The goals of Plan-ning and Implemen-tation Assistance are:
To identify potential ways to increase the funding available for the care of elder members
To encourage net-working and collabo-ration among reli-gious institutes
To provide oppor-tunity for input and discussion relative to comprehensive re-tirement planning To provide consulta-tive assistance Inside: Rationale 2
Eligibility & Overview 3 Expectations of Participating Institutes 4 Consultant Preparation Checklist 5 Workshop Agenda 6 Funding Guidelines and Priorities
7
Workshop Schedule &
Participants 8
PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION
ASSISTANCE
Sharing in the Care of Elder Religious
National Religious Retirement Office 3211 Fourth Street, NE
Washington, DC 20017 Phone: (202) 541-3215 Fax: (202) 541-3053
In 2009, the National Religious Retirement Office (NRRO) launched a pilot process known as “Planning and Implementation Assistance.” This program combines and modi-fies the former Special Assistance and Supplemental Grant programs into one cohesive retirement planning process. The major reasons for the change were:
Most institutes have put into place the obvious retirement planning strategies such as enrolling in Social Security and Medicare, but many still remain significantly under-funded
The remaining strategies for narrowing the funding gap are increasingly complex
Collaboration among religious institutes is vital in addressing retirement funding and care-delivery issues
Feedback from institutes that participated in the former Special Assistance and Sup-plemental Grant programs showed that comprehensive planning was key to success and that institutes often needed assistance beyond the short 2-3 day visit by NRRO consultants.
The number of religious able to engage in full-time, compensated ministry will de-crease dramatically over the next ten years
Nearly 34% of religious are between the ages of 60 and 75.
Only 14% of religious are under the age of 60.
It is essential that religious institutes address the retirement funding issue be-fore the ratio of wage earners to retired shifts even more dramatically.
Rationale
Page 2
Planning and Implementation Assistance
“Thank you for all of your work on our behalf for last week’s meeting. I really appreciate your time and talents, both now and as we progress in our plan.”
Planning and Implementation Participant
“It is providential that we entered into the NRRO program. We were challenged, mentored and encour-aged to address not only our retirement fund and infirmary, but our very sustaina-bility and, in that, our life and Mission. The heart and purpose of our lives! For this, words are inade-quate.”
Planning and Implementation Participant
Overview
“Thanks for all the planning, energy and enthusiasm that were so evident in Menlo Park. I feel that now we can make changes to protect the future of our elder sisters.” Planning and Implementation
Participant
Eligibility
The eligibility criteria for this program are as follows: 1. An under-funded past service liability of 40% or greater* 2. Twenty five or more members
3. Willingness to engage in retirement planning process with the goal of increasing the institute’s ability to adequately care for its elder members (some institutes have completed the process within six months; others have taken up to 24 months)
4. Current leadership will be in office for at least another 12-18 months
*Institute must have applied for Direct Care Assistance in the most recent distribution cycle. Note: Previously the requirement was an under-funded liability of 50% or greater.
NRRO’s Planning and Implementation Assistance program is intended for those insti-tutes who are ready to address their institute’s retirement funding needs. Participating institutes must establish a retirement planning team comprised of the major superior, the treasurer and the retirement director. This team must be willing to devote signifi-cant time and energy to developing a comprehensive retirement plan.
Interested institutes submit an application to NRRO. The application form is avail-able at www.usccb.org/nrro. An NRRO staff member will visit the institute to re-view the Planning and Implementation process, to discuss consultant skills that would be helpful and to evaluate the institute’s readiness to participate. Institutes accepted into the process will take part in the following components:
1. A two to three day visit by a team of NRRO volunteer consultants arranged for a mutually agreeable date
2. A two and a half day workshop sponsored by NRRO
3. On-going work with the NRRO volunteer consultants via monthly conference calls to develop a comprehensive retirement plan
4. If the institute needs additional professional assistance to develop its plan, the insti-tute may request planning funds from NRRO
5. When the institute has developed its plan, it may submit a request for funds to im-plement its plan
1. Participate in a site visit from an NRRO staff member so that NRRO can get a bet-ter understanding of the needs of the institute.
