Development Strategy, Pipeline & Action Plan
A clear working page for the Development Committee to review current funding relationships, sponsorship opportunities, grant priorities, event fundraising, and the specific actions needed to help Final Third Foundation grow sustainably.
FY 2026–2027 SMART Goals
These are the committee’s core measurable priorities for the year.
Grow individual giving through stronger stewardship, recurring giving, and major donor cultivation.
Increase corporate, program, event, and community sponsorship support.
Grow unrestricted support to strengthen operations and long-term sustainability.
Secure at least three new institutional or foundation partners.
Committee Dashboard
A simple snapshot of where attention should go first.
Highest Priority
Clarify ownership and next steps for every major relationship, especially active grant applications and warm sponsorship leads.
Strongest Current Base
F3 has meaningful institutional momentum through existing public, healthcare, foundation, and community partners.
Biggest Opportunity
Convert event relationships, board connections, and warm corporate introductions into year-round donors, grantors, or sponsorships.
Recommended Page Use
This page should be used before and during each Development Committee meeting. The committee should review the dashboard, update relationship status, assign next steps, and track who is responsible for each introduction, ask, follow-up, or stewardship touchpoint.
Grants & Institutional Funding
Confirmed, pending, and future grant opportunities from the current pipeline.
| Grant / Institution | 2025–26 | 2026–27 Target | Contact / Lead | Program Area | Status | Committee Need |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nationwide Children’s HNHF | $230,000 | $230,000 | Katie Higgins | Soccer & Literacy | Renewal / Confirm | Steward relationship; prepare strong impact report and renewal conversation. |
| State of Ohio Capital Budget Received | $400,000 | $400,000 | NA | Pathways Park / F3 Hub | Received | Maintain ongoing communication with State Representatives and State Senators to support future collaboration and investment opportunities. |
| Franklin County Commissioners Award | $150,000 | $150,000 | Brittany Hillyard | S&L / Sprouts | Renewal | Maintain reporting quality and identify future county relationship opportunities. |
| United Way of Central Ohio | $20,000 | $20,000 | Colin Hepler | S&L / Sprouts | Existing Partner | Continue stewardship and explore expanded partnership alignment. |
| City of Columbus Summer Award | $24,500 | $49,000 | Columbus Recreation & Parks | Summer Camp | Growth Opportunity | Use camp outcomes and public impact to strengthen future request. |
| Battelle SMART Grant | — | $75,000 | Juan Alvarez, Battelle | Education / Summer Camp Growth | Applied / Pending | Track follow-up; prepare impact narrative and possible relationship touchpoint. |
| US Soccer Forward, Expert Partner | — | $50,000 | Nora Dooley | Soccer at Schools / Training | Applied / Applying | Clarify partner fit and support national training/readiness narrative. |
| FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund | — | $250,000 | No current contact | Education / Global Impact | Needs Connection | Committee help needed for introduction or warm pathway. |
| Capital Improvement Project — Columbus Foundation | — | $100,000 | Dan Sharpe | Pathways Park / Capital | Deadline Driven | Support with capital case, site impact, and follow-up. |
| PNC Grow Up Great | $20,000 | $30,000 | Kelsey Gregory | Soccer & Literacy for Littles | Renew / Increase | Frame early childhood literacy impact and growth opportunity. |
| Elevate All | — | $75,000–$100,000 | Marshall Troxwell / Elon Simms | Operating / Youth Development | Still to Apply | Confirm best request angle and strengthen public-sector alignment. |
| Siemer Family Foundation | — | $25,000 | No current contact | Youth / Family Stability | Needs Contact | Committee help needed identifying connection. |
| Columbus Youth Foundation | — | $10,000 | No current contact | Youth Development | Still to Apply | Prepare concise youth impact case. |
Sponsorships, Donors & Corporate Prospects
Current general sponsorships, donor leads, and relationship opportunities.
