I have just received the wonderful news that The Spears Center for Servant-Leadership, Inc. has been approved as a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization by the Internal Revenue Service. As a recognized public charity, we are now eligible to receive contributions, grants, bequests, and other kinds of financial support. Financial donations to the Spears Center are tax-deductible to the fullest extent of the tax laws.
Over the past two decades, I have devoted myself to the joyful task of encouraging a better world through expanding our understanding and practices of servant-leadership. Much of my work has focused on communicating these ideas through a series of books, journals, articles, newsletters, essays, interviews, the internet, radio and television appearances, and hundreds of public presentations around the world. Slowly-but-surely, public awareness and practice of servant-leadership has grown.
In recent months, The Spears Center board and I have worked hard to put into place the basic building blocks for growing The Spears Center as a long-term resource for servant-leadership information and inspiration. Some of these elements have included:
- The establishment of The Spears Center for Servant-Leadership Inc. as a not-for-profit organization, located in the state of Indiana (December 2007)
- Defining the mission and vision for this new organization (January 2008)
- Establishing an organizational website (February 2008)
- Creating the goals and objectives that guide our work as an organization (March 2008)
- Creating a regular e-newsletter, Servant-Leader News, as a significant communications tool (April 2008)
- Submission to IRS of our application for tax-exempt status as a not-for-profit organization (April 2008)
- Establishing a board of trustees, and the holding of our first board meeting (May 2008)
- The publication of Holistic Servant-Leadership; and, The 2008 International Journal of Servant-Leadership (with Gonzaga University)–respectively, the first essay, and ongoing journal, produced under the aegis of The Spears Center (June 2008)
- Participation in the first Global Servant-Leadership Research Roundtable, in The Netherlands (July 2008)
- The start of my teaching of "Servant-Leadership," an online graduate course offered by Gonzaga University as part of its M.A. program in Organizational Leadership (August 2008)
- Sponsoring and facilitating the first Servant-Leadership Writer’s Retreat (September 2008)
- A careful review of the many suggestions and notes of encouragement that I have received from many of you since last December (October 2008)
- Engagement in a process of reflection, inquiry, and planning (November 2008)
- I have also written and published nine articles on servant-leadership that have appeared in five publications, including The International Journal of Servant-Leadership, The Diary of Alpha Kappa Psi, Spark, Road Map, and Servant-Leader News; and, a Foreword for the book, The OnTarget Board Member.
- Throughout 2008, the completion of four manuscripts of books about servant-leadership
- Scanlon EPIC Leadership (Paul Davis and Larry Spears, Editors; Scanlon Leadership Foundation, book published in May 2008)
- The Spirit of Servant-Leadership (Shann R. Ferch and Larry Spears, Editors; manuscript completed in October 2008)
- Writings by Bill Bottum (title to be determined; Dorothy Lenz, George SanFacon, Larry Spears, Editors; manuscript completed in November 2008)
- Writings by John Donnelly (title to be determined; Paul Davis and Larry Spears, Editors; manuscript completed in December 2008)
At this time, we would like to cordially invite you to show your support of our past, present, and future work through the kindness of your financial contribution to The Spears Center. Donations of any size will be gratefully received, used well, and much appreciated.
The Spears Center for Servant-Leadership
Annual Giving Circles of Support
$1-$99……………………………………………Listening Circle
$100-$249………………………………………Empathy Circle
$250-$499………………………………………Healing Circle
$500-$1,499……………………………………Persuasion Circle
$1,500-$4,999…………………………………Stewardship Circle
$5,000 and higher…………………………….Foresight Circle
While we are not yet set up to accept contributions by credit card, your donation by check may be sent to:
(click here to print contribution page)
The Spears Center
329 Garden Grace Drive
Indianapolis, IN 46239
Gifts to The Spears Center are deductible in computing Federal income tax.
It is my sincere hope that you might choose to answer this call to commitment by sending your donation to The Spears Center today.
Your support makes a difference.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Warm regards,
Larry
Larry C. Spears, President & CEO
The Spears Center for Servant-Leadership
