Results of 1st Qtr Donation Drive

Results of 1st Qtr Donation Drive · 02-05-2009, 02:40 PM

Our 1st quarter donation drive was very successful. We net'd almost $1400. On behalf on North Carolina Woodworker, Inc. I would like to thank you all very much for your support.

Mike Davis · 02-05-2009, 02:57 PM

Is the 1st quarter over?

What is your fiscal year?

I plan to donate but it ain't happening now.

JackLeg · 02-05-2009, 03:08 PM

What was the original "goal" to keep the site solvent?

And, like Mike, what is the fiscal year?

Thanx.

ashley_phil · 02-05-2009, 03:51 PM

I think they were planning to run the drive for the first month of each quarter.

kenger22 · 02-05-2009, 04:43 PM

Pardon me for asking, cause I'm still really new but what do you guys use the funds for? the lunches and raffles?

gator · 02-05-2009, 04:48 PM

Originally Posted by kenger22

Pardon me for asking, cause I'm still really new but what do you guys use the funds for? the lunches and raffles?

Check here

http://www.ncwoodworker.net/index.php?page=donate

George

Glennbear · 02-05-2009, 05:42 PM

Just to clarify, North Carolina Woodworker lunches are not funded by North Carolina Woodworker Inc. however the picnic is. For years the picnic was funded by our founder himself but that has become an unreasonable and unwarranted burden on Steve and his wife. The lunches and brunches are paid for by the individual attending woodworkers. We are in the process of becoming self supporting.

TracyP · 02-05-2009, 07:06 PM

WOW! That is a great achievement. Thanks to all of you that made up that number.

flatheadfisher · 02-05-2009, 07:13 PM

One site I frequented several years ago would distinguish the donors by placing a badge under their avatar. I remember the amount of the donations they received increased drastically once they started doing that. I can see good and bad reasons for having such a distinguishment. It may be something you all want to consider - if you haven't already.

DaveO · 02-05-2009, 07:41 PM

Originally Posted by flatheadfisher

One site I frequented several years ago would distinguish the donors by placing a badge under their avatar. I remember the amount of the donations they received increased drastically once they started doing that. I can see good and bad reasons for having such a distinguishment. It may be something you all want to consider - if you haven't already.

That is something that has been considered. But we didn't like the idea of creating different classes of users. It might help to get more donations if members were publicly recognized for their contributions. But it also would alienate those members who might not be able to contribute.
This site has always been free for all users and the desire is for it to remain that way. If you can help with the funding of the site great, if you can't you are still welcome to enjoy it.
We are very thankful that there are members out there that can contribute to help fund to operations of this site. Until recently it has been almost entirely funded by SteveColes. It is time for him to step back and for this site to be able to function on it's own. Between donations and other fund raising events like raffles I think that we are on our way to getting to this point.
THANK-YOU to all that are able to contribute. And to those that couldn't, you still can. Be active on this site and give it your all. Wealth comes in many forms, not all monetarily. And this site will benefit from all kinds of member's wealth.

Dave

DaveO · 02-05-2009, 07:52 PM

Originally Posted by kenger22

Pardon me for asking, cause I'm still really new but what do you guys use the funds for? the lunches and raffles?

Steve, the funds primarily go for the operation of the site. The hosting costs, advertising costs, and promotional costs. It costs about $8000 a year to run this site in the form that it is. Some of the funds can go to hosting the Spring Picnic and other promotional costs that helps bring the members together as a group of friends.

Dave

Jeff Mills · 02-05-2009, 08:00 PM

Originally Posted by Glennbear

Just to clarify, North Carolina Woodworker lunches are not funded by North Carolina Woodworker Inc. however the picnic is. For years the picnic was funded by our founder himself but that has become an unreasonable and unwarranted burden on Steve and his wife. The lunches and brunches are paid for by the individual attending woodworkers. We are in the process of becoming self supporting.

Glenn - that's right It's time to get pushed out of the next or ~~get weened of the nipple~~ - isn't it? yuck... that conjures up some bad images - could be border line I think I'll strike it (Self Moderate)

flatheadfisher · 02-05-2009, 08:38 PM

Originally Posted by DaveO

That is something that has been considered. But we didn't like the idea of creating different classes of users. It might help to get more donations if members were publicly recognized for their contributions. But it also would alienate those members who might not be able to contribute.
This site has always been free for all users and the desire is for it to remain that way. If you can help with the funding of the site great, if you can't you are still welcome to enjoy it.

I agree with that thinking!

JimmyC · 02-06-2009, 09:12 AM

Originally Posted by Glennbear

Just to clarify, North Carolina Woodworker lunches are not funded by North Carolina Woodworker Inc. however the picnic is. For years the picnic was funded by our founder himself but that has become an unreasonable and unwarranted burden on Steve and his wife. The lunches and brunches are paid for by the individual attending woodworkers. We are in the process of becoming self supporting.

We do pay for the lunches and I do believe we should also pay for the picnic, as they say "pay to play". It would be easier than asking for people to bring half of the food and utensils, and no one person would have to fund it, the site would only have to cover any shortages if ther was a problem. Well run, the picnic could possibly turn a small profit which could go towards the next years picnic fund. Donations in my belief should not support a large percentage of the picnic costs, a small percentage attend and should pay their way. I personally have no problem with that.

That being said, anything other than running site itself, such as the calendar and any other contests, should also be self supporting. If prizes for anything aren't donated then they should be paid for out of proceeds from something other than the donations that go toward keeping the site running.

Just my two cents worth.

SteveColes · 02-06-2009, 11:04 AM

Just some clarifications.

Fiscal year = July 1 - June 30

So technically this was the 3rd Qtr Donation drive.

BUT, it was the 1st Qtr that we did this.

When this site was first founded, we did not accept advertisements or donations. Those were the good old days

About a year after we were running, there was some concern about what would happen if I no longer wanted to fund or run the site. So slowly, I have been trying to create a structure that would allow the site to run without me. In june of 2008, I accepted the first donations. In July, I incorporated North Carolina Woodworker, Inc. as a North Carolina Non-Profit Corporation. The corporation in turn runs the website as an educational activity. In addition, the corporation provides demonstration and teaching activities. (so far this has been limited to things done in conjunction with klingspor)

The donations and other income go to the corporation. The current sources of income include:

Donations
Advertising
Special Fundraisers (only one so far, the raffle)
We will add to that Website Hosting.