Aside from the FACT that Black women should be wherever they choose to be, and be there safely and experience all the pleasure they desire; there are several more reasons to donate. This post is about one reason: building community and building infrastructure.
When the WOCSHN (Women of Color Sexual Health Network) was established we had big dreams. We still do. Since many of us are all over the US, annual conferences are one of the only ways all WOCSHN members, including executive members, can be together, in 3D, and build.
Yes, we live in the "future" today, but skpe calls, emails, and texting are not the same as building in person. It matters that women of Color, especially Black women, can meet and build and support one another. This is especially imperative for those of us in the sexuality, sexual health, and reproductive justice field.
This fundraising is not just about helping 5 Black sexologists present their original research. It's also about helping WOCSHN meet to plan becoming a legitimate organization. An organization where we can fundraise on behalf of all members who wish to attend. An organization that will demand recognition from color-free spaces that have excluded us, and continue to do so, for far too long.
There are conversations that must occur in person and with as many WOCSHN members who wish to attend. This is what your donations will support. This is what all the donations we will receive will support. Please help us meet our goal.
Showing posts with label fundraising. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fundraising. Show all posts
Saturday, March 30, 2013
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
UPDATE on WOC Sexual Health Network Fundraising
First, we'd like to extend our deep heart-felt thank you to everyone
who has shared our call for funds, requests for donations, and who have
been able to donate. Your time, support, love, and caring has fueled us
during this process and reminded us we are a vital part of our
communities and our work is needed.
We've raised $1180 thus far! We have also adjusted our fundraising goal because of some amazing supporters who have donated hotel rooms, frequent flyer miles, and food coverage to some members. The budget has also been adjusted because of room rates at the hotel being reduced from what was originally expected.
An updated breakdown of our fundraising goal is listed below. An asterick (*) is listed next to the items that have been adjusted and below them is an explanation.
*Plane was updated because our budget was projected and included an increase for waiting longer to obtain a plane ticket. Bianca was gifted a round-trip plane ticket from a friend who had frequent flyer miles and thus a reduction of $500 was needed in this total.
**Hotel was originally a projected amount of $250 a night as our fundraising efforts began BEFORE the hotel room rates were posted. As of today a double occupancy room is $139 a night including taxes. We still need 2 rooms for 4 nights and the adjusted amount reflects the new room rate including taxes of $1190.
***Per Diem, daily meals which was budgeted to include an estimate of: $10 breakfast, $20 lunch, $30 dinner for each member for each day of the conference. After speaking with folks who have attended AASECT conferences in the past we are told a continental breakfast is offered each morning, two lunch's are provided, and one executive member of WOCSHN will provide some groceries for members in need for dinner. The new per diem includes: $0 for breakfast, $100 and $150 for dinner for 5 people for 4 days.
****We are in discussion with folks at AASECT to gain clarification on a proposed reduction in registration. When/If this is confirmed we will update our fundraising needs. Our hope is to reduce this number to $1250 for a total fundraising goal of $4490.
As of now we still must raise an additional $3910. We know this is possible! We thank you in advance for your continued support and sharing of our fundraising!
In solidarity,
Women of Color Sexual Health Network Members
We've raised $1180 thus far! We have also adjusted our fundraising goal because of some amazing supporters who have donated hotel rooms, frequent flyer miles, and food coverage to some members. The budget has also been adjusted because of room rates at the hotel being reduced from what was originally expected.
An updated breakdown of our fundraising goal is listed below. An asterick (*) is listed next to the items that have been adjusted and below them is an explanation.
- Plane: was $2050 UPDATED: $1550*
- Hotel: was $2000 UPDATED $1190**
- Transportation: $250
- Per Diem: was $1000 UPDATED $250***
- Registration: $1850**** (working on hopefully getting a further reduction update when that is confirmed)
- TOTAL UPDATED: $5090
*Plane was updated because our budget was projected and included an increase for waiting longer to obtain a plane ticket. Bianca was gifted a round-trip plane ticket from a friend who had frequent flyer miles and thus a reduction of $500 was needed in this total.
**Hotel was originally a projected amount of $250 a night as our fundraising efforts began BEFORE the hotel room rates were posted. As of today a double occupancy room is $139 a night including taxes. We still need 2 rooms for 4 nights and the adjusted amount reflects the new room rate including taxes of $1190.
