Interim Report Director of Development Board of Directors Meeting - February 20, 1996 ========================== Off-To-A-Roaring-Start Department ================================= So far in 1996, Corporate, Connection and Showcase cash sponsorships totalling $9,350 have been secured from 8 sponsors. Leap-Year-Gives-Us-An-Extra-Day Department ========================================== An online funding campaign has been prepared complete with new funding area menus and has been ready to go since December. The campaign offers tangible incentives for donations at various levels as outlined in the new Donor Recognition Program presented to the Board in October. One of the incentives is a Personalized FreeNet Address (PFA) for use on the NCF e-mail system by donors of $100 or more. However, software to take reservations of PFAs has not been delivered as promised -- the campaign is now 2 months overdue. It will be launched as soon as the Technical Department's programming is ready. Business Partnerships Department ================================ Feedback from Directors on this idea would be appreciated. It's a fundraising method which is getting more popular all the time, especially with blue-chip organizations that have large memberships -- University Scholarships Canada, for example, (where I keep my kids' RESPs) is doing a similar campaign using Unitel for a return of up to 4%. --- excerpt from Development Committee Minutes --- A video and oral presentation was made my Andre Gaudet & Reine Savard about GlenNet & Glentel Associates regarding a fundraising opportunity for non-profit organizations. Glentel has 50,000 customers and is headquartered in B.C. A. Gaudet explained Glentel's long distance "rebilling" plan -- it is essentially an affinity-style program whereby an organization like FreeNet offers the package to its membership, Glentel offers savings to the members on their long distance bills and the organization benefits by receiving a percentage of each members' total long distance bill before taxes each month (5% domestically and 2.5% internationally). Customers who are currently signed up with Bell do not have to change carriers - Glentel handles the billing but the carrier remains the same. There are no sign-up charges. The cost of mailing the sign-up forms (approximately $1 per customer) is usually shared equally between Glentel and the participating organization (50 cents each). If FreeNet participated, it would likely prefer such forms to be sent electronically and only to those members who specifically request it (via e-mail or by downloading) making the $1 mailing expense unnecessary. It was suggested that Glentel might wish to consider remitting its 50-cent-saving on each new customer to FreeNet. Glentel offers two savings plans above and beyond Bell's regular calling discounts: Plan 1: 25% off all calls Plan 2: - Pay $1.49 per month and get 60% off the number you talk to the most every month. - 40% off all North America calls between 5PM and 9PM seven days a week - 25% off every other time. At the request of the Director of Development, Glentel provided three references of organizations currently participating in the program. The Vice Chair has received positive feedback from one group so far and will continue to research the matter. According to Glentel, long distance bills average about $40 per month per customer yielding about $2 per month (5%) per customer to the participating organization. It is possible, however, that FreeNetters use long distance services less than the general population because of their access to e-mail. In any case, there seems to be potential for a reasonably good revenue stream with very little effort if enough members sign up. In general, offering our members an opportunity to save money and help NCF at the same time is an attractive proposition, especially since they can avoid the inconvenience of switching carriers if they are Bell customers. It was suggested that feedback might be sought online to determine the level of interest. At the same time an analysis needs to be done of the administrative procedures involved in setting up and maintaining such an arrangement. The matter was deferred for further study and input. --- end excerpt --- Carpe Diem Department ===================== Here's a suggestion about getting some media coverage for NCF. It has been suggested that it might be dangerous to invite close scrutiny of the AGM by the media -- opinions? comments? |I suggest we go fishing for a feature story in the Citizen, |Globe & Mail and TV newsmagazines based on NCF's unique AGM |format. It would make fascinating reading/watching. |This requires a backgrounder explaining to journalists why |it's a good story idea. I dashed off a few paragraphs for |Monitor Magazine last month (appended)....can you add any |tidbits, interesting anecdotes, factual and technical |corrections or improvements? | |- Gordon | |Vote and Vote Often | |Where do you hold a marathon fifteen-day meeting for 50,000 people? |In cyberspace, of course. | |NCF's Annual General Meeting opens next month with nominations being |accepted February 9-23 for candidates to fill five positions on the |Board of Directors. The AGM area (go agm) provides space for candidates |to display information about themselves and their platforms, discussion |of specific resolutions and an on-going all-candidates discussion area. | |Discard everything you know about the sleep-inducing properties of a |typical annual meeting. NCF-style AGMs are definitely not run-of-the-mill |and have in the past been one of the hottest areas on the net. | |A big draw is the unique, custom-built software that lets you change your |vote on issues and candidates with the ebb and flow of debate during the |last 2 weeks of the campaign -- only your final votes are recorded at the |close of the polls. | |Guests can visit the area but only registered members can participate. |Membership is free - so get connected, get registered, vote and vote often. | |Here's how to get connected -- | |* via modem dial-up to (613) 520-1130 (2400 bps), |520-1135 (14.4 kbps), or 520-7835 (10-minute express line) |* by gophering to gopher.ncf.carleton.ca |* by telnetting to freenet.carleton.ca |* via the World Wide Web at http://www.ncf.carleton.ca/ Our Community. Our FreeNet. Working together. Gordon Pearson (613) 749-9372