13
from the cooperative board
Fundraising: more fun than you think To some unfamiliar with the territory of fundraising, the word
alone can sound like torture, yet, when I became a Cooperative Board member and an Alice, I knew two things: 1) I wanted to find ways to contribute to the financial health of the press, and 2) one thing I enjoy is a good reading and a party. When I found out AJB author Reginald Dwayne Betts was going to be in town to read, I invited him to stay at my house and asked him to be the guest poet for a fundraising reading/brunch too. If you don’t yet know Dwayne or his work, you should. His new book, Shahid Reads His Own Palm (AJB, May 2010), was published just after his memoir, A Question of Freedom: A Memoir of Learning, Survival, and Coming of Age in Prison (Avery/ Penguin, 2009), and both books examine Dwayne’s experience as a youth in adult prison. So, when my community college needed a speaker to engage our more disenfranchised students, I immediately thought of Dwayne. He agreed to speak to students on Friday night and then join friends, faculty, local merchants (books stores, galleries), local teachers at high schools, and local writers for an AJB fundraising brunch the next day to listen to Dwayne read and talk. Not only did our local students benefit (Dwayne’s story is inspirational), but we raised awareness and money for the press, as all guests at the brunch made suggested donations. Several attendees have now expressed interest in coming to more AJB “poetry parties,” and some want to bring Dwayne to read at their schools—how energizing! I held another AJB poetry party in October, which featured poets Chad Sweeney and Kathleen Sheeder Bonanno. AJB authors read in my home as a donation to AJB, and those that attend give a suggested donation and enjoy the company of our very fine poets. I hope to extend invitations to such events to more and more people. Perhaps over time, we’ll hold the events in local cafes or restaurants in town. For now, I’m happy to welcome poets and friends into my home, and though this means the number we can invite is limited, it also keeps the party exclusive and intimate. We keep it real. A poetry party. All proceeds benefit current and future AJB poets. It’s the writing life. Good books being born. And as a new AJB board member, I’m making new friends as well!
—Laura McCullough
Laura McCullough and Reginald Dwayne Betts embrace outside Laura’s home where the fundraising brunch was held on July 30th, 2010. Twenty-seven people attended the event, and together, raised over $350 for the Press. Our deepest appreciation and thanks to Laura, Dwayne, and all who attended the event and gave so generously to AJB.
Throw Your Own AJB Party! We agree—Laura’s work is inspiring. If you would like to know about upcoming fundraising events, or if you are interested in hosting your own, please contact the AJB office. We’ll be happy to advise and provide everything you need to throw your own AJB poetry party.
the alice fund
14
About The Alice Fund The Alice Fund’s mission is to ensure the long term financial stability and realization of strategic goals of Alice James Books. The press is wholly committed to investing the vast majority of any “profits” or “gains” from a given fiscal year directly into The Alice Fund. Though many donors choose to give to both, funds raised for The Alice Fund and our Annual Fundraising Appeal remain separate from each other.
Fund Management Policy
Each year up to 5% of the fund may be distributed to our cash reserve/contingency portion of The Alice Fund to Alice James Books as income for ordinary operations, or for special projects.
Fund Investment Policy
Our investment policy is decidedly conservative. AJB currently distributes funds evenly between cash (for contingency/quasi-endowment use), CDs, and moderate growth mutual funds.
stay alive. “ Just That’s all I ask. ”
—Jane Kenyon on AJB in 1994
About Our Strategic Goals
All nonprofits plan for growth and aspire toward greatness. Here’s what the Alice James Cooperative Board is committed to: • Hiring more full-time marketing, publicity, and development personnel. • Publishing up to 8 titles per year, including the AJB anthology, books from our new annual publication prize for an Asian American poet, and the AJB Translation Series. • Continuing to publish emerging and established poets. • Accelerating the growth of The Alice Fund.
THE ALICE FUND
...preserving the legacy of
AJB’s deepest thanks for the gifts made to The Alice Fund by the following founding contributors
:
Alice
• Anonymous • David and Margarete Harvey • Rita Waldor
Henry
• Financial Benefits Research Group
William
• Brown & Brown Insurance • Anne Marie Macari • Valley National Bank • Peter Waldor
Robertson
• Consortium Book Sales and Distribution • Katherine and Joseph Macari • Privett Special Risk Services • United States Fire Insurance Company
Wilky
• Anonymous • Bernstein Global Wealth Management • Lee Briccetti • Kathleen Sheeder Bonanno and David Bonanno • Chubb Group • Carmela Ciurarru • Beverly Davis • Christina Davis • Fireman’s Fund Insurance Company • Franklin Savings Bank Farmington Branch • Peter Gelwarg • Joan Joffe Hall • Jan Heller • Philip Kahn • Ann Killough • Nancy Lagomarsino • Ruth Lepson • Lesle Lewis • Diane Macari • Jane Mead • Idra Novey • April Ossmann • Jean-Paul Pecqueur • Bill Rasmovicz • Lawrence Rosenberg • Carey Salerno • Thomson-Shore • Jeneva & Roger Stone • Lisa Sherman & Martin Stone • Marla Vogel
Your gift to The Alice Fund
A lice J ames B ooks
What’s your legacy level? Alice $10,000 or more Henry up to $10,000
William up to $5,000
Robertson up to $1,000 Wilky up to $500
Make a Lasting Impression:
Call us to discuss this opportunity to give the gift of preservation.
may come in many forms. You may give a one-time gift, set up annual contributions, make a gift on a loved one’s or friend’s behalf, or write a plan for Alice James Books right into your estate. Gifts may even be made in stocks or bonds, or you may also wish to consider individual or corporate sponsorship and matching opportunities. However you choose to give, poetry salutes and appreciates your conscientious efforts to preserve this great art, and Alice James becomes your life-long friend.