Itinerant Retreat Leaders, Inc.

Connecting Talented Retreat Leaders with Creative Retreat Centers

IRL’s Partnership with Retreat Houses

Itinerant Retreat Leaders will is developing a new form of partnership with retreat houses across the United States.

Member Retreat Houses

IRL will invite all participating retreat centers to become Members of IRL.  Members will make a $100 annual contribution to IRL.  In return, members will receive the first notices of available retreat leaders and the opportunity to participate in IRL’s annual on-line auction.

Partners in Programming

Retreat centers are struggling to provide a broad spectrum of programs in the current economic climate.  IRL’s networking will make it possible for centers to invite new groups of retreatants for superior programs.  This will enable the centers to serve a population they care about and to build their own foundation of supportive retreatants.

These relationships will be built through the outreach efforts of the Board and staff of IRL.  They will include visits, phone calls, ConstantContact emails, and links on the IRL website.

Cooperative Marketing and Fundraising

A unique aspect of the partnership between IRL and retreat center will be its element of cooperative fundraising.  This will be true in several ways. 

The first area of cooperation will be the on-line auction.  Each member retreat house will have the option to place up to five items in the auction.  The auction listing for each of those items will include a link to the website of the donor retreat center.  The retreat center will get 50% of the proceeds from each item they donate to the auction.

A second area will be in mutual marketing on web sites and in each other’s newsletters.  When a retreat takes place, the host retreat center will be highlighted on the IRL web site and in its update mailing and emailings.  Likewise, IRL’s role in bring the retreat leader to the center will be note in communications about the retreat that are written by the retreat center.

The third area will be cooperative grant writing for series of retreats at a retreat center or group of centers.

IRL is very excited about the relationships that are forming with retreat houses around the country.