Cost of Maintaining DAP

[Carl Russell]

Just a few up dates!!!

Thank you for recent donations from Kate & Rob, Tevis, and Kevin.

According to our Webmaster the basic costs for domain and server are about $150 per year. Then considering his per hour rate of $50 plus some representation of the time I dedicate specifically to administration, and a bit of a slush fund, we figure on a round number of $600 per year.

As a result of our latest fund raising drive we have gotten $640. YEAH!!!
AWESOME JOB FOLKS.

I also want to float an idea that has been presented to me, without leading anybody on, or putting someone on the spot.

A representative of a draft animal association from the northeast has suggested that his organization may be interested in a primary sponsorship of this site, at $600/year, represented by a prominent display of the association name and link to it website. Something in line with what already exists. It sounds good to me, but it has to be not only acceptable by DAP members, but also by the members of that organization.

I’ll keep you posted, and please toss in your 2 cents.

Thanx again EVERYONE!!

Carl

[Rod]

For what it’s worth, I like that idea ( the Draft Horse Sponsor one. )

[jen judkins]

@Carl Russell 3576 wrote:

As a result of our latest fund raising drive we have gotten $640. YEAH!!!
AWESOME JOB FOLKS.Carl

That is so wonderful!

I would go with either the draft association or a pledge drive….either way it looks like we are up to it. Maybe we should do both and set up a scholarship fund, perhaps to go towards an course with Jason Rutledge or the like for a young newbie. Jennifer.

[Robert MoonShadow]

Carl: I’m a newbie; started going through the site & landed here. If I may make bold w/ a suggestion? ATTRA/NCAT/SARE all offer grants, funding, etc. for various types of educational enterprises that center on sustainable farming… and I think most would agree that draft animals fit that, huh? I’m not sure what all it entails, but I subscribe to the ATTRA weekly online newsletter, and it’s always showing different funding opportunities (theirs and links to others) being offered >>> ESPECIALLY in the Northeast. If you think it’s interesting enough to pursue, I can browse through them & see what I come up with… just my offer to contribute – I’m cash-poor, but willing to help, if possible.
PS – I was impressed (and thus encouraged to write this) by your statement acknowledging that not all contributions need be monetary to be useful.

[Carl Russell]

Thanks Robert,
We are tapped into those same sources that you mention. We are in the process of creating a non-profit network as an organization to sponsor both the DAP site and NEAPFD, and those grants may well apply to that.

As to funding DAP, we continue to get checks, (thanks Matt, Jim, and Robin) so the “fund-drive” method seems to be working great right now. Also, I will explore, in January, the sponsorship offer that I received this fall from a local organization. We’ll see where that goes.

Basically, for me/us, being small-scale animal powered farmer/loggers, we don’t want to turn into grant writers and website administrators. We are committed to helping this resource to develop, but it has to be valuable enough to the broader community so that we all pitch in somehow to make it viable, which is happening right now.

Thanks for your interest, and thoughtful suggestions. Carl

[Carl Russell]

So once again we need to think about finances. Last year we raised almost $700 from individual donations, and $600 from GMDHA for the banner advertisement on the main page.

I want to see at least that much again this year. We have over 1600 registered members with a regular user base of over 260 or so.

I have found a lot of spammer activity this year, so I now monitor every user application, which has significantly reduced spam on the site, but it has increased my administrative time.

We will also be including funding for this site in some of our grant applications for NEAPFD and our network association, but the granting organizations like to see that there is internal support as well.

Please consider whatever you feel reflects the value you receive from this site. You may mail me a check, or use our PayPal account. Click on the donate button in the upper right hand corner for information on both these methods.

Thank you all in advance for your support.

Carl

[lancek]

I think what Jim suggested would be a great benefit I to would be willing to advertise on this site! And carl I dont know what I could do to help with some of the duties but I would be glade to help in anyway Tim

[Robin]

Thanks for the reminder. I will send something shortly. Would you mind a blurb on some other local (NewYork area) horse websites about the Draft Animal Power weekend in October?
Happy Holidays to all. See you in October.
Robin

[Carl Russell]

Thanks for the reminder about creating some other advertising capacity on here. But you know now there is nothing stopping you from doing that anyway. I am going to explore some more of those options, but please realize that all of those strategies require more time from me, and some of that income has to go to offset that added cost to me.

