Last Friday, I finally got to submit Farmers Insurance Group 2.0 ( the name 2.0 refers to the fact that I wrote it twice for two different 'asks' haha) and I am very happy to see it off. It was the first letter I wrote asking for support for First Night-St. Louis, so here's hoping we hear back good news.
Just began a new letter for the Cracker Barrel Foundation...so far it's only made me hungry. I'll be writing again for Students Creating Art for Public Enjoyment or SCAPE. Due to recent developments, I haven't progressed very far with it.
Also last FridayJay and I walked over to Kota to talk with Chris LaRocca about supporting our first official "Young Friends of Grand Center" event, which is going to be held as a part of Cinemania on August 12th. We'll be screening Dirty Dancing. We are expecting about 50 guests and will be giving a short spiel about Young Friends and well as charging $5 donation in return for a free drink at Kota. Jay's working on the e-vite, and it looks great!
This week I came in Monday morning for a meeting with Peg and the Chamber Music Society of St. Louis about their Gala fundraiser they are planning. I was busy before the meeting printing and editing their documents. With those documents in hand, we sat down for an hour or so to discuss some of the issues they are having with their contacts, as well as some of the changes I made to their letters/etc.
I really enjoyed meeting with them, and as of now, I am going to play a big role in the development of their fundraising. I left the meeting charged with drafting a solicitation letter (draft #1- in progress), a solicitation letter for their subscribers (draft #1-complete), as well as constructing a spreadsheet of names and addresses for their solicitation letter to go to.
All of a sudden I have way too much to do in the 16 hrs a week that I am here, but hey I cannot complain. This is all great experience!
I'd give more detail, but I have no time.
Friday, July 23, 2010
Monday, July 19, 2010
The Art of Writing Letters
Are you Mr. X or Mrs. X or should I write to you with your given name?
I really wish there were set-in-stone rules because I am getting a lot of varying perspectives and opinions. Then again, I want to write to everyone formally because it's one of those "manners" my mother beat into me when I was young. "Always address your elders as Mrs. or Mr. XYZ." So even now, it's weird to call colleagues by their first names.
Anywho...A little confusion/frustration stemming from that simple question, since for the past couple weeks I've been working extensively on some grant letters.
Here's my little list to catch you up on what I've been doing the couple weeks my blogging has been m.i.a.
1. Hiphip Hooray! Messing Family Charitable Foundation letter FINALLY went out today in its nice little package of: Letter, Ask Menu, 2009 Dancing in the Street Program, Event Photos, and our 501(c)3 non-profit certification letter. Upon Mr. Schoemehl's signature, it'll be gone.
P.S. Who knew it was so complicated to print a silly mailing label? The all-in-one return address/mailing address label....
2. Farmer's Insurance Group letter for Dancing in the Street....completely written and then tossed. A sad day last week....
3. Farmers Insurance Group 2.0-- Rewritten to ask for support for First Night-St. Louis. Now I'm working on the revision and will give it back to Ms. Weathers in a bit.
4. Also, RIP my Dana Brown Foundation grant. You'll be chalked up to good grant-writing experience, but you will never be sent out asking for SCAPE. I believe it will now be for Operating Expenses and the good Mr. Perry will be taking that one.
5. It's been quiet on the events side, but Ms. Weathers asked me today if I'd be interested in helping St. Louis' Chamber Music Society with their event planning. More on that to come....after our meeting on next Monday at 11:30 A.M.
6. Latest Annual Appeal Total: $2,665
Up from last week!! Very exciting....we hope to reach $3,000 now!
I think that's all for now, but I'll keep you updated on Farmers....Here's hoping it'll be out by the week's end!
I really wish there were set-in-stone rules because I am getting a lot of varying perspectives and opinions. Then again, I want to write to everyone formally because it's one of those "manners" my mother beat into me when I was young. "Always address your elders as Mrs. or Mr. XYZ." So even now, it's weird to call colleagues by their first names.
