#sketch request for fundraiser initiative!

[courtesycalling]

Here is a list of fundraisers from those who have reached out to me. They are people in Gaza who are trying to raise money to pay the Rafah border crossing fee to evacuate to Egypt.

This list may be updated to add more fundraisers or update the progress but I cannot guarantee it will be up-to-date in a given moment. Please check on your own initiative.

Fadi A. Ayyad $34,349/$35,000 verified by @nabulsi | Fadi is a high school student who wishes to evacuate his family of 4 adults and 4 children, and continue his education in Egypt.

Ahmed Alanqar €49,667/€59,000 verified by @sar-soor | Ahmed and his wife, Dina, have three children. Dina is pregnant, and the family has no access to healthcare.

Ashraf Alanqar €17,407/€20,000 verified by @90-ghost | Ashraf and his wife Widad have a 1y/o son, who is sick from lack of food and sanitation.

Ahmed Balousha €5,980/€15,000 (Unsure if verified, if anybody has information please tell me.) | Ahmed and Eman want to evacuate to somewhere safe for their two children.

Samer Aburass kr115,541/kr450,000 verified (#196) | Samer and his wife Shurooq hope for their three children to be safe and have food, water, and healthcare.

Mohammed Hilles €27,550/€37,000 verified (#176) | Mohammed, his wife, and their four children have lost their home. They aim to evacuate, though if there is a ceasefire they will use the aid to rebuild their home.

Mahmoud Ayyad €1,988/€100,000 verified by @90-ghost | Mahmoud is trying to evacuate his family of 43, who are mostly young children and old women.

Raneen Ibrahim €6,450/€80,000 verified by @90-ghost | Raneen’s home was destroyed, and his daughter Julia is sick and cannot access medical care.

As my time permits, I will attempt to make a very small sketch for anybody who donates the equivalent of $10USD or more to Gazans’ fundraisers (does not have to be one on this list, can be cumulative across multiple). Please DM me an image of your confirmation(s) along with a description of your request.

Disclaimers:

If I find your request to be time-consuming or somehow objectionable I will ask you to change your request.

I am often busy and not good at deadlines so please understand I do not ensure quick or reliable delivery.

[kiirodora]

Hello everyone! I am opening commissions for profile icons of any character and also Object Show character drawings to help raise funds for Palestinian evacuation fundraisers.

SLOTS: 0/10 Commission details:

I will draw either your own Object Show character or a character you like from any Object Show in exchange for your donations!

For a 5€ donation, a cleaned sketch

For 10€, a cleaned sketch with flat colors (so no shading)

For 15€, an inked and rendered drawing.

How Does This Work?:

Donate the required amount to the fundraisers in the list below. You can pick one fundraiser or split your donations between multiple.

Take a screenshot of your proof of donation with the date of donation visible and send it to the e-mail address or the Discord account also found below. Take care not to reveal any personal information!

If you want your original character drawn, please provide a reference picture for said character! If they have never been drawn before, a picture of the exact real life object you want drawn and/or a basic sketch you made will suffice.

Terms of Service: (make sure you read this before contacting!)

Nothing promoting hate

No NSFW

Non-commercial only (the resulting art cannot be used in a commercial project)

I may share the finished image with a watermark covering on social media, but the clean version won't be posted online.

The commission work will take at most 20 days to finish. I will keep in contact with the client with frequent updates.

For the Flat Color and Lineart + Render options, no changes will be done on the artwork after the initial sketch is approved by the client since the coloring will have started by then.

I retain the right to ask you to change your request if it doesn't fit in my ToS or otherwise is not possible for me to draw.

(Since this a donation based commission and as such is paid in advance, I will of course draw something regardless! But if the request does not align with the ToS I will kindly ask the client to think of another idea for the drawing.)

Contact:

kiiro4789 (Discord) Or by mail: kiirodoradora@gmail.com

List of fundraisers:

All of these fundraisers have been vetted by Palestinian accounts.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-monis-and-family-escape-gaza-for-urgent-treatment

https://www.gofundme.com/f/donate-to-ahmeds-journey-to-safety-and-education

https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-safaas-quest-to-get-her-family-to-safety

https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-palestine-and-family-survive-the-gaza-crisis

https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-nabilas-fight-for-health-and-dignity

https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-aseels-fight-for-life-and-family-in-gaza

https://www.gofundme.com/f/bww5x-help-us-build-new-hope-for-me-and-my-family

https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-abboud-from-the-war

https://www.gofundme.com/f/please-help-muhammad-musa-fundraiser

https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-doaas-family-escape-to-safety

https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-me-evacuate-my-family-from-gaza-and-rebuild-our-life

https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-sara-and-her-family-to-evacuate-gaza

https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-ahmed-rebuild-hope-and-stability

https://www.gofundme.com/f/reconstruction-of-a-destroyed-house

https://www.gofundme.com/f/love-in-the-time-of-war

https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-wafas-fight-for-safety-and-health

https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-abeds-family-survive-and-escape-war

https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-us-build-new-hope-for-me-and-my-family

https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-hashems-family-escape-gaza

https://www.gofundme.com/f/evacuate-yousef-and-his-family-from-gaza

https://www.gofundme.com/f/save-kareman-dohans-family-from-despair

https://www.gofundme.com/f/helping-the-helles-family-achieve-a-better-future

https://www.gofundme.com/f/pm8th-help-me-and-my-family-please

https://www.gofundme.com/f/save-the-life-of-an-innocent-child

https://www.gofundme.com/f/empower-olas-pursuit-of-education-amid-crisis

https://www.gofundme.com/f/4qzqg-help-a-family-from-gaza

https://www.gofundme.com/f/gor-en-skillnad-for-gaza-varje-krona-raknas (IMPORTANT: 5€ is 57 SEK as of now, so please donate accordingly)

https://www.gofundme.com/f/Stand-With-AlBalawi-Family

https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-my-family-to-live-and-go-to-a-safe-place

https://www.gofundme.com/f/save-my-daughter-to-leave-gaza

https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-mohis-fight-for-survival-in-gaza

https://www.gofundme.com/f/be-the-reason-to-save-a-family-in-gaza

https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-doaa-rebuild-her-sewing-business

[universallydestinytaco]

Part One of my Sketch Dump Spooktacular!! (Part Two is in the process) The first part is mainly showing off my Corpse Bride AU (with some creative liberties with the outfits), also I was initially gonna make Mr. Frog play the role of Lord Barkus BUT the super-nerdy lore obsessed part of my brain was just BEGGING me to draw Oscar as Barkus instead because, honestly, YEAH that does make a lot of sense when you think about it! 🎃🕸🔮🦇

EDIT: Forgot to mention that the bonus sketch was a request!

LEGIT PALESTINE FUNDRAISER BLOGS WITH POSTS TO SUPPORT (Thoroughly made sure none of them where proven to be scams, but notify me if I have made a mistake anyways!):

moomensplong2

acertainfadi

abedalahdiaburas

haitham-20

hazemsuhail

hossamqazaz12

palestinian0

larmegliamori (Not from Gaza, but a supporter with a neat fund dump post!)

ahmed-family-1

salmangaza

majedgerbawi

ramijabour

maha-sh18

montaser-jehad

ibrahimm5

ahmadfromgaza

kassab-family

naser-mossallum

And of course, if you cannot donate, PLEASE reblog these posts as much as you can AND be sure to Click for Palestine daily! More than once, use different browsers and/or devices if you can!

Boy, my arm is tired from all this drawing and typing and stuff, gonna relax with some heated-up Pumpkin Spice beverage (^o^;)

[cauliarty]

Okay

I will be taking drawing requests in exchange for proof of donation to a gofundme or charity that supports any nation or people undergoing crisis, oppression, colonization, or genocide.

Donate what you want or can and send proof, as well as your request.

I’m not taking NSFW or fetish art or anything unsanitary. Also I will not be taking anything overly complicated!

