About NC Sertoma Endowment Fund

The North Carolina Sertoma Endowment Fund was established in 1985 to benefit the Sertoma Clubs in the state of North Carolina. At that time, grants from the Sertoma Foundation had become difficult to obtain, and a number of North Carolinians, led by Joe Weatherspoon, believed it would be good to establish an endowment fund to benefit club projects in North Carolina. The Sertoma, Inc., “Annual Fund” (formerly known as the Sertoma Foundation) will continue to serve to serve the needs of the larger entities. To receive funding from the “Annual Fund,” your recipient must be affiliated with Sertoma, Inc., and all distributions must go to hearing health affiliated programs.

This is where the NC Sertoma Endowment Fund differs and can help with the smaller funding needed by some clubs in North Carolina. Although it is desired, it is not a mandatory requirement for the grant money to be used in hearing health. Nor do the recipients need to be affiliated with the Endowment. Our only requirements are that your club provide an equal or greater portion of the financial responsibility for your project, regardless of the nature of the project, and that your club be a contributor to the NC Sertoma Endowment during the fiscal year in which the grant request is made.

We have updated our by-laws to allow for more funding to help the smaller clubs’ needs and make it easier for our local clubs to obtain grant money. Please contact your club president or one of the Endowment trustees in your area for more information or to obtain a copy of the grant application.

Make sure your Sertoma money works as hard as you do for Sertoma by becoming an active partner with the North Carolina Sertoma Endowment Fund. (See below) Remember, this is your money. By contributing to the NC Sertoma Endowment Fund, you will help to increase the fund’s value and annual return, which in turn will increase the amount of money we can award in grants each year.

All checks should be made payable to “Edward Jones,” which manages the corpus. All proceeds donated to the fund stay in North Carolina. The Trustees’ sole responsibility is to manage the fund and to consider grant requests from North Carolina Sertoma Clubs. This website will provide you with additional information.

Our History

The North Carolina Sertoma Endowment Fund Charter was voted on unanimously at the Regional Convention in Williamsburg. The Tar Heel Sertoma Club in Carrboro had the vision. With Joe Weatherspoon’s leadership, the Charter was written and recorded in the State of North Carolina in May 1985.

Through the years, the Endowment Fund has grown as a result of the dedicated work of a great number of North Carolina Sertomans. These Sertomans had a mission – to create, build and sustain an Endowment Fund available to assist North Carolina Sertoma Clubs, to raise necessary funds for their worthwhile projects, and to support Camp Sertoma on an annual basis.

The only membership requirement for Grant requests is that your Sertoma Club is an active club in the community and contributes to the NC Endowment at the $100 level during the fiscal year in which application is made. The North Carolina Sertoma Endowment Fund Committee encourages Club and Individual contributions to help grow and sustain the fund.

The North Carolina Sertoma Endowment Fund has distributed in excess of $80,000 in the form of Endowment Grants to help with North Carolina Sertoma Club projects and Camp Sertoma (originally at Vade Mecum in Westfield, NC, on Moore’s Spring Road near Hanging Rock State Park, but now at Millstone 4-H Camp near Ellerbe, NC).

Endowment Grants are considered at the Mid-Winter meeting in January/February. The deadline for submission is December 1.

The North Carolina Sertoma Endowment Fund is governed by a Board of Directors comprised of Sertoma members from North Carolina.

The new Board of Directors and Officers of the North Carolina Sertoma Endowment Fund Committee are elected and/or appointed at the Mid-Winter meeting. The Chairperson may be re-elected for only one additional term of one year. He or she may serve another term at a later date with the same limited succession rule.

All Sertomans are welcome to attend any or all of the Board of Director meetings. Participation benefits the North Carolina Sertoma Endowment Fund as well as the home club of each participating Sertoman!

Any questions concerning the aim or purpose of the North Carolina Sertoma Endowment Fund are encouraged and may be directed to any Board Member.

Become an Active Partner

Here are ways to become an active, participating partner with the NC Sertoma Endowment and become qualified to receive grant money:

* Make a club donation of at least $100 to the NC Sertoma Endowment (minimum to be eligible to receive a grant).

* Make a club donation of $200 or more, for which you will receive a medallion for your banner in appreciation.

* In addition, you may participate in any of the following ways:

Make an individual pledge and or annual donation to the NC Sertoma Endowment Fund, for which you will receive an Endowment pin to wear and show your support.
Have your local Sertoma Club make an annual donation to the NC Sertoma Endowment Fund. (Minimum of $200 to receive a medallion for your club banner)
Have your local Sertoma Club place the NC Sertoma Endowment Fund as a line item in your annual budget.
Take an interest in the current operation of the NC Sertoma Endowment Fund by attending board meetings and participating in the active transactions of the Endowment Fund business.
Become so interested in the NC Sertoma Endowment Fund that you become a board member or officer of the fund. Please contact the Endowment Chair if interested in serving as an Endowment Trustee.
Become so interested in the NC Sertoma Endowment Fund that you learn the complete history and reason the "Fund" was created for you as a North Carolina Sertoman. The more you as an individual Sertoman learn, the more your local Sertoma Club will know about the NC Sertoma Endowment Fund, and truly become an active partner.
Become a contributing member either by making a donation to the Memorial Plaque (a deceased club member) / Honorarium Plaque (honor someone in your club, living or deceased) of $100/person.

If an active partnership is created with every Sertoman in the State of North Carolina, the North Carolina Sertoma Endowment Fund will continue to grow and fulfill its long-term commitment for growth to the benefit of all Sertoma Clubs in the State of North Carolina.

Sincerely yours in service,

Jim Womble

Chair, NC Sertoma Endowment Fund, Inc.