Posts Tagged ‘Fundraising’

As an integral part of our philosophy, we have offered incentives (aka “The BAIT”) to encourage individuals to raise money for local/regional non-profits through the Bellingham Traverse and  Olympia Traverse. With the support of local businesses (aka “Spawnsors”), individuals have raised tens of thousands of dollars for local and regional non-profits. We have supported many organizations over the years.

We thank these companies for their support, providing us with gear and goodies:
REI, Kulshan Cycles, Boundary Bay Brewery, La Fiamma, Eddyline Kayak, Necky Kayak, Delta Kayak, Fairhaven Bike and Mountain Sports, Flying Fish wine, The Alpine Experience, Bike Tech and Joyride Bikes.

As we move to incorporate ourselves into our own non-profit organization, Northwest Traverse, we are evaluating our practices to increase our efficiencies and effectiveness. We have been paying attention to how our participants have been behaving over the past with regards to fundraising (a disappointing decrease over the years) and how they also respond to the prizes that have been given out. While a noble effort to encourage the fundraising for others, it was not a message that resounded loud enough. Instead of trying to continue to sell a product that people don’t want/believe in, we are going to shift how we do things. The proposal outlines what we are going to do moving forward into 2012.

The proposal.
Local and regional organizations will be invited to submit an application to be THE ONE select non-profit for the year as the beneficiary of the Traverse. A committee will choose from the pool of applicants- to be implemented in 2013. As the THE ONE beneficiary, the chosen organization will receive a percentage of the surplus revenue for the event. They will also receive a complimentary registration to the event so they can (still) raise money on their own behalf as a fundraising opportunity for their organization.

The Traverse will no longer be providing the fundraising incentives for the individuals. Instead, the prizes will go to the “winners’ of the Traverse. The winners will be the FIRST PLACE finishers in all divisions (which is a lot of prizes). The Second and Third Place finishers will receive ribbons.

THE ONE organization will have to wait 3 years to be eligible again. More details to come.

If you have questions or comments about this shift, please contact Todd Elsworth, Director.

Over the years, we have had the opportunity to raise money and awareness for a great group of local and regional non-profits. One of our objectives was to “Connect Active People” in the community, bringing together individuals, organizations and businesses. People in both Bellingham and Olympia are regionally known for their commitments to sustainability. We are fortunate to live in communities that care as evidenced by the list of “friends” that we have made through our efforts.

Thank you to all the people who have participated in the past- your work has added to the social fabric that make our region the best place in the world to live, work and play. We are proud of our story and happy to share it with our friends and families. Scroll through and think how these organizations have touched your life. If there’s an unfamiliar one, click and learn.

Bellingham Traverse

Action for Africa

Appliance Depot 

Center for Tribal Water Advocacy 

Chuckanut Conservancy

Community to Community Development 

Conservation Northwest

Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Services of Whatcom County 

Ducks Unlimited 

Evergreen AIDS Foundation

Farm Friends 

Habitat for Humanity

The Hub Community Bike Co-Op 

Kulshan Community Land Trust 

Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association 

Opportunity Council 

People for Lake Whatcom

Project Sea Wolf

RE Sources 

Save Our Wild Salmon Coalition 

Sierra Club Mt. Baker Group 

Skagit Fisheries Enhancement Group 

Surfrider Foundation 

Sustainable Connections

Washington Health Foundation 

Washington Trails Association 

Washington Water Trails Association

Whatcom Conservation District 

Whatcom Film Association – Pickford Cinema

Whatcom Parks and Recreation Foundation

WHIMPS Mountain Bike Coalition 

Whatcom Land Trust 

Whatcom Literacy Council

Womencare Shelter

Olympia Traverse

Friends of Capitol Forest

South Puget Sound Salmon Enhancement Group

Olympia Area Rowing

SUP Cleanup – Olympia Chapter

People for Puget Sound

Conservation Northwest

Created for Adventure Capitalists

Our mission is to connect active people. By leveraging our Spawnsors generosity, we are able to provide BAIT as incentive for our participants, known as Spawners. You get to keep as you earn. 100% of your donation goes to the charity of your choice. At $500 you get a raffle ticket to enter to win one of the Big Catch items listed below. You must be present to win.*