***Per Diem, daily meals which was budgeted to include an estimate of: $10 breakfast, $20 lunch, $30 dinner for each member for each day of the conference. After speaking with folks who have attended AASECT conferences in the past we are told a continental breakfast is offered each morning, two lunch's are provided, and one executive member of WOCSHN will provide some groceries for members in need for dinner. The new per diem includes: $0 for breakfast, $100 and $150 for dinner for 5 people for 4 days.
****We are in discussion with folks at AASECT to gain clarification on a proposed reduction in registration. When/If this is confirmed we will update our fundraising needs. Our hope is to reduce this number to $1250 for a total fundraising goal of $4490.
As of now we still must raise an additional $3910. We know this is possible! We thank you in advance for your continued support and sharing of our fundraising!
In solidarity,
Women of Color Sexual Health Network Members
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Update: Get Bi to the AMC
It's been a little over a month since I started to fundraise to get to the AMC, and I'm superexcited (yes all one word!) to give an update!
I have raised $466!!!! through virtual donations alone (I know others are coming via snail mail!)
I've also been provided with FREE registration for the AMC as my application for the first ever Healing Practice & Relaxation Space was accepted. As a result, in exchange for free registration, I will be providing my doula and/or art therapy services. This is an amazing opportunity for me to continue to do work in specific space and with various communities while still gaining insight, experience, and challenging myself in the media and work I plan to continue to do.
Because I was able to raise a good amount of money fairly quickly I was able to purchase my plain ticket for significantly less than was originally believed. I've also got a friend who is flying from NYC on the same flight as I am and who can cut transportation costs with me to and from Detroit Airport while we are there (although we are still seeking other options via the AMC travel boards). For those of you who are more visual here's the old budget followed by the NEW budget!
Old/Original Budget NEW budget in RED
Plane Ticket $325 Paid $245
Transportation to NYC airport: $20 ($10 metrocard roundtrip to BX, $10 roundtrip shuttle card to JFK) $10 b/c leaving from LGA
Transportation to AMC from airport: $110 ($55 1 way not including gratuity) $60 for now b/c riding w/a friend
Registration: $70 (i'd like to pay $100 as requested if possible) $0 FREE registration
Grub: $100 (lunch (~$10 & dinner ~$15 for 4 days) $100
Lodging: $180 ($45 per night in 4 person suite style dorm room) $180
Total: $805-835 (cover $100 conference fee) NEW total: $595
Which means I only need to raise $129!!!
Many thanks to the folks who have donated, shared this link, and supported my first efforts to get my tail to a conference! Snail Mail goodies will come to you and I can't wait to meet folks in 3D for the first time!
xo
Thursday, May 12, 2011
Get Your Tail To A Conference
Cross posted from my Media Justice column
As the end of the semester is arrives I am reminded of all the ways I’ve looked forward to this summer. There are a ton of fabulous conferences going on this summer (and this year in general) that I think may be of interest to readers. So, this piece is focusing on helping us all build community through conference attendance and organizing, as well as some pointers on how to get funds to attend (I know all too well how expensive it is to travel and get to conferences!).
I asked some friends to share with me conferences they think are important to share and have you all know about so I’ll include those in this list. If you are interested in continuing your training and commuity building in the reproductive justice and sexual health field there are many different conferences all over the world to look into. The Kinsey Institute has a great list of conferences all year round for 2011. A few that the Kinsey Institute features that I’d like to highlight are the International AIDS Conference 2012 http://www.aids2012.org which will be held in Washington, DC, the annual AASECT (American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors & Therapists) which has already passed, but is held each year in the US, and the Trans-Health Conference in Philadelphia, PA, this is the 10th year the conference being held. The Kinsey Institute seems to update it often enough, but I noticed a few things missing from this list that I think may be of interest to Amplify readers.
Allied Media Conference
One conference I am shamelessly plugging is the Allied Media Conference (AMC). I have so many friends and chosen family who attend and present at this conference that I’ve decided I’m going to attend this summer. Located in Detroit, Michigan, the AMC focuses on cultivating “strategies for a more just and creative world. We come together to share tools and tactics for transforming our communities through media-based organizing." Their vision is “participatory media to transform our selves and our world." Needless to say AMC is one of the most radical, progressive, inclusive and accessible conferences in the US. They center on including and supporting folks from various experiences and backgrounds, offer accessible housing that is affordable ($45 a night) and have amazing programs each year! One of the documents I used in writing my Net Neutrality article was created by participants of the AMC. This year the AMC is June 23-26, 2011 and if you are interested in media literacy and media justice this is where you need to be! Come find me I’ll most likely have a big side ponytail.
