This page focuses on those activities I have undertaken as a volunteer, lending my time and expertise free of charge.
Board meeting of IREC in Orlando, September 2012. Click to reach the IREC website.
In October, 2011, I joined the Board of Directors of IREC: Interstate Renewable Energy Council. This is such an exciting and promising time for renewable energy!
IREC focuses on small wind and solar, and the organization’s mission is to accelerate the use of renewable energy, and to foster easier more affordable connection to the utility grid; fair credit for renewable energy produced; best practices for states, municipalities, utilities and industry; and quality assessment for the growing green workforce through the credentialing of trainers and training programs.
My work for IREC focuses on attracting new private-sector financial support for this well-run nonprofit organization, while broadening and deepening existing funding relationships.
Other Ongoing Projects
Tom Alexander’s book about the life of Stanley Marcus ~ click to learn more.
~ Stanley Marcus Documentary Film
I have devoted some of my volunteer efforts to helping noted Texas historian and author Thomas E. Alexander secure underwriting (and greater public visibility) for a film documentary on the life of the late entrepreneur Stanley Marcus. Not only was Stanley a masterful businessman, he was also a pioneer in promoting equal rights in Dallas, an important role that is less well known.
The film will be based upon Tom’s book, “Stanley Marcus: The Relenteless Reign of a Merchant Prince” (available on Amazon.com and elsewhere online). The Dallas Foundation (via Filmanthropy Fund), and M3 Films LLC are coordinating the film project, including some related Kickstarter projects. Follow this link for a project overview and contact information. M3 Films has launched a Facebook page for the documentary providing periodic updates. Filming has begun!
~ Raise5 and “Micro-volunteering”
I am a registered, “Blogger Against Hunger” with the World Food Programme. I occasionally make independent financial contributions as well.
I also a volunteer for the award-winning micro-volunteering platform, Raise5. I offer nonprofit fundraising advice for a modest fee, which in turn triggers a donation to the World Food Programme (or a nonprofit you select). Click on the Raise5 logo to reach my service page. “Mico-consulting” may be done via e-mail (I provide a written report once you share your questions with me), or we can arrange a Google+ Hangout, or a telephone discussion.
~ NTEN: Nonprofit Technology Network
I have been a member of NTEN: Nonprofit Technology Network (nten.org), for the past several years. I have been active in recruiting new members, and was honored to receive a 2011 NTENy Award for being, “most likely to recruit all their friends – and total strangers – to join NTEN.”
I began a fundraising blog courtesy of NTEN in April, 2010; I then expanded it on WordPress in fall, 2011, where it has taken off with more than 22,000 site visits by more than 116 countries to date.
I led an Affinity Group discussion during the April, 2010 Nonprofit Technology Conference in Atlanta, Georgia. My PowerPoint presentation is available on SlideShare. I also introduced NTEN to CFRE International, and after a careful review process, the 2010 NTC secured formal continuing education accreditation.
For two years, I have served on the NTEN Member Ambassador Committee (recruitment), and on the NTC (annual Nonprofit Technology Conference) organizing committee, specifically focusing on the fundraising track.
~ Social Media Reporting
As I have learned more about social media, I have helped cover special events as a volunteer social media reporter for Social Media Club – San Antonio. My primary tools for reporting include Twitter, Instagram and Viddy. The documentation that arises from these events is frequently turned into blog posts on Tumblr and WordPress.
In addition, when I attend educational events in person (or via remote feed) in San Antonio and elsewhere, I frequently “live blog” them, so as to share helpful information with others. I have “live blogged” events hosted by the Association of Fundraising Professionals, Greenlights for Nonprofit Success, BlogItSA, NTEN: Nonprofit Technology Network, Wounded Warrior Project, Social Media Breakfast – San Antonio, The Texas Tribune, and more.
My first DAR certificate proving my ancestry (and I am working on proving several more ancestors).