I might do color, but expect a pen and paper sketch.

List of evacuation gofundmes (Palestine)

Gaza Funds website

Sudan Tarada Initiative

Links to help Congo

Goma Actif (nonprofit working in North Kivu to provide aid to the displaced people in DR Congo)

Linktree: Funds for Gaza (a rotating list of evacuation fundraisers)

El Shan Hussein’s vetted evacuation fundraisers for Palestine

Hussein also made a post on Focus Congo

Gofundmes for Hussein's Friends in Rafah

Fundraisers for Sudanese aid kitchens

Khartoum Kitchen Appeal

Education Emergency Support for Rohingya Refugees

Please help Istianah Terpadu orphanage school

The West Papua Media Project (supports 3 journalists in West Papua for the next 2 years)

Fundraiser to Help Brazil Recover from Flooding (has three options for USD, GBP and EUR)

Tigray Needs YOUR Help (Linktree)

Help Gaza Children (run by Hussam and fairuzfan)

Global Giving's Projects in Yemen

Armenian Food Bank

Life for Gaza

Post on How to Help the People of Sudan

Donations You Can Make to Gaza for Supplies

Operation Olive Branch (a rotating spreadsheet of Gazan evacuation fundraisers)

Supporting the Tibetan Association of Boston in sharing Tibetan culture

Uyghur Human Rights Project

Let's Take Action For Congo

Fundraiser for Congo, Sudan and Tigray (funds will be split three ways)

Vegetables, Food and Water for Palestinian Families (Ele Elna Elak)

The Save El Geneina Initiative (Sudan)

Hope for Ukraine

Armenia Fund

Health Professionals Network for Tigray

The Date Project

List of Links to Donate for Syria

Google Doc list of Gaza fundraisers

Organizations you can donate to to help the Armenians

Doctors Without Borders

Islamic Relief USA

UNICEF

Palestine Children's Relief Fund

Post of other organizations to donate to for Gaza and Sudan

Help Ezzideen & his family to Evacuate Gaza (1/4 way)

Help Mohammad Wishah and his family evacuate Gaza (3/4 way)

Support Ruba’s family’s urgent evacuation (less than 1/4 way)

Help Eman Abdel Rahman and his family survive in Khartoum (halfway)

Help Leena’s family evacuate Gaza ASAP (halfway)

Help Majd Omar’s family evacuate Gaza and save his mother from cancer (low on funds)

Help Mahmoud's family evacuate Gaza (low on funds)

Help Qamar and Talaat evacuate Gaza with their family (super low on funds)

Help the Odeh family evacuate (close to the goal)

Help Madleen's Family from Gaza (close to the goal)

Help Mohammad's Family Escape Gaza's Devastation (1/4 way)

Help Mahmoud Mousa Rebuild a Shelter for His Family in Rafah (super low on funds)

Help Randa's Family Flee Sudan's War (3/4 way)

Hamdi Hijazi: A Father’s Appeal for His Children’s Peace (past the goal, fundraiser is still open)

Help Abdullah Haniyah’s Family Evacuate Gaza (low on funds)

Help Mohammad Bardaweel’s Family Evacuate Gaza (low on funds)

Save Firas Salem's Family from the Horrors of the Gaza War (1/4 way)

Help The Busimba Family Rebuild Their Lives After Leaving Congo (3/4 way)

Help Children to Orphanages & Provide Aid to Goma (more than halfway)

SOS Congo for Displaced People in North Kivu (3/4 way)

Help Alaa Al Khateeb's Mother Travel to a Safe Place (3/4 way)

Rescue Mahmoud's Family: A Call to Escape Gaza's Devastation (low on funds)

Help Brothers Mohammed and Hamza Hilles Evacuate Gaza (very low on funds)

Help Shadi and His Family to Evacuate from Gaza (gfm link, close to the goal)

This is Shadi's Paypal Link for Payments in USD (close to the goal)

Evacuate Eman Abuhayya's Family for Medical Attention (halfway)

Help Amal Abushamalla's Family Evacuate Gaza (nearly complete)

Help Nesma Ahmed's Family Evacuate (more than halfway)

Help Iman's Family Find Safety (extremely low on funds)

Help Omar Evacuate from Gaza (low on funds)

Help Evacuate Bilal’s Family Out of Gaza (1/4 way)

Help Marah Reunite With her Family in Gaza and Save Them (very low funds)

Help Laila Shaqquora Survive in Gaza (very low funds)

Please Help Tahani Save Her Children and Husband in Gaza (very low funds)

Help Belal Azmi Msallam and His Family Escape the War in Gaza (low funds)

Help A Child with Cerebral Palsy Evacuate Gaza (more than halfway)

Urgent Rescue Mission for the Mortaja Family (2 family members evacuated, more than 3/4 way)

Help Mike Fantasia Save Ahmed and His Family (very close to the goal)

Help Abboud and Elias Travel to Egypt (more than 3/4 way)

Help Jehad's Relatives Evacuate to Safety (very low on funds)

Ahmd Iyd: URGENT Request for Evacuation in Gaza (very low on funds)

Help Bilal Abdul Hadi al-Saqa's Family to Evacuate from Gaza (PayPal, 2/3 way)

Help Almoghrabi Family to Evacuate Gaza Strip (very low on funds)

Save Maliha Family: Urgent Evacuation Fund (low on funds)

How to Buy E-Sims (they help maintain internet connection abroad for a period of days)

Post on Brazil's Climate Crisis (with donation links you can check out)

Care.org Sudan

Rescue.org Congo

Hope for Haiti

CAMME - Helping Children of the Congo

Care For Gaza (Sabrine is raising funds on behalf of the organization, which you can find on twitter)

Ways to Take Action for the Uyghurs

Masterpost of fundraisers for women in conflict

Forgotten Women (aid group by women and for women in crisis, has options for Afganistan, Gaza and Yemen)

One Million Sustainable Pads Campaign

On Inner Mongolia (not a fundraiser, an information post)

Learn for Artsakh (not a fundraiser)

Human Rights in West Papua (not a fundraiser)

Stop Bucc-ee's Gas Station from Being Built on the Occaneechi Trading Path (not a fundraiser)

[realwork4ce]

Creating a Strong Business Plan to Launch Your Venture

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They also operate as indispensable sales documents conveying the power and promise of your solutions when appealing to prospective investors for seed capital. A compelling business plan engages these audiences, sparking curiosity and catalyzing essential fundraising support.

For existing enterprises needing structure and revitalization, professional business plan writing helps implement growth strategies improving bottom lines. realwork4ce.com's expertise across startup stages empowers founders to maximize success.

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With realwork4ce.com consultants assisting your ambitious venture, every business plan section seeds sustainable outcomes. Meet any strategic challenge through thoughtful writing - request a quote today!

#business plan writers

[hautecoldture]

Cuddly ColdFlash for q-u-a-rantine-high-school

[nebulare-art]

Hey everyone here’s the updated prices. As usual, the terms of service for the commission service and payment is below the readmore. (Required reading if you want to buy!)

Terms of service

You may contact me on setting up a contract for a potential commission on any of the social media I have listed on my Carrd, including through the platform that you may have found this link from privately or through e-mail. (It is not needed but recommended that you inform me if you do send an e-mail.) I have the right to deny any commission request for any reason. All commissioned art is made for personal use only. (Message me privately either through any social media that I have listed in my Carrd or via e-mail if you have commercial plans to use the art you want to commission.) All art commissioned will be posted online for marketing purposes unless requested otherwise from the client within the time requesting the commission or during the process that the art is being made.

Visual and written references are allowed (though visual references are heavily preferred) as long as the written reference is written clearly and large complex descriptors are broken down to smaller chunks. It is recommended that you explain your idea and what you expect out of the art piece that you want to be made. This includes the size and color space of the digital artwork. Otherwise the commissioned piece will be done in any size that I feel is appropriate with RBG/sRBG color space by default.

