You may have heard about the G.R.E.A.T. Foundation, Inc., and wondered what it is all about.  This article will officially introduce you to the Foundation, its history, mission, and plans to assist you, the G.R.E.A.T. instructor.

In 2006, the G.R.E.A.T. National Policy Board (NPB) directed the establishment of a not-for-profit foundation able to accept private donations from public and private entities that want to assist the efforts of G.R.E.A.T.  Incorporation papers were filed, and the G.R.E.A.T. Foundation, Inc., was formally established on July 11, 2006.

Initial progress was slow, but in January 2008 a mission statement and bylaws were adopted, and elections were held.  During 2008, the 501(c)(3) application was completed, and in January 2009, the IRS granted tax-exempt status to the Foundation.

The Foundation became active during the time it was waiting for the paperwork to be processed and approved.  With the help of $11,000 in start-up money, the Foundation provided support for the 2008 G.R.E.A.T. National Training Conference by assisting with presenter travel and sponsoring the travel for the video contest winner and his family.  In addition, Foundation officers met with the vendors present at the conference to discuss licensing and royalty fees for G.R.E.A.T. logo usage. 

In May 2009, the NPB, the G.R.E.A.T. Foundation, and the Institute for Intergovernmental Research (which manages the G.R.E.A.T. National Program Office) entered into a memorandum of agreement authorizing the Foundation to collect license fees and royalties from vendors for the use of the G.R.E.A.T. logo.  These fees/royalties are purposely a nominal amount so there is as little impact as possible on local agencies.  The money from the fees/royalties should begin reaching the Foundation later this fall.

The money raised will help the Foundation begin a national effort in corporate fundraising.  To date, everything has been accomplished through volunteer efforts, but major fundraising will require at least one part-time employee.  The Board of Directors has established a committee to develop guidelines for both an executive director and additional board members.  Once the fundraising efforts are under way, the Board’s intent is to focus heavily on the Foundation’s mission statement, which is as follows:

The  G.R.E.A.T. Foundation is dedicated to providing the Gang Resistance Education And Training (G.R.E.A.T.) Program with charitable, scientific, educational, and research aid and promoting the educational training, research services, dissemination of information, and general education of students, classroom educators, instructors, and public through the G.R.E.A.T. Program.

This assistance will be provided through training seminars, conferences, and in-service trainings for G.R.E.A.T. instructors, the National Training Team, and educators.  Because less than 20 percent of all agencies who offer G.R.E.A.T. are funded through federal grants, the Foundation envisions providing assistance to nonfunded agencies with program delivery as our budget allows.  We also seek to recognize excellence among educators and G.R.E.A.T. instructors with annual awards.  In addition, the Foundation anticipates providing assistance to students who have made commitments to help their schools and communities stay violence-free by helping to fund their ideas and projects.

These are ambitious goals that will not be accomplished overnight, but the Foundation is counting on all of you to help it attain its goals.  If you have contacts with corporations or businesses or ideas for raising funds, please contact one of the board members listed below.  Together we can make a difference!

Visit the G.R.E.A.T. Foundation, Inc website.