2. Establish a planning team that is able to set aside time to identify and address retire-ment planning issues that will help the institute to reduce its retireretire-ment funding shortfall. The institute “planning team” should consist of:
a. The major superior
b. The treasurer or chief financial officer (the person who actually handles the institute’s financial management and planning)
c. The retirement director (the person most responsible for assisting institute members through the transitions of aging)
3. Work with two consultants assigned by NRRO. They will conduct a site visit of 2-3 days which must take place before the workshop (see step 5).
4. The institute planning team will attend a planning workshop hosted by NRRO. The consultants also will attend and work with the institute to further clarify retirement planning issues and how NRRO funding might best assist the institute.
5. The institute planning team and consultants will stay in touch via monthly confer-ence calls after the workshop.
6. The institute will submit an Application for Planning Assistance when the planning team and the consultants identify the types of assistance needed to develop the plan. 7. The consultants will conduct a final visit either in person or via conference call
when the institute is ready to submit their Application for Implementation Assistance. The consultants will submit to NRRO a report and a recommendation for funding. They will give a copy of this report to the institute.
8. The institute’s request for planning and/or implementation assistance will be submit-ted to the NRRO Assistance Review Committee and Management Committee. After the meeting of the Management Committee, the institute will be notified of the decision regarding their request for funds.
9. Conduct a TRENDS consultation before submitting the Application for Implementa-tion Assistance.
10. The current institute leadership will be in office for the next 12-18 months to en-sure continuity throughout the process.
NRRO Expectations of Participating Institutes
Page 4
“What a wonderful example of servant leadership you are! Thank you for the exceptional meeting! It was the most
productive meeting I have ever experienced! I know that good things will come of it.”
Planning and Implementation Participant
Note: NRRO will pay for the travel expenses of the consultants and provide them with a stipend. NRRO asks the institute to provide room and board for the consultants during their visit. NRRO will cover the cost of travel and housing for the institute representatives and the consultants at the workshop along with the cost of the monthly telephone conference calls.
Consultant Preparation Checklist
The lead consultant will communicate with the institute's contact person to set up a mutually agreeable date for the site visit. The consultant will indicate which of the following items they will need and if the items should be available to the consultants when they arrive or sent to each consultant in advance.
1. List of two or three of the Ins tute’s major strengths
2. List of two or three of the Ins tute’s major challenges
3. Cons tu ons and other basic documents, mission statement, history
4. List of members ordered by age, with level of compensa on and geo-graphical loca on
5. Latest Financial statements
6. Employee roster and job descrip ons
7. Corpora on ar cles, by-law, minutes
8. Insurance policies
9. Investment reports including performance evalua ons
10. List of sponsored ministries (indicate if separately incorporated)
11. Planning documents
12. Organiza onal charts
13. Philosophy of aging and re rement
14. Descrip on of Elder-care policies and procedures
15. List of outside advisors, consultants and board members with descrip-on of responsibili es or contracts
16. Visita on reports (for monasteries)
17. TRENDS consulta on report (if available)
18. Leadership report to most recent Chapter
As of January 2015 NRRO has distributed $6,953,802 in
planning assistance and $12,258,339 in implementation
Page 6
Workshop Agenda
Time Day 1 Day 2 Day 3
7:30 Eucharist Eucharist Eucharist
8:00 Breakfast Breakfast Breakfast
9:00 Welcome & Prayer Agenda & Purpose Introduc ons Consultants Ins tute Planning Teams NRRO Informa on History & Process Sta s cal Infor-ma on Funding Guidelines & Priori es Funding Examples Prayer Leadership’s Role in Planning Conversa ons Ques ons & Answers Work me for Consultants & Planning Teams Prayer Work me for Consultants and Planning Teams Forms: Planning Applica ons M & CE Applica ons Expense Forms
Report from each ins tute NRRO Next Steps Blessing Closure
12:00 Lunch Lunch Lunch
1:30 Care Delivery Aspects of Re rement Planning Conversa ons Ques ons and An-swers Best Prac ces & Basic Elements of a Compre-hensive Re rement Plan Work me for Consult-ants & Planning Teams
Financial Aspects of Re re-ment Planning Conversa ons Ques ons and Answers Forms: Timelines Phone Sheets Work me for Consultants & Planning Teams It is important that each planning team be present for the reports and “Next Steps” on the final morning. Please do not schedule flights before mid-a ernoon. 5:00 Closure Closure 6:00 Dinner Dinner
7:00 Free me Conversa ons
Planning Teams Consultants
8:00 Social Social
“Even if there were no funding attached, the assistance and support are incredible in and of themselves.”
