The community association should:

• introduce VOLUNTARY membership fees at the time of the next annual general meeting.
• develop a strategic plan for 2005 that defines the association’s core activities and lists the estimated costs for those activities – then the issue of fundraising can be examined in greater detail than it is in this report.
• appeal for volunteers to take on the responsibility for implementing various fundraising ideas.

THE END

(Note: a complete list of recommendations appears at the very end of the report)

The report: complete and unexpurgated

Pour yourself a generous glass of wine, kick off your shoes and settle into your favourite armchair with a copy of the August 2004 Lowertown West Community Association Preliminary Fundraising Report. Life really doesn’t get much better than this, does it? Are you sitting comfortably? Read on . . .

First, a bit of background. The association’s funds are currently being consumed without being replenished. While the present financial situation is by no means critical it is prudent to address the issue of fundraising sooner rather than later. That is why, in May 2004, a fundraising committee was formed to look into fundraising and to draw up a fundraising plan.

Who are the fundraising committee? Initially, the fundraising committee were Gilbert Auger, Brook Burchfield, David Griffiths, Donna Owens and Michel Valée. However, in July, after much soul-searching, Donna decided she had to put her own career before her solemn commitment to the fundraising committee, and so she migrated, just as a caribou or a goose might migrate except that Donna had a truck to move her stuff, to Toronto where she started a new job. Gilbert is very much still part of the team, but because of a previous engagement, he was unable to join the barnstorming brainstorming session that resulted in the creation of this report.

A quick word on the purpose of fundraising. The association needs to raise funds to pay for its core activities. The core activities provide a service to the community while also raising the profile of the association within the community, leading, it is hoped, to increased membership. If the membership of the association grows then it can be fairly said that the association is representing a greater proportion of the community and enjoying a broader base of support. And where might that lead? Perhaps to an increase in the influence that the association has over issues that affect the community. We may find ourselves speaking a little louder than before; we may find that others take more notice of what we have to say.

The rest of the report is divided into these six sections:

1. The association needs a strategic plan . . . so very, very badly
2. The time for membership fees is nigh
3. Other fundraising ideas – the probables
4. Other fundraising ideas – the possibles
5. Other fundraising ideas – the rejected
6. Complete summary of recommendations

1. The association needs a strategic plan . . . so very, very badly

This is a preliminary fundraising report. Before a final, detailed fundraising plan can be issued, the association needs to consider two questions;

1. What are the association’s core activities?
2. How much are the core activities going to cost?

Without answers to these questions it is not possible to devise a detailed fundraising plan. Therefore, the association should develop a strategic plan for 2005 as a matter of urgency.

The fundraising committee felt that all or some of the following are core activities:

1. Maintaining a website.
2. Outreach – letting the community know who we are and what we do, publicising our monthly meetings.
3. Organising and publicising events such as Winterfest, Spring Clean-up, and the Community Garage Sale.
4. Producing petitions and pamphlets when critical issues arise that affect the community.
5. Hosting all candidates meetings in the lead up to city, provincial and federal elections.
6. Responding to the City’s requests for consultations.

The fundraising committee felt that the following comprised a “wish list” of activities that might in time become core activities.

1. Organising and publicising other events, which are not presently on the association’s calendar e.g. a gardening contest, a safety-and-security evening that could be held in conjunction with the police.
2. Setting up a community advice bureau. What the devil’s that? you ask. Well, essentially, it would be a way for members of the community to draw on the association’s deep well of wisdom and knowledge. And if that still sounds a bit rum, then here are a couple of examples that might help to demystify things: 1. someone has bought a heritage home and would like to renovate it in a way that respects the history of the home – no doubt there are members of the association who have already done this and would be happy to share their experiences 2. someone’s drain has backed up and at this very moment their basement is filling up with raw sewage – what should they do? who should they contact? somebody help them, please. The association already shares its knowledge informally, but maybe it’s time to establish the extent of our knowledge base, determine what resources we have available to us, and decide how we want to go about sharing these things with the rest of the community.
3. Setting up a ‘volunteer program’ that would put people who want to volunteer their time in touch with people who might appreciate a bit of help (seniors, disabled/physically-challenged people).

2. The time for membership fees is nigh

At the next annual general meeting voluntary membership fees should be introduced.

