FAQ

What are my contributions to the Virginia Sheriffs’ Institute (VSI) used for?
Why do I get so many appeals? How many times per year do you ask for contributions?
What is the difference between the Virginia Sheriffs’ Institute and the Virginia Sheriffs’ Association?
Where do you get your mailing lists from?
Does the Virginia Sheriffs’ Institute call me at home using telemarketers?
How many scholarships are awarded each year? How much do you give?

What are my contributions to the Virginia Sheriffs’ Institute (VSI) used for?

The Virginia Sheriffs’ Institute encourages charitable and educational activities among the sheriffs and deputies within the Commonwealth of Virginia to educate the public and to do any and all things to promote the enforcement of law and order and the suppression of crime. VSI sponsors numerous programs including a spring educational conference for sheriffs and deputies, the Virginia Coalition for the Prevention of Elder Abuse, a newly elected sheriffs’ school, the National Sheriffs’ Institute educational program, the Victim Network for Victims and Witnesses of Crime Conference, the Virginia YMCA Model General Assembly, Concerns of Police Survivors, medical staff training, the Virginia 4-H shooting education program, the Virginia State DARE Officer training seminar, Virginia Law Enforcement Professional Standards Commission conference, lawful employment training for sheriffs through the Virginia State Compensation Board, Virginia State Police Association Emergency Relief Fund, Virginia Public Access Project, a basic Forensic Science and Medicine seminar and the National Law Enforcement Memorial Fund to honor Virginia officers killed in the line of duty. In addition, the VSI provides scholarships to people throughout Virginia who major in criminal justice at a Virginia college or university and provide an immediate $5,000 in-the-line-of-duty death benefit to any sheriff or deputy killed in the line of duty.

Why do I get so many appeals? How many times per year do you ask for contributions?

Our membership renewal goes out in October of each year and includes a membership card, bumper sticker and window decal and a subscription to our associate member publication. If a member does not renew in October, a reminder letter will go out in January and again in March. The Virginia Sheriffs’ Institute also sends out two other mailings during the year – one for a death benefit for any sheriff or deputy killed in the line of duty (March) and one for our scholarship program (June).

The Virginia Sheriffs’ Association uses the associate member mailing list and sends out two letters of their own a year – the legislative appeal requesting support for the Association’s legislative activity, which includes efforts in the General Assembly to strengthen law enforcement and criminal justice in Virginia (January/February) and the annual citizen support drive (August).

What is the difference between the Virginia Sheriffs’ Institute and the Virginia Sheriffs’ Association?

The proceeds supporting the Virginia Sheriffs’ Institute are used exclusively for training and educational programs, including the scholarship program, of which we are very proud.

The Virginia Sheriffs’ Association is an organization established to represent the interests of sheriffs and law enforcement before the General Assembly in Virginia. It is a professional trade association of which contributions are not tax deductible.

Where do you get your mailing lists from?
The Virginia Sheriffs’ Institute partners with a marketing company that purchases mailing lists from a variety of sources, including magazine subscriptions and product warranty cards.

Does the Virginia Sheriffs’ Institute call me at home using telemarketers?
The Virginia Sheriffs’ Institute does not solicit donations by telephone. There are numerous companies doing phone solicitations for various police organizations, but we are not among them.

The number and amount of scholarships the Virginia Sheriffs’ Institute awards each year varies depending on the number of eligible students and the amount of money raised by the scholarship appeal mailing. In May 2010, the Virginia Sheriffs’ Institute Scholarship Committee awarded 59 full-time scholarships at $500 each and 2 part-time scholarships at $250 each, for a total of $30,000.