Committee that commits to serving a 3-year term over multiple Lodge years, perhaps including your knights and current ER, and entrusting it with putting together a 3-year Grant Proposal approved on the Lodge floor in Year 1. This way, you don’t reinvent the wheel every year. Members will know in advance about CIP volunteer opportunities and your committee is ready to complete grant applications right away instead of trying to cram appointing a Grants Coordinator, creating grant ideas and writing 5 applications in a couple of weeks, running out of time and leaving thousands of grant dollars on the table.

But, you say, I’m talking about the past. “Too late for that.” Well, yes and no. It is never too late to plan for the future. But, what can I encourage you to do now? Beacon and Gratitude Grant app deadlines haven’t passed yet. And, they won’t until March 31 and May 31, respectively.

Here and now concentrate on two things: 1) putting together a Beacon Grant project and 2) helping your Lodge meet the GER’s $4.65 per-capita ENF donation goal to qualify for the Gratitude Grant. If you already have, put together your Gratitude Grant project next!

This is a 2-way blog, meaning I welcome your comments, your questions, your ideas, etc. You can best reach me by email…put “ENF Blog” in the subject line of the email, add your comments or questions in the body, sign your name and Lodge name and number and email it to me at susang1953@hotmail.com.

Helping our Lodge meet our per capita goal is my next task. I’ll let you know how it goes in the next blog…

Happy CIP’ing! Till next time,

-Susan


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