2009 Smith Mountain Lake Charity Home Tour, Gala and Silent Auction Application Process

(2008 applications are closed)

2009 Tour Dates: October 3, 4 and 5

Application Deadline is September 15, 2008.

To be considered for the Home Tour, the charity must hold a 501(c)(3) tax status and be located in the Home Tour region including the areas bordered by Bedford, Lynchburg, Rocky Mount, and Roanoke. The charity must focus its primary services on humanitarian, civic, or health related issues.

Each charity that is chosen must be prepared to supply 13 key volunteers to serve on major tour committees. The job descriptions for these volunteers are attached. It is not necessary that these volunteers come directly from your employee or volunteer rolls, but rather that each charity identify and coordinate the placement and commitment of these people. No key volunteer should be assigned to more than one job due to the training and work commitment involved in each of these positions. Actual volunteer names will not be needed until January. (Note: It is very helpful for each volunteer to have an e-mail address that is used on a regular basis.)

Each participating charity must also commit to attend the Fall luncheon where checks are distributed and your representative shares how the funds will be used.

If your charity is able to satisfy the above requirements, please apply by completing the following information in the format shown. The pages can be copied back to back. We need ten (10) copies of the information submitted. Please feel free to include brochures, etc., but again, we must request that you send 10 copies of each piece of information. (Note, if you need to exceed one page in length for each section, feel free to do so, but mark the pages as lA, (etc.) in order to allow our selection committee to compare like information for each charity). Each charity chosen to participate will be required to sign an agreement that outlines responsibilities for both the charity and the Home Tour organization. A copy of that agreement is available on the website (www.smlcharityhometour.com)

Page One:
1. Name, mailing address, email address, fax number and phone number of charity.
2. Contact person with two alternates. (please include mailing and email address and both business and home phone numbers)
3. Board of Directors list and contact information. (May be attached as separate page)

Page Two:
1. Description of the main purpose of the charity. Please be VERY SPECIFIC.
2. An official version of the Mission Statement (To be used for Public Relations purposes)
3. A description of the services that the charity provides for residents of the Home Tour region. Charities that directly serve the immediate lake area in some way are encouraged to discuss this involvement.
A statement of how you would use the funds generated from the Tour, Auction, and Gala and why this particular need will benefit the residents of the Home Tour region. Please be VERY SPECIFIC. If the charity is part of a larger regional or national organization, please explain this relationship and structure.

Page Three:
Please tell us how many employees and volunteers are currently with your charity.
Please describe why you think your group should be chosen as a participating charity.

Page Four:
Each selected charity must hold a 501(c)(3) tax status. A copy of the IRS letter affirming that status must be included with application.
Please include a current financial statement .
A copy of the charity’s proposed budget showing sources of income and anticipated expenses.
Please include an auditor's statement (an audit, review, or compilation will be accepted) for the last audit period.

ALL APPLICATIONS MUST BE RECEIVED BY SEPTEMBER 15, 2008 IN ORDER TO BE CONSIDERED. THERE WILL BE NO EXCEPTIONS TO THIS DEADLINE.

Thank you for your interest in the SML Charity Home Tour and good luck!
Mail applications to:
Charity Selection Administrator
PO Box 416
Moneta, VA 24121

Please note: The SML Charity Home Tour, Gala and Silent Auction is entirely volunteer driven and supported and while every effort is made to keep administrative costs to the lowest level possible, no guarantees are made or implied regarding the dollar amount of funds that will be available for distribution after the event.