Kristy--
I've gotten more involved in fundraising at my own institution and have
found some good resources on the internet.  One in particular that has a
good fundraising FAQ section is the Support Center.  The address is
www.supportcenter.org/sf/frgenie.html.  Also the AAM bookstore offers
several books.  Their website is www.aam-us.org/.

Keep in mind that a fundraising event may not be the best way to raise
money.  They are, as we all know, very time and staff-intensive.  We
already have two big fundraising events and couldn't take on another one
at present, so we are focusing our efforts on building close
relationships with our donors, building membership, maximizing our
income from our current events (finding corporate sponsors, for
instance), and getting foundation grants.

There are lots of opportunities for building your fundraising
expertise--you might also consider joining the Development and
Membership Committee of AAM (DAM).  They offered many wonderful sessions
at the AAM Annual Meeting and seemed very open to sharing their
experiences. They also have a great newsletter.

Good luck and feel free to call if you want to chat further.

Stacey Otte
Deputy Director
Catalina Island Museum
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