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DKG International Educators Foundation

Donors, Donations, and Greatest Need

Providing Emergency Fund checks to Wisconsin members whose homes were damaged by flood…
supporting leadership development for members… funding a project that puts books in children’s
hands via a traveling library… supporting a World Fellowship recipient’s pursuit of doctoral studies…
assisting a non-member in obtaining accreditation credentials with a Lucile Cornetet Award… How does
the DKG International Educators Foundation (DKGIEF) put donations to work?
The new approach to giving adopted by the DKGIEF offers donors the opportunity to direct funds to
Society initiatives that resonate! This means a member, a chapter, a state organization, or a philanthropic
non-member is able to direct the monies they contribute to the DKGIEF, which in turn, drives the work
of our Society. For some, these choices are exciting. A past recipient of funds during a tornado, flood,
or other natural disaster who has been able to rebuild might, for example, choose to “pay it forward”
and direct her donations to the Society’s Emergency Fund. A chapter wishing to acknowledge the
leadership contributions of an esteemed longtime member might choose to contribute monies raised
from a chapter fundraiser to the Golden Gift Fund. A state organization whose recent convention was
enriched, professionally and culturally, by the presence of an International Speaker might choose, in
turn, to donate to the International Speakers Fund (ISF) as a means of supporting cultural exchange for
others throughout the Society. The giving opportunities of the DKGIEF are aligned with the work of the
Society—the choice of direction is yours!

Area of Greatest Need

Given all these terrific ways to contribute, what exactly is Area of greatest need? Often, one’s
passion about our Purposes makes the decision of where to direct donations an easy one: Simply follow
your heart! Sometimes, a member will travel to an international DKG event and return to her chapter
with ideas of a new way to contribute to international initiatives and projects—again, still an easy
way to decide how to direct a donation. But sometimes a member gets busy; perhaps she hasn’t been
to an international event for a while. Maybe a non-member just wants a tax break and appreciates the
Society’s commitment to advancing excellence in education. In such cases, what can a donor do to help
direct donations for the benefit of the Society and the communities it serves? Another easy decision and
solution appears: Area of greatest need.
When a donation is not allocated to a specific fund, or when a donor indicates Area of greatest need,
the Directors of DKGIEF get to work on behalf of the Society! A complex international organization like
DKG experiences variability in needs associated with funding its important work. For example, during
the COVID-19 pandemic, fewer Cornetet funds were spent because such awards often involve travel as
educators participate in professional development experiences to upgrade their skills. COVID-19 didn’t
stop hurricanes or flooding, however; supporting members in times of need through the Emergency Fund
requires consistent funding over time. DKGIEF Educational Projects benefiting children and education
are also on the rise along with funding requests as many educators and educational researchers look to
support learning in a post-pandemic world. When an individual, state organizaton or philanthropic non-
member chooses Area of greatest need, support for the Society’s Purposes can be directed to advancing
the ongoing work of the Society in timely and meaningful ways.
The next time you have occasion to donate to the DKGIEF—or encourage another or a group to
do the same—the choice is yours. Pay it forward, recognize the contributions of another, support a
specific fund that speaks to your passions, and, when in doubt, have confidence that the Directors of the
DKGIEF are providing stewardship of funds to ensure the Foundation connects donations with priority
areas that advance the work of the Society!

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