[Foundation-l] Fundraiser update

[Nathan]

(Sorry for not threading my replies).

I realise (not being completely dense) that some of these large
organizations don't solicit donations, but they might be willing to co-brand
as a sort of "in-kind" donation to the WMF. My intent was more to name well
known organizations to illustrate the point than to suggest specific
candidates.

As for siphoning off money - certainly most large organizations that survive
on donations (to name better ones, the Red Cross, United Way, Salvation
Army, UNICEF, American Cancer Society, World Wildlife Fund, etc. and smaller
operations like LiveStrong, Susan G. Komen, etc. ) don't have the same
online penetration that we have. They do, however, have a far more
sophisticated offline solicitation system and cultural penetration. What
they lack, we've got - what we lack, they've got. Sounds like a recipe for a
beneficial partnership. If one group were to include us in their mailing and
other solicitation work for a period of time, for instance, in exchange for
participation in our fundraising drive... it might afford both organizations
access to groups of people they otherwise might not reach.

It would also, as I mentioned, provide the very valuable service of
reinforcing with the public that the Wikimedia Foundation is charitable
organization that depends on donations for all of its operations. That fact
is implied in the very nature of a fundraising drive, but we saw from
Jimmy's note that having a high profile advocate, a personal appeal and a
clear expression of what Wikimedia is about really encourages people to
donate.

Nathan