Report from the Advancement Committee
Did you know that only two-thirds of ASC's expenses are covered by your membership dues and course fees? The rest is up to the Advancement Committee to raise. We do this primarily by soliciting donations from our members and friends each fall and spring. We also apply for grants that are available to nonprofits such as ours. Lastly, we meet with local bank representatives to ask for gifts from their community funds.
Our committee has not been meeting as a whole group in person since the pandemic, but we have been busy with Advancement work nevertheless. This fall, Sheila Kirby, our grant application expert, worked with others on the committee to produce an excellent grant application package for the Lynam Trust. Lynam has been very supportive of our work in the past and we hope that will continue. Sheila also plans to research other funding opportunities through the database that Jesup Library has made available to nonprofit organizations.
ASC Treasurer Andy Cline and I have been working with several others on the committee to organize and update our bank solicitation process. This involved drafting letters, confirming contact people, and spreading out the work so that each ASC representative is responsible for one bank. This fall, we will be sending representatives to meet with contacts at The First, Camden National, Machias Savings, Bar Harbor Savings and Loan, and Bar Harbor Bank and Trust. All these local banks have supported us in the past.
Peggy DeWolf and I are currently working on the Fall Appeal letter, which will go out to members and friends later in November. Most of the funding ASC requires to supplement our income from dues and course fees comes from response to this appeal. So we thank you all for that!
The Advancement Committee helps to promote the presence of ASC in our community. Useful and fun items, such as our ASC bookmarks, hats, and vests, help display our logo and advertise our programs.
If you would be interested in joining this committee and working with us on these important matters, please let us know!
Ann Caswell for the Advancement Committee