~ National Society, Daughters of the American Revolution
I have been elated to discover several Patriot ancestors, one of whom worked closely with General George Washington, John Honeyman. I am celebrating my new membership in the National Society, Daughters of the American Revolution. I belongs to the Corpus Christi Chapter, and am an Affiliate Member of the Alamo Chapter, San Antonio. For information about my 18th century Irish family member, see Tumblr. I am also working on proving even more American Revolutionary War era ancestors.
As a volunteer, I helped the Corpus Christi Chapter of the DAR organize and present the 2011 Silver Tea, which honored Mrs. Maureen Miller (benefiting the Art Museum of South Texas and the Corpus Christi Symphony Orchestra). During the event, special proclamations were made commending Mrs. Miller for her outstanding philanthropic endeavors by Texas Governor Rick Perry, Representative Todd Hunter and the Texas Legislature, and Mayor Joe Adame (who declared February 18, 2011, “Maureen Miller Day”). Today, I occasionally assist the Alamo Chapter in identifying guest speakers for monthly meetings.
~ United Daughters of the Confederacy
I was approved for membership in the United Daughters of the Confederacy, Albert Sidney Johnston Chapter, San Antonio (2011). The organization’s mission is historical, educational, benelovent, memorial and patriotic. Today, people of all cultural backgrounds are members. My first proven Civil War ancestor was James F. White, Company G, 2nd Regiment, North Carolina Infantry, C.S.A.; my maternal grandmother was one of the original members of the UDC. Another Civil War veteran in my family is E. M. “Erastus” Waldron (see Tumblr). I also have ancestors who served on the Union side. As a volunteer, I have helped identify guest speakers for monthly UDC Chapter meetings.
~ North American Butterfly Association
I am an honorary lifetime member of the North American Butterfly Association in recognition of my volunteer service for the past decade. I helped secure the endorsement of First Lady of Texas Anita Perry for the National Butterfly Park in Mission, Texas, and has helped identify prospective donors to the Park, several of whom have happily become significant contributors. My current work for the organization includes developing the Texas Butterfly Print Project, a multi-year collaborative fine art printmaking program involving ten leading Texas artists of diverse backgrounds and artistic styles. Ultimately, the sale of prints produced through the project at Flatbed Press in Austin will help fund the butterfly park.
Additional Support
I have also been providing volunteer advice on occasion (and as needed), to: ONE Campaign; The Conservation Fund; and Texas Sealife Center.
PAST PROJECTS
Click on the photo to reach the Cathedral Music Ministry website.
~ Cathedral Music Ministry
While living in Corpus Christi, Texas, I enjoyed volunteering for the Corpus Christi Cathedral Music Ministry, by organizing in honor of Mrs. Maureen Miller a multi-million dollar fundraising campaign for a new Cathedral organ. A slide presentation was developed and you can view it on SlideShare. Now that formal approval to proceed with the campaign was granted by Bishop Wm. Michael Mulvey, STL, DD, campaign planning is underway.
~ CharityChannel
I enjoyed presenting a workshop at the CharityChannel Summit 2011 (in tandem with GPA: Grant Professionals Association), “Silver Linings: Opportunities in Challenging Economies.” Designed for intermediate level and advanced fundraising professionals, the conference was held at Bally’s Las Vegas in October, 2011.
My workshop, “Social Media and Nonprofit Technologies: Major Gift and Planned Giving Applications,” included Holly Ross, Executive Director of NTEN: Nonprofit Technology Network, and Kristen K. Schultz Jaarda, JD, LLM, Senior Vice President of Crescendo Interactive, Inc. The slide presentations may be viewed on SlideShare.
Antique Corpus Christi Postcard c/o Anita Eisenhauer. Click to reach the THC website.
~ Friends of the Texas Historical Commission
I served on the Board of Trustees of the Friends of the Texas Historical Commission for five years. I helped organize activities associated with the Annual Historic Preservation Conference and THC Commissioners’ meetings in May, 2008 in Corpus Christi, in partnership with Mrs. Maureen Miller (THC Commission private reception invitation pictured above). I worked with the staff of the THC to review and select the recipients of the 2008, 2009 and 2010 Preservation Fellows Program-Diversity Fellowships in Historic Preservation.
