Event:2016/02/15 Fundraising

Omni Fundraising WG Monday February 15, 2016

intros

• yar, marcus, matt, marc, david, remote-jenny

updates

• need money. a lot.

overview of work done and work needed

• yar: i want to craft a simple volunteer pitch for all working groups. can we answer these questions?

what has fundraising wg accomplished in past 6 months?

• building & cultivating potential donor relationships
  • nearly secured private loan
• changed strategy to pursue a mortgage
• successfully participated in rectifying our accounting books - necessary for our 501c3 app and mortgage application
• updated our rent breakdown
• successfully blurred boundaries with the finance working group
• talked about novels
• fulfilling most of our indiegogo perks
• researched many fundraising options

what work is currently in progress?

• our mortgage application (and therefore purchase)

what work needs to be done?

• grant applications
• research
• remaining mortgage todos:
  • creating & improving our financial docs. pro formas, projected budgets
  • improving rent roll (in process - proposed to delegates)
  • compiling necessary documentation - some things we still need to get
  • letters of support from neighbors & BID
  • have a professional to look over app
• reinstating use permits. important missing pieces:
• structural inspection from past 3 years
• laundry list of other things
  • more comprehensive updated floorplans (fire inspection also needs that)
  • demonstrate continuous historical use of building - jenny & DK working on it (avoids $8k fee)
    • DK already scanned & annotated newspapers going back to 1934

what do we need from new volunteers?

• skills:
• time commitment:
• dk: we need people working on on-paper business-plan-esque strategic vision for omni, and for specific aspects of omni focused on generating revenue such as ballroom, event booking...
  • having business plan for event booking would help get loans from people in community who are used to seeing something like that
  • we're gonna make the whole building ADA accessible! paint everywhere! pay to fly anarchists out here!
  • collaterol to excite people
  • have an online brochure advertising ballroom - have your wedding here!
• matt's summary: enhance production, marketing, therefore making outreach easier
• communication and coordination tasks
  • get every collective to pay with bank transfers or quickbooks, who isn't already doing it

professional

have a professional to look over app

• DK talked to a "non-profit specializing CPA"
• you can get "certified financial review" - they'll rubber stamp it (looks better) and they'll find bugs in your data.
  • rick from BACLT can help
  • michael the mortgage broker
  • marc: worth it. 3-5k tho
  • dk knows someone to look it over but he can't do the official stamp. friend's brother in chicago. won't look at every transaction, just overalls and spot-check stuff.
  • marc: will it significantly help our chances?
    • dk: i think it'll bump our chances. we're so young, inspires confidence.
  • we'll try the unofficial person first. need to give him access to quickbooks - everyone is ok with that
• yar: also materials for first friday outreach - stickers, etc
• help with our next crowdfunding campaign
  • save the omni!
  • leader, and workers
  • getting content ready
  • talking to a lot of journalists
  • networking

city stuff

• discussion of getting zoning clearance & business tax license. maybe we should just go downtown and apply.

in-community lender

• good for another 10k, but that's it. making less money next month. really need to figure out april rent NOW

p & l

• DONE
• take that, profit & loss!
• now jesse can send 501c3 app. woo hoo!!!