Minutes:Fundraising Committee Meeting Minutes 20190402

Agenda for Fundraising Committee 04-16-2019

Chair: Vivian

Old Business

• n/a

New Business

MEDC grant discussion:

• Mel leading the effort
• Timing discussion:
  • 2 month Patronicity campaign,
    • Begining of July to overlap with Maker Faire
    • Maybe mid-July would maximize time for the post-Maker Faire interest boost
• How it works:
  1. We set a goal, (e.g. $5000)
  2. We do the Patronicity campaign
  3. MEDC will match the goal but only if we achieve the goal (even $1 short fails)
  • What's the end deliverable?
    • Having the new space "finished" (basically having a public opening)

In kind donations discussion:

• Have we approached businesses like the Home Depot or equipment manufacturers for in-kind donations?
  • No, we need someone good at asking for things
• Would it count toward the MEDC grant?
  • Uncertain but probably not, probably cash donations through Patronicity only

Grants from foundations (Kellogg, Kresge, Skillman, etc):

• Most want youth participation
  • What about inviting classes from schools with the school personnel supervising
    • Could suffer from a lack of equipment for multiple students
    • Authorization on dangerous machinery might be a problem
      • Start with simple basics like sewing by hand
  • Would the teacher from the school be teaching or would it be someone from i3
    • This would be a good job for the intern from the U of M school of social work program

Discussion/explanation of the U of M program: basically, we teach social workers basic maker skills and then they go into schools to help teach misbehaving children makers skills using concepts from their classes instead of just sitting in the principal's office or being sent home and falling behind.

Leora volunteers to solicit donations in kind from hardware stores but doesn't know who to send it to. Apparently, Home Depot leaves charitable donations up to each local store.

Discussion about donor recognition:

• Possible banners recognizing donors
• Maybe Plaques
• Some places sell personalized bricks/benches/seats/etc.
• Could make zone-specific donation recognitions zone specific, i.e. lasered plaques for laser zone donations, welded metal plaques for welding zone donations, etc.

Leora wants to write solicitation letters but we need someone for in-person solicitation

• Who are our natural salespeople?

Discussion of researching more funding sources:

• Steve to research online fundraising
• Paul and Matt C to talk to the other spaces at the upcomming Michigan Makerspace Operators Meetup (MMOM)
• Look for the small obscure grants that often go unclaimed because they aren't well known

Action Items

Action Item: Leora - Create updated i3 request letter

Action Item: Steve - Research online for grants

Action Item: Paul/Matt - Talk to the spaces at MMOM

Action Item: Vivian/Leora - Attend a grant writing class in Westland

Meeting Metrics

• Time completed: 7:31
• Attendees:
  1. Vivian
  2. Steve N
  3. Jan
  4. Paul
  5. Zia
  6. Leora
  7. Matt C

Action Item Summary

Action Item	POC
Attend a grant writing class in Westland	Vivian/Leora
Talk to the spaces at MMOM	Paul/Matt
Create updated i3 request letter	Leora
Research online for grants	Steve

Proposal Summary

No proposals.

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