Anywho...A little confusion/frustration stemming from that simple question, since for the past couple weeks I've been working extensively on some grant letters.
Here's my little list to catch you up on what I've been doing the couple weeks my blogging has been m.i.a.
1. Hiphip Hooray! Messing Family Charitable Foundation letter FINALLY went out today in its nice little package of: Letter, Ask Menu, 2009 Dancing in the Street Program, Event Photos, and our 501(c)3 non-profit certification letter. Upon Mr. Schoemehl's signature, it'll be gone.
P.S. Who knew it was so complicated to print a silly mailing label? The all-in-one return address/mailing address label....
2. Farmer's Insurance Group letter for Dancing in the Street....completely written and then tossed. A sad day last week....
3. Farmers Insurance Group 2.0-- Rewritten to ask for support for First Night-St. Louis. Now I'm working on the revision and will give it back to Ms. Weathers in a bit.
4. Also, RIP my Dana Brown Foundation grant. You'll be chalked up to good grant-writing experience, but you will never be sent out asking for SCAPE. I believe it will now be for Operating Expenses and the good Mr. Perry will be taking that one.
5. It's been quiet on the events side, but Ms. Weathers asked me today if I'd be interested in helping St. Louis' Chamber Music Society with their event planning. More on that to come....after our meeting on next Monday at 11:30 A.M.
6. Latest Annual Appeal Total: $2,665
Up from last week!! Very exciting....we hope to reach $3,000 now!
I think that's all for now, but I'll keep you updated on Farmers....Here's hoping it'll be out by the week's end!
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
I Lied When I Said, "This is my last essay ever."
It's been a pleasantly busy week so far with everyone back from the Holiday weekend, and I've been doing A LOT of writing. And re-writing. And editing. And writing. You get the picture. On that note, It's been really productive.
I finally submitted the Dana Brown Charitable Trust grant to Peg that I've been working on for ages for SCAPE. Granted....I'm not entirely pleased with what I've written so far. The dreaded Question #7 makes me want to pull out my hair, because really there is no way I can see to really answer it. We have written and rewritten #8 to the point where I don't know what I have and have not tried before. Anyway as always, Peg's purple pen will destroy it and what will come out will be a billion times better. So for now...I'm taking a break on that.
Also, I gave Jay the iPad ask for Digital Partners, Inc. that I wrote. Again, it was a little difficult to figure out the wording on that one too. Hopefully I'm closer on target...
Still looking forward to writing to Poptions more haha.
Jay assigned me a new grant letter to write too yesterday. The Messing Family Charitable Foundation is one of my prospecting discoveries (that word makes me feel like I'm looking for gold, but that note aside...). It was a good prospect and I have drafted a letter asking them for a gift for Dancing in the Street, which I hope we get since we are a little behind financially. I gave Peg the first draft yesterday and just resubmitted a bit ago.
So now it's the waiting game....Peg has two. Jay one. So until they are returned I am the lucky social media lady. Time for Grand Center, Inc. facebook updates, blogging, and oh yes, the new Annual Appeal Total: $2,295. Still far from our $4,000 goal, but respectable considering it was a blast of primarily lapsed donors in the first place. We had a lot of returned mail and a couple people's snotty responses to the new parking situation.
That's today's weekly update blogosphere!
I finally submitted the Dana Brown Charitable Trust grant to Peg that I've been working on for ages for SCAPE. Granted....I'm not entirely pleased with what I've written so far. The dreaded Question #7 makes me want to pull out my hair, because really there is no way I can see to really answer it. We have written and rewritten #8 to the point where I don't know what I have and have not tried before. Anyway as always, Peg's purple pen will destroy it and what will come out will be a billion times better. So for now...I'm taking a break on that.
Also, I gave Jay the iPad ask for Digital Partners, Inc. that I wrote. Again, it was a little difficult to figure out the wording on that one too. Hopefully I'm closer on target...
