What are your 2025 Resolutions?

[Hugh's Burner Phone]

The post from NTDawg inspired me to post this. What are the packs resolutions for this year?

After a health scare late last year (final deal wasn't the best news but definitely far from the worst news), my biggest resolution is to try and cherish every day and those around me and not take any of them for granted. You never know when one of them or yourself won't be here any more.

My second resolution is to really expand my chase team's Skycam network. We currently have 8 active cameras which should expand up to 12 before the start of the spring severe weather season. At a minimum, I would like to double that number this year. When I wake up 365 days from now I'd like to have that number at 30. So if any of you have any ideas on fundraising tips please let me know. All of my ideas have gone over like turd in a punch bowl.

 

[PooPopsBaldHead]

So if any of you have any ideas on fundraising tips please let me know. All of my ideas have gone over like turd in a punch bowl.

Can you get any sponsorships for the cameras? "NM Storm chasers Sky Cam brought to you by Premier Ford" or whatever and let the news/media folks have access to your cameras as long as they cite the sponsor etc. Do it for 5 year blocks.

 

[Shmuley]

I resolve to maximize my round up for NIL every time I eat at Oby’s. I’m going for at least 50 cents per visit. My goal for the year is $5.

 

[Hugh's Burner Phone]

Can you get any sponsorships for the cameras? "NM Storm chasers Sky Cam brought to you by Premier Ford" or whatever and let the news/media folks have access to your cameras as long as they cite the sponsor etc. Do it for 5 year blocks.

We've tried and trying. We have one official sponsor paying for that. Our others are from businesses that helped cover the expense to install the camera or provided tower space. Right now focusing on trying to find businesses willing to sponsor the $50/month software hosting fee per camera. Having that covered is what will allow us to expand faster because that is what takes sustained income.
I had hoped my $1 a month idea would have taken off. We've got 104,000 followers on Facebook. I had hoped 5%-10% of them would go for that. Not yet.

 

[PooPopsBaldHead]

We've tried and trying. We have one official sponsor paying for that. Our others are from businesses that helped cover the expense to install the camera or provided tower space. Right now focusing on trying to find businesses willing to sponsor the $50/month software hosting fee per camera. Having that covered is what will allow us to expand faster because that is what takes sustained income.
I had hoped my $1 a month idea would have taken off. We've got 104,000 followers on Facebook. I had hoped 5%-10% of them would go for that. Not yet.

Yikes. $50/month hosting fee adds up quick. I was thinking single donation stuff.

Seems like you might able to seriously search for grants due to the community safety aspect. If you go that route, take some time to learn about grant writing. Somebody in my town is apparently a world class grant writer and landed a grant for rural mass transit that allows us to have 2-3 buses driving empty around town for 12 hours a day. There's a lot of money out there. Fema has to have grant programs.

A lot of grants have cost share. But raising money is a lot easier if it's tied to a grant. You tell your followers we need to raise $20k to pay for software hosting and it doesn't get traction. But if you tell them you won a grant for $10k from Fema, but you have to match it and you'll get a lot more participation.

Good luck

 

[Bobby Ricigliano]

Same as every year…to not burn the roof of my mouth as much.

 

[Hugh's Burner Phone]

Yikes. $50/month hosting fee adds up quick. I was thinking single donation stuff.

Seems like you might able to seriously search for grants due to the community safety aspect. If you go that route, take some time to learn about grant writing. Somebody in my town is apparently a world class grant writer and landed a grant for rural mass transit that allows us to have 2-3 buses driving empty around town for 12 hours a day. There's a lot of money out there. Fema has to have grant programs.

A lot of grants have cost share. But raising money is a lot easier if it's tied to a grant. You tell your followers we need to raise $20k to pay for software hosting and it doesn't get traction. But if you tell them you won a grant for $10k from Fema, but you have to match it and you'll get a lot more participation.

Good luck

We have been applying for grants. Some hits and misses. And yes, that $50 a month does add up in a HUUUUGE hurry. We're monetized on Facebook and that typically brings in enough money to cover our expenses and allow us to buy a camera every month. But we can't over extend ourselves and put one up just because we have it as we don't bring in enough to keep covering those hosting fees. We're asking businesses and EMA's to do larger sponsorships and tennis hoping for small donations from the public...the $1 a month campaign. Trying everything.