Fundraising Campaign

| Campaign Leadership |

Top Three Campaign Highlights:  

1. Ambassador John Langeloth Loeb, Jr. is generously sponsoring the 2008/2009 First Freedom Student Competition, the Council's annual essay competition for secondary school students nationwide.

2. The Council's new major donors include, among others, The John L. Loeb, Jr. Foundation, the Henry Luce Foundation, The Community Foundation Serving Richmond and Central Virginia, and Universal Corporation.

3. The Council has raised $10.3 million to date.

Campaign News

With the opening of the Council’s space at 1321 E. Main Street and a dramatic expansion of educational programs, the Council has more momentum than ever before!

As Council President, Ambassador Seiple has met with hundreds of talented and influential people in Richmond and beyond, increasing awareness of the Council’s ever growing programmatic “footprint” and garnering essential campaign support. He also continues his long legacy of speaking to groups around the world about religious freedom.

FFC Development / Programming Highlights

1. Educational Programming. The Council continues its annual student competition, now entering its fourth year as a national essay contest. The Council has also recently produced a teaching manual and video entitled, The Constitution and Religion in the Classroom, based on the Council’s “Framing the Debate” series, which featured two experts from opposing sides of the issue of religion in public schools and the public square.  This booklet and DVD has been requested by over 7,000 teachers across the country, from whom many positive reviews have been received.

This summer, the Council presented Footprints of Religious Freedom at our teacher training institute, the week of June 23-27, 2008.   In this institute, teachers analyzed Virginia and U.S. History from a new angle as they learned how Virginia’s religious people and their religious institutions impacted the laws, the politics, and the social movements in this state and the nation.  

The Council is working on other new projects, including a website for schoolchildren featuring educational materials relating to the ten-year anniversary of the International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA), and a children’s web site that will be an academic tool for teaching children about religious freedom and diversity, while also providing a resource base for teachers. 

2. 14th and Main Street Property and Exhibit. Renovations are complete and staff has moved into to this long-ignored but historically significant stretch of buildings, which the Council purchased for office and exhibit space, as well as apartment rental space. The Council, together with the local design firm, Riggs Ward, has installed in these offices a learning experience, entitled Faces of Religious Freedom.  This exhibit is also accessible on the Council’s website as a virtual web based exhibit presentation, with corresponding display illustrations. Visitors to both the physical and virtual exhibits will gain a deeper understanding of the Council’s mission and the significance of religious freedom in America and around the world.


3. First Freedom Awards Dinner. Every year the Council honors distinguished champions of religious freedom with Virginia, National and International First Freedom Awards. Winners are honored at a world class gala, attended by hundreds of religious freedom supporters. This year marked the 14th annual First Freedom Awards Dinner, which was held at the Jefferson on January 16. Proceeds from the dinner go to the Council’s educational programs. Read the biographies of this year's winners!

4. First Freedom Center Comprehensive Campaign.  The comprehensive campaign to build the First Freedom Center is a multi-year effort to raise capital funds and operating reserves to build a national education center dedicated to providing educational programs, materials and exhibits about religious freedom as an American historical development, as a contemporary controversy, and as an international human right.

Plans for the First Freedom Center are advancing steadily and the Council is currently working with a developer on how to make this Center a reality.  The Council is in a period of due diligence with the developer, so there are no specifics or details to share at this point.  However, this plan does envision a hotel combination that will anchor the site of the Council’s offices and exhibit space.  The entire project will be called the First Freedom Center, and every care will be taken for the hotels to mirror and augment the importance of both this hallowed ground, and the religious freedom that was first codified into law here.

How You Can Help

If you would like to contribute your time, talent, information or financial resources, please go to How You Can Help.

Financial Contributions. Gifts to the First Freedom Campaign can provide lasting recognition and tribute to a family, individual, business or foundation. Each gift will be recognized appropriately as determined by the donor and the Council.

An investment in the First Freedom Center Campaign may be characterized as a charitable expense pursuant to Section 162 of the Internal Revenue Code. The Council assists donors who wish to plan their gifts to achieve the greatest benefit under current tax regulations. Please contact the Council or your tax advisor for assistance.