• It should be made clear that the membership fee is a voluntary contribution. People who can’t pay or don’t want to pay should still be encouraged to participate in the association’s activities (after all, participation is the very lifeblood flowing through the glorious organ that is the community association).
• Paid membership should have nothing to do with voting rights at monthly association meetings or at the AGM – it would be better if voting rights depended on attendance at meetings (e.g. to vote, a person must have attended two meetings out of the last six, or three out of the last twelve)
• $5 is to be the suggested membership fee
• A prize draw should be held at the AGM to promote the plan and encourage membership. Anyone who has paid the $5 membership fee will be entered into the draw. Dinner for two at a local restaurant or vouchers for take-out food would be suitable prizes (the actual prize will depend on what the association can rustle up).
• Flyers dropped off at homes to publicise the next AGM should carry information about the introduction of voluntary paid membership.
• Administration of the plan ought not to be too difficult – simply a case of keeping a record of who paid and when they paid.
• And by the way, it’s a voluntary scheme – you don’t have to pay if you don’t want to.

The association should work towards introducing a more sophisticated membership plan in early 2005. This plan would require the involvement of the local business community. Upon payment of a $10 fee (members of the basic plan outlined above would have the opportunity to upgrade), members would receive a membership card or book of coupons that could be used to get discounts at local participating businesses.

This idea was first put forward at an association meeting several months ago. The response, though generally incoherent, sounded overwhelmingly positive. Such a plan would be good for members of the association, good for our local business friends, and good for the overall community spirit.

Because this idea came from a member of the local business community, it is hoped that the local business community will be enthusiastic about developing and launching the scheme.

On the issue of canvassing for membership:

The fundraising committee acknowledged that there are different forms of canvassing. For the purposes of this report, three kinds of canvassing were considered, and these were named level 1, level 2 and level 3:

• Level 1: making sure that appeals for new members are added to all association flyers and posters
• Level 2: street-corner canvassing and setting up tables at events such as all-candidates meetings and the community garage sale.
• Level 3: canvassing door-to-door, either by dropping off envelopes and membership forms so that people can mail in their membership fees or by ringing bells and rattling letterboxes, meeting people face to face and persuading them to join the association (the Glebe community association does something along these lines).

At the present time the association should go with level-1 and level-2 canvassing; the time is not right to go with level 3. Why is the time not right to go with levels 3? Because the association does not have a high enough profile. People would rightly think it presumptuous of us to knock on their doors and ask for money when they’ve never heard of us. The simple truth is that we must be able to give people a convincing reason to join/support us. What is a door-to-door canvasser to tell people when asked what the association stands for? Perhaps it’s time for the association to declare its position on such issues as King Edward Avenue and the future development of Lowertown. It’s not too much to expect; it just requires that the members of the association debate such issues and then establish moderate, sensible positions on them.

3. Other fundraising ideas – the probables

Of the other fundraising proposals put forward, two may already have people willing to work on them. The two proposals are:

1. holding a sale of plants and garden-related things at the Routhier Community Centre
2. tulip bulb fundraising

6. Summary of all recommendations

• A strategic plan for 2005, which defines the association’s core activities and lists the estimated costs for those activities, should be developed. Then the issue of fundraising can be returned to and examined in greater detail.
• Voluntary membership fees should be introduced at the time of the next annual general meeting. Suggested donation: $5. Flyers dropped off to publicise the AGM should carry information about the introduction of voluntary paid membership. A prize draw should be held to promote the plan.
• A more sophisticated membership plan should be introduced in early 2005. This plan would require the involvement of the local business community. Upon payment of a fee, members would receive a membership card or book of coupons that could be used to get discounts at local participating businesses.
• The association should clarify and publicise its positions on key local issues including King Edward Avenue and the future development of Lowertown. If it did this, the association would have a stronger identity. It would then be easier to inform prospective members about whom we are and what it is we do, and it would probably be easier to persuade them to sign up as members.
• The association should appeal for volunteers to take on the responsibility for specific fundraising ideas such as obtaining website sponsorship and running the Bingham Park ice rink.
• Whether or not the association chooses to run the Bingham Park rink, it should make real efforts this winter to alert the local community to the need for a rink manager.