Planning and Implementation Participant
Funding Guidelines and Priorities
Institutes / projects that request planning and/or implementation funds from NRRO need to:
1. Demonstrate that the institute is working to reduce its retirement funding liability 2. Show how the proposal will either reduce expenses or increase income, thus
ena-bling reduction of the institute’s unfunded retirement liability
3. Present clear evidence that the institute is doing careful planning for current and future elder care needs
4. Explore models for working collaboratively, whenever possible (may include po-tential collaboration with religious institutes or other organizations on programs, services or facilities)
5. Base requests on solid demographic and financial data and submit a TRENDS pro-jection that shows the payback period for the proposed investment
6. Because NRRO funds are limited, the Assistance Review Committee* and the Management Committee** attempt to direct the funds to those with the greatest financial need. Therefore, the Management Committee will not fund projects ret-roactively. If an institute enters into a contract prior to knowing whether it will receive funds from NRRO, the Committee assumes that the institute already has sufficient funds to cover the cost of the project
The aim of the NRRO’s Planning and Implementation Assistance program is to increase the capacity of religious institutes to care for the elder members now and into the future.
Planning and Implementation Assistance is an investment in a religious insti-tute’s future rather than payment for a current expense. The Direct Care Assis-tance funds (formerly known as Basic Grants) are intended to help the institute with the daily expenses of eldercare.
*Assistance Review Committee
One representative from each sponsoring conference: CMSM CMSWR LCWR USCCB **Management Committee Coordinator of CMSWR Executive Director of CMSM Executive Director of LCWR General Secretary of USCCB
Schedule of Upcoming Workshops
October 6-8, 2015 – Bethany Center, Tampa, FLJanuary 26-28, 2016 – Oblate Renewal Center, San Antonio, TX April 26-28, 2016 Bergamo Center, Dayton, OH
Sept. 19-22, 2016 Bethany Center, Tampa., FL
January 24-26, 2017 Oblate Renewal Center, San Antonio, TX April 25-27, 2017 Bergamo Center, Dayton, OH
Sept. 26-28, 2017 Bethany Center, Tampa, FL
Planning and Implementation Participants, 2009—Jan. 2015
Apostles of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Hamden, CT
Augustinian Friars Chicago, IL
Benedictine Monks Richardton, ND
Benedictine Monks St. Benedict, LA
Benedictine Monks Shawnee, OK
Benedictine Monks Subiaco, AR
Benedictine Sisters Beech Grove, IN
Benedictine Sisters Chicago, IL
Benedictine Sisters Colorado Springs, CO
Benedictine Sisters Cottonwood, ID
Benedictine Sisters Eau Claire, WI
Benedictine Sisters Ferdinand, IN
Benedictine Sisters Pittsburgh, PA
Benedictine Sisters Villa Hills, KY
Bernadine Franciscans Reading, PA
Capuchin Franciscan Friars Burlingame, CA
Capuchin Franciscan Friars Denver, CO
Capuchin Franciscan Friars Union City, NJ
Capuchin Franciscan Friars White Plains, NY
Carmelite Sisters of the Most Sacred Heart Alhambra, CA
Cisitercian Nuns Wrentham, MA
Comboni Missionaries of the Heart of Jesus Cincinnati, OH
Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament Highland Heights, OH