World Congress of Sexual Health
The World Association of Sexual Health conference (WAS, formally the World Association of Sexology) is an international organization of sexual and reproductive health professionals from around the world. It is one of the largest conferences that is every other year. I’ve attended two conferences for WAS and both were funded by donations from the places I was working and my colleges. It can be overwhelming, but totally worth it, especially as someone of Color in this field where in the US there are not many of us, but when we look outside the US, we are everywhere! The 20th Annual World Congress of Sexual Health is on June 12-16, 2011 in Glasgow, United Kingdom.
Kansas City Human Sexuality Educational Regional Conference
Focusing on people working with clients or in the field of reproductive and sexual health,this conference will discuss the specific needs of people living in Kansas City. The conference will discuss human sexuality in a changing world, as this is the title of the conference. Registration needs to be received by June 1, 2011 and the final program is available onlineand includes keynotes on sexuality education updates, sexting, and ethics in the classroom. June 8-10, 2011
SisterSong Let’s Talk About Sex Conference
Many of you may know of SisterSong Women of Color Reproductive Justice Collective as their mission is to “amplify and strengthen the collective voices of Indigenous women and women of color to ensure reproductive justice through securing human rights.” This year is their first annual conference called “Let’s Talk About Sex: Love, Legislation and Leadership” in Miami, Florida. The conference will focus on celebrating the movement for reproductive health, reproductive rights and reproductive justice. It will be held on July 14-17, 2011 and registration is now open! As this is the first conference for SisterSong, there will hopefully be many more in the future. They have had a call for bloggers, volunteers, workshops, presentations, and offer scholarships (deadline was in March).
Conferences coming up in the Fall and Winter 2011
Sexuality and Aging Conference will be hosted by Widener University, one of the few higher education programs that has a specialization in sexuality studies on the east coast. It will take place on September 23, 2011 and the conference title is: “Sexuality, Intimacy and Aging: What Every Professional Needs to Know,” and is a day long event and registration begins in the summer.
Transcending Boundaries Conference located in Springfield, MA will be held in November 11-13, 2011. The conference focuses on “’Beyond the Binary.’ Male/Female, Straight/Gay or Lesbian, Man /Woman, Committed/Single, in a world of either-or's, where do those of us that don't quite belong in one category or the other fit? Gender, sex, orientation, relationships and identities don't always meet the definitions society gives us, but that doesn't mean they are any less valid.” They are currently accepting proposals for workshops and presentations and the keynote is Kate Bornstein.
Conferences my friends shared with me are on a range of topics. The first two my homegirl Pamela suggested and the last my homegirl Adele provided:
NCORE is The National Conference on Race & Ethnicity in American Higher Education and the “conference series constitutes the leading and most comprehensive national forum on issues of race and ethnicity in American higher education. The conference focuses on the complex task of creating and sustaining comprehensive institutional change designed to improve racial and ethnic relations on campus and to expand opportunities for educational access and success by culturally diverse, traditionally underrepresented populations.” Registration is now open and the conference is being held May 31-June 4, 2011 and is in San Francisco, CA.
The Gloria Anzaldúa Conference is hosted by the University of Texas, San Antonio Women’s Studies Institute and it seems it is usually held in November. I’ve mentioned Anzaldúa here in the past, most recently when I wrote about Lady Gaga and her misuse of the term “chola.” Anzaldúa was an amazing Chicana lesbian feminist, and one of the first to discuss how race, ethnicity, national origin, sexual orientation and gender intersect. Check the website for updates and information about when this conference is being planned for 2011.
MALCS is Mujeres Activas en Letras y Cambio Social (Women Active in Letters and Social Change) and is a “national organization of Chicanas/Latinas and Native American women working in academia and in community settings with a common goal: to work toward the support, education and dissemination of Chicana/Latina and Native American women’s issues.” Each summer they provide a Summer Institute for members (you do have to be a member to attend) and this year in August 3-7 they will host Against Fear and Terror: Una Nueva Conciencia Sin Fronteras at California State University. This years summer institute will focus on “aims to foreground the academic and activist endeavors contesting the current framing of citizenship and belonging through binaries such as immigrant/non-immigrant that ignore lived relationship, histories and transformative practices in rights-based struggles.”
