The foundation's new mission statement, which was approved by the I-CAR board of directors and the foundation's board of trustees, charges the organization with securing donations that support philanthropic and collision repair education activities that promote and enhance career opportunities in the industry.
"We may still help provide the curriculum to schools, but we will not be involved in marketing and selling like we are now," says Ron Ray, executive director of the education foundation. "That will shift to an I-CAR responsibility, and we will focus on raising funds."
According to Ray, while the I-CAR curriculum is in use at more than 500 schools across North America, there are another 800-plus institutions that aren't using it, often because they lack funding. "We want to find a means to help them get the curriculum," he says. "We want to help make sure they are graduating entry-level technicians that businesses want to hire. We want to serve local employers."
The foundation already has been involved in several fund-raising programs, such as its $100 per collision repair facility per year campaign that directs 85 percent of donations into schools in the region where the money was raised. The Broward County Florida I-CAR Volunteer Committee, for example, raised more than $12,000 in support of this program.
"We also haven't spent a lot of time researching grants at the federal, state, local and private level," Ray says.
The transition will occur over the next fiscal year, which runs through July 2008. Ray hopes to redirect the six-person foundation staff, half of which is dedicated to product development or sales and marketing, into grant research and fundraising activities.
How the structure of the organization will change is not clear yet. "I have some ideas of where the changes will be, but there's nothing concrete yet," Ray says.
The foundation also wants to formalize its re-donation program, which helps direct donated equipment and materials to schools. 3M Corp., for example, has given the foundation more than 600 brand-new spray guns, which are being re-donated to schools.
Since it is a 501 C-3 non-profit organization, all cash and equipment donations are tax deductible. Ray wants to work more closely with all segments in the industry to help cash-strapped schools get the equipment they need.
"It's a win-win situation, in that we can benefit the donor and the schools," he says. "Many of these schools have small budgets, especially the high schools. When we gave away those spray guns, the testimonial letters we got from instructors were just overwhelming with thanks."
Ray also wants to facilitate more regional fund-raising events.