Payment will go through Paypal and Ko-Fi only with the option of either paying full upfront or partial with the minimum of the half of the total sum for the initial payment. Failure to pay the remaining balance will result on the inability to receive the final product, inability to make any future personal commission related contract with me and a ban on all social media platforms available. For paying through Paypal make sure you opt into Buyer’s protection under digital goods and services. I do not take any payment directly at the moment. Any amount given to me will be refunded. You will have to make a payment through GoFundMe of your fundraiser of choice, then provide proof of that payment in order to be eligible for commissioned art at discounted rate.

*Regarding to prop pricing, if the size of the referenced prop can fit within a bust shot then the size of that prop may add up to only 2 dollars regardless the shot size. Similar rule applies in a case where a prop that is able to fit in a Half shot in full shot art, resulting only costing the size of a half size prop. Any prop larger or within that range of size will be charged as listed according to the size of the shot.

I can give you an estimated date for the completion of the commission but I cannot guarantee that it will be done by that given date. If you would want the commission done by a certain date and I’m busy around that time I may add additional fees or refuse the commission request altogether.

I will give you updates through out the sketching process and bi-monthly updates during the process of your commission. You’re able to message me on any platform that I’ve listed on my Carrd for updates anytime after I’ve done the sketch. If I don’t finish the final piece within 5 months from payment and I haven’t communicated or send any updates during that absence then you’re eligible to request for a 75-50% refund (depending on the progress) or file a claim through Paypal under their Buyers Protection program.

Email: nebulareart@gmail.com

[marsaxlokkheritage]

Our story

On Friday, April 5, 2019, I was invited to present a TV documentary about Marsaxlokk. This documentary was the beginning of a series of filming documentaries on Marsaxlokk that were broadcasted on Maltese Television (TVM2). I have to say it ended to be a really professional presentation where I presented all the research I had done in the last twenty years. Being the researcher and writer who constantly writes about the village I was born in, the thirteen programmes awaiting for the final touch of the editing, finally resulted with the production being launched.  As a President of the new Association that bears the name of Marsaxlokk Heritage this came with an invitation to all the people interested in Marsaxlokk’s history. This evening was opened by the Minister of culture Onor. Owen Bonnici in a venue given as free event for the night. This was the opportunity to share with the locals what is needed to set up a cultural association. I wanted to express my experience. and share with the future readers of this Website my experience about the process and what is practically necessary for a person to set up a cultural association that protects the heritage of the village or town. where one lives in.

How to start a Non-Governmental Organisation?

The idea of thinking about a non-governmental organisation is not something by chance. Only thought can be ingrained in the mind of the individual and because he has a motivated character aimed at something in particular that he likes or believes in, he leads himself to give it great importance in his life. But that is only the beginning of a will to come and understand others who think like him, enough, where they ultimately form a committee with the same purpose and view. Many attempts are often made to give birth to an organisation and many disappointments and failures as well. I dare say that although one knows about the purpose and initiatives of the union, one must also keep up with the times and adapt to the use of information technology so as not to cut back where communication and dissemination of need is needed. Information on what the organization believes in.Thus the first step will be the appointment of a Committee.

Appointment of committee

In order to make a request to the Non-Governmental Organisations Authority, at the first meeting there must be a minimum of five people to form an administrative committee with the people being appointed to positions among them according to their abilities. This is also with the aim of continuing to work together and get their voluntary organisation approved by the authorities. Together they draw up a statute so that whoever joins the organisation later will have guidelines on what to do. An exercise that is often repeated even in the long run and with the aim of making everyone understand the main goals of embracing the same union. When the statute is completed and signed by the chairman and secretary of the new administrative committee there may be a discussion about agreeing on the appropriate name of the organisation if it has not already been planned. Money is collected from the cost of completing the application and the names of all those on the committee are entered in special forms. Other documents will be signed by the president and secretary only. Copies of the identity card are taken and a plan sketch is made, showing how the administration of the new organisation is distributed. So we move on to the first meeting.

First meeting

Another important topic that the first committee may discuss at that same first meeting, could be the preparation for recruiting new members in an activity and also for some fundraising format. The logo of the association and the format of letters to other politicians and organisation can also be discussed both locally and nationally or internationally. Then begins the process for an organisation to be officially recognised. Often the process for the organisation to be approved by the authorities can take about six to eight weeks. During this same period members will have the chance to plan a variety of ideas that can translate into progress as they are recognised. In this waiting interval it is also of great importance that each individual in the committee is determined and motivated enough to verbally encourage other people to think they can contribute to the same Society.

I would add that these same people should be encouraged and kept in touch so that while the whole committee is informed about them, they will also be invited to the next meeting - the one when the secretary or chair receives the a letter of approval from the authorities.

When one thinks carefully about something like this, one must also understand that the road is not at all easy and it must be the continual determination that leads to overcoming every obstacle especially so early. The committee must be united in thinking and focused on the agenda it draws up. The weeks go by quickly and if one has any idea that the likelihood of a response from the Office of the Commissioner for Voluntary organisation could easily be yes, then the plans can be considered in advance. Carefully the posts of officials merge together, at a time when goals and intentions are remote in order to build a solid foundation for the strong organisation to work in the common interest with all who believe in it. Even if it is not an easy start, it can still be overcome wisely and with clear goals. Only then will the way forward be happier.

As a founder of the NGO, the resigns of some members from the first tentative committee almost blew my mind, but my determination was to safeguard the interest of Marsaxlokk and everything about it. I kept looking for people, especially youths to join with the aim to continue this unique experience. Then when everything started to get in order with young new faces, the world started having issues with the Health pandemic Covid-19 which stopped our run in trying and look-out for member even though we continued to meet online and discuss other matters. The statue was adapted to keep the same administrative committee in office for 5 years and make sure we get on with our aims.

Marsaxlokk Heritage is a non-governmental Voluntary Association. Our beginning was like that, and now we have taken the road where we hope to continue for the good of the heritage inside our village. With the aim that together with other associations and the Local Council, we increase more knowledge, amongst them about the history of our village and all the heritage spread in the Marsaxlokk boundaries.

[bountyofbeads]

Trump asks for military tanks on the Mall as part of grandiose July Fourth event

https://wapo.st/2NrChuC

Tanks. On the Mall. As a "prop for Trump's Salute to America."

Totally normal.

We all knew he would. He was told they would wreck the DC streets. And we all knew he’d seem to drop the issue, only to attempt to “order” it to happen anyway, at the last minute and with zero logistical planning.

Trump asks for military tanks on the Mall as part of grandiose July Fourth event

By Juliet Eilperin and Josh Dawsey | Published July 1 at 7:29 AM | Washington Post | Posted July 1, 2019 |

National Park Service acting director P. Daniel Smith faces plenty of looming priorities this summer, from an $11 billion backlog in maintenance needs to natural disasters like the recent wildfire damage to Big Bend Park.

But in recent days, another issue has competed for Smith’s attention: how to satisfy President Trump’s request to station tanks or other armored military vehicles on the Mall for his planned Fourth of July address to the nation.

The ongoing negotiations over whether to use massive military hardware, such as Abrams tanks or Bradley Fighting Vehicles , as a prop for Trump’s “Salute to America” is just one of many unfinished details when it comes to the celebration planned for Thursday, according to several people briefed on the plan, who requested anonymity to speak frankly.

White House officials intend to give out tickets for attendees to sit in a VIP section and watch Trump’s speech, but did not develop a distribution system before much of the staff left for Asia last week, according to two administration officials. Officials are also still working on other key crowd management details, such as how to get attendees through magnetometers in an orderly fashion.

Traditionally, major gatherings on the Mall, including inauguration festivities and a jubilee commemorating the start of a new millennium, have featured a designated event producer. But in this case, the producer is the president himself.