How To Get To Conferences
Most of my time in undergrad and graduate school I hustled to get to many conferences. Not only did I volunteer to work at many conferences in NYC and DC to get free admission and not pay for registration, but it also helped me build community. One of the ways I was able to get to international conferences was by fundraising. I’ll share here how I’ve fundraised in the past, some key words to keep in mind, and how fundraising has changed with new technology that can be very useful.
The first thing I did while in school or working was find a conference I wanted to attend that connected to either my field of study or the work I was doing at my job. I had to make a case for why I should be provided with funds and time to attend certain conferences. If you are seeking an employer to pay for your conference travel and registration (including food and lodging) make sure you have a clear understanding of why you want to go and can eloquently articulate it verbally and in writing. Terms such as “professional development” and “training to share with colleagues” can be useful phrases to use. If you can demonstrate that what you will learn and acquire at the conference can help impact the work you do chances are you may be able to get full funding. If you are interested in taking what you learn at the conference and sharing it with staff, your employer may see this as a investment as you can provide a “free training” for staff through your participation.
It is also important to have a budget planned out. Make sure you consider and include all forms of travel: to and from the airport, train, a cab, bus or metro/subway fare. A per diem is a fancy way of saying how much money you are allocated to use for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Often this does not go over $50 a day if you work for some non-profit organizations, but check with your employer before picking an amount to include on a budget and see if there are any meals covered by the conference registration fee. Make sure to include registration fees, institute or special fees, hotel accommodations, and any special support you may need. Having a budget demonstrates you have considered the costs and itemizing the budget allows for easier fundraising for your fees.
Sometimes employers will reimburse you for your lodging, travel, and food so make sure you have that amount of money available or a way to access it via credit cards. Keep in mind that reimbursement varies for each location so make sure you can cover what you spend during that time and keep all your receipts!
As a graduate student I asked for funds from various places: my department, provost for retention and recruitment, provost for diversity, student organizations, and specific programs such as LGBT studies, women’s studies, and ethnic studies. Having an itemized budget may be useful in these situations as you could ask for specific amounts to be covered (i.e. lodging only) and also you can demonstrate how you are fundraising across disciplines and are actively seeking support in multiple ways versus leaving it up to one space to cover all financial needs. I have also offered to provide recruitment to our department or campus through attendance and took brochures, applications and other information to share with participants.
If you have a blog, or you write for a specific space, such as Amplify, and have a few posts to show as proof, you can ask to attend as media. Many conferences offer media passes for FREE. Yes FREE. You can get into many events on a press pass, such as film festivals, special events, and advanced screenings. Many of the conferences above offer press packages that include waiving registration.
Other options are to host a table, become a sponsor or join the exhibitors at the space. Often these are opportunities for you to share the work your organization and/or school provide. Sometimes there are fees to host a table or be an exhibitor but they are often less expensive than full registration fees. You will have to sit at the table for a certain amount of time, but often if more than one person attends you can agree when to take breaks to attend some sessions that may be of interest.
Many conferences offer scholarships if you apply in advance and can demonstrate need. I’ll admit that this is not the most enjoyable thing to do: talk about how broke you are and how worthy you are of attending. I’ve had my fair share of providing such narratives to get conference support and I think I’ll be continuing to do so for a while. However, it is an option. It is important to get your information and application in advance, and keep in mind they don’t often have enough funds to offer scholarships to everyone. Although it may hurt you are not offered a scholarship and thus not able to attend, it does not mean that the work you do is invalid, your existence is being ignored, nor does it mean there are not other conferences to attend! Believe me, I wish I had someone remind me of these things because I spent a lot of time being upset and disappointed when I wasn’t offered funding.
Using online technology is another way to fundraise. I’m currently fundraising to attend the AMC and if you want to see how I created a budget and set up a request for funds feel free to check out the post as a template. Having an account with PayPal requires you to have a bank account to confirm your money can be sent in a particular way, usually directly to your selected account. PayPal can also provide you with a check but that takes some time. So, think about how this option may be useful to you or not.
My homegirl Stacey shared with me the ChipIn widget that you create to demonstrate how much money you have raised and how much more you need to meet your goal. This is useful to include on a website or blog so that you and others can track your progress. I chose not to use ChipIn because I discovered it later in my fundraising and it does not show how much you have already raised, it works when you include it prior to fundraising. ChipIn is set up via PayPal, but there may be some other options for folks outside the US as well using this service.