Still looking forward to writing to Poptions more haha.
Jay assigned me a new grant letter to write too yesterday. The Messing Family Charitable Foundation is one of my prospecting discoveries (that word makes me feel like I'm looking for gold, but that note aside...). It was a good prospect and I have drafted a letter asking them for a gift for Dancing in the Street, which I hope we get since we are a little behind financially. I gave Peg the first draft yesterday and just resubmitted a bit ago.
So now it's the waiting game....Peg has two. Jay one. So until they are returned I am the lucky social media lady. Time for Grand Center, Inc. facebook updates, blogging, and oh yes, the new Annual Appeal Total: $2,295. Still far from our $4,000 goal, but respectable considering it was a blast of primarily lapsed donors in the first place. We had a lot of returned mail and a couple people's snotty responses to the new parking situation.
That's today's weekly update blogosphere!
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Today's Top Five
Nope, sorry no essay-post today. I am opting for the condensed version in honor of the VERY extended holiday weekend.
5. Writing a letter to local computer sales companies to ask for donated iPads to raffle off at upcoming GCI Young Friends events like Dancing in the Street and perhaps....Cinemania.
4. Another $250 check for a seat at the Kranzberg for the Annual Appeal. Running Total: $2,085. Still staying optimistic that we will reach our goal!
3. Dancing in the Street applicants have been notified of acceptance/rejection for 2010's festival. Ready to move forward with planning/production!
2. The Grandel is haunted...Not sure that I will ever set foot in that building. Several sightings by several people (including Rachel) and consistent elevator "happenings" in the afternoons, children in the rafters, old ushers, and a staring woman. No thanks!
1. The discovery of Poptions.
This 'pun'ny store title was found doing research for popcorn companies that we could ask for some dinero for Cinemania. Definitely made 9 AM that much brighter.
and weekly promise: To attend Thursdays @ theIntersection. It's the fourth one tomorrow!
5. Writing a letter to local computer sales companies to ask for donated iPads to raffle off at upcoming GCI Young Friends events like Dancing in the Street and perhaps....Cinemania.
4. Another $250 check for a seat at the Kranzberg for the Annual Appeal. Running Total: $2,085. Still staying optimistic that we will reach our goal!
3. Dancing in the Street applicants have been notified of acceptance/rejection for 2010's festival. Ready to move forward with planning/production!
2. The Grandel is haunted...Not sure that I will ever set foot in that building. Several sightings by several people (including Rachel) and consistent elevator "happenings" in the afternoons, children in the rafters, old ushers, and a staring woman. No thanks!
1. The discovery of Poptions.
This 'pun'ny store title was found doing research for popcorn companies that we could ask for some dinero for Cinemania. Definitely made 9 AM that much brighter.
and weekly promise: To attend Thursdays @ theIntersection. It's the fourth one tomorrow!
Friday, June 25, 2010
Photos!
Never thought about adding photos....kind of a silly oversight now that I figured out how. So let me show you some images of the projects I've been discussing.
Since I've been writing so much about the SCAPE (Students Creating Art for Public Enjoyment) Rabbits, I figure it's about time I show you.
#1 "Earth Rabbit"
You may have wandered by him at the corner of Grand and Washinton.
This photo is from First Night-St. Louis 2009
#2 The Creation Process of Rabbit 2
A Student in his studio intensive creating clay feathers to be part of the mosaic on Rabbit #2
Our professional artist, Catharine Magel, with the students' art
The layout of the pieces in a pattern ready for application on the Rabbit.
The form of our Rabbit #2, or as I unofficially named him and his compadre, "Harmonic Duo"
Hope you enjoy this sneak preview of the second Rabbit before his unveiling later this summer!
**Also, Update for the Total of the Annual Appeal:
$1,835
Almost half way there!
(Note: Jay does not always tell me when we get checks, so this could be slightly off.)
On that note, have a fabulous weekend!
