March 24, 2016 - Fundraising Committee Minutes

MINUTES
FUNDRAISING COMMITTEE
ELISHA D. SMITH PUBLIC LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES
March 24, 2016

Called to order at 1:00pm by Crawmer
Present: Coopman, Crawmer and Wicihowski
Absent: Rollins-Jump
Also Present: Director Lenz and K. Dreyer (Administrative Assistant)

Public Comment/Communication: None

Action Items/Fundraising Efforts
A. Approval of Minutes. Coopman moved, Wicihowski seconded to approve the Fundraising Committee minutes from March 8, 2016. Motion carried unanimously.

B. Sculpture. All fundraising is for library services and programs; the committee doesn’t want to change that.

C. Smith Collection. Friends of the library sold some of Smith Collection books on eBay and in the recent book sale. The remaining books will be put in the September Used Book Sale. Coopman suggested adding more categories to the cash register such as Smith Collection and donations.

D. Ideas for Fundraising Events.
    • During the trustee fundraising workshop that Wicihowski and Crawmer attended, the speaker suggested cultivating donors and explained how every trustee’s job should be to fundraise, cultivate relationships and make a financial commitment. Some fundraising ideas include:
            - Love Your Library Night with music, wine, hors d'oeuvres and raffle/silent auction. The event could have a wall of need with prices and what that amount would buy.
            - Fundraising Tuesday – Held on the 1st Tuesday after Thanksgiving. Join or build vs. donate to the library. Be specific as to how the funds will be used and what the library does for the community.
            - Table Setting Event – Create a theme and have people come to see the various settings. Serve finger food and coffee/tea.
            - Apprentice – Give people $10 and in a given amount of time have them raise as much money as they can.
            - 50/50 Raffle
            - Get to Know Your Library – Give tours and create a wall of need.
            - Raffle Calendars – Sell calendars for $25 and everyday have a drawing.
            - Wishing Well
            - Bookmarks – Have students create bookmarks to sell at school for 25¢.
            - Go Fund Me Page on website.
            - Booth at Octoberfest
            - Mystery Dinner with wine and cheese.
            - Used bookshelf or chair to repurpose/decorate, charge entry fee, display at library, judges vote for best and then auction off.
            - Cow Pat Bingo
            - Kiss the Pig – Put money in cups at a table and whoever has the most money kisses the pig.
            - Bunco or Bingo Night
E. Recommendations to bring to the library board:
    - Incorporate the Friends as a 501(c)3 tax exempt organization to broaden avenues for fundraising.
    - Bring in an expert to speak at a board meeting about fundraising.
    - Create a cheat sheet or elevator speech for trustees to easily advocate on behalf of the library, its services, its needs, etc.
    - Print business cards for trustees to provide people with a contact for questions regarding the library.
    - Notify the sculpture artist and the sculpture patron that this project is not going to happen.