Fundraising Status & Project Plan

With the latest news of a donation from C.O.R.E. for $7,000 and a donation of $2,500 from Wendy Aresty, our funding level is at $25,000 of the $56,600 we need to complete the greenhouse. Further, taking into account the approximately $5,000 of in-kind donations promised by the Rotary Club members, we could say we are halfway to our goal.


We will have a conference call 1:00 - 1:45 Tuesday Aug. 25 (see instructions @ right sidebar), to discuss “where we go from here”:
CURRICULUM W/O GREENHOUSE: Do we help Hadley teach his Ag curriculum without the greenhouse? Do we erect a cheap hoophouse, and get at least some growing time before winter?
WAIT FOR C.O.R.E.’s GRANT CYCLE? Do we wait for C.O.R.E.’s next large grant cycle in January? Given their policy of being no more than a 30% partner, we will need to raise significant other money anyway, so we should ramp up our efforts now;
BUILD THE GREENHOUSE PIECEMEAL: If we can nail down specific donations for materials, labor and equipment from Rotary Club members, we could get the climate battery and foundation built now, and as we raise the funds to buy and install the greenhouse, we get it built when we can, even if it’s winter, and only if the School Board will allow.

I think a good goal set from this point would be:
1 Help Hadley teach his classes, however he and Jerome decide it should be done;
2 Get community help to build the climate battery and foundation for the dome;
3 Keep the fundraising efforts going full speed, order the dome by early October and install it by mid November;
4 Identify and obtain materials for students to build the planting beds, aquaculture tanks and trellis once the dome is finished;
5 With a successful erection of the greenhouse before the New Year, our grant application to C.O.R.E. in January will have momentum, and get help with the Garden.

The fundraising for each of the three parts of the program should be done as follows (assuming a max. C.O.R.E. contribution of 25% in January):

Greenhouse Construction: $56,600 Total:
Max. C.O.R.E. Contribution: $7,000
Fat City Farmers & partners: $49,600 (we are just at $18,000 now)

Garden Construction: $27,000 Total:
Max. C.O.R.E. Contribution: $6,750
Fat City Farmers & partners: $20,250

Agricultural Education Program: $5,300 per month until the School has it's program integrated into its science curriculum, and the CSA Farm School is financially independent.
Max. C.O.R.E. Contribution: $1,325
Fat City Farmers & partners: $3.975