AAVSO Fundraising Report Submitted to AAVSO Council April 2008 Mike Simonsen
Initial Campaign Strategies Create a climate of giving within the organization Contact, educate and recognize the individual donors Update and publicize our web-based fundraising tools and information Poll the membership, evaluate our services
Climate Control Letters/ s from the Director Amazon, Flying Stars, Hubble stamp sale, Christmas message Year-End Giving article and home page feature in December Article by Mike in February newsletter
Website Updates Support Main Page Online Giving Form Individual Funds page Flying Star Planned giving Hubble Stamp Sale (now retired)
New Website initiatives AAVSO Book Store Read and write reviews Design page Activate Amazon links Link from other pages on the AAVSO site Launch and publicize
Other New Initiatives Donor Newsletter- Inner Sanctum Published Vol. 1, No.1 in January Reader poll enclosed Vol.1, No.2 will go out in early May Donor recognition pages- online and in the Annual Report
Argelander Society Obtain historical accounting information Create the list Notify the living members, get permission Write citations for certificates New wall plaques for Tom Williams!
Accounting procedures Individual donors Sustaining memberships Major gifts Bequests Amazon dot com Credit card transactions In-kind donations Others…
Contact List Council AAVSO friends Past donors General membership (Ongoing phone survey) Data users Staff (presentation in January) New members
Contacts to do: Staff recommendations Former council members and officers Surprisingly high percentage of past council are no longer involved with the organization
Foundations Foundation Center Foundation Center Online DB contains information on 94,000 foundations and 10,000 corporations February in Cleveland -course on researching the DB, 30 day free access March in Chicago- course in effective proposal writing
Foundation To Do List Create Base Proposal Determine projects, programs, activities or acquisitions to fund Submit proposals for funding to appropriate foundations
Corporate Sponsorships Course of action not yet determined What can we offer them ? What do we want ? How do we avoid endorsing one over the other? Can we sell advertising ? Who will buy it ?
Bottom line $63, as of April 1, 2008 $ accrued at Amazon dot com $24, pledged from Margaret Doleman $88, projected at half-way point
What next? Identify programs and activities that need funding Write proposals for grants Increase awareness of the membership Continue the phone survey 2 more issues of Inner Sanctum 2 direct mail asks 2 more campaign asks Research individuals and foundations for supporters
How can council help? Identify anyone you know personally who is on the board of a foundation Identify anyone you know who gives to similar organizations Identify new sources of funding Make a generous contribution this year, next year, and the year after, and…