Outreach Spring 2009 Challenges

Subteam Leader: Unknown

Number of team member needed: As many as possible

If more than 5 people join, subteams should be created

Important team member skills:

• At least one returning Outreach team member
• Experience with AguaClara is helpful, but this is a good team for new members

Challenges

Fundraising
Overview: In the Spring 2008 the Outreach team worked to make contacts to develop relationships for future funding and potential partners. The Fall 2008 Team took the opposite approach and devoted much effort toward applying for grants and creating the materials that would make it easier. The next Outreach Team needs to go back and reach out to the contacts made last spring through presentations, newsletters, and any other applicable means you feel would be effective. In the future we hope that communities will be able to outright buy an AguaClara plant based on their affordability. Until that day comes we rely on grants and donations to see us through. It has also been proposed that microfinance partnerships could benefit us, although it seems that it would be a direction that needs to be well research and thoroughly planned before implementation could occur. (See Business Team below)

Specific challenges:

1. Follow up with and maintain contact with organizations and contacts from both D.C. trips in Spring 2008 (another trip to DC?)
2. Plan events to present to Alumni (Reunion, Cornell Clubs?)
3. Apply to some grants

Awareness
Overview: Awareness ties in with both our fundraising and recruitment efforts. Our current awareness initiatives include the conferences we attend, the fliers, brochures, and posters we create, and the presentations we give. Awareness challenges include those that we already do, but a few new ones have been suggested.

Specific Challenges:

1. Continue with AguaClara newsletter (quarterly? electronically sent to all contacts/ potential donors/ aguaclara alumni etc.)
   1. Update AguaClara Alumni to include past semesters grads
   2. In the future ask students if they wish to be on the list serve for the newsletter.
2. Finish the Demo Plant Instructions Manual, laminate for the suitcase, and make available on the wiki
3. ESW Conference scheduled for Fall 2009, keep an eye out for any new deadlines or correspondance
4. Lesson plan for local schools present about Honduras/water/aguaclara at local schools
5. Organize trips/events for people to present

Recruitment
Overview: Recruitment initiatives continue to be based on Presentations to freshmen's Intro 1050 Classes. Other initiatives have included attempting to get CEE 255 crosslisted, so more non-engineering majors might enroll, but hasn't proceeded very far.

Specific Challenges:

1. Organize 1050 presentations, Host meetings open to class to go over using the demo plant and the presentation aka training for 1050 presentations
   If you still think it's a good idea (less important than other challenges):
2. Get CEE 255 listed for interdisciplinary courses for the fall
3. Work on syllabus for interdisciplinary purposes
   

Business Team?

If there is interest in creating a separate business team, it could be 2-3 members. Tasks (suggested by last spring team) could include:

1. Need to decide grants/microfinance
2. Microfinance proposal with help from someone with business experience
3. Better projections of global demand
4. Better generic public health statistics about the importance of water
5. Follow up on contacts made by Larry Harrington...lots of contacts so figure out a way to reach more of them
6. Learn more about microfinance specifically towards AguaClara
7. Contact Engineering firms/Government Agencies about the potential for partnerships.
8. Follow-up with SEA and figure out a strategy that can work for both groups to keep them involved