Trump has demonstrated an unusual level of interest in this year’s Independence Day observance, according to three senior administration officials. He has received regular briefings about it from Interior Secretary David Bernhardt, according to the people briefed on the plan, and has weighed in on everything from how the pyrotechnics should be launched to how the military should be honored.

As a result, the administration has organized a far more ambitious celebration than was originally planned, at a yet-to-be specified additional cost to taxpayers. Twomajor fireworks firms have donated a pyrotechnic show valued at $750,000, for example, but the Park Service will have to pay employees overtime to clean up the remnants of that display. The fireworks have also been moved to a new location in West Potomac Park at Trump’s urging.

Trump has also spurred the use of military aircraft for a flyover, including one of the jetliners used as Air Force One. In addition, the Navy’s Blue Angels were supposed to have a break between a performance in Davenport, Iowa on June 30 and one in Kansas City, Mo. on July 6, but will now be flying in D.C. on the 4th.

The White House declined to comment on the ongoing plans.

Asked about the discussions about using armored vehicles and the projected overall costs of the event, Interior officials also declined to publicly comment. They noted that the department issued an updated itinerary announcing the timing of the president’s speech as well as additional details on the military performance and 35-minute fireworks display.

“This is going to be a fantastic Fourth of July with increased access across the National Mall for the public to enjoy music, flyovers, a spectacular fireworks display, and an address by our Commander-in-Chief,” Bernhardt said in the news release.

Trump has been fixated since early in his term with putting on a military-heavy parade or other celebration modeled on France’s Bastille Day celebration, which he attended in Paris in 2017. Trump angrily backed off plans for a grand Veterans Day parade down Pennsylvania Avenue in 2018 amid concerns from District officials over costs and potential road damage from military vehicles.

The type of armored tactical vehicles under consideration for this year’s Fourth of July celebration can weigh 60 tons or more, and some, such as Abrams tanks, have tracks that can be particularly damaging.

The Pentagon is aware of Trump’s interest in having armored vehicles involved and is weighing having static displays of them during the celebration, defense officials said.

Advocates for the Park Service as well as some Democratic lawmakers and D.C. officials have questioned why the federal government is devoting resources to the event given constrained budgets and other demands.

“It’s irresponsible to ask the National Park Service to absorb the costs of an additional and political event when there are so many unmet needs in the parks,” said Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks Chair Phil Francis, whose group represents current, former and retired Park Service employees and volunteers, in an email. “The men and women of the National Park Service have been asked to do more with less for too long. Funds should be directed to the agency’s highest needs such as operation of the parks and the maintenance backlog and should not be directed to support political objectives.”

Trump’s decision to transform the nation’s long-standing Fourth of July celebration provided an opportunity for firms like Fireworks By Grucci, the family-run Long Island company that has produced shows to celebrate Independence Day in major cities around the world as well as ones at different Trump properties. As soon as the president tweeted about the idea in February, the firm’s president, Felix “Phil” Grucci Jr., recalled in a phone interview, he began sketching out a possible show.

“I made some design renders for what we would do,” Grucci said, adding that he had expected there would be a designated point person for the show, as there has been for other federal observances.

“We were originally thinking there would be an announcement of what the project would be for the event,” he added.

Instead, Grucci — who has teamed up with Phantom Fireworks CEO Bruce Zoldan, a major supplier of consumer fireworks in the U.S. — reached out directly to the White House, along with other federal officials. Grucci said he did not recall the names of his firm’s White House contacts, but said he did not speak directly to the president.

The Park Service already had a multiyear contract with Garden State Fireworks to launch fireworks on the Mall for the Fourth of July. While the cost varies per year, it was $271,374 in 2018.

Administration officials discussed whether they could cancel the existing contract to accept the new donation and save taxpayers money, according to two government officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations. But they concluded they could not break off the agreement with Garden State, these officials said, and instead opted to provide a show that will be roughly twice as long as last year’s.

“There was always a question of how the performance we were designing and envisioning how it would integrate with the existing Park Service show,” Grucci said. “We weren’t thinking we were going to replace that performance at any means.”

The upcoming pyrotechnics show will include several new elements, including a massive American flag and the words “U.S.A.” spelled out in the sky.

The only comparable event on the Mall in recent decades is “America’s Millennium Celebration: A Celebration for the Nation,” an effort commissioned by former president Bill Clinton and first lady Hillary Clinton to mark the start of the 21st century. The festivities, organized by their friend and fundraiser Terry McAuliffe and White House social secretary Capricia Marshall, took place on Dec. 31, 1999 and Jan. 1, 2000, and included a concert on the Mall, an appearance by the Clintons, a fireworks show and presentations at multiple museums.

McAuliffe said in an interview that the effort raised roughly $4 million in private donations and was closely coordinated with the Park Service and other federal agencies. But he emphasized that it was different from Salute to America, because the Clintons played only a modest role in it.

“The Clintons did not take over a decades, century-old celebration of the nation and insert themselves in the middle of it,” he said, adding that the president did not weigh in on any of the decisions and Hillary Clinton only initiated the event because other countries were preparing similar celebrations.

“Once she knew it was up and running, she was not involved in it at all,” said McAuliffe, who went on to serve as Virginia’s governor. “They showed up for the day, and were very happy.”

In a phone interview last week, Zoldan said that he hoped the Salute to America would bring people together rather than prove divisive.

“We wanted to do it as a gift to America,” Zoldan said. “We wanted to give back for this special great time to do bring people together again, by celebrating America’s birthday.”

Anti-Trump protesters, including the group Code Pink, are negotiating with Park Service officials over whether a massive “Trump Baby” balloon they want to fly will comply with flight restrictions that will be in place over the Mall during the Fourth.

But at least one protest is going forward: a group of senior citizens living at The Residences at Thomas Circle will hold a singalong at the same time as Trump’s speech, in a gathering they’ve dubbed, “Make Americans Friends Again.”

Dan Lamothe contributed to this report.

[dippedanddripped]

NEW YORK, United States — About 250 black fashion professionals released a strongly worded petition on Thursday, denouncing The Council of Fashion Designers of America’s anti-racism efforts and calling on the trade organisation to use its status to hold the industry accountable on hiring and promoting black people.

The letter, called The Kelly Initiative, was organised by editor Jason Campbell, creative director Henrietta Gallina and writer Kibwe Chase-Marshall. It is named in honour of Patrick Kelly, the black designer who was the first American to be admitted to the Chambre Syndicale du Prêt-à-Porter in 1988.

Signatories include designers Edward Buchanan, Martine Rose and Victor Glemaud; fashion directors Gabriella Karefa-Johnson (Garage), Carlos Nazario (i-D), Tiffany Reid (Bustle Digital Group) and Corey Stokes (Highsnobiety); celebrity stylist Jason Bolden; Cosmopolitan beauty director Julee Wilson; stylist Shiona Turini; and Vogue Fashion News Director Chioma Nnadi.

Noticeably absent from the list of signatories are CFDA board members Virgil Abloh and Kerby Jean-Raymond, Teen Vogue Editor-in-Chief Lindsay Peoples Wagner, activist Bethann Hardison, and designer Aurora James, indicating there may be different schools of thought amongst black professionals as to how to best push for change in the industry.

The Kelly Initiative group says that fashion has prioritised “optics over the authentic pursuit of equity” and says the CFDA has “allowed exploitative cultures of prejudice, tokenism, and employment discrimination to thrive, unbridled by the sort of watchdog intervention expected of an industry umbrella organization.”

The petition urges the CFDA to conduct an industry census to gather data on the racial makeup of employees at all levels of its member organisations, offer manager bias-mitigation training and ask its members to sign a pledge to create hiring opportunities for black professionals. The petition also demands that fashion’s headhunting and recruitment firms sign the same pledge and have their practices audited by a third party. After gathering the industry data, the petition proposes that the CFDA publish it on an annual basis to provide benchmarks and chart progress.