Are there other suggestions folks have for fundraising and/or conferences that are coming up or are of interest? Please share below! I’d love to hear how many of you are fundraising and which conferences you are hoping to attend!
I asked some friends to share with me conferences they think are important to share and have you all know about so I’ll include those in this list. If you are interested in continuing your training and commuity building in the reproductive justice and sexual health field there are many different conferences all over the world to look into. The Kinsey Institute has a great list of conferences all year round for 2011. A few that the Kinsey Institute features that I’d like to highlight are the International AIDS Conference 2012 http://www.aids2012.org which will be held in Washington, DC, the annual AASECT (American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors & Therapists) which has already passed, but is held each year in the US, and the Trans-Health Conference in Philadelphia, PA, this is the 10th year the conference being held. The Kinsey Institute seems to update it often enough, but I noticed a few things missing from this list that I think may be of interest to Amplify readers.
Allied Media Conference
One conference I am shamelessly plugging is the Allied Media Conference (AMC). I have so many friends and chosen family who attend and present at this conference that I’ve decided I’m going to attend this summer. Located in Detroit, Michigan, the AMC focuses on cultivating “strategies for a more just and creative world. We come together to share tools and tactics for transforming our communities through media-based organizing." Their vision is “participatory media to transform our selves and our world." Needless to say AMC is one of the most radical, progressive, inclusive and accessible conferences in the US. They center on including and supporting folks from various experiences and backgrounds, offer accessible housing that is affordable ($45 a night) and have amazing programs each year! One of the documents I used in writing my Net Neutrality article was created by participants of the AMC. This year the AMC is June 23-26, 2011 and if you are interested in media literacy and media justice this is where you need to be! Come find me I’ll most likely have a big side ponytail.
World Congress of Sexual Health
The World Association of Sexual Health conference (WAS, formally the World Association of Sexology) is an international organization of sexual and reproductive health professionals from around the world. It is one of the largest conferences that is every other year. I’ve attended two conferences for WAS and both were funded by donations from the places I was working and my colleges. It can be overwhelming, but totally worth it, especially as someone of Color in this field where in the US there are not many of us, but when we look outside the US, we are everywhere! The 20th Annual World Congress of Sexual Health is on June 12-16, 2011 in Glasgow, United Kingdom.
Kansas City Human Sexuality Educational Regional Conference
Focusing on people working with clients or in the field of reproductive and sexual health,this conference will discuss the specific needs of people living in Kansas City. The conference will discuss human sexuality in a changing world, as this is the title of the conference. Registration needs to be received by June 1, 2011 and the final program is available onlineand includes keynotes on sexuality education updates, sexting, and ethics in the classroom. June 8-10, 2011
SisterSong Let’s Talk About Sex Conference
Many of you may know of SisterSong Women of Color Reproductive Justice Collective as their mission is to “amplify and strengthen the collective voices of Indigenous women and women of color to ensure reproductive justice through securing human rights.” This year is their first annual conference called “Let’s Talk About Sex: Love, Legislation and Leadership” in Miami, Florida. The conference will focus on celebrating the movement for reproductive health, reproductive rights and reproductive justice. It will be held on July 14-17, 2011 and registration is now open! As this is the first conference for SisterSong, there will hopefully be many more in the future. They have had a call for bloggers, volunteers, workshops, presentations, and offer scholarships (deadline was in March).
Conferences coming up in the Fall and Winter 2011
Sexuality and Aging Conference will be hosted by Widener University, one of the few higher education programs that has a specialization in sexuality studies on the east coast. It will take place on September 23, 2011 and the conference title is: “Sexuality, Intimacy and Aging: What Every Professional Needs to Know,” and is a day long event and registration begins in the summer.
Transcending Boundaries Conference located in Springfield, MA will be held in November 11-13, 2011. The conference focuses on “’Beyond the Binary.’ Male/Female, Straight/Gay or Lesbian, Man /Woman, Committed/Single, in a world of either-or's, where do those of us that don't quite belong in one category or the other fit? Gender, sex, orientation, relationships and identities don't always meet the definitions society gives us, but that doesn't mean they are any less valid.” They are currently accepting proposals for workshops and presentations and the keynote is Kate Bornstein.
