ThisThe Underfunded District District 85/15 Model – Where does the money go?

85% — Direct First Responder Equipment Grant

These funds are “Locked & Restricted.” When you donate to a specific campaign, 85% of that money is legally bound to the purchase of the life-saving technology identified by that department’s leadership. We don’t just buy “gear”; we buy the specific tools that fill the “dead zones” in a community’s safety net.

Examples of Life-Saving Assets We Fund:

1. Advanced Cardiac & Medical Tech

• LUCAS 3 Chest Compression System: A mechanical device that provides consistent, high-quality CPR in the back of a moving ambulance, allowing paramedics to focus on other life-saving measures.

• LifePak 15 Cardiac Monitor/Defibrillator: The gold standard for heart monitoring and emergency shocks in the field.

• Portable Ultrasound (POCUS): Allows flight nurses and paramedics to see internal bleeding at the scene of an accident.

2. Specialized Rescue & Extrication (“The Jaws of Life”)

• Battery-Powered Hydraulic Cutters: Next-generation “Jaws of Life” that don’t require heavy gas engines, allowing rescuers to cut through modern vehicle alloys in seconds rather than minutes.

• Pneumatic Lifting Bags: High-pressure bags capable of lifting a 50-ton semi-truck or collapsed building slab to free trapped survivors.

• Thermal Imaging Cameras (TIC): Handheld devices that allow firefighters to see through pitch-black smoke to find victims or “hot spots” behind walls.

3. Fire & Wildland Suppression

• Wildland Brush Trucks: Specialized 4×4 vehicles designed to fight fast-moving grass and forest fires where standard engines can’t go.

• Turnout Gear Sets: Replacing expired or contaminated “bunker gear” to protect firefighters from carcinogens and extreme heat.

• Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA): Modern air tanks with integrated Bluetooth communication so crews can stay in touch while inside a burning structure.

4. Law Enforcement & Tactical Safety

• Level IV Body Armor: High-grade ballistic protection for officers responding to active-threat scenarios.

• Stop Stick Kits: Tire deflation devices to safely end high-speed pursuits without endangering the public.

• Tactical Trauma Kits (IFAC): Specialized medical bags containing high-grade tourniquets and hemostatic dressings for “Officer Down” or “Active Shooter” events.

15% — The Strategic Reserve (General Fund)

This 15% is what allows the Larry Pickett Foundation to act as a “Force Multiplier” for these underfunded districts.

• (7.5%) — Campaign Advocacy & Operations

  1. Financial Integrity & Tax Compliance

  • GoFundMe Pro & Platform Fees: Covers the transactional costs of the fundraising platform and the secure processing of credit cards.

  • Donor Receipting: Automates the delivery of IRS-compliant tax receipts, ensuring every donor can claim their charitable deduction.

  • Accounting & Audit: Covers the professional bookkeeping required to maintain 501(c)(3) status and ensure “Full-Circle” funds remain restricted to their specific department or survivor.

  2. Strategic Procurement (The “Price Match” Advantage)

  • Vendor Coordination: Instead of just handing over a check, our team works directly with equipment manufacturers (like Stryker or Hurst) to negotiate “Foundation Pricing.”

  • Bulk Logistics: By coordinating multiple grants, we can often secure lower shipping and maintenance costs for the department, making that 85% go even further.

  3. Legal & Advocacy Infrastructure

  • Case Coordination: Covers the time spent navigating the “Phone Tree Tax”—the hours of logistical work required to coordinate between departments, survivors, and insurance agencies.

  • Regulatory Filings: Manages the state and federal filings (like the Form 990) required to keep the Foundation in good standing and eligible for corporate matching gifts.

  4. Digital Security

  • Data Protection: Ensures donor information is encrypted and stored according to industry safety standards, protecting your community’s privacy.

• (5.0%) — The Narrative Advocacy & Recruitment Asset

  We believe that every heroic act deserves to be immortalized. This allocation funds the production of a professional “Story of Service” digital asset that serves three critical functions:

  • Cinematic Storytelling for National Reach: We produce a high-definition, professionally edited video that captures the heart of the department’s mission. By moving beyond a simple text post, we allow the Chief and crew to speak directly to the public, significantly increasing the likelihood of the campaign going viral and reaching national donors.

  • A Permanent Recruitment Tool: Volunteer and professional first responder numbers are at historic lows. This asset is gifted to the department for their permanent use. It serves as a powerful recruitment video for their website and social media, helping them attract the next generation of responders for years to come.

  • Community Education & Awareness: The video serves as an educational bridge, showing the community exactly why the current equipment is failing and what is at stake. It creates a lasting record of the department’s needs, which can be used to justify future budget requests or municipal grants long after our campaign ends.

  • Induction into the National Library of Courage: Portions of this footage are archived in our National Library of Courage, ensuring that the bravery of this specific station is preserved as part of our country’s collective history of service.

• • 2.5% — The Strategic Readiness Fund

    The “Always Ready” Virtual Infrastructure

    The Strategic Readiness Fund is our “Always Ready” reserve. It ensures the Larry Pickett Foundation never has to start from zero when a hero or department calls. Because we operate as a Virtual Advocacy Strike Team, these funds allow us to bypass traditional delays and initiate support instantly.

    1. Immediate Virtual Advocacy Activation

    When a crisis occurs, the burden of Administrative Fatigue begins immediately. This fund allows us to instantly assign a dedicated Remote Case Coordinator to:

    • Navigate Bureaucratic Red Tape: Manage the exhaustive wait times and complex administrative navigation required to secure survivor benefits or equipment specs.

    • Coordinate Multi-Party Logistics: Act as the central hub between insurance adjusters, manufacturers, and municipal offices, handling the dozens of hours of “on-hold” time so the responders don’t have to.

    2. Digital Campaign “Seed” Capital

    Momentum is the key to a successful fundraiser. This fund allows us to:

    • Instant-Start Momentum: Provide the “First Donation” to a new campaign the moment it goes live. This builds immediate social proof, which is statistically proven to increase community trust and accelerate the funding timeline.

    • Emergency Digital Deployment: Cover the immediate software and licensing costs required to launch a national-scale digital advocacy campaign within hours of a crisis.

    3. The “Cycle of Protection” Continuity

    This fund ensures that the Foundation’s ability to respond is never dependent on a single campaign’s success.

    • Bridging the Gap: We use these resources to support departments in high-poverty areas where local fundraising capacity is limited, ensuring that a community’s safety isn’t determined by its zip code.

    • Matching Grant Challenges: Surplus funds allow us to offer “Matching Gift” incentives, helping smaller districts double their impact through targeted community challenges.

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Examples of how the 85/15 Scales for Equipment purchases