$100 – Gift certificate - La Fiamma Pizza / Fiamma Burger

$250 - Bellingham Traverse Tee shirt
These are really cool. We got a bunch of second hand t-shirts and printed on them. Sustainable clothing. RE Use. (some tech tees too)

$500 -Bellingham Traverse hoodie & 1 raffle ticket to win Big Catch prizes below.
These are brand new and we’ll be taking orders for your size. We don’t have enough $$ to buy all these ahead of time. 
(You may buy extras for $25 / $30 w. shipping)

Raffle ticket to win one of the BIG Catch items:
For those that raise $500, they get a raffle ticket to win one of these great items.

REI Bellingham

Featured above from: REI Bellingham

Delta 10 kayak

Novara Buzz One

REI Base Camp 4 tent

REI Half Dome 2 tent

REI Traverse Backpack and REI Traverse Trekking poles

Contour GPS Wearable Camcorder

---

Kulshan Cycles - Trek Allant Bikes “HIS & HERS”  (featured below)

---

* Must be present to win. First ticket picked gets first choice of the Big Catch items listed above; Second; Third and so on.

Big thanks to Kulshan Cycles for hooking us up with His and Hers Trek Allants this year.

See them on display inside the Boundary Bay Brewpub.

Stay tuned to The Traverse Network

Over the next couple of weeks (since we’re 16 days out) we’ll be hanging “Traverse BAIT” from the ceiling in the Boundary Bay brewpub. The prizes are to encourage YOU to raise money for local and regional non-profits. Here are our favorites:

RE Sources
Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association
Kulshan Community Land Trust
Whatcom Land Trust
Sustainable Connections
Whatcom Parks & Recreation Foundation
People for Puget Sound
Conservation Northwest

See complete list

In order to get the stuff across town this morning, I had to put plastic bag man (thank you Iain D. & RE Sources) on my Kulshan Cycles TREK Lime and I rode the new single-speed REI Novara Buzz One bike to Boundary.

Next, while being heckled by staff, plastic bag man as adroitly placed in the cockpit of the Delta 10 and the Buzz made it up there as well. (this was done before opening, so none of these people were able to witness the “process”).  We ran out of time to get the rest of the REI Adventure Package up there. Stay tuned to see what other great stuff is out there to encourage fundraising.

GO FISH!

- Todd Elsworth

This morning we were getting ready to hang the new Delta 10 up in Boundary for display and we had to test out the built in feature for beverage transport. First, we tried the growler. It fit perfectly. There was even room for ice.

The to go jug with handy tap was a bit tighter to get in.

We’d recommend going with the growler.

Each year we work with regional Spawnsors to come up with incentives (aka BAIT) for fundraising. For the past 3 years we have been working with REI and Delta Kayaks (out of British Columbia) to offer some great prizes for those that raise $500 for the charity of their choice.

This year we have a Delta 10. It is a brand new boat design that I just couldn’t pass up trying out tonight after I picked it up. Check out the Delta 10 specs.

Here’s the view from the boat:

These are our friends that we would like to see  benefit from the Olympia Traverse. Please consider raising support for the following local and regional non-profits as you prepare for this Saturday.

South Puget Sound Salmon Enhancement Group, Friends of Capitol Forest, Olympic Kayak Club, People for Puget Sound, SUP Cleanup – Olympia Chapter, Surfrider Foundation – South Sound, and Washington Water Trails Association

NorthwestTraverse.com is a blog platform that will keep people of the Puget Sound updated on what is happening around the two main events that it supports- The Olympia Traverse and the Bellingham Traverse.  Both these events are multi-sport races that celebrate the lifecycle of wild salmon and the social, cultural and economic impact that the fish have had on our lives in the Northwest helping to raise money for local and regional non-profits. The Bellingham Traverse was founded in 2002 and its southern sister, The Olympia Traverse, was founded this year, 2010. Visit each site to learn more about each event and how YOU can get involved.