In a statement, a representative for the CFDA said it is following through on actions released in a letter on June 4, which included an employment program, and is continuing its relationships with Hardison and Harlem's Fashion Row on diversity initiatives. The organisation said it will also work with newer groups, specifically the Black in Fashion Council led by Peoples Wagner and publicist Sandrine Charles.

"Our priorities are to ensure that the CFDA is representing the needs of the industry, which include bringing more diversity and inclusion to it," read the statement.

Hardison, who works on diversity and inclusion initiatives with the CFDA, told BoF that it does not make sense to make demands on a council like one would a political organisation. "They are not an employment agency, they don't tell people what to do," she said. "Progress happens in progressive ways, it doesn’t happen in a snap."

As the growing Black Lives Matter protest movement shines a harsh light on racial inequality and discrimination throughout society, the fashion industry is reckoning with its own entrenched racism. Fashion’s ranks of top editors and executives are overwhelmingly white, and many brands have faced fierce criticism from employees and consumers for offering statements of support for the protest movement without addressing internal problems.

The CFDA's board meeting on June 2 focused on these topics, with a conversation led by designers Virgil Abloh and Kerby Jean-Raymond. They joined the board in September 2019 along with Maria Cornejo and Carly Cushnie during a push to diversify the trade organisation’s leadership and replacing, among others, Kara Ross (who drew criticism after husband Stephen Ross hosted a fundraiser for President Trump in August 2019) and Georgina Chapman.

On June 4, Chairman Tom Ford and President Steven Kolb released a public letter. That letter announced some actions, including an employment program to help place black professionals in fashion jobs and charitable donations.

The Kelly Initiative petition released Thursday said those initiatives fell short, describing them as “hasty attempts” to combat racism that were “so insufficiently conceived that they lacked a very name.”

The coalition also seeks to start “The Kelly List,” an annual index of 50 black professionals across the industry who will be given exposure and networking opportunities, and who will pledge to hire black professionals throughout their careers. The organisers also requested a video conference meeting with the CFDA on Friday, June 19th, also known as Juneteeth, a day that commemorates the end of slavery in the US.

"Contributing endlessly to fashion’s literal and figurative fabric, our hands have picked cotton and crafted couture, sketched flou and painted faces; today they shall seize the steering wheel of our destiny within the industry,” the petition states. "We will no longer be relegated to the backseat, or worse yet, completely sidelined altogether..."

[andyjwaldron]

ANDY CARES A LOT ABOUT THE NAMING OF A BUILDING AT HIS ALMA MATER.

This is a full meal of a story. It involves performative allyship, online activism, a bad man who supported gay conversion therapy and white nationalists, a funny scholarship situation, body slamming, IRL activism, diversity and inclusivity, financial conflict of interest, Title IX failure, and the first student demonstration in the history of a small, conservative STEM university.

APRIL 2017: In his final semester at Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, NJ, Andy, along with humanities alums Joe Risi and Kyle Gonzalez, petitioned the university president, Nariman Farvardin, about the naming of a future academic complex. The building intended to honor Greg Gianforte, an alumnus and then-congressional candidate for Montana who promised two $10 million gifts to the university. He also was known to support pseudoscience, gay conversion therapy, and white nationalists, businesses that discriminated against LGBTQ folks, and believed that allowing transpeople using bathrooms “[places] young girls' and women's safety at risk,” among other bad things. It was later revealed that not only did Farvardin donate to the Gianforte congressional campaign but that several other members of Stevens’s Board of Trustees did as well in the same month the naming was announced.

The three of them – Andy as a current student and alums Joe and Kyle – received advisement from then-professor of Science and Technology Studies, Lee Vinsel and a group of Montana State University folk who had previously protested naming a building named after Gianforte at MSU. Andy, Joe, and Kyle wrote a petition that asked directly and simply for three things: to explain the reasoning behind naming the new academic center after Gianforte, to condemn the discriminatory rhetoric of the anti-LGBTQ groups who had received donations from Greg Gianforte, and to reaffirm Stevens’ commitment, in actions and not just words, to be an inclusive campus regardless of race, gender, or sexual orientation. Seemed like a slam dunk of a much-needed PR opportunity. When Andy brought this up at an open meeting of the Student Government Association (SGA), though, he left not too hopeful that things would change. His fellow Students seemed apathetic as well.

But, despite a ton of exhausting far-right reply guys bemoaning PC culture and asking Andy and company to engage in “thought experiments” to point out logical fallacies, the petition got over 650+ signatures --almost a fourth of the undergraduate population that year -- and loads of great comments.

Stevens’ president, in lieu of the petition’s requests, responded privately to several professors. His response, the private nature of which was dismissive and disrespectful to those who cared enough to sign the petition, brought up more questions than answers. Similarly, the then-SGA president wrote an insulting response. The three petition writers went to a "Conversation with the President” on April 18th, closed but for staff and faculty, asking Farvardin in front of those attending for an explanation of the reasoning behind naming the new academic center after Gianforte, a condemnation of discriminatory rhetoric of the anti-LGBTQ groups who had received donations from Greg Gianforte, and a reaffirmation of Stevens’ commitment, in actions and not just words, to be an inclusive campus regardless of race, gender, or sexual orientation. Farvardin’s response was. Farvardin’s public response then was as unsatisfactory as his private response (Here’s some audio).

MAY 2017: During Andy’s final semester at Stevens, he was awarded the Joseph M. Farber Memorial Prize, presented to a graduating humanities senior who “displays a keen interest in and concern for civil liberties and their importance in preserving human rights“ for the Gianforte work. It was a pretty nice consolation prize for being a bit disheartened (and, well, Dead from all the thesis work).

The same day Andy walked across the commencement stage to graduate, Gianforte, uh, forced his way into national news. Assaulting a Guardian reporter on the eve of a special election to fill Montana’s sole seat in the US House of Representatives will do that. This changed some minds on campus.

JUNE 2017: Following the body-slam heard ’round the world – along with a lackluster Alumni Weekend – Farvardin and Virginia Ruesterholz, chairman of the Stevens Board of Trustees, established a Committee to Consider the Naming of the Gianforte Academic Center, picking alumni, faculty, and members of the Board of Trustees (again, several of whom, Ruesterholz and Farvardin included, had donated to the Gianforte political campaign). This committee announced on June 26th that its goal was to "come together, use our collective wisdom, sound judgment, and best reasoning to identify a path forward that is consistent with the mission and values of Stevens."  A handful of concerned Hoboken citizens started their own petition. Stevens literature professor Benjamin H. Ogden got a letter published in the NY Daily News criticizing the naming. Gianforte was found guilty for his assault of the reporter; his mugshot was later released.

AUGUST 2017: Nine more students and alumni joined Joe, Kyle, and Andy to start an informative, persuasive online and IRL campaign, entitled “#iwillnotSITby,” for folks to email members of the aforementioned committee, submit feedback, and share their thoughts on social media. According to bit.ly data, more than 150 folks clicked through the website to the committee’s feedback form. Not that bad.

SEPTEMBER 2017: Stevens organizations -- including Stevens Torch Alliance, the Stevens Faculty Senate, Stevens Poetry Club, Stevens Society of Physics Students, WCPR - Castle Point Radio, and Chi Phi - Mu Chapter -- began to publicly denounce Gianforte’s views and encouraged the renaming of the building. The university’s sketch-and-improv comedy group had some fun with it.

On September 27th, Professor Emeritus James McClellan III presented a talk entitled "What's Wrong with Scientific Creationism?" discussing creationism as a pseudoscience and how it related to Gianforte and Stevens. Despite being a part of Stevens regular humanities forums, it was initially not advertised by the administration and staff, leading students to create and distribute flyers. The College of Arts and Letters later announced the talk -- with the caveat that it did not reflect the full views of the college nor university.