Conferences my friends shared with me are on a range of topics. The first two my homegirl Pamela suggested and the last my homegirl Adele provided:
NCORE is The National Conference on Race & Ethnicity in American Higher Education and the “conference series constitutes the leading and most comprehensive national forum on issues of race and ethnicity in American higher education. The conference focuses on the complex task of creating and sustaining comprehensive institutional change designed to improve racial and ethnic relations on campus and to expand opportunities for educational access and success by culturally diverse, traditionally underrepresented populations.” Registration is now open and the conference is being held May 31-June 4, 2011 and is in San Francisco, CA.
The Gloria Anzaldúa Conference is hosted by the University of Texas, San Antonio Women’s Studies Institute and it seems it is usually held in November. I’ve mentioned Anzaldúa here in the past, most recently when I wrote about Lady Gaga and her misuse of the term “chola.” Anzaldúa was an amazing Chicana lesbian feminist, and one of the first to discuss how race, ethnicity, national origin, sexual orientation and gender intersect. Check the website for updates and information about when this conference is being planned for 2011.
MALCS is Mujeres Activas en Letras y Cambio Social (Women Active in Letters and Social Change) and is a “national organization of Chicanas/Latinas and Native American women working in academia and in community settings with a common goal: to work toward the support, education and dissemination of Chicana/Latina and Native American women’s issues.” Each summer they provide a Summer Institute for members (you do have to be a member to attend) and this year in August 3-7 they will host Against Fear and Terror: Una Nueva Conciencia Sin Fronteras at California State University. This years summer institute will focus on “aims to foreground the academic and activist endeavors contesting the current framing of citizenship and belonging through binaries such as immigrant/non-immigrant that ignore lived relationship, histories and transformative practices in rights-based struggles.”
How To Get To Conferences
Most of my time in undergrad and graduate school I hustled to get to many conferences. Not only did I volunteer to work at many conferences in NYC and DC to get free admission and not pay for registration, but it also helped me build community. One of the ways I was able to get to international conferences was by fundraising. I’ll share here how I’ve fundraised in the past, some key words to keep in mind, and how fundraising has changed with new technology that can be very useful.
The first thing I did while in school or working was find a conference I wanted to attend that connected to either my field of study or the work I was doing at my job. I had to make a case for why I should be provided with funds and time to attend certain conferences. If you are seeking an employer to pay for your conference travel and registration (including food and lodging) make sure you have a clear understanding of why you want to go and can eloquently articulate it verbally and in writing. Terms such as “professional development” and “training to share with colleagues” can be useful phrases to use. If you can demonstrate that what you will learn and acquire at the conference can help impact the work you do chances are you may be able to get full funding. If you are interested in taking what you learn at the conference and sharing it with staff, your employer may see this as a investment as you can provide a “free training” for staff through your participation.
It is also important to have a budget planned out. Make sure you consider and include all forms of travel: to and from the airport, train, a cab, bus or metro/subway fare. A per diem is a fancy way of saying how much money you are allocated to use for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Often this does not go over $50 a day if you work for some non-profit organizations, but check with your employer before picking an amount to include on a budget and see if there are any meals covered by the conference registration fee. Make sure to include registration fees, institute or special fees, hotel accommodations, and any special support you may need. Having a budget demonstrates you have considered the costs and itemizing the budget allows for easier fundraising for your fees.
Sometimes employers will reimburse you for your lodging, travel, and food so make sure you have that amount of money available or a way to access it via credit cards. Keep in mind that reimbursement varies for each location so make sure you can cover what you spend during that time and keep all your receipts!
As a graduate student I asked for funds from various places: my department, provost for retention and recruitment, provost for diversity, student organizations, and specific programs such as LGBT studies, women’s studies, and ethnic studies. Having an itemized budget may be useful in these situations as you could ask for specific amounts to be covered (i.e. lodging only) and also you can demonstrate how you are fundraising across disciplines and are actively seeking support in multiple ways versus leaving it up to one space to cover all financial needs. I have also offered to provide recruitment to our department or campus through attendance and took brochures, applications and other information to share with participants.
If you have a blog, or you write for a specific space, such as Amplify, and have a few posts to show as proof, you can ask to attend as media. Many conferences offer media passes for FREE. Yes FREE. You can get into many events on a press pass, such as film festivals, special events, and advanced screenings. Many of the conferences above offer press packages that include waiving registration.