Congregation of Divine Providence San Antonio, TX
Congregation of the Passion South River, NJ
Conventual Franciscans Mount St. Francis, IN
Daughters of Mary and Joseph Ranch Palos Verdes, CA
Daughters of Our Lady of Mercy Newfield, NJ
Daughters of St. Paul Boston, MA
Discalced Carmelite Friars Milwaukee, WI
Discalced Carmelite Friars Redlands, CA
Franciscan Friars Oakland, CA
Franciscan Friars St. Louis, MO
Franciscan Friars, TOR Hollidaysburg, PA
Franciscan Sisters of the Atonement Garrison, NY
Franciscan Sisters, TOR Toronto, OH
Guadalupan Missionaries of the Holy Spirit Los Angeles, CA
Handmaids of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Wyncote, PA
Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary Wheaton, IL
Medical Missionaries of Mary Somerville, MA
Medical Missionary Sisters Philadelphia, PA
Mission Helpers of the Sacred Heart Baltimore, MD
Missionaries of the Holy Family St. Louis, MO
Missionaries of the Holy Spirit Banks, OR
Missionary Carmelites of St. Teresa Houston, TX
Missionary Catechists of Divine Providence San Antonio, TX
Missionary Sisters of the Most Sacred Heart Reading, PA
Oblate Sisters of Providence Baltimore, MD
Oblates of St. Francis de Sales Wilmington, DE
Order of Friar Servants of Mary (Servites) Chicago, IL
Order of the Most Holy Trinity Baltimore, MD
Religious of Divine Compassion White Plains, NY
School Sisters of Notre Dame Milwaukee, WI
School Sisters of St. Francis Milwaukee, WI
School Srs. of the 3rd Order Reg. of St. Francis Pittsburgh, PA
Servants of Mary Omaha, NE
Sister Servants of the Blessed Sacrament Bonita, CA
Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill Greensburg, PA
Sisters of Charity of St. Elizabeth Convent Station, NJ
Sisters of Divine Providence Allison Park, PA
Sisters of Divine Providence Melbourne, KY
Sisters of Life Yonkers, NY
Sisters of Mercy, US Province Redlands, CA
Sisters of Notre Dame Thousand Oaks, CA
Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur Belmont, CA
Sisters of Providence St. Mary-of-the-Woods, IN
Sisters of Social Service Encino, CA
Sisters of St. Dominic Blauvelt, NY
Sisters of St. Dominic Caldwell, NJ
Sisters of St. Dominic Sinsinawa, WI
Sisters of St. Dominic Sparkill, NY
Sisters of St. Dominic Springfield, IL
Sisters of St. Dominic Tacoma, WA
Sisters of St. Dorothy Bristol, RI
Sisters of St. Francis Oldenburg, IN
Sisters of St. Joseph Baden, PA
Sisters of St. Joseph Brentwood, NY
Sisters of St. Joseph Erie, PA
Sisters of St. Joseph Holyoke, MA
Sisters of St. Joseph Rochester, NY
Sisters of St. Joseph West Hartford, CT
Sisters of St. Mary of Namur Buffalo, NY
Sisters of St. Mary of Namur Fort Worth, TX
Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament Bensalem, PA
Sisters of the Good Shepherd Astoria, NY
Sisters of the Holy Family New Orleans, LA
Sisters of the Living Word Arlington Heights, IL
Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus San Antonio, TX
Sisters of St. Francis of the Providence of God Pittsburgh, PA
Society of St. Teresa of Jesus Covington, LA
Srs. of Charity, Our Lady Mother of the Church Baltic, CT
Srs. of the Third Order Regular of St. Francis Tiffin, OH
Ursuline Sisters Cleveland, OH
Ursuline Sisters St. Louis, MO
Ursuline Sisters of Tildonk Jamaica, NY