-------------------------------- Director of Development's Report -------------------------------- INTRODUCTION "Development" is not begging for money, nor is it just a fancy word for fundraising. It involves identifying NCF's potential supporters and maximizing the opportunities for them to contribute in meaningful, satisfying and practical ways to achieving NCF's objectives. That means bringing our Members and others into the picture, incorporating their ideas about how they can help their community by supporting NCF, giving them ownership in the organization, and making sure they recognize that they have an important stake in FreeNet's continuing success. Above all, It takes careful nurturing of these relationships in the context of a long-term strategy, so that FreeNet's growth and success can be sustained into the future. I would invite everyone to review the 1995 Development Plan available in the documents section of the Funding Area (go funding) for a comprehensive look at how this is being done. The Plan was co-authored by Brett Delmage (aa693) and myself with input from the Development Committee. MAJOR ACTIVITIES Getting Organized ================= Important ground-breaking work was done by volunteers during FreeNet's first two years to organize donation categories, establish NCF's line sponsorship program and set up the "Ways & Means Area" on FreeNet. The first six months of 1994 were relatively quiet, however, and when I joined NCF in June 1994 the Ways & Means Committee was no longer active. Understandably, any momentum that may have been built up previously was gone: there were no fundraising or donor recognition programs in operation, information on past donors and activities was scattered, no government grant applications were pending, the on-line funding area was not being maintained, and funding had a low profile in the organization. Starting from scratch, basic tools and materials were created including a Board list, letterhead bearing the logo and both the English and French names of the organization, standardized paragraphs and attachments for sponsorship proposals, a fax-able sponsorship invoice form, a simple database for sponsorship follow-ups, and a set of basic Email replies to inquiries and requests. The Funding Area: ================= The Ways & Means area was re-named and re-organized to better reflect the twin, but distinct, concerns of fundraising and finance. Al Seaman (aa331) and Miranda Gray (ak717) kindly provided technical assistance and training. The concept of "Key Partners" was introduced to bring into focus the kind of relationship NCF seeks to establish with its major donors, including Carleton University, Sun Microsystems and, more recently, Hardware Canada Computing. At the same time, a permanent recognition area was created to honour NCF's "Founding Supporters". Developing the Membership Donor Base: ===================================== In August, we began greeting new Members upon activation of their accounts with an Email message containing useful "FreeTips" from the Director of Development. Those who included a donation with their registration were thanked, and those who didn't were encouraged to do so. This simple gesture, apparently unique among free-nets, has helped to characterize NCF to newcomers as a friendly community which appreciates their support. A number of programs were conceived by the Development Office, starting in July, to enable NCF to solicit donations on-line and, most important, to properly thank, recognize and communicate on a regular basis with those Members who donate. Efforts to implement most of these vital and urgently needed measures have been frustrated by the lack of a sophisticated, flexible administrative database. To help solve the problem, an approach was made to Oracle Corporation Canada, who generously donated the necessary software in October. Since then, NCF's database group consisting of key volunteers from the Hardware/Software Committee has been designing the system to meet our needs. The importance of this work cannot be over emphasized. An administrative database is central to NCF's continuing survival -- tracking and communicating with our Members and Donors, running fundraising campaigns, and taking control of our financial planning and money management depend on it. Special thanks go to our Treasurer, Jean Wilmot (aa145), for her work with Oracle; to Chris Hawley (ah654) who is leading the database programming team; and to Andrew Patrick (aa118) for devising an interim system to put donors' names into the proper categories in the funding area. A program to recognize donor-of-the-week and volunteer-of-the-week, as well as raise general awareness of funding issues, awaits software completion. The Hardware/Software Committee recently adopted several such requests from the development office as priority projects, and we are deeply grateful for their assistance. The Great FreeNet On-Line Auction: ================================== The goals of the Auction (held October 22 - November 19, 1994) were to: * raise money to improve community access to the system * expand membership by encouraging Guests to become registered Members * raise NCF's profile in the business community (donors of auction items) * establish relationships and procedures for a repeatable event * serve as a focus for volunteers (attract and recruit members for the development