Healthy Futures - "Get Up and Go!"

~a note from Cindy Norquest

Healthy Futures awards two types of schools program grants, one is based on the highest percent of students participating and the other is based on the average number of logs per student.  The top five schools with the highest percent of student participation between June 1, 2009, and May 31, 2010, will each receive a $100 cash grant. Within the top five, the three schools with the highest repetition rate (Average Logs per Student) will receive the following additional grants - first place $750, second place $500, third place $250.  Schools can win up to $850.
 
Here were the results for 2008-09:      
Top 5 schools with the highest percentage of participation - $100 each

1) La Fronteras - Christa Hayes - 84% participation
2) Girdwood - Cassie Cook - 72% participation
3) O'Malley - Jan Konkler - 60% participation
4) Klatt - Joanne Osborne - 52% participation
5) Bowman - Sara Paulson - 35% participation

Within the top 5, the schools with the highest average logs per participant received the following additional grants...

1) La Fronteras with 4.71 average logs per participant - $750
2) O'Malley with 4.67 average logs per participant - $500
3) Klatt with 3.39 average logs per participant - $250


New Signature Sponsor (7/5/09)

We are very excited to announce that Providence Health & Services Alaska is the new signature sponsor of Healthy Futures.  As a statewide public health educator, Providence is committed to furthering Healthy Futures goal of empowering Alaska youth to build more positive, lifelong physical fitness habits.

As health is Providence’ core business, they are able to offer in-house support in the areas of public relations, community relations, data collection and website development.  In addition, they have offered assistance in securing additional sponsors.

While we are deeply indebted to our previous sole sponsor, ConocoPhillips for their gracious support over the past five years, we believe that the new partnership with Providence will allow Healthy Futures to move to the next level.

We would like to offer a special thank you to Karol Fink and Tammy Green, who by way of brainstorming and introduction paved the way for this exciting new partnership.

501c3

With Providence’s guidance, Healthy Futures will determine if a long-term fiscal agent or becoming a 501c3 is in our best interest.  Becoming a 501c3 will offer legitimacy and provide better funding opportunities for grants and community fundraising.  However, the right long-term fiscal agent can also provide these same opportunities.  This will not be a small undertaking and we welcome your time and input.

Fiscal Agent

As part of our transition, Healthy Futures has transferred fiscal responsibilities from AKAHPERD to the Alaska Sports Hall of Fame.  AKAHPERD has played a significant role in Healthy Futures growth and we look forward to continuing to work together in promoting Healthy Futures to Alaskan educators. At this time, the change is temporary as we explore which structure will best support Healthy Futures’ mission.

Fundraising

While Providence is the signature sponsor, they will not be the sole sponsor of Healthy Futures.  This will provide better financial security for the organization and the opportunity to align our funding with our program year.  We are currently finalizing our sponsorship levels and in talks with potential community sponsors.  In addition to funding the Healthy Futures program, a primary goal with sponsors is to collaborate with their organization in promoting Healthy Futures two core programs throughout the state.

 

Please contact Cindy Norquest or Sam Young if you have any questions, are interested in providing technical assistance in the fiscal agent/501c3 process or if you have suggestions for possible sponsors.

Update on Healthy Futures (3/30/09):

Since inception, Healthy Futures has benefitted greatly from the financial support provided by our sole funding source, ConocoPhillips.  Due to economic conditions, ConocoPhillips recently determined it necessary to reduce community giving.  Unfortunately, this decision affects Healthy Futures.  ConocoPhillips reduced their funding to Healthy Futures from just under $200,000 last year to $30,000 for 2009 representing an 84% reduction.  We are very grateful to ConocoPhillips for their past five years of support, and will use the $30,000 to assist in funding a streamlined Healthy Futures initiative through the 2008/2009 program year ending May 31.   However, $30,000 is not enough to sustain Healthy Futures into the 2009/2010 school year.
 
In an effort to raise money, we have decided to split the initiative into four programs and need to organize a fund raising committee to solicit major sponsors for each program.

1)      Activity Logs in schools estimated at $74K

2)   Community Events estimated at $75.5K

3)      Healthy Heroes estimated at $17K (excluding printing)

4)      Fundraiser for operating costs (no estimate at this time)

If you would like to see Healthy Futures continue and have the time to commit to spearheading or participating in a fund raising committee please contact Cindy Norquest at cnorquest@acsalaska.net or Lisa Gill at lgill@gci.net.

Healthy Heroes is a publication put together through Alaska Hall of Fame and Healthy Futures.  Check it out!

Here are your Local Fitness Heroes from around the state of Alaska!