Director of Development's Report Board of Directors Meeting - March 19, 1996 ========================== Online Funding Campaigns ======================= The PFA reservation software is complete, making it possible to start the funding drive using our new Donor Recognition categories. The target for this campaign is $50,000 to support NCF's general operations. It is hoped that in the next appeal for funds (August/September), we will be able to tell our donors that their contributions are needed for specific operational improvements or specific new services. Still to come - - online Visa donations (being rewritten to accommodate new bookkeeping codes) - reference to PFAs to be added to online registration program and to registration area menu (go register) - implementation of Andrew Patrick's Notice About Giving (NAG) popup program - Adopt-A-Modem login screen recognition program (similar to line sponsor program) - donation reply via e-mail system so that the Office can automatically acknowledge donations as they are processed - automatic posting of updated donor lists using Office financial records Outreach ======== * Feature coverage was obtained for NCF in the Ottawa Citizen's special technology section about the local High-Tech industry. A second article the same week covered NCF's ground-breaking AGM software and publicized NCF's dial-up modem numbers. * A news conference has been organized to launch NCF's Sponsors' ShowCase on the morning of March 19 while publicizing UHS Online/CyberShop's donation of $4,000. The participation and support of the Ottawa-Carleton Board of Trade was secured for this initiative and strong support was obtained from NATIONAL Public Relations to help co-ordinate the event. A French translation of the news release was supplied by Dominique Denommee of the Translation Taskforce. * A procedure was established with the Francophone Committee for approving and sending out news releases to the Francophone media. A release written by the Committee about the AGM and their upcoming Committee meeting was sent out by Andre Ouellette after being reviewed and edited with Andre's help. * The March edition of the monthly FreeBytes column was written for Monitor Magazine and is available on NCF (go FreeBytes) as well as on the World Wide Web http://www.monitor.ca/monitor/ and in local computer stores. As always, the column closes with information about how to connect to NCF. Projects ======== * A committee structure was established for organizing the next Great FreeNet Online Auction (October/November 1996). * The proposed Glentel long-distance telephone billing affinity program was referred to the Development Committee's Fundraising Ideas Group for further study. Corporate Sponsorship ===================== * Help has been secured from Oracle Corporation in completing administrative database -- Oracle will send a consultant to assess the database setup in the NCF Office. The contact has been turned over to Lisa Donnelly to arrange a convenient time. * A meeting was held at Oracle's Ottawa office to discuss ways to enhance Oracle's participation as a Key Partner of NCF's. Lisa Donnelly and Jim Elder also attended the meeting - we explored options for using Oracle's new products in connection with NCF's migration to the World Wide Web. * Rebecca Last arranged a meeting with QNX Software Systems. A solicitation package was delivered highlighting the "Corporate Patron" level of support. In the meeting, we proposed a number of sponsorship options to QNX's Chief Financial Officer and expect to receive feedback later this month. * A written proposal was sent to The Ottawa-Carleton Board of Trade requesting their participation in the publicity launch of our ShowCase. In the subsequent meeting, the Board of Trade agreed to host the news conference and to follow up by promoting the ShowCase sponsorship program to its membership. * The ShowCase section of the Funding Area has been updated. * A complete list of Key Partners was installed on the login screens. A request has been made to the SysAdmin to ensure that this feature is given a prominent place in the login process where it cannot be bypassed. * With the help of Matthew Darwin (Webmaster) all Key Partners now have a hypertext link from NCF's Home Page. * Brett Delmage opened the door for a follow-up call to Global-X-Change. Global-X has agreed to become a ShowCase sponsor and expressed interest in contributing some web design services to NCF. * Information was requested and received from the SysAdmin about NCF's immediate hardware needs. Discussions have been initiated with Hardware Canada about donating items on the list. * Concern was expressed to the Development Committee and to the Executive Director about delays in using or implementing a number of equipment and other donations secured for NCF by the Development Office. Steps are being taken by the Executive Director to reduce the "lag time". Plans and Reports ================= The Development Strategy has been posted in the funding area ("go funding" -- Fundraising Documents) along with the 1996 Development Goals, 1995 Development Goals and the Annual Reports written for 1994 and 1995. Our Community. Our FreeNet. Working together. Gordon Pearson (613) 749-9372