One way of raising funds for SRL is through solicitation of grants from organizations that support educational institutions. The Bill & Melissa Gates Foundation was founded to help provide equity in global health and education. Specifically as to education, the Foundation focuses its investments on the problems in America's schools that result in low numbers of minority students becoming adequately prepared for college. It provides many grants aimed at improving minority education.
The Bill & Melissa Gates Foundation has an endowment of $27 billion. Yes, that's correct - BILLION. It is funded of course primarily through Microsoft stock. The Foundation gives an average of $22 million per week. Yes, again - PER WEEK. The average is made up of course by some very, very large grants as well as a number of relatively small grants. Bill Gates' father, William H. Gates, Sr., and Patty Stonesifer run the Foundation which is based in Seattle but also has an office in Washington, DC.
I believe SRL has en excellent story to tell the Gates Foundation. I believe what SRL is doing is exactly in line with the mission of the Foundation. Nothing is easy of course and the problem here for SRL is getting its foot in the door. The Foundation no longer accepts unsolicitated grant proposals, apparently due to an overwhelming demand. The reason for my note today is to seek help in gaining entry to the grant process. I would like to find out if any of you, your friends, relatives, or business associates have contacts within Microsoft or its major customers or suppliers who might act as a facilitator. What is needed is a way to get the Foundation to hear the SRL story. Having the right contact could help us bridge that gap.
If we are successful in gaining entry, the next step is to write a solid proposal. I would gladly participate in that effort but the primary input would have to come from someone intimately familiar with SRL, its programs, and its success in educating minority students.
But first things first. Can anyone help in establishing the communication link? Feel free to discuss this with anyone you choose. Jeff, if there is someone I should have sent this note to but did not, please forward it.
Please let me have any information you can provide. Best wishes to all and congratulations to Les Brown of the "CAC" on his success in setting up the promotions for SRL. I'm ready to place my first order with Twinings.
Everybody brainstorm, please. I just thought that, perhaps, if we started a petition drive, we might be able to open that closed door. The strength of numbers! A letter of appeal with hundreds of signers could catch the eye of a "screener" who would be in a position to pass on our appeal to the next level. It feels to me like the mind set of some young kid scrambling to work his/her way into college. Just a thought.
Just to claify. If one "connected" person writes to the Foundation requesting help, chances are it will fall on deaf ears. However, if the Foundation received a big fat envelope from Roseville full of signitures, - from students, their family members, the alumni of St. Rose, your cousin Connie in Clifton and anyone else alive enough to sign a piece of paper and believe in this, we've got a chance.
There may be a need for some background on my note. I originally sent the note to the SRL Board and the SRL Capital Appropriations Committee (CAC) which is chaired by Jeff Schick. The CAC is exploring ways to raise funds for specific capital needs at SRL. Jeff posted my note on this website as a means of broadening the base for finding the "right contact".
As for Steve's suggestion, I think it is a good one. However, I think the best first step is to find someone who "has the ear" of Patty Stonesifer. She is the one who really runs the show. Some further background on her.
Patty at one time was Senior Vice President of the Interactive Media Division at Microsoft. Among other things, she negotiated a joint venture between Microsoft and Dreamworks. She is on the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institute and on the Board of Directors of Amazon.com and Viacom. She has been running the Foundation since 1997.
I'm not trying to throw cold water on Steve's idea but I think we should do that only if we determine that we can't find a contact person. Having reviewed grant proposals in a prior life, I know organizations require proposals to be in a specific format with specific information. Right now we have no idea what the Foundation's requirements are.
With all the good people we have involved with this, I believe we can be successful.
Thanks Joe for the insight.
I know of a couple of folks trying to get a few leads on how to get a foot in the door and I hope the rest of the alumni are also thinking about who they all know and maybe we will hear from them as well.
If all else fails we can still fall back on Steve's idea.
If anyone else has any input we certainly welcome all ideas and/or suggestions.
