Alexandria, Virginia, United States: The Club Foundation is celebrating 30 years of service to the club industry and the development of club management professionals.
Since its inception, the Foundation has disbursed more than US$8 million in scholarships, grants, and research funds.
In 1988, the Club Managers Association of America’s Board of Directors determined that a charitable foundation could support educational pursuits in perpetuity.
The Foundation was created to fund training and continuing education opportunities tailored directly to the needs of both the novice and the practicing club manager, sponsor research on topics of practical interest to the management of clubs and the overall hospitality field, and establish scholarships to aid managers in their pursuit of advanced training and to aid students in studying the profession, ensuring the next available and well-trained generation of managers.
The first campaign was the Campaign for Excellence, with a lofty US$3 million foundation fund-raising goal. Ten years later in 1999, the Foundation had achieved major milestones with assets exceeding US$3.6 million, grants and scholarships totalling more than US$100,000 in one year, the establishment of a distance learning programme, and operating under a Strategic Plan.
Today, The Club Foundation,  a 501(c)(3) organisation, is shaping the future of the industry by providing grants and scholarships for up-and-coming students, early and mid-career club managers seeking their certification, and tenured professionals who want to give back.
Jim James, CCM, Chairman of the Board of Governors of The Club Foundation, said: “I’m delighted to celebrate 30 years of giving back and making a difference in the club industry with national staff, vendors, and our donors. And, here’s to 30 more!”
In honour of the Foundation’s anniversary, a new website has been unveiled at http://www.clubfoundation.org/