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Out with GrandPA, In with gARTen (NOT the real name I hope)
June 23rd?! This month is flying by.
Last week was fun with picking up Bill Roberti. Too bad the wreck on 40 made our drive a little less than perfect...I felt bad. I had to jump four lanes of traffic almost getting us killed so we could exit 170 on Brentwood. Poor Jay. Haha. Almost gave him a heart attack. We made it to the SLLIS Gala in time though with him in one Brooks Brothers-ed piece. He was a very friendly man. He'd just come back from South Africa and the World Cup...no big deal.
Speaking of which: THE USA MOVES ON! They had me a little nervous at minute 90 with 0-0, but they came through.
1. I'm still trying to get work done with the GrandPA deconstruction. Peg graciously offered to contact Joe Adorjan (assuming this is the man that SLU's Laclede Building was renamed for) and ask him about his affiliation with Ranken Technical College. We're hoping that the school might take on the project of helping get GrandPA OUT, so we can get the garden IN. If it is not something they are interested in, I'm not sure where we will turn. I don't think it's something that we could do a "sledgehammer" for. The walls look to be 8-9 ft of cement brick... So again, I don't know.
I think that getting it out is going to be more difficult, than getting it in. I've found several grantmakers that have potential, and getting kids involved in the planting will be easy. Definitely starting to feel a more specific timeline....like this is not going to be finished until next spring/summer. Haha. My generation needs to learn patience. If we get this taken out by fall and get all of our funding in line by spring, I think that it would be the perfect time to plant the garden.
I hope that this will be more than a "planting" experience, and that the neighboring schools will be able to incorporate the garden into their curriculum. I know when I was in grade school that we had a little garden, where we'd have a couple classes a year and learn about plant biology. I hope this functions a little like that. I also hope we don't nix the location as a potential home for public art....I foresee a "Rabbit" sculpture there in the near future.
Last week was fun with picking up Bill Roberti. Too bad the wreck on 40 made our drive a little less than perfect...I felt bad. I had to jump four lanes of traffic almost getting us killed so we could exit 170 on Brentwood. Poor Jay. Haha. Almost gave him a heart attack. We made it to the SLLIS Gala in time though with him in one Brooks Brothers-ed piece. He was a very friendly man. He'd just come back from South Africa and the World Cup...no big deal.
Speaking of which: THE USA MOVES ON! They had me a little nervous at minute 90 with 0-0, but they came through.
1. I'm still trying to get work done with the GrandPA deconstruction. Peg graciously offered to contact Joe Adorjan (assuming this is the man that SLU's Laclede Building was renamed for) and ask him about his affiliation with Ranken Technical College. We're hoping that the school might take on the project of helping get GrandPA OUT, so we can get the garden IN. If it is not something they are interested in, I'm not sure where we will turn. I don't think it's something that we could do a "sledgehammer" for. The walls look to be 8-9 ft of cement brick... So again, I don't know.
I think that getting it out is going to be more difficult, than getting it in. I've found several grantmakers that have potential, and getting kids involved in the planting will be easy. Definitely starting to feel a more specific timeline....like this is not going to be finished until next spring/summer. Haha. My generation needs to learn patience. If we get this taken out by fall and get all of our funding in line by spring, I think that it would be the perfect time to plant the garden.
I hope that this will be more than a "planting" experience, and that the neighboring schools will be able to incorporate the garden into their curriculum. I know when I was in grade school that we had a little garden, where we'd have a couple classes a year and learn about plant biology. I hope this functions a little like that. I also hope we don't nix the location as a potential home for public art....I foresee a "Rabbit" sculpture there in the near future.
Below is a photo of GrandPA as it stands now:
2. On the other side of the office, in Artslyvania, I've been helping Rachel with Dancing in the Street. After I went through all the applications and entered them in a spreadsheet, we went through all the DVDs they submitted on Monday to see if they worked. Most did. Some did not.
