Carving Museum needs HELP!!!

[PeterG]

Here in Windsor, Ontario, Canada we have a nice little carving museum. it is incorporated as a non profit, and we are trying really hard to keep it going. We're in our 12th year. If you want to see it our web page is The Windsor Woodcarving Museum.

We feature carvers from the region, as well as a history of carving. Currently we have on exhibit on of Fred Zavadil's works. Our signature piece is a life size carving of the Indian Chief Tecumseh, carved by Neil Cox. We also have a local guy, Gary Brocklebank, who has competed successfully at the Ward World Championships. And that's only for starters.

In our area, many non-profit organizations only means of fund raising is through what we call "Charity Bingos". They are run in professional bingo halls, and licences are handed out by the city. Well - the city in their infinite wisdom - has cut off our licences. We have no more $$ coming in. We have enough in the bank to keep going for about 2 years at most. This was to be our building fund.

This is where I need your help. 2 things.

1) Does anyone out there have any ideas for fund raising? We are small in numbers but stout of heart.
2) I want to get the word out to the carving community that we accept donations (large or small). To those in Canada we can give a tax receipt for donations over $10. To everyone else we can only give our undying thanks.

And please, I don't want anyone to feel that I'm hitting you up for money. If you're so inclined to give great! If not, then that's okay to - I really just want to get the word out about The Windsor Wood Carving Museum and our current difficulties.

Thanks for listening, and I look forward to any and all fundraising ideas.

Peter Grant
President, Windsor Wood Carving Museum

[chuckt]

Took a look - and WOW! What a great looking museum. I may need to take a road trip. :-)

I take it that you don't raise much revenue from admissions or Gift Shop sales. Any chance of Government grants (especially since they've taken away your licences)? Any chance of fighting the change in the licenses?

Ok - here are some thoughts - but keep in mind that I really don't know what kind of numbers you're looking to raise:

1. Corporate sponsorships - try hitting up some of the larger Canadian carving retailers. Maybe even WCI and Carving Mag even though they're not Canadian? They might not be able to donate much, but every little bit from lot's of different companies with a vested interest in promoting carving would help. Though from your Sponsor page on the site it appears you already do this to some extent. A special plea at this point might pull more in though.

2. Run semi-annual auctions (in person or on-line) of donated carvings from carving clubs and prominent Canadian carvers - especially any from Ontario. This certainly seems like a well organized and run museum - not some fly by night hole in the wall affair and deserves support from the carving community.

3. Or perhaps - you could run a contest (not sure about the legal ramifications) where carvers donate carvings - are judged, and the winners are added to the museum collection with special recognition, and the others are auctioned off.

That's all I have for now - but I am sure others will chime in and more ideas will flow as the brainstorming gets going.

[EDIT - well, I've just been going through your website and it seems to me that you guys are WAY more professional and on top of things and that my suggestions are drop in the bucket ideas that you've probably already tried or are already doing. Man I wish you were closer to me. What a FABULOUS resource for carvers in your area. I am green with envy.]

ChuckT

[DADDIO]

our club is set up that way and we do a once a year fundraiser where the members all hand carve 5 christmas ornamants then we catch a good looking lighted cristmas tree on sale and we sell chances on the tree with the ornamants this has done pretty well for our club,so if you have some carvers that are dedicated to helping this maybe an option.

[chuckt]

Ooh - that's a cool idea for club fundraising and awareness raising Daddio. I like that idea.

Another idea would be to do handcarved nativities where each person does one character but in a similar style so it's coherent as a design. I would think that could help raise some $$.

ChuckT

[Mottles]

Hi Peter, go to your local paper and ask if they'll do an article about the museum. The Sunday Paper would be the best day, seems most folks have time to read the Sunday Paper.
Also, get some of your carvers together, set up a table in one of the local business/or in front and start carving--have informational brochures or single page info about the museum. Have a donation can available. Do you have a local TV station that might come to the museum and do an interview or tour?
Kathy

[Raparee]

Hi Peter.
Are you still selling memberships?

[Dan S]

Just a couple of thoughts.
First you have to remind people that you exist. Start holding events. Carving classes, contests, raffles etc. Perhaps start doing things with boy scouts if you have local troups. The community needs to be reminded that your organization has value. Give away small carvings and carved toys at retirement homes and hospitals. Notify the press. Think about speaking about the changes at your next counsil meeting. Remind them that the museum will fail due to their new change.
See if any of your local reporters wil run a human interest story on your organization.
Start selling carving knives with your logo. Also try shirts, hats, coffee mugs etc...
See if any of your local carvers will teach a class at your museum. Charge a small fee.
Ask people to donate their old cars. It may be a tax write off for them and a cash source for you.
Look into foundations that support art. Hit them up for donations.
Some of our not for profits run booths at the local race track.
Try to solicit donations of any kind. These can be raffled off or auctioned.
Try to get Parris Hilton to show up. People may pay for her to leave the country.
Good luck,
Dan

[Dan S]

I just looked at your website. Scratch what I said before. Move your museum to Las Vegas! That is a really impressive website. If I am ever in the area I will look you up!

Dan

[PeterG]

Thanks everyone for your suggestions and kind words about our website. To be honest, it doesn't do the real thing justice.

To answer a few of the questions that have come up;
ChuckT - we are still fighting the ruling, but not much luck so far - we don't carry enough weight. I like your idea of an on line auction!

Daddio & DanS - it's difficult to explain why, but up here in the Great White North, bingo & raffles are considered gaming - and it is actually any kind of gaming license which we can no longer get.

Kathy - actually, since my original post, our local TV station got a "Google Alert" on the word Windsor. We're going to be interviewed on Aug 5th.

Raparee - we do sell memberships. Annual is $20. With that the member gets free admission to the museum, 10% discount for cash purchases of tools, books, etc. And they can sell their carvings in the museum gift shop.

Our biggest problems are the number of "active" members, and the competion for donation $$. In this area cancer, heart disease, kids health initiatives (the types of things that tug at the heart strings) are front and center.

Thanks Again to everyone so far.
Peter

[chuckt]

Yeah - sounds like you're caught in a tough situation there. I noticed that you had filled a position for a grant writer, and it seems to me like one of your best bests will be Gov't or Corp Grants to assist in preserving "cultural heritage" and local arts. It would certainly be a shame to have such an awesome resource disappear due to lack of funding.

It is certainly hard to compete againt health and kids charities, especially when dollars get tight in an economic contraction. I see you're very close to Detroit so the current scramble to shift the US auto industry to high mpg cars and away from the gas guzzling trucks and SUVs has probably taken a toll on that area's jobs, which then affects everything else.

One thought I had - what if instead of being as Windsor centric in the language on your website, you tried to angle more for the "Canada National Museum of Woodcarving" type of status? Broaden your reach - and therefore your appeal a little more maybe? Or heck - go even BIGGER - The North American Museum of Woodcarving - and try to pull together the US and Canadian woodcarving community - since you're right on the border it seems. This might widen your ability to appeal to US as well as Canadian donors, and maybe even provide more clout and appeal across the wider Artistic world. Carving as cultural heritage and art as opposed to just a local craft. Just a thought.

ChuckT