I participated as a guest speaker for the Advanced Grant Writing Workshop in Austin, Texas in February, 2010, sponsored by the Texas Historical Commission, and the Texas Grant Writing Workshop in Victoria, Texas in July, 2010. For the latter, I was pleased to help secure seminar sponsorships from The O’Connor & Hewitt Foundation and First Victoria National Bank. I also obtained formal CFRE International continuing education accreditation for the latter event. My PowerPoint on grant writing, developed for the first workshop, is available on SlideShare (it is one of my most popular).
~ Coastal Bend Chapter, AFP
As a recent past member of the Board of the Coastal Bend Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, I assisted for four years with educational program development, and chaired the Certification Committee. I designed and hosted at my own expense the Chapter’s first professional website. Once the Chapter secured an AFP-sponsored website, I converted the website to Fundraising Resources.
In 2007, I set-up the Chapter’s Constant Contact e-communication system by hand, from which I designed and distributed the Chapter’s first professional e-announcements for the first year. In June, 2008, I was honored to be asked to teach the capital campaign module for the Texas CFRE Review Course in Arlington, for those studying to take the fundraising certification examination.
~ Texas Environmental Education Partnership Fund Board
I served as a member of the Texas Environmental Education Partnership Fund Board, appointed for two consecutive terms by Texas Governor Rick Perry. The project was in partnership with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and officially concluded in summer, 2009. I donated my extensive documentation to the Texas State Library and Archives.
The soldier Carolyn sponsored during his deployment in Iraq is third from left.
~ National Leadership Foundation
I enjoyed participating in the Adopt a Soldier Program of the National Leadership Foundation, sending care packages to a soldier deployed in Iraq for two years (2008 and 2009). Click on the photograph for a Memorial Day write-up about the experience.
~ Briscoe Center for American History
I served for many years on the Advisory Council of the Dolph Briscoe Center for American History. I helped sponsor the 2007 showing of the award-winning WWII documentary, “Last Best Hope” aboard the USS Lexington in Corpus Christi. The idea of the presentation was suggested by me as a way to showcase the outstanding work being done by The University of Texas at Austin in the Coastal Bend. I have also donated some of my family’s historical documents relating to the Civil War to The Briscoe Center, as well as documents of note from my years attending The University of Texas at Austin.
~ Rotary International
Although not currently active with Rotary International, I am a Paul Harris Fellow (having made the one-time, lifetime charitable donation required). For the Corpus Christi Chapter, I sponsored several guest speakers on topics ranging from energy and archaeology to wildlife issues, and supported the ShelterBox program for emergency relief. I also provided volunteer support to Rotary’s annual Harvey Weil Sportsman Conservationist of the Year banquet for seven years (Coastal Bend region of South Texas), including suggesting several recipients who were ultimately approved, among them Stephen J. “Tio” Kleberg, Daniel A. Pedrotti, Ben F. Vaughan, III, and the late Richard C. “Dick” Bartlett.
Musical Angel by Rosso Fiorentino via the Google Art Project (ca. 1522).
I have volunteered for nonprofit causes since my grade school days with Camp Fire USA in San Bernardino, California.
Nonprofits for which I have done more in-depth volunteer work not fully described above, are: 1) Laguna Gloria Art Museum (now Austin Museum of Art, where I volunteered for the Art School and where I was subsequently recruited for my first nonprofit position); 2) Austin Chamber Music Center (I helped create its first membership program ~ austinchambermusic.org); 3) Dallas Zoological Society “Zoo To Do” Gala (serving two years on the silent auction committee); 4) Dallas Contemporary (formerly the Dallas Visual Arts Center, where I served on the Board of Directors for two years); 5) U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (between 1999 and 2010 I provided assistance on multiple projects, including coming up with the idea of celebrating the 100th anniversary of the National Wildlife Refuge System in Texas with a gala event, which ultimately occurred at the Fort Worth Zoo in 2003); and 5) Altar Guild, Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd for approximately three years (altar maintenance and service preparation).
I have lent advice on occasion to other nonprofit organizations; if you have questions, please contact me at cappleton@earthlink.net. Thank you.