We did this for our Tuesday luncheon panel. The panel consisted of Sally Bliss, Mary Strauss, Amy of COCA, Alicia, a dancer and soon-to-be instructor at Webster U, Michael, a former dancer & all-around-riot, Kelly Weber, Mrs. Rachel Kell, and I.
Rachel was on video. Kelly on last year's schedule of dance performances. I was holding onto all the applications so I could readily whip out information that was not listed on the lists they were holding for the panel. It was very interesting to sit in on the panel and hear feedback on all the groups in St. Louis metro area. Of the 35 groups or so that applied for our main Washington stage, the panel voted for about 25 of them to perform on Washington. Many will also perform on the Grandel stage.
I am looking forward to continuing helping with Dancing in the Street.
P.S. Looks like we are getting a SWEET dance act to come down from Chicago for the event. Won't spoil the surprise though.
3. My newest grant proposal assignment: The Dana Brown Charitable Trust
-Purpose: Fund Rabbit #3
-Background: They were the foundation responsible for the funding of "Earth Rabbit." They do not accept grants on consecutive fiscal years, but now we are cleared to apply once more.
-Progress: Pretty good. More writing than Bank of America, but I'm getting close to a first draft to give Jay and Peg. Yay! Probably will be able to give it to them on Friday.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
First Grant Submission!
The Bank of America grant I wrote for SCAPE, or Students Creating Art for Public Enjoyment was submitted yesterday (6/15/10)! Feels good. Got notified that they received it and we will know within 90 days whether we receive a grant or not.
Also, we are starting to get more responses from the Annual Appeal. We've recouped all of our money (postage) and our total as of today is $1,255. They were sent only a week and a half ago and we are doing well so far reaching our projected total of $4,000. It's been worrisome and frustrating because the post office insists on sitting on them for a few days before delivering and initially we had several returns because of bad addresses, etc.
I am getting started on several other projects this week including:
-Dancing in the Street. I have been going through dancer applications and entering them in a database, so that they will be ready for panel next week.
-Prospecting potential grantmakers through a program called Foundation Center online for a new project in the section of Grand Center called GrandPA (Grand Public Art) between the Powell and Third Baptist Church. We are hoping to deconstruct GrandPA and replace it with a garden space (To be named) that will involve District youth and educate them about the environment, gardening, and community building.
Thus far, I've found a few potential grantmakers, but I still have quite of bit of research on Foundation Center to do.
Oh! I almost forgot....Today I am heading to the airport with Jay to pick up William Roberti, the managing director of Alvarez and Marsal, former CEO of Brooks Brothers. I know several of my close family friends that will love that tidbit. (Cough...Roxanne). How much do we want bet what he's wearing?
Anyway, Heading to Lambert now!
Also, we are starting to get more responses from the Annual Appeal. We've recouped all of our money (postage) and our total as of today is $1,255. They were sent only a week and a half ago and we are doing well so far reaching our projected total of $4,000. It's been worrisome and frustrating because the post office insists on sitting on them for a few days before delivering and initially we had several returns because of bad addresses, etc.
I am getting started on several other projects this week including:
-Dancing in the Street. I have been going through dancer applications and entering them in a database, so that they will be ready for panel next week.
-Prospecting potential grantmakers through a program called Foundation Center online for a new project in the section of Grand Center called GrandPA (Grand Public Art) between the Powell and Third Baptist Church. We are hoping to deconstruct GrandPA and replace it with a garden space (To be named) that will involve District youth and educate them about the environment, gardening, and community building.
Thus far, I've found a few potential grantmakers, but I still have quite of bit of research on Foundation Center to do.
Oh! I almost forgot....Today I am heading to the airport with Jay to pick up William Roberti, the managing director of Alvarez and Marsal, former CEO of Brooks Brothers. I know several of my close family friends that will love that tidbit. (Cough...Roxanne). How much do we want bet what he's wearing?
Anyway, Heading to Lambert now!
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