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[Heron TSG]

Interesting thread title, I know, but the truth of the matter is that I am in deep. My Knowledge Bowl team recently qualified for the National Academic Championships after winning our State competition, but there is one little problem. We are on the west coast. The competition is in Chicago. Our school is very poor, and we live in an extraordinarily rural area. After doing the math, we found that we'll need $5000-$6000 to get there and back, plus all the other various expenses such as the registration fees, room and board, and transportation while in Chicago. Our school is unlikely to pay very much of this, and if they do accept, I highly doubt that they'll give us more than half of our total required amount.

So. Project DiscoPlane. We're going to try and raise the rest of the money ourselves, so that we can afford our plane tickets and make it to the big dance over in Chicago. At the moment we have several plans. First of all, we're making a Youtube channel and creating videos while we advertise our cause, asking people for donations. The other plan was to hold a carwash. Another plan is a lemonade stand. Another is to sell our captain's body to science.

Here's where this thread comes in. We need more ideas that will help us effectively raise about $3000 dollars or more by June 11th. (If anyone's feeling particularly generous, I can drop a link to the Youtube channel at some point.)

[Graebeard]

I don't know all of the technical requirements, but you should take a look at kickstarter to see if you could fund your trip that way.  You could offer different incentives for different levels of participation like a photo album of the trip, signed copies of the any prizes you win, thank you cards etc...  Its kind of amazing some of the projects that get funded on there.  You may have a good shot if you do a good video/pitch and have creative incentives.  Be sure to post a link here if you do.

You can also try working your friends and relatives.  Get commitments from one set of grandparents to match donations from others up to a certain amount, create an online leaderboard for different team members' families and get the competitive juices flowing.

The most important thing is that you stick with it.  It sounds like you're excited enough to make it work.  Keep it up!

[Vector]

If any of you speak foreign languages proficiently--especially Japanese--the fangirl market is enormous for translations for doujinshi and stuff.  You'd have to be okay with translating shonen ai and smut, whatever, but still--there's a lot of young women (and a few men) out there who bought comics that they can't understand, and really want to find a translator to work for them.  Similarly, you might be able to do some work as a paid beta reader (i.e. fanfiction editor), or editing for other creative works over the net.  It depends.

There's also paid tutoring.  Since you're on the knowledge bowl team, you might be able to ask a bit extra.

[Heron TSG]

Tutoring is a good one, I'll have to look into that. Unfortunately, my only foreign language is Japanese, and I'm not very good at it. I can try, though. There's a colony of manga-obsessed folks hanging out at the library most days.

[Gorjo MacGrymm]

Contact your local and state and congressional reps.  Its possible that there is money that can be used as a donation for such things.  Have you asked the school for help in disseminating information asking for help?  Something to all the parents in the school?  Ask city hall if they will take up the cause for the "intelligent youth" of the community and ask for direct donations from the citizenry.  Lots of things can be done but most of them do requrie a good bit of legwork to accomplish.  If you can get your group registered as a local charity for such purposes you can solicit the wealthy, who are always looking for charities, since they want the tax writeoffs.  It isnt out of the realm reality for such things to happen and become a permament fixture in the community helping people. 

Anyway, just thinking out loud here.  I hope you get to go.

[Virex]

On a similar note, how viable would arranging sponsors be? I wouldn't be surprised if there are state-wide/national organizations who's aim is to support student efforts like this (I know there are some in the Netherlands at least). You could even try to contact companies with a potentially interesting sponsorship deal (you never know ). Are there any student/study organizations on your university that you could contact on help with this? They may not have the funds, but they could have contacts.

[breadbocks]

If I had money to give, I would, but since I don't I offer my sincerest support in getting dem moniez!

[Strife26]

Contact your local media. Get a little blurb in the paper, and it will be noticed.


And post that youtube channel here, I'm sure that there's a few people about on these forums who've got tons of moneiz to spend.

[Zrk2]

Tutoring pays very well, I think that's probably the best bet along with trying to contact various people of official stature.

@Strife, I don't think there are that many people on Bay12 with 'moniez to spend', we seem to be mostly university students and seemingly lower end income generators, despite the high average intelligence around here.

[Strife26]

Well, this is a website for a game that's based on donations, so it stands to reason that there are a few generous souls about. It can hardly work, now can it?

[Zrk2]

THis is a good point, I'm not sure, that's just the feeling I've gotten from most people here.

Also, Knowledge Bowl is on TV, right? See if you could get yourself sponsored by a corporation or even some local businesses, if you each wear the shirt of a different local business you could probably raise a few hundred dollars a person that way.

[Blargityblarg]

Some of us are high school students with low income, but next to no expenses

Once I get a link, I'll toss something your way, but otherwise yeah, go to authorities to try to get help disseminating information.

[Heron TSG]

Wow, thanks, guys! I'll be sure to stick a link here after we finish the fundraising paperwork that allows us to fundraise for our club using our school's name.

Also, Knowledge Bowl is on TV, right? See if you could get yourself sponsored by a corporation or even some local businesses, if you each wear the shirt of a different local business you could probably raise a few hundred dollars a person that way.

We've been looking into it, but it sounds like the only allowed logos are those of the participating school or club. If they want a 'thank you', that'll work. It is televised, at least in the U.S., so I imagine that you could watch it if you really wanted.

I'm taking notes on all of these. Starting Monday we get into the swing of things, right now we're just filling out paperwork and budgeting flights and such.

[hemmingjay]

Try talking to the local Chamber of Commerce. They are often interested in assisting in funding prestigious programs within their community. At the very least they may put you in contact with local business leaders who may donate. You merely need 10 businesses to donate or sponsor your team at $300 each.

Personally what I would do. Contact the local newspaper and ask them to donate space in the paper for a story about all of the local supporters for your team's trip to the nationals. Once they agree go around to local businesses and tell them that the paper will run a story after the competition featuring the generous businesses that helped you get there. It's good press for a local business for a small donation.

[Heron TSG]

Because you folks asked for it....

Here's the Youtube channel.

It includes a fun video and such, and you folks get to finally learn my name and location. (Though my address is still a secret.)

Spoiler: Donation Guide (click to show/hide)

Donations can be sent via check or money order to Colville High School c/o CHS Knowledge Bowl Team, 154 Hwy 20 East, Colville, WA 99114.

Sorry we couldn't keep it simple with Paypal, state law prevents school-aimed money from going to Paypal's banks in California.

*c/o - care of