[OPEN-ILS-GENERAL] Fund raising

[Rogan Hamby]

I suspect people are getting tired of seeing emails from me by now so I
promise that unless a response to something is appropriate this is the last
you'll see from me (for a few days anyway).

One of the things that the Oversight board is looking at long term are big
development grants.  This isn't to say there is a specific list yet (there
isn't) and there is a lot of community engagement to do.  But, one thing we
can't do in a reactionary mode is fund raising.  If we get to a point where
we have a good grant opportunity and a granting agency  we can't go looking
for matching funds at that time.

Do we have a specific amount?  No, to do that we would need a specific
grant and requirements from an agency.  So, to some this may seem like
putting the cart before the horse but if we wait until then to build funds
our answer to the universal grant application question of "can you match X%
of the grant and only Y% can be in kind staff time" then you can't say
"maybe."  It's yes or no and fundraising isn't a fast process.

In a worst case scenario that we don't succeed at grants we can find a use
for these funds - direct funding of development, bug bounties, something.

So, the hosting folks behind the 2014 conference are looking at a fund
raising opportunity then.  A suggestion has been floated to consider
memberships for organizations.  These and more will probably be explored.
 I'm not above selling little gingerbread pine trees (aka a bake sale) at
the conference.

We are currently looking at a south eastern evergreen conference and I'm
going to bring up doing some kind of fun fund raiser there.

But, I just went through all that for context.  What I'm looking for right
now is more narrow in scope.  Between today and the next oversight board
meeting (roughly a month from now) I would like to gather names of those
who want to explore opportunities for swag.  By swag I
mean opportunities to brand and sell goods.  We would need to brainstorm
items, look at costs, ways to keep manpower down, costs down and maximize
profits towards sending money into the coffers.

Anyone who would like to work with me on this please let me know and we
will start next week via email and at the next oversight meeting I will
take back the results of our investigation to the board.

-- 

Rogan Hamby, MLS, CCNP, MIA
Managers Headquarters Library and Reference Services,
York County Library System

"You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit
me."
-- C.S. Lewis <http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1069006.C_S_Lewis>
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