Two local foundations have asked us to apply for $5,000 grants. Both have the same requirement – strong evidence of community support, defined as you working with me to raise enough money to match the $5,000.
Why do we need the money? To free me up to do the important development work necessary to take School of Ranch to the next stage by funding our two interns for the next six months. I will train them to become event producers, responsible end-to-end for the workshops they run. This will be a fantastic experience for them, and will free me up to do the foundational work necessary to make School of Ranch sustainable, starting with expanding our board, winning corporate sponsorships, and executing our fundraising strategy.
I have worked full-time pretty much for the last year on a voluntary basis to make School of Ranch possible. I believe deeply in our mission, that by bringing diverse people together around learning to do things that we all can agree to (broken gates need fixing, right?), will encourage former strangers to develop trust and empathy, the building blocks of tolerant communities.
It’s been gratifying to meet so many of you, to develop workshops with our trainers, to support our nonprofit partners, to provide real-world work experience to our interns, and to help people build skills and relationships. Worth every nickel and second I have put into this.
School of Ranch needs to prove to these foundations that it has widespread community support.. What does that mean? We need to raise $5,000 ourselves to match these grants. Carolyn and I will join each as Sustaining Members and contribute the first $300. I am asking you and 93 others to join as $50 Supporting Members. This will demonstrate our collective commitment and give me the time necessary to ensure our future.
If you believe in what we’re doing, can see hope through all the rage and noise that pollute our lives, and want us to continue to do what we do to make a difference, then join us as a Supporting Member for $50, or as a Sustaining Member for $150, or chip in any amount you want. Our future is in your hands:
https://schoolofranch.regfox.com/contribution
There is a great migration taking place from urban to rural areas. People like me looking to reconnect with the land and escape urban life. Rural life means knowing how to use tools and machines, how to make soil out of, well, dust, and how to raise healthy, happy animals. I started School of Ranch so we can learn these new skills together.