On September 28th, Farvardin made a campus-wide announcement: The committee submitted their findings to the Board of Trustees, the latter of which decided to rename the complex the Gianforte Family Academic Complex, based partly on the idea of “principal legacy,” which was used in Yale’s consideration behind the renaming of Calhoun College, originally named after a slavery advocate, to honor graduate Grace Murray Hopper, a computer scientist, mathematician, teacher, and dedicated public servant. 

Included in any dictionary published after August 2017, next to the definition of “a bad idea,” was the initial naming of the Gianforte Academic Center. Following the committee’s decision, a referral was added, referencing the definition of “a really bad idea,” and included the renaming of the Gianforte Family Academic Complex with the reasoning below:

The new naming recalls the Gianforte Family Foundation, which names both Greg Gianforte and Susan Gianforte as trustees. As both Mr. and Mrs. Gianforte are active voices in deciding who benefits from the foundations’ various donations, any building that references the Gianforte Family name invokes the hateful rhetoric given a platform through their monetary contributions

The Yale decision to rename a college because of Calhoun’s principal legacy of white supremacy was made a full seven months before the Stevens committee made theirs

The Gianforte Family Foundation donated to white supremacists Taylor Rose in 2015 and Robert Saunders in 2016

Stevens’ actions to decide the “principal legacy” of a living alumnus is at odds with Yale’s definition of “principal legacy,” which was strictly applied to deceased alumni

More reasoning can be found via Kyle Gonzalez’s detailed rebuttal, sent to the president and Board of Trustees following the committee’s recommendations. Again, because the naming was ultimately decided by Gianforte campaign contributors, their peers, and an SGA president who did not think a change can be made, concerned community members were not entirely surprised by this outcome.

A GoFundMe campaign was launched a month after the decision by a group of then-students and alumni, titled “Stevens Name Your Price.” The campaign had a fundraising goal of $20,000,001, an amount $1 more than the combined donations made by Gregory Gianforte to fund the new academic center, so that “the administration may entertain [their] request to change the name.” Memes were had. It eventually raised $1,500, which was donated to the Hudson Pride Connections Center,  a “home and voice for the diverse LGBTQ community and our allies that advocates for our physical, mental, social and political well-being” for Hudson County. It was even picked up (or, in improv-speak, yes anded) by Colin Mochrie from “Whose Line Is It Anyway?”

MAY 2019: It was quietly announced that Greg Gianforte had rescinded the second $10 million gift, and that the new building, now dubbed the “Gateway Academic Complex,” will consist of the Gateway South Hall and the Gianforte Family Hall. Andy and company called that a small victory, because why not.

DECEMBER 2019: Following the announcement of the invite-only Gianforte Family Hall ribbon cutting, current students planned a protest for that evening, under the name “wewillnotSITby.” Hell yeah.

Three student leaders, Eli Trakhtenberg, Nasir Montalvo, and Adrian Castellanos (Torch VP, Diversity and Inclusivity Committee Chair, and SGA VP, respectively), took this as an opportunity to push for mass reform. Eli asked Andy for some help with their proposal, which focused on (a) the kind of ideas that Gianforte actively disagrees with and (b) a variety of administrative failures in students’ pursuit of making the campus better for all kinds of identities over the past four years.

This document, given to Board of Trustees members, pointed out these failures and demanded meaningful change and reform under Student Wellness, Administrative Transparency, and Campus Climate. Everything from broken promises to establish an Intercultural Center to a Title IX failure during the “red zone“ of sexual assault on campus to weak efforts of mental-health advocacy are mentioned in the doc. Dear reader, it’s bad.

On December 10th, the first student protest in the history of Stevens took place, with over 50 students, alumni, staff, faculty, and Hoboken community members demonstrating outside the ribbon-cutting ceremony. It was covered by a handful of outlets and supported by at least one business -- the local independent bookstore, Little City Books. There’s [poorly narrated] video too. Seeing this effort start with a group of three concerned humanities majors in 2017 to this many people IRL in December 2019… folks, it’s a thing of beauty.

As of January 5th, 2020, there has been no public response from the administration other than a nice press release about the totally peaceful opening of the hall.

***

You can go back home by clicking here.

[t-baba]

A web accessibility win following Supreme Court decision

#412 — October 9, 2019

Read on the Web

Frontend Focus

Supreme Court Hands Victory to Blind Man Who Sued Domino's Over Site Accessibility — Back in August we shared news that pizza company Domino’s was requesting for a lawsuit, requiring its website to be accessible to blind people, to be shut down. The Supreme Court has now denied that petition — a significant win for disability advocates.

Tucker Higgins

ASPIRE: Ideals to Aspire to When Building Websites — In relation to the item above, here Scott makes the case that sites should aspire to be Accessible, Secure, Performant, Inclusive, Responsive and Ethical.

Scott Jehl

A Technical Deep Dive into FeathersJS — FeathersJS is easy to integrate, data agnostic, and highly customizable. Is it the holy grail of frameworks for realtime apps and APIs? This article puts Feathers through its paces and answers the question: when is FeathersJS too lightweight?

Ably sponsor

The Evolution of Web Content Management — A look at the evolution of web content management from the early days of the web to the headless, cloud-based CMS systems of today.

Brian Rinaldi

How to Read A Web Page Test Waterfall Chart — If like me, you often look at a waterfall chart and get a bit lost as to what it all means, you’ll find this to be a handy reference, explaining it all in very accessible way.

Matt Hobbs

💻 Jobs

React JS Developer (Remote) — We’re looking for an ambitious React developer to help us make komoot the place to go to plan outdoor adventures.

KOMOOT

Mobile App Developer Wanted for High-Growth Fundraising Platform — This company has a big vision, and everyone embraces it, not because it’s a weird cult or something, but only because it’s ethical and cool.

CareersJS

Find A Job Through Vettery — Vettery specializes in tech roles and is completely free for job seekers. Create a profile to get started.

Vettery

📙 Articles, Tutorials & Opinion

Avoid 100vh On Mobile Web — If you’re using viewport units in CSS to style an element to take up the full screen height (using height: 100vh), you may want to reconsider. David recommends an alternative approach using JavaScript.

David Chanin

An Interview with an 'Adult Site' Developer — Now this won’t be for everyone, but regardless of your stance, this is an interesting look into the decisions behind the tech choices and how they all work at one of the web’s largest adult sites.

David Walsh

Clipping, Clipping, and More Clipping! — An exploration of how the CSS clip-path property can be used to create interesting effects.

Mikael Ainalem

The React Hooks Guide: In-Depth Tutorial with Examples. Start Learning — Learn all about React Hooks as we comprehensively cover: State and Effects, Context, Reducers, and Custom React Hooks.

Progress KendoReact sponsor

Retro Nostalgia & Why My New Website Looks Like Windows 98 — This developer was feeling “particularly nostalgic for the days of Geocities and floppy disks” so created a new (and well-realised) Windows 98-style personal site paying homage to such an ‘idealized past’. Here’s the UI library behind it.

Ash Kyd

Verify Phone Numbers On The Web with The SMS Receiver API — It’s still early days for this API, but here’s an initial look at how the planned SMS Receiver API will work.

Eiji Kitamura

How to Build a Progressive Web App (PWA) with only Vanilla JS — Bring a native-like experience to your webapps with this grab bag of techniques including styling, fonts, Service Workers, and creating a manifest file.

Sayan Mondal

▶  Accessibility in Web Standards and Its Future in Software. Listen Now

Heroku sponsorpodcast

Spacing, Grids and Layouts: Creating a Spatial System — How to define baseline grids, column grids, spacing and layouts.

Elliot Dahl

Trying to Make Sense of Gmail CSS Support — As an email publisher this sort of knowledge can prove invaluable…

Rémi Parmentier

💡 Tip of the Week

supported by

Defining quotation styles with the <q> tag

When styling your site you may be happy with the "default, straight quotation style", but if you're keen on getting your typography just right then there is a way to ensure your quotation marks are “smart” via CSS.

