News from the 2013 NAYDO Conference
by Kristi Potts on 05/16/13
May 3rd, 2013
YMCA NEWS
(Vancouver, Canada )
Montgomery County Family YMCA Executive Director, Nick Zimmer and Nancy Zimmer, a dedicated YMCA volunteer with the YMCA’s 2013 Annual Campaign “Be A Hero “program along with serving on the YMCA’s endowment fundraising committee “Our Future Is In Your Hands” endowment enlargement campaign recently attended the 2013 North America YMCA Development Organization (NAYDO) conference in downtown Vancouver Canada at The Fairmont Hotel Vancouver during the dates of April 10th -13th, 2013.
NAYDO’s statement of purpose is to lead and advance the development of YMCA professionals, volunteers, and YMCA associations in the philanthropic work of their YMCA through training, education, advocacy, research, and knowledge sharing. NAYDO partners with the YMCA of the USA, YMCA Canada and the Mexican Federation of the YMCAs to advance philanthropy. Annually NAYDO hosts a major conference in North America. The NAYDO conference is the largest of the YMCA movement on an annual basis. The conference this year in Vancouver drew 1,100 conference attendees from 23 countries throughout the world that attended the 32ndt annual conference with the conference theme “Bringing People Together”. NAYDO through the year offers several philanthropy webinars, hosts a website at www.naydo.org, partnership financial development training’s with YMCA of Canada, the Mexican Federation of the YMCAs and YMCA of the USA, quarterly “Development Newsletters”, networking, and needed referral assistance for a YMCA with a particular philanthropy need in such areas of endowment, capital and/or annual campaign programs for just some of the wonderful membership benefits of being a NAYDO member.
This year’s conference had wonderful key note general session speakers in:
· “Bringing People Together For a Common Cause”, Rick Hansen a true Canadian hero and ambassador who suffered a spinal cord injury at age 16 and today is know at the Man in Motion as he wheeled in his wheel chair 34 countries in just over two years to raise $26 million for spinal cord injury research and accessibility initiatives.
· ” The Power of Giving” How Giving Back Enriches Us All “Harvey McKinnon is recognized as one of North America’s leading fundraising experts.
· “Digital Engagement at the YMCA – Wikibrands, Wikicause” Award winning author Sean Moffitt shared the world of digital engagement as one of Canada’s leading visionary for the intersection of business, brands and new media.
· “Does Your Y Underestimate Its Value to Impact Investors? Kevin Trapani with The Redwoods Group moderated this discussion with three panelists, Diana Wells, President of Ashoka, Bart Houlahan, Co-Founder of B Lab and Johan Eltvik, Secretary General of the World Alliance of YMCAs discussed how the YMCAs can work with new philanthropists to move social impact to scale.
· The Redwoods Group has offered the YMCA’s that were at the conference an opportunity to apply for a $25,000 challenge grant to identify the top three social problems in one’s community and pick one and arrive at plan through collaborative partnerships in the community to arrive a measurable impacts. The Montgomery County Family YMCA plans to bring other community partners together this summer to work on the grant for August 31st, 2013 submission date.
· “Leading a Donor Centered Organization in Changing Times” Penelope Burk, President of Cygnus Applied Research, Scott Haldane, President of and CEO of YMCA Canada and Neil Nicoll, President and CEO, YMCA of the USA shared the opportunities with the changing times with the donors changing needs and preferences.
· NAYDO is a membership organization for YMCA association’s and/or YMCA professionals as an individual that are current members of NAYDO throughout the world. NAYDO is made up of all YMCA volunteers with the exception of one full time membership/conference coordinator, part time office assistant and computer technical support assistance.
NAYDO volunteers are dedicated full time YMCA professional staff members throughout the United States and Canada that have the passion to inspire and strengthen philanthropic culture of the YMCA. The Montgomery County Family YMCA is a member of NAYDO and Nick Zimmer is on the NAYDO Council representing the smaller market YMCA associations in the United States of general operational sizes of $2 million dollars or less. Zimmer will in April, 2014 complete his second three year term serving in total 6 years on the NAYDO Council. Zimmer was reappointed to serve his second three year term from June, 2011-April, 2014. Zimmer serves on the membership/ownership committee and chairs the NAYDO Conference’s Sponsorship and Exhibit committee since 2009 to present. Prior to Zimmer taking over the Sponsorship and Exhibit Chair of the annual NAYDO conference which is held annually in April there were 30 exhibitors and sponsors with revenue to NAYDO of an estimated $40,000. Today NAYDO secure nearly 60 exhibitors and sponsors with a 2013 revenue figure of $112,500. Zimmer attributes the success of the NAYDO sponsorship and exhibitor program to continuity, attention to detail, and having 7-9 dedicated professionals that give an estimated annual 30 plus volunteer hours in offering the best customer service needs to NAYDO’s sponsors and exhibitors.