Other options are to host a table, become a sponsor or join the exhibitors at the space. Often these are opportunities for you to share the work your organization and/or school provide. Sometimes there are fees to host a table or be an exhibitor but they are often less expensive than full registration fees. You will have to sit at the table for a certain amount of time, but often if more than one person attends you can agree when to take breaks to attend some sessions that may be of interest.
Many conferences offer scholarships if you apply in advance and can demonstrate need. I’ll admit that this is not the most enjoyable thing to do: talk about how broke you are and how worthy you are of attending. I’ve had my fair share of providing such narratives to get conference support and I think I’ll be continuing to do so for a while. However, it is an option. It is important to get your information and application in advance, and keep in mind they don’t often have enough funds to offer scholarships to everyone. Although it may hurt you are not offered a scholarship and thus not able to attend, it does not mean that the work you do is invalid, your existence is being ignored, nor does it mean there are not other conferences to attend! Believe me, I wish I had someone remind me of these things because I spent a lot of time being upset and disappointed when I wasn’t offered funding.
Using online technology is another way to fundraise. I’m currently fundraising to attend the AMC and if you want to see how I created a budget and set up a request for funds feel free to check out the post as a template. Having an account with PayPal requires you to have a bank account to confirm your money can be sent in a particular way, usually directly to your selected account. PayPal can also provide you with a check but that takes some time. So, think about how this option may be useful to you or not.
My homegirl Stacey shared with me the ChipIn widget that you create to demonstrate how much money you have raised and how much more you need to meet your goal. This is useful to include on a website or blog so that you and others can track your progress. I chose not to use ChipIn because I discovered it later in my fundraising and it does not show how much you have already raised, it works when you include it prior to fundraising. ChipIn is set up via PayPal, but there may be some other options for folks outside the US as well using this service.
Are there other suggestions folks have for fundraising and/or conferences that are coming up or are of interest? Please share below! I’d love to hear how many of you are fundraising and which conferences you are hoping to attend!
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Fundraising: Get Bi To The AMC!
I've never fundraised for myself before. This is the first time I'm using this space to fundraise for something that I believe I need and will help me continue to create and sustain this space.
If you have never heard of the Allied Media Conference (AMC), you are missing out and let this be your introduction! One of the most inclusive, progressive, and radical conferences in the US, the AMC is one conference I've heard about for years. I've never attended. Each year when I hear from friends and chosen family how amazing and transformative the AMC is each year I tell myself "next year I'll go." I want to make 2011 that year that I finally attend.
The AMC is held in Detroit, Michigan every year in June, this year June 23-26, 2011. The AMC mission is to " cultivate strategies for a more just and creative world. We come together to share tools and tactics for transforming our communities through media-based organizing." Their vision is participatory media to transform our selves and our world." See how rad that is! See why I need to be in this space finally!
I'm fundraising for $835 which will cover, registration, transportation (air fare, round trip to and from NYC and Michigan airports), lodging, and food expenses. Below is the itemized budget.* Fundraising will end June 10, 2011.
Plane Ticket $325
Transportation to NYC airport: $20 ($10 metrocard roundtrip to BX, $10 roundtrip shuttle card to JFK)
Transportation to AMC from airport: $110 ($55 1 way not including gratuity)
Registration: $70 (i'd like to pay $100 as requested if possible)
Grub: $100 (lunch (~$10 & dinner ~$15 for 4 days)
Lodging: $180 ($45 per night in 4 person suite style dorm room)
Total: $805-835 (cover $100 conference fee)
I'll be honest. I've applied to at least 3 reproductive and social justice conferences nationwide this year alone. As part of the application process I've also sought out travel and registration scholarships and volunteer opportunities. However, without travel support I am unable to attend any conference and thus volunteering is not possible without such support. I was not selected to receive funds for the CLPP conference this year and I have not heard from two other spaces regarding scholarships for their conferences.
It's exhausting writing about how poor and broke you are, and how much you work your tail off to stay broke and poor, and how being in conference spaces is a form of community you desire to build and maintain, healing, and affirmation. Then you get rejected and told you are not able to reach that space and experience those much needed encounters. I want to make this happen for myself and for the community I'm a part of and for the transformative process I seek.
If you can please consider donating. If you are not able to donate please consider shamelessly plugging this request. If you'd like to talk about bartering please reach out to me I'm totally down for such an exchange! Many thanks to all of you reading and all of you sharing this request. I'll update every other day regarding donations and goals!
*I'd like to change the donate button to one that shows how much has been donated, if anybody knows how I can do that on paypal please let me know!
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