The "BIG PUSH"
On this third pledge day of Big Give SA 2017, Choral Society President, Heather Yun (pictured above) is having a great time reaching out to supporters in the Choral Society's "BIG PUSH" donor tele-engagement party, held today. In just over an hour, the little crew from SACS brought in over $1,000, raising their total donations to $2,525 to date. With only 3 days left until the Big Day, "San Antonio's Choir" remains optimistic, even with the $26,000 target so far out of reach.
"The people of San Antonio are laid back...never in any rush. That is one of the many things that make living in our great city so appealing." Doug McCarroll, Executive Director explains. "However, when called upon for support, the community never fails to come through in a BIG way."
Last year, only part way through the giving day, the online donation system crashed, creating huge shortfalls in nonprofit earning projections. The Choral Society was one of those most affected. The management team of the 80-member troop discovered alternative funding revenues to balance their budget to continue into the next season, but that did not solve a bigger problem.
As with all successful arts organizations these days, the Choral Society must constantly be funding the “GAP.” In fiscal year 2018, all arts agencies will feel the effects of the projected elimination of government funding to the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). This season, revenues were lower than projected, resulting in a loss or “break-even” for each concert. Anticipated grant dollars from the city fell short of expectations and, perhaps most importantly, projected grant funding, for the orchestra through our partnership with the Symphony’s Mozart Festival, did not materialize, as promised.
"The good news is we have already raised approximately $24,500 through city grants, corporate support, foundations and individual donors," Mr. McCarroll exclaims. "The challenge that remains is that there is only 1 month left before the end of our fiscal year, we need $26,000 in new revenue in order to bring in a balanced budget and to launch our 53rd season. The most viable solution is to leverage opportunities offered through participating in the Big Give."
This year, the Big Give has afforded San Antonio's nonprofit community a more robust fundraising event, now supported by the GiveGab.com platform. It allows donors to schedule their donations to be processed on the day of the 1-day giving event. The online utility offers so many other ways to cultivate donor support outside of the Big Give where users can create and manage their own fundraising drives.
Advances in their fundraising program, new branding and opportunities offered through their partnership with the San Antonio Tricentennial Commission have strengthened the the choir members' resolve as they look ahead to the future of the organization. This is such an exciting time for the Choral Society, as they wrap up their 52nd consecutive season, and this is only the beginning!
Pledge your support, TODAY! To hear their story https://sanantoniochoralsociety.org. Click "Donate" to easily schedule a donation.
