ICAR’s New Director of Development
In July 2004, Richard Gunden joined the ICAR staff as Director of Development. His primary priority is fundraising for the Point of View (POV) project. POV, as this international conference and research center will be known, will provide an interface between conflict resolution theory, research, and practice. Richard will also provide leadership in other areas of development, such as annual giving, major gifts and planned giving.
Richard comes from the Eastern Mennonite University in Harrisonburg, Virginia, where he served as Vice President for Advancement for the past 5 1/2 years. Under his leadership this private, church-related institution received $6.1 million and $7.1 million in donations during the past two years, which represents the highest amount of cash support in its history. During his tenure, the number of donors who contributed $1,000 or more on an unrestricted basis doubled.
For the previous 18 years, Richard served as President and CEO of the Ability Center of Greater Toledo, a center for independent living for people with disabilities. He managed dramatic growth of the agency, increasing operating budget by 500 percent through effective grant writing, fundraising, and marketing. He brought the agency statewide and national recognition as a leader and model in the Independent Living Movement. Richard secured a prestigious and highly selective grant ($750,000) from the Robert Woods Johnson Foundation to improve service systems, provide Americans with Disabilities Act technical assistance, and develop a housing corporation and a consumer resource center.
Richard said, “I’m very excited to be a part of ICAR and help to carry out its mission. I come from a peacemaking heritage and have a personal commitment to peace that will be helpful to us as we carry out our work together. The Point of View project is a real opportunity to benefit the conflict resolution field on a global scale.” The vision for POV has been under development for approximately five years. During that time, faculty within ICAR, as well as faculty and administrators across George Mason University, have been consulted; students have contributed ideas; and the ICAR Advisory Board and friends of ICAR have been consulted. To carry out this vision, there is a need to develop facilities at POV.
Over the next several years, ICAR seeks a total of $10 million to make the POV initiative a reality. It is a program in which growth will be based upon demand for its usage and services. Funding is expected to be raised from both private and public sources, including individuals, corporations, foundations, and the government. If you are interested in knowing how you can help, please contact Richard Gunden at ICAR. He can be reached at 703 993-1312 or by e-mail to [email protected].