Confirmed / Current Support
- Soller Insurance: $10,000 in 2025–26
- Pathways Financial Credit Union: $20,000 in 2025–26
- Siebert Keck Insurance: $5,000 target for 2026–27
- Bobbie’s Shoppe: $10,000 target for 2026–27
Priority Prospects
- Huntington Bank: Lindsay Baker, VP / Director of Philanthropy
- Emerald Psychiatry: Scott Bone, Head of Strategic Partnerships
| Prospect / Sponsor | Opportunity | Status | Suggested Ask / Positioning | Committee Need |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Huntington Bank | General sponsor / community partner | Warm Cultivation | Support at any level while larger relationship is developed. | Review page, advise on fit, support relationship with VP of Philanthropy. |
| Emerald Psychiatry | Wellness, youth development, and community health | Prospect | Connect mental wellness, physical activity, and youth support. | Determine next step and relationship owner. |
| Pathways Financial Credit Union | Renewal / expanded partnership | Renewal | Renew annual support and explore deeper community finance/education alignment. | Steward relationship and prepare renewal conversation. |
Event Fundraising & Engagement
Events should be viewed as fundraising opportunities and relationship engines.
Columbus Nations Cup
2026 event revenue currently listed at $22,700, compared with $45,195 in 2025 and $30,300 in 2024.
- Event sponsors include Acloche, Ramsden Family Foundation, Morgan Stanley, Grandad’s, and individual donors.
- 50% of proceeds support CRIS Community Connectors and 50% support F3.
- Use this event to cultivate long-term sponsors and partners beyond one-day visibility. Beginning in 2027, the event will evolve into a showcase for community impact, partnerships, and organizational visibility.
Goals on the Green Golf Classic
Current listed revenue without auction items: $8,825.
- Confirmed/identified sponsors include Raymond James and CommsResource.
- Auction items include Schooley Dental, Tennis Ltd, OSU tickets, and Luxe & Lemons.
- Opportunity: board members can help with teams, sponsorships, and auction packages.
Event Strategy Recommendation
The committee should treat each event as a relationship-building platform. Every sponsor, attendee, team captain, and donor should have a post-event follow-up plan, not just a thank-you email.
What We Need From the Development Committee
Clear expectations make the committee more useful and easier to engage.
1. Open Doors
- Make warm introductions to donors, companies, and foundations.
- Identify contacts connected to listed prospects.
- Help F3 get in the right rooms.
2. Own Follow-Up
- Each priority relationship needs an owner.
- Every meeting should end with next steps.
- No lead should sit without a follow-up date.
3. Steward Relationships
- Thank donors and sponsors personally.
- Invite partners to events and site visits.
- Share impact stories throughout the year.
Each One Reach One
Each Development Committee member should aim to make one meaningful introduction, cultivation touchpoint, or donor/sponsor follow-up each month.
Meeting Structure
Every committee meeting should review the dashboard, current pipeline, upcoming deadlines, event opportunities, assigned owners, and next steps.
Quarterly Priorities
A simple annual rhythm for committee focus.
June–August
- Golf outing sponsorship outreach
- Summer Camp storytelling and reporting
- Sponsorship cultivation meetings
- Fall grant calendar preparation
- CRM implementation planning
September–November
- Giving Tuesday preparation
- End-of-year campaign development
- Legacy Award engagement
- Major donor cultivation
- Board outreach planning
December–February
- Year-end donor stewardship
- Grant submissions
- Sponsorship renewals
- Impact reporting
- Spring event planning
March–May
- Nations Cup planning
- Fiscal year review
- Annual donor reporting
- Strategic planning for next year
- Board development review
Recommended Next Steps
These items should become the committee’s immediate working agenda.
Build the Pipeline
- Separate all relationships into Confirmed, Renewal, Active Cultivation, and Long-Term Opportunity.
- Add a relationship owner for every major prospect.
- Add a next action and follow-up date for every open opportunity.
Create Committee Tools
- One-page sponsorship overview
- Board introduction email template
- Grant calendar
- Major donor pipeline
- Donor stewardship checklist