Event:2014/09/13 Community & Fundraising

last meeting notes from 8/11

AGENDA

1–2:30pm Saturday at Omni!

1. crowdfunding campaign

• estimate needs and goal
  • cost to open Omni (permits, construction, improvements, facilities & equipment) by Dec 1
    • $70k?
    • announce initial goal of $44k, assuming for now that we can raise $55k via crowdfunding + $30k via grants
  • targets (high net worth individuals)
  • projections (how many individuals, how much $ donated on avg., and what % likely)
• create and develop the campaign concept
  • pitch exercise
  • tagline
• schedule and budget the campaign effort
  • personal outreach before launch to refine concept
  • public outreach
  • events

2. other revenue sources

crowdfunding is just one method of raising money!

• ballroom and building space rental
• grant spreadsheet (public/state/municipal, foundations, corporations, etc.)

MINUTES

Attending: Laura, Scott, Sarah, Danny

• for today, explore ideas for the campaign concept - that consists of
  • context – the realm/realities we're coming from, the challenges and opportunities that exist
  • transformation – our potential achievement above and beyond mere problem-solving
  • some personal story about how we came to Omni
• discussion summary
  • recognizing Oakland's history of rich cultural production and the threats of gentrification
  • responding to rising inequality, migration, mobility
  • Omni represents care and support
  • overcoming alienation and isolation through community
  • fighting the culture of disempowerment
  • generosity in all directions
  • spirituality at a social level
  • change through belonging
  • change through mutual aid
  • this is an experiment and a model
  • polyculturalism over monoculture
  • politics come second
  • "Omni is the rose on the thorn in the side of Capitalism"
  • "Out of Many, Omni"
• identifying what we would like to prioritize as well as what we find uncomfortable... implications for language?
  • frame ourselves as a critical alternative - e.g., polyculturalism instead of multiculturalism (source: http://www.againstthegrain.org/program/914/wed-40914-problem-multiculturalism - listen! It's educational & funny!)
  • accessibility with specificity - e.g., name "gentrification"
  • use plain language!
• action items
  • draft written request for all Omni organizers to share their own personal story that includes their context and transformation with Omni [Danny]
  • do the same for groups, where a representative from each group tells the story of their collective context and transformation with Omni [Danny]
  • for both requests, include mention that the responses will be used shape the language we're using to describe the Omni [Danny]
  • send spreadsheet for listing low/medium/high potential grants [Danny]