Happy New Year
I
just want to report that our present efforts are sowing some good
success. We have already raised around $7,000 via our end of the year
fundraiser with more funding on its way. I am setting the goal for this
at $10,000, so we are getting closer to this. I want to report that our
new website, our new Network for Good Donate button and our new
multi-mailer approach seems to have worked! We are getting larger
donations also, including several donations of $100, $200 and $300- more
than on previous years! Also, we are seeing much more funding coming in
by internet than ever before, and we are getting bigger individual
donations as well. So, something we are doing seems to be working for
us! Reassuringly, we were getting new donations each time we did one of
our six e-mail blasts over the last two weeks or so, so we proved the
utility and importance of asking via e-mail for donations more than
once, as before we were too concerned we may be “bothering our
supporters” with too many mailings asking for support. I think we have
proven the opposite via this current end of year campaign…People seem
to respond positively to these multiple reminder mailings.
just want to report that our present efforts are sowing some good
success. We have already raised around $7,000 via our end of the year
fundraiser with more funding on its way. I am setting the goal for this
at $10,000, so we are getting closer to this. I want to report that our
new website, our new Network for Good Donate button and our new
multi-mailer approach seems to have worked! We are getting larger
donations also, including several donations of $100, $200 and $300- more
than on previous years! Also, we are seeing much more funding coming in
by internet than ever before, and we are getting bigger individual
donations as well. So, something we are doing seems to be working for
us! Reassuringly, we were getting new donations each time we did one of
our six e-mail blasts over the last two weeks or so, so we proved the
utility and importance of asking via e-mail for donations more than
once, as before we were too concerned we may be “bothering our
supporters” with too many mailings asking for support. I think we have
proven the opposite via this current end of year campaign…People seem
to respond positively to these multiple reminder mailings.
So,
we go into the new year with some positive movement. We are now
planning for an Indigogo-style fundraiser in March, aiming at support
for our MAP Asia office, which needs to pay its commitment to the GNF
project it has signed onto. We will be directing future such
“Crowd-fundraisers” at other MAP projects in the future, aiming for one
every 3-4 months. With Leo’s able help, we will be also utilizing our
new website, blogs, twitter and Facebook accounts to reach more folks.
This is something we are finally taking on- Social Media! So we are
attempting to reach out further and wider, building up both our
individual donor list and our foundation support, trying to especially
grow our individual donor support that allows us to direct more funding
at organizational funding support, which is rather urgently needed
still.
we go into the new year with some positive movement. We are now
planning for an Indigogo-style fundraiser in March, aiming at support
for our MAP Asia office, which needs to pay its commitment to the GNF
project it has signed onto. We will be directing future such
“Crowd-fundraisers” at other MAP projects in the future, aiming for one
every 3-4 months. With Leo’s able help, we will be also utilizing our
new website, blogs, twitter and Facebook accounts to reach more folks.
This is something we are finally taking on- Social Media! So we are
attempting to reach out further and wider, building up both our
individual donor list and our foundation support, trying to especially
grow our individual donor support that allows us to direct more funding
at organizational funding support, which is rather urgently needed
still.
MAP
is still supporting its main campaigns, including the CBEMR work, the
MAP Curriculum, QYS Campaign, the News, our Advocacy and Outreach, and
our continuing network building. We now have over 5,000 e-mail contacts
and 3200 mailing addresses, so MAP is growing our support and contact
base. However, there is still much more to do. I am awaiting our
bookkeeper’s final budget report for 2013, and am in process of
reapplying for $30,000 per year from Marisla for unrestricted funding.
Also, I will be reapplying soon after for Munson funding to support the
QYS campaign. Martin has a funding bid in with Sea World / Busche
Gardens and has recently received grants from Disney Conserv. Fund and
Singing Fields for around $30,000 total for work in Australia and
Bangladesh. $45,000 just arrived for MAP Asia from McKnight Foundation,
which is mainly aimed as a pass through grant to PMCR in Cambodia,
though a small amount will help with admin. support for MAP Asia.
is still supporting its main campaigns, including the CBEMR work, the
MAP Curriculum, QYS Campaign, the News, our Advocacy and Outreach, and
our continuing network building. We now have over 5,000 e-mail contacts
and 3200 mailing addresses, so MAP is growing our support and contact
base. However, there is still much more to do. I am awaiting our
bookkeeper’s final budget report for 2013, and am in process of
reapplying for $30,000 per year from Marisla for unrestricted funding.
Also, I will be reapplying soon after for Munson funding to support the
QYS campaign. Martin has a funding bid in with Sea World / Busche
Gardens and has recently received grants from Disney Conserv. Fund and
Singing Fields for around $30,000 total for work in Australia and
Bangladesh. $45,000 just arrived for MAP Asia from McKnight Foundation,
which is mainly aimed as a pass through grant to PMCR in Cambodia,
though a small amount will help with admin. support for MAP Asia.
Note:
MAP Intl. (our US-based office) is not able to utilize any funding from
these grants for its own admin. needs, though we are providing admin.
support for accepting grants for these other projects. There are good
reasons why we are not taking a percentage of such incoming grants,
based mainly on the stipulations of the granters that no admin. fee be
taken from their donation (Disney), or that the projects being granted
need to cover their own admin. costs in Thailand (McKnight, GNF, EPIC),
or in regards to Martin Keeley, his travel costs which he himself is
paying for to carry out the projects that need reimbursement or at least
some supplementing. My aim is to raise more MAP admin. support via our
online fundraisers which then can be used to cover MAP Intl. admin.
costs, but we are in need to raise the bar on what this form of
fundraising can bring in.
