(For this I also include our new Finnish team. Background: We had a brainstorming about fundraising ideas for the ned of the year. Now we want to see what we could realise.)
* Matthias Kirschner mk@fsfe.org [2009-11-05 10:34:23 +0100]:
- Tell our fellows and advertise on our website that people can support FSFE by purchasing books through bookzilla.
I think we should definetly blog about that and advertise it in our newsletter.
- Tell our fellows and advertist on our website that people can also donate to us through purchasing at amazon through a referral program.
I think we should set up such a shop so people buying other stuff than books can also support us through that (but make clear that we do not encourage buying at amazon, but that when you already buy there you should use our shop / or plugin).
- postcards and give x of them to every fellow to send to their friends as invitations to the fellowship.
I think for a European wide things we have too less time. But I will talk with Edgar who already sent some (german) drafts to germany@ if we can finalise them and sent them to the German fellows at least (problem is that the picture contains a German word in the picture itself). But if someone can come up with a good design until end of next week we might be able to do it European wide.
- Have special "I supported FSFE for Christmas" T-Shirts that we source through someone like spreadshirts.de.
For that we need a design very fast. Someone willing to do that? And I think we need a slogan which is a bit more "hackerish".
- Auction off (on ebay or through our website) a dinner where FSFE staff is cooking for you.
I think that is possible and might also give us some good media coverage as this is not done by many people. And it doesn't have to be a very expenise dinner. We could do it in Berlin or dependin on the winner somewhere else. And I think cooking is associated possitive.
- Auction off (on ebay or through out website) donations to FSFE.
Might be difficult to explain that message to a wider audience.
- Sell special Free Software Presents which include a CD with Free Software, the Free Software Book, and other goodies to be used as presents for people.
I think this is a good idea for the future in cooperation with other organisations. But we have to less time to do that for this year.
- Free Software Diet: You eat less over Christmas and donate the difference.
Still think this is a funny idea. Disadvantage: People don't like diets. Possibility to combine it with the FSFE dinner to include it is a funny note: "if you cannot win the dinner we suggest the FSFE diet "don't buy too much food over new year and donate that money to FSFE".
- Offer Fellows that for a donation of x EUR we write a Christmas postcard for them to their grandma / grandpa
We could offer that everybody. E.g. donate 120 EUR, we buy a Christmas or new year card and sent it to a friend, family member, etc. . Could also offer to write things like "XY asked us to sent you a Christmas card. We wish you a merry Christmas and a happy new year. He also asked us to explain to you what he is doing in his main job. Well he writes software that everybody gives the freedom to... " (of course better). Advantage: This might also give us good media coverage as it is a new idea.
- Fellows and FSFE donating IT support hours to elderly people in the cities where they live; i.e. we ask the larger groups and larger cities to go to an old-people home and help them with IT stuff. This could be nice in the press...
Good press coverage, but I believe it is difficult to implement until Chirstmas.
- Same as above, but go to boarding schools, or other social institutions
Same here.
- We could also offer "rescue packages" which people can order. There are only a few leaflets and stuff in it. It is like the rescue packages for the banks
Perhaps too black humor? Else the idea of sending packages with an FSFE t-shirt + some stickers, etc. as a Christmas special might be cool. What do you think? Should we make special deals? Should we call them "rescue packages" and announce them in the hacker community?
Rainer, Penny: What do you think?
- dedicate one working day (or some working hours) to FSFE and donate the income. We'll publish your story of what you did that day and how it relates to FSFE, along with your picture (if you like).
I like that idea. Donate one working day. If we do not want to run that on Christmas we could do that at another day. For example Docuemnt Freedom Day or Software Freedom Day. Might also be good for the press.
- auction off merchandise signed by FSFE staff
I think for that we are not well know enough. That would work with stuff signed by Richard, but I have doubts about stuff signed by us.
- auction off one day of FSFE staff person to visit you and do $whatever (talk about Free Software to you/your friends/teachers/colleagues)
That could also be realised in our time frame. Not much needed. Only problem. If it is bought too cheap we have more travel costs than what comes in.
- Wikipedia-style fundraising progress bar on our website? Just temporary, until the end of the year? I've always found this a nice way to provide feedback to donors.
I think our web team could implement it (Reinhard please correct me). Animates people who see it. Problem I see here: Wikipedia is visited by _a lot_ of people. Our pages is not visited by that many people and we want to reach more people than those who visit our website. I think our fundraiser has to raise visibility from outside. So we have to combine it with something.
- pin up calendar
Oh yeah :) Good occation to wear my Fellowsip thong. But for taking good pictures we are too late.
- rms dartboards for sale
Although I think a lot of people might buy it I think we might get problems with our sister organisation.
- get christian a santa suit
And do what?
- (girl scout) cookies
Could be an option that country teams bake cookies etc. and sell them. But we need good events for that. Are there events before christmas where that would be possible?
- pay us not to sing the freedom song under your window at 3am
I am not sure about that. Perhaps too much of a blackmail character. Not sure if it is strong enough as message on their own. One possibility might be to include some ideas we had in the PR like "we also thought about asking for donations so we do not sing songs under your window"
- plussie plushies
Rainer? But for this year it is definetely too late I think.
Best wishes, Matthias