We are off to a great start. Thank you Joe, George and Kristan, Erik, Christine, and Scott. With these contributions we are already up to $320.

That is awesome.

Thank you so much, Carl

[Carl Russell]

Also thank you to Elke, Nonie, Howie and Betty, Bill, Tim, and Frank. I really appreciate how easily people step up to the plate.

Thank you very much, Carl

[Carl Russell]

Thank you Jimbo, Robin, and Jen. Total is up to $680 so far.

You generosity is very much appreciated, Carl

[Carl Russell]

We received donations from Kevin, and Rick to bring the total to $750. Thanks everybody who has donated so far.

Today Green Mountain Draft Horse Association renewed their sponsorship for one more year, bringing our total fund to $1350. That is totally awesome! Everybody give a nod of thanks.

Hey, and if you have any interest in draft horses and live in or near Vermont, consider joining the club. Click on the banner at the top of the page, and visit the GMDHA website for membership information.

Carl

[jac]

Carl I have only recently joined but already have benefited from the contact with you folks, We have no credit card but I know the neibour up the road has paypal or whatever its called so I will gladly help out when we next see them . Thank you for all your hard work.
John

[Carl Russell]

So….. DAPNet is in the process of upgrading the v-Bulletin software that runs DAP.com. This is necessary as the current version is very much out of date. There will be a few new aspects to the upgraded version, but the basic forum will not change.

I mention this here as we will incur additional one-time costs to the normal maintenance fees. Please consider making a contribution to help us offset these expenses. Between the new software and the contracted IT fees DAPNet will have spent close to $1500.

If you have not joined DAPNet the organization, this would be a great way to contribute. As members of Draft Animal Power Network, your membership fees at least in part go to support the year-round expenses of managing this site.

If you want to contribute to the cost of DAP.com, please consider doing it in the form of a membership to DAPNet. Please feel free to contribute more than the prescibed membership fees if you have the desire. I have attached the membership info below, but you can follow this link to the DAPNet organization’s resource website to join on-line – http://www.draftanimalpowernetwork.org/membership.html

Thank you, Carl

Join the Draft Animal-Power Network!Annual Membership Fees

• ________ Individual $20
• ________ Family/Farm $30
• ________ Business Member $75 *
• ________ Founders Club $100*

* Business Members and Founders get a complementary listing in our Web Business Directory. About the Draft Animal-Power Network

The 2010 Northeast Animal-Power Field Days featured the launch of the new membership organization: The Draft Animal-Power Network (DAPNet).
The goal of this organization is to provide year-round educational and networking opportunities, highlighting ongoing efforts of people throughout the region who are educating, mentoring and building community around animal-power and renewable land use.

Annual membership fees will support the administrative costs, maintenance of the DAP Discussion Forum and DAPNet website, and the DAPNet print newsletter. Benefits of membership include:

1. Discounted gate fee to the Northeast Animal-Power Field Days and other future events,
2. Print Newsletter which will keep everyone connected, and will include resource contacts, articles of interest, calendar events, and more,
3. Access to the DAP.com Discussion Forum,
4. Free classifieds in the DAPNet newsletter and on the DAP Discussion Forum
5. Access to the DAPNet website, which will provide Calendar Events, Classifieds, Links to like minded organizations, a Web Business Directory, a Library of technical articles, a dynamic Photo Gallery, and more,
6. Enhanced connections within the broader community of interest, and
7. A voice in the organization: one member = one vote.

[Pebbles]

Hi Carl:
Just joined as a family. I have learned so much in the 6 short weeks I have been on this forum. I am honored to have access to the vast knowledge of the people here. I wasn’t aware there was a group to join.

Thank you so much.

Brownie

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