Nick and Nancy with some assistance from the Montgomery County Family YMCA and their personal funding were able to attend this year’s conference. NAYDO does offer YMCA’s financial scholarships to attend the conference and the Montgomery County Family YMCA in the past has been recipients. NAYDO annually awards estimated $80,000 financial scholarships so that YMCA’s with less financial resources or first time conference attendees can attend NAYDO.
Nancy Zimmer attended various workshops, assisted Nick (her husband) with working closely with the NAYDO conference exhibitors and sponsors throughout the conference. Nancy was part of the third ever Philanthropy Live Days on Wednesday, April 10th & 11th, 2013 where nearly 150 conference attendees volunteer part of a day or all day (Nancy Zimmer volunteered all day) to help give back to the community of Vancouver. Nancy Zimmer volunteered all day at Take a Hike School that is totally unique and very effective. Take a Hike Foundation/ school combines adventure-based learning and therapy with academics and community involvement is what makes Take a Hike so effective for enrolled at risk school students to positively change their lives.
Nancy spent the entire day at the school with several teenage at risk students for a day of outdoor projects, hiking, walking, visiting and simply getting to know one another and creating a positive experience for the students as well as for Nancy sharing her life skills for a very effective and unique day. Nancy also volunteered on Thursday, April 11th, with the “Dress for Success” non profit organization that helps women in need of entering or re entering the working business world. Many of the women are entering the work world from some type of personal situation in their life that they are in need of having resumes in place, interview skills in place and dressing for success to working society. Nancy is one of only a few volunteers that has been on all three Philanthropy Live projects that started in Anaheim, CA – NAYDO 2011 with 34 volunteers to paint a house in one day, Pittsburgh, PA – NAYDO 2012 with 87 volunteers to volunteer at two sites in Pittsburgh to Vancouver to have six projects over two days. Nancy has been asked to attend the NAYDO planning conference meeting in early June of 2013 in San Antonio, Texas to assist the pre planning of the 2014 San Antonio – NAYDO Philanthropy Live projects and to have over 200 conference volunteer at several projects to strengthen the community and residents of San Antonio. Philanthropy Live is just another form how the YMCA is there in one’s community brings people together.
Nick Zimmer along with Steve Totten, YMCA of San Diego County , California and Carol Schmidt with YMCA of the USA Financial Development Department, from Minneapolis, Minnesota were honored to lead one of the conference’s Philanthropy School & Educational Tracks on Thursday, April 11th, 2013 titled” Starting or Reinvigorating a Sustainable Endowment Program for Any Size Y.”
Also at this years Eagle Awards Night which was on Thursday, April 11th, 2013 a night where for 32 years the top YMCA’s in three general operational budget sizes, midsize and small financial operational wise are honored for their best practices in philanthropy – all Eagle Award winners were recognized with the 32nd year of the conference of which the Montgomery County Family YMCA won the 2009 Eagle Award for the category budget size of $2 million or less at the NAYDO conference in Dallas, Texas.
The 33rd NAYDO Annual Conference on YMCA Philanthropy will be on April 9th -12th, 2014 at the Marriott River walk and River center in San Antonio, Texas. The conference theme for 2014 in San Antonio will be “Focus on Cause = Mission Impact”!
To learn more about how one can become a member, volunteer, program participant or donor to the Montgomery County Family YMCA, please contact Nick Zimmer, Executive Director of the Montgomery County Family YMCA at 712-623-2161 or email the YMCA at execdir@mcymca.com visit with one of the other fine YMCA staff and customer service center representative at the YMCA which is located at 101 East Cherry Street in the beautiful Red Oak Legion Park, Red Oak, Iowa. One can also visit the YMCA’s very user friendly website page at www.mcymca.com.