As explained here, the HTML <q> element signals that the contained text is a short inline quotation. Most browsers implement this by surrounding the text in "quotation marks". You can, however, add a style to modify what automatically appears around the text:

q {  quotes: "“" "”"; }

It may be hard to make out in email, but this rule will wrap your inline quote with alternative 'smart' quotation marks. This blog post expands on how this simple tip can be used for multilingual sites, such as using differing quotation rules for different languages (like German).

Another idea is outlined in this recent blog post from Michael Lazarski, who shows how this technique can even be used with emoji for an 🙌 altogether different 🙌 approach.

This Tip of the Week is sponsored by Flatiron School, where you can learn software engineering, data science, or UX/UI design in just 15 weeks online or on campus.

🔧 Code, Tools & Resources

moveable: A Library for Dragging, Resizing, Scaling and More — If you want to manipulate an element in any way (warping, pinching, rotating, etc) this library can probably help. Demo here.

Daybrush (Younkue Choi)

Facebook Design: Images and Sketch Files of Popular Devices — These sort of collections always prove handy to have stored away in your bookmarks.

Facebook

AniX: A 'Super Easy and Lightweight' CSS Animation Library

AniX

   🗓 Upcoming Events

Accessibility Scotland, October 25 — Edinburgh, UK — One day of talks. Friendly, open discussion about accessibility.

Performance Now, November 21-22 — Amsterdam, Netherlands — A single track conference with fourteen world-class speakers, covering the most important web performance insights.

VueConfTO 2019, November 11-12 — Toronto, Canada — First ever Vue Conference in Canada. Biggest in North America, with great workshops and talks.

Frontend Con, November 26-27 — Warsaw, Poland — Brings together 30+ top experts with over 500 experienced frontend pros from all over the world.

by via Frontend Focus https://ift.tt/2AY6PLu

[rickjhonson-blog]

Online Fundraising Platforms USA: Genuine Ways To Make Crowdfunding Campaign Big Hit

Crowdfunding locales like Kickstarter and Indiegogo have been a help to new companies and entrepreneurs hoping to fund-raise, and enthusiasm, for new items. Kickstarter alone has raised over $2.5 billion for in excess of 110,000 tasks from over 11.3 million patrons – and Indiegogo isn't a long ways behind.

Be that as it may, as any individual who has had a go at crowdfunding will let you know, for each fruitful battle there are numerous that come up short.

So what steps would you be able to take to help guarantee your Kickstarter or Indiegogo venture is a triumph, even after the battle closes? Following are 10 hints from crowdfunding specialists.

Distinguish your intended interest group

"Before you dispatch your [project] page, do some exploration to discover what groups of onlookers will be most responsive to your classification," says David M. Tunnels, fellow benefactor, Martin+Michael Agency. "Is it true that they are gamers? Engineers? Small house enthusiasts? Housewives? Discover who your undertaking's gathering of people and clients will be and target them ahead of time by means of bloggers, online networking and [media outreach]."

 Make a convincing video

"Make an extremely awesome Kickstarter [or Indiegogo] video that distils down your center message – for what reason should your group of onlookers care about your Kickstarter?" says Lindsey Handley, COO, ThoughtSTEM, whose latest, best Kickstarter crusade, for an instructive computer game, CodeSpells, raised $164,000.

"Individuals like to put resources into stories," says Heather McCarthy of Someone Special Uniquely Personalized Books, which ran a Kickstarter battle with an objective of $15,000 and raised $18,785. So don't make an exhausting item video. Rather, recount to a story, and have the originator or maker show up in the video, to give it an increasingly close to home or legitimate feel. Likewise, "keep recordings short and to the point. Recordings that are too long ought to be broken into numerous recordings," she says.

"We invested a lot of energy assembling a video: story boarding, working with an executive and shooting an entire day with expert cameramen and hardware," says Garrett Gustafson, author, edlee, which makes bamboo and wood shades. "We had the option to bring in a ton of favors to complete it at a generally modest cost," and it was well justified, despite all the trouble, he reports. The undertaking brought $50,000 up in only five weeks.

Ensure your profile page tends to financial specialists' key inquiries

"The best crusades all make them thing in like manner: an expert, very much considered profile page sketching out explicitly what they are endeavoring to achieve, why they need assistance and why it will be hit," says Burrows. "The components incorporate a brief however convincing pitch video, pictures or potentially illustrations of the thing you're crowdfunding [and] great duplicate that recounts to a story."

Keep in mind an image is worth 1,000 words – and a huge number of dollars

"Individuals are careful about … paying ahead of time for an item that isn't even underway yet," says Avi Goldstein, CEO, StatGear, which sells salvage and survival gear. "Give whatever number close-up and way of life pictures as would be prudent so individuals will truly comprehend what you've made and incorporate illustrations recognizing the careful specs and subtleties."

Set practical (preservationist) satisfaction objectives

"On the off chance that you figure your item will take four months to create and ship to your sponsor, at that point leave space for the surprising and put five months down as the normal ship date," Goldstein says. "Nobody appreciates getting a reward transported late, however they'll cherish accepting one early."

Guarantee your assembling and delivering forms are watertight

"Such a large number of subsidized undertakings unhinge when issues with transportation or assembling postpone the procedure," says David Kiriakidis, advanced advertising official, Fleximize, which gives adaptable business credits. By guaranteeing that your satisfaction procedure is nailed down before dispatch, "you'll be compensated with a drew in client base, and, stunningly better, [happy clients and] referrals.

Advance your task like insane – previously, amid and after your dispatch

"Online crowdfunding advancement is the impetus that [can] have the effect among progress and disappointment," says Howard Sherman, overseeing part, CrowdFundBuzz. "You can get everything right – the ideal item at the ideal cost combined with a Hollywood-quality pitch video and a wide range of certifications of conveying on schedule – however the majority of that is unimportant if no one realizes your battle exists.

"Crowdfunders need to dump the 'fabricate it and they will come' attitude," he says. "It's not possible for anyone to go to your Kickstarter or Indiegogo on the off chance that they have no chance to get of realizing it exists."

"It's basic to have a procedure that can initiate however many systems as could be expected under the circumstances preceding the crusade's dispatch to help drive deals," says Neil D'Souza, CEO, Mass Fidelity, which raised over $1.5 million amid its crowdfunding effort for its remote speaker, The Core. "Request that loved ones resolve to buy the item on Day 1; feature the item to the media under ban so their articles direct people to the crusade in the main week; and bother the dispatch [on your] informal organizations so as to energize your following."

"Crowdfunding accomplishment on day 1 to a great extent relies upon structure a strong email list," says Gabe Grifoni, prime supporter and CEO, Rufus Labs, whose Rufus Cuff, a sans hands, wearable gadget, raised about a large portion of a million dollars through Indiegogo. "Drive your objective buyer to a basic item presentation page utilizing Facebook, Instagram and Google Ads to instruct your gathering of people and urge them to agree to accept news about your battle. Email records measurably have the most astounding change rates, 3 to 5 percent, so the greater the rundown, the greater the dispatch day commitments." 

Work on your crusade normally, even after it's closed

"From responding to inquiries to answering to remarks to posting refreshes and including extra substance (media, extend objectives, and so forth.), genuine crowdfunders develop their crowdfunding effort each and every day similarly and for a similar reason a rancher works his property," says Sherman.

"Since numerous equipment crowdfunding ventures in the previous couple of years transformed into vaporware, killing supporters, we needed to be exceptionally straightforward about the dangers and our advancement," says Anthony Pu, establishing accomplice and CRO, Mighty, a music gushing gadget. "Benefactors acknowledge straightforwardness. We were additionally amazingly receptive to remarks and messages, which benefactors likewise appreciate. Indeed, even to the inconsiderate, negative remarks, we stayed proficient and positive in our reactions. After the crusade finished, we've kept on refreshing our benefactors at any rate once per month to keep them energized and insider savvy on our advancement."

