Strategic Planning and Community Input Causes Board to Change the Focus of the Cleveland Police Foundation
The Foundation concludes that Cops and Kids and Heroes Program should become be featured in its fundraising efforts.
Based upon findings from two seminal research efforts and strategic planning meetings, the Cleveland Police Foundation has announced a significant change in its strategic direction now with a special emphasis on programs directly supporting police officers and children as well as police officers and their wellness through its Heroes Fund, according to Dick Clough, CPF president.
“Our goal is to create trust-building initiatives that nurture mutual understanding and a sense of partnership between law enforcement and citizens both young and old,” says Clough. “We want businesses, foundations, and Clevelanders to join us as we support the many unfunded initiatives and needs that police officers have, and the Cleveland Police Foundation can underwrite. What we accomplish depends on the generosity of our community. We need to select the initiatives that provide the most meaningful results. Research findings and our board’s strategic thinking point us to our Cops and Kids and Heroes Fund.”
Clough continued, “How our police officers deal with children today will have the greatest impact on our citizens of the future. Preparing our police officers to work more sensitively with the community starts with wellness and mental health deliverables that emanate from our Heroes Fund.”
The two surveys conducted for the Cleveland Police Foundation include one through Bridge Builders and the other in conjunction with a well-known researcher. The Bridge Builders Cleveland Leadership Center completed a Leadership Action Plan indicating that the Foundation needed to be more focused on the programs it supports. The Plan mentioned the Heroes Fund and Cops and Kids as two programs that should be evaluated.
When it came to the Public Safety Survey, 98% of all respondents underscored the importance of interface of police officers with children between the ages of 5 and 18. In the same survey, 99% of the respondents thought police officer wellness and mental health was a high priority. According to Clough, the CPF Strategic Planning Sessions resulted in unanimous support for both Cops and Kids and the Heroes Fund.
“We have accomplished a lot during the past two years,” Clough stated. “We have made major strides with Fishing with Cops, Police Athletic League sports as well as police and family wellness. Our monthly Police of the Month Program puts a spotlight on our men and women in blue who are making a difference in our community.”
The Cleveland Police Charities include Cleveland Cops for Kids, Cleveland Police Athletic League, Cleveland Police Historical Society & Museum, Cleveland Police Mounted Police Unit Charitable Trust, Pipes & Drums of the Cleveland Police, and the Cleveland Police Honor Guard.
The Cleveland Police Foundation is a recognized 501 (c) (3) and all contributions are tax deductible. Only 10% of each contributed dollar is spent on administration.
“Businesses and individuals should visit our website to make a donation. There you can see how we support the Cleveland Division of Police,” Clough concluded.
For more information, visit our annual fund page or go to the Donate link on the home page. You may mail donations to: Cleveland Police Foundation, 2301 Payne Avenue, Suite 201, Cleveland OH 44114.
You are invited to subscribe to our PARTNER newsletter here.
For more information, call 216-409-3333 or write info@clevelandpolicefoundation.org.