This document discusses fundraising efforts by the Seeley's Bay Area Residents' Association to revitalize their small community. It outlines various funding sources leveraged over 7 years totaling $171,000, with most coming from Trillium, OMAFRA, and their own fundraising events. The initiative is led by volunteers and aims to raise the profile of Seeley's Bay through signage, events, and promoting local assets. The document emphasizes that securing funding takes significant time and respecting partners' and volunteers' capacity is key to success. Collaborating with multiple partners and sticking to a long-term plan has allowed the association to leverage their efforts.

1. Big Fundraising
for Teeny Tiny Places
It’s not just about the money…
SEELEY’S BAY AREA RESIDENTS’ ASSOCIATION | MARCH 30, 2016

2. THIS IS MY PRAIRIE
CORB LUND

3. What is the ‘place’
you are revitalizing?
Connecting With the Passion of ‘Place’
You must “KNOW” the
place and local opinion
People are practical
Voluntary action
is highly local
Visitors are seeking
‘authentic local experiences’
TAKE A “PLACE-BASED” APPROACH
Leeds & 1000 Islands
City of Kingston
Rideau Lakes
One Community, 4 Municipalities. Place Really Matters
K0H 2N0 Postal Code | 387 Phone number + traditional identity = Seeley’s Bay area
South Frontenac

5. Seeley’s Bay Steps Up
• An economic revitalization initiative
lead by a local voluntary residents’
association
• Hamlet of ‘unknown’ size,
postmistress says 250 homes in
village ‘proper’; another 500 in
larger catchment area
• On Rideau Canal & Hwy 15; 40 minutes
to downtown Kingston
• Raising profile of community &
capitalizing on assets is overarching
goal of initiative
• Signage, water quality, events,
amenities and promotion are key
activities

6. Know Your Capacity: It Takes Time
• Money isn’t the big
challenge
…getting good information
and access to people’s time IS!
…getting the PLAN right is key.
• Use volunteers smartly;
project demands must
respect their time limits

7. Know Your Capacity: It Takes Time
• Your partners, e.g. municipal
gov’t, are all busy with other
things too
• Billboards, signs, websites,
parkettes, interpretive sign
stories, networking…every
step of the project takes a
LOT of time to do it well,
from researching to the
ribbon cutting, many steps in
between

8. Getting the Money from Other Funders
• Municipal – communicate, lobby,
respect processes/timing
• Fed/Prov sources (Trillium, CDCs,
OMAFRA) – volunteer ‘pitch’ writers
• Angels (bequests, foundations)
– friend making, finding allied
interests
• Own efforts (infrastructure
sponsorship/tax slips, Storyfests)
• Make smart ‘time:$’ choices

9. Getting the Money from Other Funders
• Municipal – communicate, lobby,
respect processes/timing
• Fed/Prov sources (Trillium, CDCs,
OMAFRA) – volunteer ‘pitch’ writers
• Angels (bequests, foundations)
– friend making, finding allied
interests
• Own efforts (infrastructure
sponsorship/tax slips, Storyfests)
• Make smart ‘time:$’ choices

10. RAFFAN ON ACCESSIBLE WILDNESS
STORYFEST FUNDRAISING EVENT

11. Volunteer Effort Can Leverage A LOT
SEELEY'S BAY STEPS UP FUNDING SOURCES 2010-2016
SBARA
$66K
TICDC
$37K
OMAFRA
$25K
Trillium
$45K
Municipal
$38K
Municipal share
is about 18%,
or a bit over
$5K per year
for 7 years
With a 5+ yr
horizon, very
likely other
funders will find
a way to help
Some doors
close, others
open
Stick to the
plan, don’t alter
priorities to
chase ‘latest’
funding scheme

12. Collaborative Effort Pays Off

13. Collaborative Effort Pays Off
Before After

14. For further info:
liz.huff@sympatico.ca