Thank you, Sarah
Being relatively new at running the volunteer program, the information you provided about asking tutors for help in fundraising is a great idea.
Judy


>>> "Sarah Eisenstein" <sarah.eisenstein at gmail.com> 12/8/2008 2:59 PM >>>

I am at a program that is entirely government-funded, but that makes me
nervous as well, with so many budget cuts coming down the road.

One thing for volunteer-programs to consider is asking volunteers (and
students) for voluntary donations and to help with fundraising.  When I was
at my last job, coordinating a volunteer adult literacy program, I started
asking for volunteers' help and they wound up raising $50,000 (mostly
through the efforts of a few well-connected volunteers, but the point was
that everybody participated because they cared about the program, and that's
what motivated the well-connected volunteers to donate and to tap their
networks).

On Mon, Dec 8, 2008 at 3:58 PM, Shoshanah Dean Hilmer <
wcjshannie at hotmail.com> wrote:


> Hi Daphne,

>

> I run a women's literacy program in Florida.  Like Judy, obtaining funds

> are my biggest concern.  I've been in adult literacy for about 9 years.  I

> love what I do, but funding is a huge issue.  We often get grants for just a

> year or two and then the grantor states they want to see us be self

> sufficient.  It makes me laugh.  I work full-time running a literacy

> program, what do they want me to do, open a bookstore in my spare time?  I

> get frustrated because our program is helping many students who couldn't get

> what they needed in school for one reason or another.  I often wonder why we

> can't get tax dollars because we are providing an education.  Illiteracy

> costs $20 billion a year in the U.S.  Would we rather pay for welfare, or

> would we like to give our women an education and a chance to become

> a taxpaying citizen?

>

> I am at a loss for where to go for funds, especially in a bad economy.

>

> Shannie

>

>

>

>

>

>

> > Date: Fri, 5 Dec 2008 07:26:53 -0500

> > From: alcdgg at langate.gsu.edu 

> > To: diversity at nifl.gov 

> > Subject: [Diversity 260] Re: Creating networks to support women's

> literacy

> >

> > Judy,

> > Thanks for addressing Mev's request for self reflection and getting us

> started on focusing on our own needs. I am guessing that you are not alone

> in working in a program that has had to cut down employees while maintaining

> or increasing the number of students served. It is hard and may get harder

> to serve the needs of women and literacy during these financial times. I

> read your note as stating that you would find it helpful to have an arm in a

> women and literacy hub devoted to fund raising, grant writing, and grant

> opportunities.

> >

> > Does anyone else on this list work in a literacy or literacy related

> program that primarily targets women? Or does someone on this list focus

> their research on literacy and women issues? What are your needs?

> >

> > Daphne

> >

> > >>> "Judy Frost" <jfrost at everettcc.edu> 12/04/08 12:17 PM >>>

> > Thinking about the support I need to see the vision I have for the

> community?? In the last 5 years our program has been pared down from 4 full

> time employees and work study students to one full time employee and one

> work study student. Still, our tutors have served the needs of over 200

> students (mostly women) in the past year. I have a vision and a passion for

> helping all people, particularly women, gain the basic literacy skills

> required to survive in today's world, and seeing the volunteer "Lions for

> Literacy" program expand well beyond the parameters that now exist. What I

> don't have is a clear idea of how to raise funds and where to apply for

> grants, or the help that is needed to put together a winning grant proposal.

> Any information or volunteer help in these areas would be welcomed!

>

>

>

>

>

>

> ------------------------------

> Send e-mail anywhere. No map, no compass. Get your Hotmail(R) account now.<http://windowslive.com/Explore/hotmail?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_hotmail_acq_anywhere_122008>

>

> ----------------------------------------------------

> National Institute for Literacy

> Diversity and Literacy mailing list

> Diversity at nifl.gov 

> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to

> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/diversity 

>