MAP Intl. (our US-based office) is not able to utilize any funding from
these grants for its own admin. needs, though we are providing admin.
support for accepting grants for these other projects. There are good
reasons why we are not taking a percentage of such incoming grants,
based mainly on the stipulations of the granters that no admin. fee be
taken from their donation (Disney), or that the projects being granted
need to cover their own admin. costs in Thailand (McKnight, GNF, EPIC),
or in regards to Martin Keeley, his travel costs which he himself is
paying for to carry out the projects that need reimbursement or at least
some supplementing. My aim is to raise more MAP admin. support via our
online fundraisers which then can be used to cover MAP Intl. admin.
costs, but we are in need to raise the bar on what this form of
fundraising can bring in.
While
I am at it, I want to mention the hiring of Vanessa Lopez, who is MAP’s
new QYS campaign coordinator. She just began working part time with us
in late November. The QYS campaign is being funded by Munson, so it is
important that we renew our grant with Munson soon, and as well, we need
to do some “down home” fundraising, which Vanessa and I are now working
on doing via so-called “house parties” and small-scale events, such as
public speaking before church groups, school classes and clubs. We just
met earlier this week to discuss these ideas and strategize for taking
this on. Vanessa is also putting together ads for interns and
volunteers, while furthering our networking and forming potential
working partnerships with other non-profits in Seattle. We believe that
our work on the QYS campaign offers us much greater potential for
expanding our public recognition and bringing in new members, volunteers
and support for MAP. I would really like to see Vanessa work full time,
instead of the quarter time we are now employing her to take on. She is
also quite versed in social media, which when combined with Leo’s
efforts will be a good help.
I am at it, I want to mention the hiring of Vanessa Lopez, who is MAP’s
new QYS campaign coordinator. She just began working part time with us
in late November. The QYS campaign is being funded by Munson, so it is
important that we renew our grant with Munson soon, and as well, we need
to do some “down home” fundraising, which Vanessa and I are now working
on doing via so-called “house parties” and small-scale events, such as
public speaking before church groups, school classes and clubs. We just
met earlier this week to discuss these ideas and strategize for taking
this on. Vanessa is also putting together ads for interns and
volunteers, while furthering our networking and forming potential
working partnerships with other non-profits in Seattle. We believe that
our work on the QYS campaign offers us much greater potential for
expanding our public recognition and bringing in new members, volunteers
and support for MAP. I would really like to see Vanessa work full time,
instead of the quarter time we are now employing her to take on. She is
also quite versed in social media, which when combined with Leo’s
efforts will be a good help.
Leo
Thom is still with MAP doing great things for our organization,
including the redesign of our website, the three new you tube videos,
setting up our Donate Button with Network for Good, doing Social Media
outreach, and preparing our future Crowd-Fundraisers. Please check out
the new website to let us know what you think: www.mangroveactionproject.org
Thom is still with MAP doing great things for our organization,
including the redesign of our website, the three new you tube videos,
setting up our Donate Button with Network for Good, doing Social Media
outreach, and preparing our future Crowd-Fundraisers. Please check out
the new website to let us know what you think: www.mangroveactionproject.org
Sam’s
work on our newsletter continues to gain steam, and our mailing list
sign-ups are proof of the growing interest in the MAP News. Julie
continues posting news on our website, and works with Leo in managing
the site.
work on our newsletter continues to gain steam, and our mailing list
sign-ups are proof of the growing interest in the MAP News. Julie
continues posting news on our website, and works with Leo in managing
the site.
Leslie,
our bookkeeper is donating her time for the last few months to MAP, but
we need to provide better support for her services, as I do not feel we
can expect her to be there as much as we need unless we pay her for
these services. Again, I am awaiting the budget report for 2013 to send
you. Our MAP 990 form for 2012 was finished in the Fall, and is posted
now on the website.
our bookkeeper is donating her time for the last few months to MAP, but
we need to provide better support for her services, as I do not feel we
can expect her to be there as much as we need unless we pay her for
these services. Again, I am awaiting the budget report for 2013 to send
you. Our MAP 990 form for 2012 was finished in the Fall, and is posted
now on the website.
After
a four month hiatus, Ira is again working very part time (around 5
hours per week) for MAP, putting together LOIs to try to stimulate
requests for full proposals. We are aiming for two LOIs submitted per
week. I am still pursuing support from several potential funders,
include=ding Tiuring, Synchronicity Fund, Qatar Foundation, PCI and
others. Any of these could make a big difference and brighten up our New
Year cheer!
a four month hiatus, Ira is again working very part time (around 5
hours per week) for MAP, putting together LOIs to try to stimulate
requests for full proposals. We are aiming for two LOIs submitted per
week. I am still pursuing support from several potential funders,
include=ding Tiuring, Synchronicity Fund, Qatar Foundation, PCI and
others. Any of these could make a big difference and brighten up our New
Year cheer!
That is all for now. Again, Happy New Year, and let’s work together to make 2014 a great year for MAP and the mangroves!
Alfredo