AERO May Fundraising Report

AERO Fundraising Report

May 8, 2020

We started out 2020 with a clear, precise, and ambitious but eminently do-able plan. We drafted programs and services to continue helping build and support community development of values-based local food systems across the state, focusing specifically now on cultivating cross-sector engagement across the food system. We are clear that strong, community-based food systems are the best next step for building a more sustainable Montana.

Implementing our plan is dependent on three things:

grant funding from WSARE and WERME (awarded!)
continued member and Business Partner support (on target!), and a
development campaign to raise $145,000 in 2020 ($54K raised to date!)

So, we are delighted to report that we are on track with our fundraising goals for 2020. Yay!

Of course, as every AERO member and Montanan knows, then the corona virus came ashore. Our carefully laid plan has been morphing almost daily ever since. In all the best ways, AERO has the skill set and knowledge to be of service at this time, and we are doing our AERO-best to be responsive to the new requests for our time and expertise (this is what we do, after all).

Nonetheless, it does feel a little like wrangling a mattress, this getting a handle on the scope of need while keeping our eye on our capacity and resources, and wrapping our heads around a host of new concepts like: re-envisioning Expo as a more virtual event, and the impact of social distancing on on-farm programming and hands-on, demonstration learning.

So far, we are still within our budget and on-target, AND (we mean this): if you have funds to spare (extra stimulus funds, for example), please consider contributing more to AERO now. We will make excellent use of the funds right here, right now, in Montana, helping create the world you want to live in. We really do work for you!

Lastly, in case you don’t yet know this: the new CARES Act supports your charitable giving in 2020 two ways:

If you don’t itemize: there now is an above-the-line charitable tax deduction for cash donations of $300 per tax return
If you do itemize: the 60% deduction cap for annual contributions has been lifted

Give online here: https://bit.ly/aerogiving. THANK YOU!