Home Sponsorship Guidelines

Home Sponsorship – What is It?

Sponsor groups of all sizes and experience levels work in partnership with Habitat for Humanity and families in need, building safe, decent, affordable housing. Several sponsors have already experienced profound blessings through their commitment to build one or more houses with Hancock County Habitat for Humanity (HCHH).

Many types of groups become sponsors:
• Congregations or groups of congregations
• Corporations or groups of corporations
• Neighborhood groups
• Associations

Sponsors agree to provide some or all of the following elements needed for a home:
• Activities coordination
• Construction crews
• Skilled construction crew leaders
• Volunteers
• Funds and/or in-kind contributions
• Prayer
• Building lot (provided by HCHH in most cases)

Hancock County Habitat for Humanity provides these elements:
• A homeowner family
• Steering Committee assistance
• Construction supervision
• Legal Work
• Training

What Does it Cost?

The average cost of building a Habitat house in Hancock County is $60,000. This reflects contributions of gifts in kind. However, it does not include the significant contribution of the volunteer efforts that must be secured to maintain this cost. Partnerships between several sponsor groups make raising the resources more achievable. For example, a group with significant enthusiasm and talent but a small fundraising base may partner with a group with a large fundraising base but less volunteer resources.

What Time Commitment is Involved?

Construction schedules and intensity of building vary. Our normal building schedule takes about ten to twelve months and about 1500 person hours of construction labor to build a home. However, homes can be built in a more rapid “blitz” mode. These hours do not include the significant effort required from both volunteers and staff to organize, raise resources, recruit volunteers, and conduct pre- and post-construction tasks as outlined briefly in the following sections of this document.

 

 

 

What Leadership is Needed and Who Provides It?

Several leadership roles within the sponsor group are critically important to successful home sponsorship. Although HCHH has staff and committees that work in some of these areas, it is important that the sponsor group undertakes certain roles and responsibilities. It is also critical that sponsor group leaders communicate and coordinate closely with HCHH staff, committee chairs, and board members. The sponsor group may create more leadership roles than those listed here if a need is identified. For example, on a project where extensive publicity is important, it may be coordinated through a single person who works with the HCHH staff members in charge of public relations, or the publicity may be coordinated by the HCHH staff member with volunteer help from the sponsor group when needed.

Sponsor Steering Committee
Membership consists of the sponsor organizations Coordinator/Chairperson, Site Supervisor, Volunteer Coordinator, Fundraising Leader, Committee Secretary, HCHH Family Support Committee Member, HCHH Building Committee Member, HCHH Executive Director and other sponsor committee leaders as deemed necessary.
• Steers the building project from start to finish within determined time frame.
• Meets regularly (frequency determined by construction time frame and approach (normal vs. blitz)
• Maintains clear communication with HCHH.

Sponsor Steering Committee Coordinator/Chairperson
Requires energy, enthusiasm and a solid connection within the sponsoring group - must have excellent communication skills.
• Is the primary liaison between the sponsor group and HCHH and with other sponsor groups
• Ensures sponsor group provides the elements for which they have accepted responsibility
• Works with the HCHH Executive Director and Building Committee Chair to ensure adequate communication    between sponsor group members and HCHH staff and committees
• Organizes and directs other sponsor group leadership

Site Supervisor
Requires construction experience and good organizational skills.
• With HCHH Building Committee - Identifies the construction time frame and approach (normal vs. blitz)
• Identify the number and type of skilled volunteers needed during construction and to identify crew chiefs
• Maintains clear communication with Volunteer Coordinator
• Provides for necessary tools and materials to be on site for specific jobs.
• Orders, confirms accuracy of invoices, and signs for receipt of materials and tools
• Submits all invoices / receipts into the HCHH office on a weekly basis
• Oversees the Safety of the Work Site

Crew Chiefs
Need construction skills and ability to supervise semi-skilled and unskilled persons during the construction day.
• Oversee small groups of semi-skilled and unskilled volunteers
• Requires all Volunteers to “Sign-In” and “Sign-Out” in the Volunteer Log
• Maintain Safety, provides for daily “Safety Talk” to all volunteers
• Maintain Quality
• Aid Site Supervisor in making sure necessary tools and materials are on site for specific jobs.

Volunteer Coordinator
• Ensures volunteers with the necessary skills are provided per the schedule developed by the Site Supervisor.
• Maintains log of volunteers workers and insurance release forms.
• Schedules and coordinates all volunteers in the sponsor group
• Ensures that appropriate hospitality is provided when volunteers are on the site

Fundraising / GIK Leader
• Develops and implements a fundraising plan in coordination with the HCHH Executive Director and Resource    Development Committee
• Attends HCHH Resource Development Committee meetings during the period of sponsorship

 

 

Secretary
• Maintains minutes of all Steering Committee meetings.
• Coordinates suitable recognition and “Thanks” to donors / volunteers with Volunteer Coordinator and    Fundraising Leader.

What Must Be Accomplished?

Building the Relationship with HCHH

The extent of sponsorship and responsibility is agreed between the group and HCHH. Partnerships and sharing of responsibilities with other organizations are established with the help of HCHH. Sponsor group leadership roles are filled and working relationships are established with HCHH. Expectations and goals are discussed and agreed.

Raising Funds and Other Resources

The sponsor group develops a fundraising plan in coordination with the HCHH Resource Development Committee (RDC). The sponsor Fundraising Leader reviews and coordinates plans with this committee throughout the sponsorship. The Fundraising Coordinator and the HCHH RDC agree on how to coordinate needs for gift-in-kind and other non-monetary resources.

Recruiting Volunteers

The sponsor group Volunteer Coordinator works with the Site Supervisor to determine the number of people and the types of skills that are needed, depending on the size of the project and the building schedule. In addition to seeking leadership and construction volunteers the group will need to recruit people to raise money, coordinate hospitality, make phone calls and send out mailing, organize events and crews, etc. HCHH has listing of past and potential volunteers with their skills and will help develop and coordinate the volunteer network.

Planning Construction

The sponsor group Site Supervisor develops a written construction plan with the HCHH Building Committee. Skills and timings for volunteer needs are identified and communicated to the Volunteer Coordinator. Crew Chiefs are identified with the help of the Volunteer Coordinator

Event Planning

It is important that building events and other events are planned and coordinated with HCHH well in advance. These events will be identified from the initial fundraising and construction planning.
• Groundbreaking and House Dedication Ceremonies are coordinated with HCHH.

Building the Home

The Site Supervisor and Crew Chiefs organize and supervise all building working closely with the HCHH Building Committee. Resources needed for building are monitored and communicated as appropriate. Volunteers are scheduled with the Volunteer Coordinator. Hospitality and training are organized between the Site Supervisor and the Volunteer Coordinator. Written feedback about the volunteer skills and building is given to the Volunteer Coordinator following each building event (day, weekend, as agreed).