Pencils of Promise and Inspirato Team Up to Raise Funds for Education

Fundraising with Luxury Travel Helps Build Schools in Poor Countries, Empower Students

DENVER--()--Pencils of Promise increases access to education in Laos, Nicaragua, and Guatemala by building schools, classrooms, and offering supplemental educational programming for underserved children. Denver-based Inspirato helps people explore the world through luxury travel. The organizations have formed a partnership to raise funds that will build new schools and empower young leaders across the globe.

Inspirato’s Inspired Giving new online giving platform, www.inspiredgiving.com, was designed to help charitable organizations like Pencils of Promise raise funds in a new way. Through this partnership, donors who contribute $2,000 to Pencils of Promise through Inspired Giving’s website gain select access to Inspirato’s club-managed portfolio of vacation residences and unparalleled personal vacation services in locations ranging from California and Colorado to Hawaii and Mexico.

Inspirato’s Inspired Giving donation model benefits Pencils of Promise in a number of ways:

  • For every $2,000 donated to Pencils of Promise through Inspirato’s Inspired Giving website, the donor gains one-time access to an Inspirato luxury vacation – priced at up to 50 percent under market, and without having to pay the $15,000 Inspirato membership fee.
  • Inspirato contributes one Inspired Giving vacation experience that Pencils of Promise can auction to raise funds. Of those contributed monies, 100 percent goes back to the Pencils of Promise.
  • For every new Inspirato membership that is generated from a donation to Pencils of Promise through the Inspired Giving program, the company gives $2,000 to Pencils of Promise as an Inspirato Inspired Giving partner.

“At Pencils of Promise, we wholeheartedly believe that education creates opportunity,” says Wendy Wecksell, director of partnerships. “Inspirato’s Inspired Giving program will allow Pencils of Promise to get closer to reaching our 2012 goal of building 100 new classrooms.”

Pencils of Promise is dedicated to allocating 100 percent of online donations to program funding. Funds raised through this partnership will help Pencils of Promise build new schools and classrooms in Laos, Nicaragua and Guatemala. Pencils of Promise works directly with local communities and village leaders to identify the areas of highest need and to tailor projects that are organic to the local culture. Each community staffs and oversees its own school project from clearing the land and organizing labor and materials, to encouraging student attendance and supporting the teachers.

These partnerships not only work to make each school sustainable through local investment and commitment, but also create meaningful job opportunities for people like Lanoy, who was working as a housekeeper at a hostel when she was hired by Pencils of Promise founder Adam Braun. In an area of the world where women are often powerless, Lanoy now leads a staff of 40 in her position as the Laos Country Leader. She oversees all school building projects in Laos.

For Pencils of Promise donors, the donation and vacation booking experience is simple: the donor is given access to Inspirato’s Inspired Giving exclusive web portal, www.inspiredgiving.com; selects Pencils of Promise as the charitable organization of choice; and makes a tax-deductible donation of $2,000. That donor is then able to book a vacation to a luxury Inspirato destination and enjoy all that Inspirato members enjoy, including: personalized service from an Inspirato vacation advisor, an on-site destination concierge, and luxurious accommodations ranging from intimate, couples-only, one-bedroom retreats to large, well-appointed homes in excess of 3,000 square feet.

“Through our unique online platform, Inspired Giving will provide Pencils of Promise with a sustainable tool to raise funds year round for its important work,” said Jackie Benton, executive director of Inspirato’s Inspired Giving. “We are thrilled to support Pencils of Promise and to provide its donors with a rare opportunity to experience club-style luxury travel in some of the world’s most desirable vacation destinations.”

About Pencils of Promise

Pencils of Promise is a 501c3 organization whose mission is to build schools in the developing world and train young leaders to take action at home and abroad. In just three years since being founded with $25, PoP has built 50+ schools, established the largest social media following of any nonprofit started in the past five years, and delivered almost 1.5 million educational hours in Laos, Nicaragua, and Guatemala. Learn more about Pencils of Promise at www.pencilsofpromise.org.

About Inspirato

Designed specifically for a new generation of luxury consumers, Inspirato offers the best of destination club consistency and service, together with unmatched value, flexibility and low-cost membership. Our members have access to an ever-growing portfolio of luxury homes in the world's top destinations, including California, the Caribbean, Colorado, France, Hawaii, Italy, London, Mexico, New York City and more. By leasing vacation properties (rather than owning), Inspirato is able to keep membership fees low, offer up to 50 percent off market rates, and easily add homes and destinations as demand increases. Our innovative business model has led to rapid growth since our January 2011 launch, placing Inspirato at the forefront of the "luxury for less" movement. For more information about Inspirato, visit www.inspirato.com.

Contacts

Inspirato
Katherine Davis Strauss
VP, Public Relations
Mobile: 303-884-6261
kstrauss@inspirato.com

Release Summary

Inspirato’s Inspired Giving new online giving platform, www.inspiredgiving.com, was designed to help charitable organizations like Pencils of Promise raise funds in a new way.

Contacts

Inspirato
Katherine Davis Strauss
VP, Public Relations
Mobile: 303-884-6261
kstrauss@inspirato.com