committee) * give Information Providers and Special Interest Groups a stake in NCF funding (as donors of auction packages and volunteers) * attract Members to the Funding Area * be fun All the goals of the Auction were achieved. The project raised almost $20,000 and has been written about in journals in the United States and Canada. The Auction opened with slightly over 100 items on the block. That number doubled by the end, largely through unsolicited contributions by Members, IPs and SIGs. Valuable community relationships were established and developed with donors, the media and individuals on FreeNet. As a result of the time and energy invested in this project, NCF now has a unique fundraising tool which can be used again and again. The procedures are being documented in a "How to" manual. The manual, together with the programming tools, represent a valuable asset which NCF may wish to make available on some basis to other organizations in the future -- several inquiries have been received already. Auction Committee - Planning & Acquisitions: au167 Gordon Pearson, Director of Development bc574 Mike Anderson bb949 John Bartlett ba918 BethAnn Burton ar014 Peter Childs aa693 Brett Delmage an956 Michael Mason ax277 Simon Rolfe Auction Committee - Design & Programming: aa610 Ian! D. Allen, System Administrator aa456 Jim Elder ac534 Colin Henein Merchandising: ============== FreeNet established a profitable and popular Boutique with a growing selection of souvenir items thanks to the tireless Jessica Cohen (aa724 - Boutique Manager) and Michael Zahab (as240 - Designer). Affiliations/Training: ====================== A pilot project to offer FreeNet training by subcontracting the work to Network Training Services demonstrated how NCF can work in partnership with the private sector. The arrangement generated $1,500 for NCF from July to December, and has been renewed for a further 12 months. FreeNet Connection Sponsors: ============================ The "line sponsorship" program was revamped. The recognition package accorded to Donors was improved and extended to telnet connections as well as dial-up modem connections, and a system was set up to ensure that all new Information Providers are given the opportunity to sponsor connections. Government and Foundation Grants: ================================= Proposals were submitted in December to the Trillium Foundation and the Economic Development Program of the Regional Municipality of Ottawa-Carleton. Applications to other government bodies and Foundations are due in the first quarter of 1995. HIGHLIGHTS * membership donations increased to $158,732 in 1994, up from $105,693 in 1993 * average monthly donations in 1994 rose by 36% from $11,219 (January - June) to $15,238 per month (July - December) * the average amount given by each donor rose by 32% from $14.71 (January - June) to $17.09 (July - December) * Connection Sponsorships tripled from 12 in 1993 ($5,960) to 36 in 1994 ($20,345) * FreeNet merchandise became profitable for the first time in 1994 * Hardware Canada Computing became a Key Partner and contributed equipment valued at $12,000 * NCF acquired the ability to accept donations and payments by VISA * an active and enthusiastic Development Committee was recruited Despite the late start in 1994, we were able to meet and slightly exceed NCF's total cash fundraising target. Many people helped to accomplish this - too many to mention all of them in this report. I would like to draw attention to a few, however. In particular, Dave Sutherland (aa001), Andrew Patrick (aa118), Jean Wilmot (aa145) and Brett Delmage (aa693) the Board fundraising liaison. In addition to our excellent Board and extraordinary volunteers, NCF's professional management team is a joy to work with...many thanks to Executive Director Lisa Donnelly (am412), System Administrator Ian Allen (aa610) and Administrative Co-ordinator Mike Anderson (bc574) for their support. CHALLENGES IN 1995 NCF continues to accept 50-100 new Members every day. The challenge is to meet the demands of a community hungry for FreeNet resources, and to ensure that the system can be accessed by the thousands who are knocking at our door, eager to be part of the information society. This requires a doubling of the current system capacity -- and the provision for adequate system growth thereafter. To achieve our goal, while remaining true to NCF's Mission as a free community service, we need to increase donations and contributions substantially. We need to sustain this funding into the future and keep pace with growing demand. And we need the proper tools to do it. ** FreeFact - we need to raise more money and gifts-in-kind during the first six months of 1995 than during all of 1994 before we can begin our system expansion by adding 64 new lines and modems in June ** FreeFact - completion of the Database project and associated software tools is essential to NCF's survival ** FreeFact - The key to sustainability is balanced, broad-based participation. FreeNet's funding future depends upon maximizing local community support **FreeTip - there are many exciting initiatives underway to meet our goals. Check out the 1995 Development Plan and join the Development Committee -- pitch in where you can do the most good. You can make a difference in our community and you'll have fun at the same time** Gordon Pearson, Director of Development au167@freenet.carleton.ca