A couple of questions
As we get into the nuts and bolts of the Community Centre design/build a couple of questions pop up for me. One is the amount of time that the high-priced consultant will spending on the job. His CV, if I remember, gives his full time occupation as a position at Queens University and Partner in the Fundraising Company. That means he really will not be available to give good effort until school is out in April. The other is the methodolgy being adopted here. According to the timeline reported by NNews "The campaign plan breaks down into four phases and Phase 1 has just begun, inviting major donors to donate over $100,000. After May, those who want to donate $50,000 or more will be invited to give. In September, the committee will be looking for donors at the $10,000 level, before opening up the campaign to everyone in the community. Phase 4 begins in April, 2011, and that will be when the campaign ends and volunteers focus on collecting the donations and getting the facility built on time."
So a list has been made up and mailed to all potential donors assessed by the committee as being able to donate $100,000. Lots of luck on that one, can anyone think ofhand just how many companies/businesses/individuals are willing to pony up a 100K? Then anybody approached after May will be thinking "gee you guys think that I am only worth 50K, I'll just keep that extra back in my pocket" A peculiar concept - 'means testing' in reverse! So if at the end of the year you get an invite for money just remember the committee is only doing it because they think you have less money than the people being asked earlier in the year. A very dangerous way of raising money. If the committee thinks you have money you will be asked and if they don't know or just guess wrongly then you will probably be asked as an afterthought.
So a list has been made up and mailed to all potential donors assessed by the committee as being able to donate $100,000. Lots of luck on that one, can anyone think ofhand just how many companies/businesses/individuals are willing to pony up a 100K? Then anybody approached after May will be thinking "gee you guys think that I am only worth 50K, I'll just keep that extra back in my pocket" A peculiar concept - 'means testing' in reverse! So if at the end of the year you get an invite for money just remember the committee is only doing it because they think you have less money than the people being asked earlier in the year. A very dangerous way of raising money. If the committee thinks you have money you will be asked and if they don't know or just guess wrongly then you will probably be asked as an afterthought.
2 comments:
Surely there must be a special set of rules for fundraising that we plebes know nothing about. Don't upset the applecart there Ben, you could undo the delicate dance about to unfold.
If that were to happen the user fees imposed on the rest of us could be more onerous than expected. While we're on that topic, just how can the Mayor claim it's a facility open to everyone when we have to pay to use it?
More and more of us complain we can't afford to use the Y, just wait for this place to open. The decision to call it a campus does not bode well for the common folk.
Deb, there is a distinction between capital and operating costs here. At this time , the fundraising is for building capital, not operating costs, so user fees have no place in this part of the issue.
Operating costs will determine user fees, and THAT is a whole different ball'o'wax, being mindful of the observation that there has been next to zero said about operating costs. Look out folks, it WILL snow in July.
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