As we enter our new 2027 fiscal year this July 1st, Leadership Akron is celebrating our Founders Society and its members in a new transformative way. There are many unique new challenges to funding the operational landscape of our work, and Leadership Akron wishes to thank and celebrate our incredible alumni for their steadfast commitment to paying their Leadership Akron experience forward to the next generation of leaders in Greater Akron as we serve our mission to inspire, strengthen, and empower leaders across Greater Akron.
As we enter a new era for the Leadership Akron Founders Society, we invite all Leadership Akron alumni from each of our programs to pay it forward to future classes through annual giving. Our new tiers of annual giving support are opportunities for Leadership Akron Founders Society Members with their annual giving to be recognized as Visionary Leaders, Inspiring Leaders, and Aspiring Leaders. Visionary Leaders give annually to Leadership Akron at a level of $5,000 or above annually. Inspiring Leaders give annually to Leadership Akron at a level of $2,500 up to $5,000. Aspiring Leaders give annually to Leadership Akron at a level of $1,000 up to $2,500.
Our new Leadership Akron Founders Society annual fundraising pledge campaign will launch with annual donations accepted starting July 1, 2026. Donations made to Leadership Akron throughout the 2027 fiscal year from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027, are calculated to determine each donor’s Founders Society annual giving tier of being either a Visionary Leader, Inspiring Leader, or Aspiring Leader. Pledged donations under $1,000 will determine each donor’s inaugural membership status for the Orange Club and Blue Club.
Accumulated annual donations will be calculated with other lifetime gifts to determine new entry or tier level growth within the Leadership Akron Founders Society Legacy Circle at next year’s Leadership Akron Annual Meeting based on updated lifetime giving amounts recorded this fiscal year.
Our annual individual donor goal this year is to raise $250,000 of operating capital. Our strategy is to engage our full alumni base to encourage at least 250 of our Leadership Akron Alumni to pledge to give this fiscal year at the Founders Society levels of at least $1,000. These individual donations are essential in providing Leadership Akron with the sustainable operating capital necessary to provide the leadership programs that have served our alumni well for all incoming classes of our eleven current leadership programs.
