Understanding how Old Home Day is funded

As most Carlisle residents know, Old Home Day is a special event that contributes much to that special character which makes Carlisle – well, Carlisle.  Situated virtually a stone’s throw from Boston’s crowded urban streets, the OHD frog jumping races, pie baking contest, soap box derby, three-legged race, corn shucking, fireman’s barbecue, etc, etc, etc, help us all hold on to some simple country traditions of a time gone by. All of this down home fun takes months of preparation, hundreds of hours of volunteer effort, and thousands of dollars in expense.

Long ago Old Home Day used to be self funding. But that luxury passed us by years ago and we have had to seek donations ever since to cover our costs.

What to do?

In order to request donations in Massachusetts however, requires that an organization to be recognized as a public charity by the State (MGL 180). After considerable investigation, it was decided to reorganize the Old Home Day Association into a non-profit public charity, designated as an educational organization. This designation allows OHD supporters to make tax-deductible donations and we are listed with the IRS as a 501c(3) Educational Organization. OHD volunteers are then protected from litigation by the Volunteer Protection Act of 1999 and the outrageous 4 figure insurance premiums are avoided.  This seemed like a win, win solution.  Beloved OHD activities were kept, OHD volunteers were protected, and deserving students were granted scholarships.

However,  a few people inquired, “Why are you asking for donations when you’re giving away money on scholarships?” 

Here's how Old Home Day is funded

OHD has two debit categories: 
1. General expenses. 
2.  Scholarships.

OHD has three revenue categories: 
1.  Donations, 
2.  Support fees from “Town Groups” (FOGPL used book sale, Boy Scouts, COA, Fireman's BBQ and country fair vendors),
3.  Revenue from OHD volunteer-run activities (e.g. dunking booth, cake walk, pie baking contest, country fair, art show, soap box derby, etc.).

Revenue from donations and from Town Groups is used to pay for General Expenses, and is NOT used for Scholarships.  Scholarship money comes ONLY from revenue generated from OHD volunteer-run activities that include the Road races, the Country fair, the Dunking booth, the Cakewalk, the Art show, the Baking contests, the Soapbox derby, the Ice cream social and the hot air balloon. These are the singular source of funds for the educational purposes of The Old Home Day Association.

None of the donated money is used for scholarships unless a contibution is so designated by the sender.

Thus it is the donations that now keep Old Home Day alive. If donations aren’t sufficient to cover our expenses then even the above earned money must go to offset costs.

As an example, our costs this year will be nearly $10,000. If contributions to offset expenses amount to $7,000, then the difference of $3,000 must come from the proceeds of the days' committee run events. If those proceeds were to total $4,000, then after expenses $1,000 would be left over and earmarked for NEXT year's scholarship.

It has been a hard year for people to donate and it appears that this year, committee earnings may well be consumed by expenses as in the above example, and thus we may well not be able to offer a scholarship for next year. As a result, our non-profit status which is the key to our survival, could be in jeopardy as well.

We hope this helps answer questions that we have been asked as to why The Old Home Day Association still needs donations to sponsor this event while also offering scholarships.

Please help. Send your donation to:

Old Home Day at 90 Page Brook Road