Make extend objectives, yet ensure they are possible

"Since Kickstarter ventures don't simply stop when they hit their objective, it is essential to get ready for your objective being surpassed," says Kiriakidis. "Make [or in any event think about] extend objectives previously, which will empower you to keep your current sponsor (and potential patrons) intrigued once your objective has been come to."

"A major error we found in the past were ventures hitting objectives and offering unattainable stretch objectives," says Pu. "While we needed to do truly cool stuff, we were reasonable and ensured the stretch objective we declared was conceivable and financially savvy. Rather than including insane highlights, we included a second shading wave, which individuals had been mentioning and was not a gigantic expense for us," he includes. "Our sponsor were content with the declaration and we hit our stretch objective and will almost certainly satisfy it."

Expand your crusade by means of Indiegogo InDemand

"We chose to expand our crusade by means of Indiegogo InDemand to satisfy the craving of early adopters who cherished our item, yet didn't get an opportunity to back Bagel Labs amid our Kickstarter activity," said Soohong Park, CEO of Bagel Labs. "Before propelling on Indiegogo InDemand, we got a few messages from clients asking where they could purchase a Bagel [billed as 'the world's most brilliant tape measure'] since they botched the opportunity to give on Kickstarter. We needed to use Indiegogo's people group pool to address the issues of however many buyers as could be expected under the circumstances in a brief timeframe."

[donncarlson01]

Tips For Budgeting And Fundraising For A New Playground

Tips For Budgeting And Fundraising For A New Playground

Play is necessary for youngster growth, but in some cases the funds needed to supply our children with the playground tools that is had to help them expand and learn can be a tough road. Following these easy actions will certainly not only enable you to acquire a new play area system or replace an existing one, it is likewise a terrific method to get your community included.

 Whether you are interested in developing a brand-new business playground or renovating an existing one in your community, you're going to require funds in order to help you achieve your objective. Below are a few basic ideas that anyone can take advantage of to collect the money required to create a practical location for everybody.

 " Take on" a Part of a Playground: Having an illustration or plan of your possible play area format will certainly help in your fundraising initiatives. It can be utilized as a fantastic advertising and marketing tool. Revealing it to sponsors as well as uploading it on message boards will create an aesthetic pointer. Make a listing of the significant components of the play area unit. Set a rate for each element and afterwards break down your fundraising efforts one element at a time. Take your sketch or attracting around to neighborhood services and also social work organizations asking them to "embrace" a part of the playground. You will have to create a means for the donators to be identified, whether that is on a solitary indication put at the entryway to the play area or at each "taken on" device.

 Customized Sidewalk Bricks: Moms and dads love to place their child's name on something irreversible. If you are planning on placing a bricked pathway leading to your brand-new play area, have a fundraising event marketing these blocks individually to parents, grandparents, guardians and also relative. When valuing your blocks, make sure to make up the cost of laying them, and having every one engraved. Not only is this an excellent means to raise money but it likewise makes your play ground a more individualized area to go to.

 Penny/Coin Drive: A coin drive is a collection of coins from those in your area, neighborhood or school to assist elevate funds for your brand-new play area. Have a main location for those included to place their coins, or if raising money for an institution, place huge containers or containers in each classroom. Make sure to announce your coin drive any way you can and also enjoy the modification come rolling in!

 Hold a Sweep: A raffle is a simple suggestion that any individual can use, despite past fundraising experience. Just locate a prize that lures your audience, after that buy a variety of raffle tickets that individuals could buy for a chance at winning. Rate your tickets low to motivate more people to take part in the occasion.

 Host a Competition: For some kindhearted competition, think of holding a contest in your neighborhood to raise money as well as get individuals delighted concerning your cause. Some competitions you might intend to take into consideration are bake-offs, elegance pageants as well as coloring competitions to appeal to the younger group. A small entrance fee can amass the focus you have to accomplish your fundraising objective.

 Ask for Contributions: Whether you prefer to produce a raffle or hold a contest, make sure your community knows that you're accepting contributions for your cause. Any extra change you could get will go a long way toward your play area.

Get kids truly delighted regarding the brand-new play area that will be put at their school, community or neighborhood. The even more they discuss the brand-new play ground, the even more help you will enter your fundraising efforts! Most notably, as soon as you have actually developed your fundraising efforts, do not hesitate to request help. Whatever you decide to do as a charity event, remember to invite your regional paper or information network. A little press coverage will certainly go a long way!

 Once you have your funds in place, it's time to start budgeting! Having a budget plan in place will certainly assist you prepare for any type of unforeseen costs and offers a clear image of the project. To develop your play area budget, it is essential to gather all monetary statements readily available, record earnings resources, create a checklist of projected expenditures and paper revenue forecasts. Constructing a brand-new play area job budget plan could feel like a massive task but with some mindful factors to consider, you can be prepared for any kind of monetary surprises that may approach along the road. It is very important to remember that playground equipment is not the only expenditure you need to plan for in your budget plan. Depending on your details demands, you need to additionally think about these extra costs:

 Appearing - There are several types of appearing options as well as several could need progressing, drain of play ground website, a way of control, as well as a considerable amount of product.

 Delivering - Many play ground systems are very hefty so you have to consider the expense of freight, dumping of the parts, as well as any kind of plan elimination or disposal.

 Website Preparation - Many states, regions and communities call for the purchase of a building authorization when mounting a new playground.

 Storage space - This will only use needs to your brand-new play area arrive before you have actually finished the preparation of the site in which your playground will certainly be housed.

 Installation/Assembly - Due to the safety policies of play grounds, professional setup is recommended to ensure that your unit meets all safety and security guidelines and also is correctly evaluated.

 Construction Materials - This may consist of anything from concrete, bricks, or sand.

 Landscape design - If your playground will be positioned near a highway or other obstruction it is always a smart idea to have a wall of security and also a method of containing the youngsters inside the marked backyard. Growing bushes, trees or various other shrubbery can be a rather economical way to accomplish this.

Larger playground frameworks are built for youngsters approximately age 12 and each unit has particularly chosen activities to challenge and urge the physical, social, as well as psychological growth of older children. They are excellent for primary schools, public parks and property owner's associations. Kids will be influenced and invigorated with the ladders, climbers, activity panels and slides consisted of. One means to begin your effort is to speak to family and friends. Your loved ones will likely offer you an aiding hand as you seek to start your fundraising efforts. All the best and pleased fundraising!

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[hautecoldture]

sketch of Lisa Snart and Frost for untamedtempest

[mintartistsguild]

Mint will create 30 original paintings this summer for our Paint Detroit with Generosity initiative, and they will be donated to 30 local nonprofits in the winter.

To do so, we run a big, beautiful summer creative jobs program. We’re still fundraising for it, and yet for some giving something is easier than giving money.  So  we need many supplies to support the nine young people hired by Mint. Here’s our wish list which we need by July 7:

-paper towels and toilet paper

-canvases, small or large, new or used

-gesso

-granola bars and artists snacks (unopened boxes or bags please)

-gift card to Meijer or Costco or Blick to buy snacks or supplies

- a digital camera, used or new (with instructions on use)

-sketch books

-MDO or marine boards, 12 x 18 or similar sizes

-cookies and a veggie tray for our July 25 summer open house

We have bigger needs too - such as a van or minivan and someone with means to hire us to create a large mosaic piece for their lobby. But we’ll save those big requests for another time.

We are seeking professional artists to volunteer for two hours at the Ruth Ellis Center during an art class on Wednesday 4:30 -6:30 p.m. and artists who will come visit the Mint studio and share their stories for an hour on Wednesdays or Thursdays.

If you have supplies to donate or you want to volunteer, please contact Vickie at mintartistsguild@gmail.com.