Music Lessons
How can this nonprofit rock camp for girls keep rolling? The experts compare notes.
Misty McElroy happened upon her business idea by accident--it
started out as a school project but snowballed into a business
venture. Called The Rock 'n' Roll Camp for Girls, the
annual event aims to teach music to girls in a fun way. To date,
McElroy has found some success--this year's camp accepted 25
more campers than the previous year. And with workshops led by
stars such as Erykah Badu's drummer, Gaye Lynn McKinney, and
punk rock band Sleater-Kinney, demand is skyrocketing. The only
real snag in the plan is financing. Because she charges just $50 per camper, McElroy's Rock
'n' Roll Camp, which was formed as a nonprofit (501c-3)
corporation, needs a steady stream of capital to keep running.
Other issues: securing the right facility to host the yearly camp
and finding a way to start a new after-school program. Says
McElroy, 33, "It is a logistical nightmare to come into a
space and make it work for us." The first camp was held at
Portland State University in Oregon; the second took place in a
Portland ballroom. We had a few experts weigh the situation, and here's what
they had to say: - Peggy Outon, founding executive director of the Bayer Center
for Non-Profit Management at Robert Morris University in
Pittsburgh: "If you can attract people to your [board of
directors] who are well-respected and well-known in the community,
they help open the door to funding sources." Outon also
suggests trying to land contracts from the local Department of
Health and Human Services because it will often pay for summer
camps, especially those that focus on low-income kids.
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"Build relationships with program officers at foundations
that are interested in the development of girls, because it's a
get-to-know-you kind of a game," says Outon. "There are
1.5 million nonprofits in the United States, so [McElroy is] going
into a very crowded and highly competitive field. She's got to
work to distinguish [her nonprofit from others]." For
instance, she could recruit high-profile celebrities to write a
letter of support, perform a benefit concert, or donate some of the
proceeds from their concerts. - Ken Goldberg, assistant professor of management of the
Center for Entrepreneurship at National University in La Jolla,
California: "An active and viable board of directors is
critical in maintaining sustainability and getting funding. As far
as getting [a facility], the big issue is networking and [making]
contacts in her local area." How could McElroy get a property
for free or an inexpensive lease? Goldberg suggests networking in
the Portland area and contacting local public agencies. Nearby
cities and counties might have some land or office space to donate,
and she may be able to sign a lease for a minimal investment.
"[McElroy also] needs to diversify her funding
sources," he says. That means approaching corporate donors,
individual donors, government agencies and other potential sources.
Goldberg also recommends checking out the Alliance for
Nonprofit Management, where she can conduct a geographical
search online and get answers to specific questions, such as how to
fund the operational costs of a nonprofit. What does McElroy think of all this advice? "I have pretty
much followed [Outon's advice]," she says. "I've
gotten some fairly big rockers to spread the word at their
concerts, and I try to [have an information table at] as many big
shows here in Portland as I can," explains McElroy. "And
yes, the board is more crucial than I ever realized. It's
becoming more active--we've already [had more meetings] in the
past two weeks than we've had in months." She also plans to look into a government subsidy and contact
public agencies. And how about that Web site? "[I know] it
will be very helpful," McElroy says. "I'll share [the
idea] with the board at our next meeting." Contact Sources
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