With area businesses receiving as many as a dozen contribution requests each day, it’s no wonder that company managers and CEO’s feel overwhelmed by the sea of non-profit organizations who ask for help and are convinced that their need is more important than any other! This fact is not lost on the fund raisers either. Many area fund raisers feel apprehensive about asking businesses for their contributions because they just can’t handle another turndown. Throw in the questionable economic forecast and the fact that Mt. Washington Valley’s sponsorship pie grows very little in relationship to the number of non-profit organizations requesting help and the result is a funding dilemma!

One of the valley’s familiar fundraisers is Cindy Russell who because of her consulting business to area non-profits finds herself requesting contributions from area businesses for four non-profit organizations each year. She approaches some businesses in the area for support for each of the events presented by Arts Jubilee, the New Year’s Festival (formerly First Night), the Bunny Express and Easter Parade, and the Town of Conway’s Fourth of July Celebration. "The most important thing," says Russell "is making sure that the prospective sponsor knows which organization I am representing and that each one is a totally separate non-profit organization with its own independent budget."

Businesses have different reasons as to why they wish to be involved in sponsorships. Those reasons range from a) giving a portion of a successful business back to the community, b) having the goal of serving visitors who are such an important part of our economic fabric here in the valley, and the desire to support organizations who provide events for those visitors, c) the desire to assist our local residential community in acquiring an improved quality of life, or
d) all of the above!

New Hampshire has the reputation of ranking high on the scale for people who are willing to volunteer their time to help a non-profit organization with its various goals. However, the state ranks quite low when it comes to cash, charitable giving. The businesses in the Mt. Washington Valley, seem to be much more involved in supporting charitable projects than the state average implies, says Russell. Area
businesses account for a generous amount of giving to a large majority of non-profit organizations. "The economic forecast effects a company’s outlook on charitable giving, however," states Russell, "and the concept of many businesses contributing a smaller amount seems to keep annual giving on a more balanced level. If an organization relies on one or two companies to give thousands of dollars each, when one of those contributions is withdrawn for whatever reason, it has a profound effect on the ability to balance the budget!" While it takes as much effort to request a contribution that results in $200 - 500, says Russell, in the end it is a better use of time since a business that agrees to pledge support at those levels is much more likely to continue to give at that amount regardless of the ups and downs of the economic forecast.

Of the four organizations represented by Russell, corporate contributions make up a significant part of the operating budgets of each. Both Arts Jubilee and the New Year’s Festival (formerly First Night) receive approximately 50% of their budget support from corporate donations. The Conway Fourth of July celebration receives just under one-half of the support for the cost of presenting the
community-wide celebration. Communicating the message that supporting "the arts" and community-wide celebrations are an integral part of both the individual’s and community’s good health is the challenge, states Russell. It is obvious to potential contributors that doctor’s visits and vaccinations are an important need for the good health and well-being of individuals in our community. It can require a bit more persuasion, says Russell, to advance the concept that a person’s well-being includes not only good physical health but good spiritual health as well, and that the opportunity to get a little R&R by attending an event with live performing artists and other entertainment is also important to the total quality of life each of us needs.

All in all, Russell states, community support of annual events is excellent. And in the present economic environment she is hoping that the support remains at its normal levels - at a time when we all - visitor and resident alike - may be wanting a higher quality of life even more than ever. "After all", she noted, "events are mini-celebrations which include one or more different art forms and corporate sponsorships of the arts at any level, all add up to the ability to... celebrate the power of the arts to improve lives and build a more vital, livable community."

Anyone with a desire to help support the events mentioned above are invited to get in touch with Russell by calling her office at 447-8914.