Description of Proposed Project:

e-NABLE launched a newsletter this summer, but with no one to lead the project, it has not yet flourished. By Jon Schull's invitation, I would like to propose that I write a monthly newsletter for e-NABLE.

Expected results/impact:

To develop, maintain, and share news about the e-NABLE community.
To inspire and foster collaboration between e-NABLE volunteers through the sharing of information about their challenges and successes.
To contribute to the cohesive union of an international organization through the sharing of community.

Estimate of work effort involved:

This proposal provides a vision for the position of newsletter writer. The position would be 10 hours of work a month. During this time, I would research e-NABLE's biggest news, write the articles, and format the articles into an appealing document for easy sharing.

Estimated timeline for completion:

One newsletter completed per month, starting in January, for the duration of one year, to be renewed after the duration of one year.

Names of individuals responsible for deliverables:

Sarah Paynter

Amount of funding being requested:

I request $1,500 for the year contract, which is $125 per newsletter, or $12.50 an hour, which is half my professional rate. This is to be paid in installments, one per newsletter.

A brief overview of my background with e-NABLE:

I have been talking with Jon Schull about writing on several projects for him. I am the former founding CEO of a drone-based aerial data acquisition company, and I have both volunteer and professional experience in the maker field. Today, I work as a technical writer for Wevolver, an engineering community. I recently wrote a series of articles about exiii, another charitable organization that 3D prints prosthetic devices, and I am well-versed in the field. I have previously run newsletters for four nonprofit organizations, and I am comfortable with my expertise and ability to address the topics addressed by e-NABLE. Please visit www.sarahpaynter.net for my full credentials and work samples. Visit https://archive.benchmarkemail.com/e-NABLE/newsletter/e-NABLE-Newsletter---August--2017 for the previous August newsletter I would emulate.

I hope you will consider me to take up the torch for your newsletter. e-NABLE is an amazing global community, but with that comes challenges. As we seek unity among these varied parts, the sharing of information is vital. A community newsletter is a substantial step in walking with one another as we give the world a helping hand.

Update: Thanks for the feedback everyone! It seems like the opinion is pretty clear, so I'll have to see what else I can look into going forward.

Abstract: I request funding in the amount of $495 to fund the filing of Articles of Incorporation in the state of Maryland to establish eNABLE Odenton as a nonprofit corporation as well as to file for federal tax exempt status.

Cost Breakdown:

$220 to file Articles of Incorporation and file for state tax exemption
$275 to file an IRS form 1023ez to gain federal tax exemption

Background: eNABLE Odenton had delivered two hands since founding in September 2017. We are 100% self-funded by the chapter founder and we borrow time on his printer to fabricate parts. We have no coherent outreach strategy and a minimal organizational structure. We are quickly reaching the limits of our funding and recruiting, but through our presence in some social media groups, we have contacted a large pool of demand for eNABLE support. We have been approached with offers of monetary support but we have no method to receive donations other than personally to the chapter president which is not satisfactory.

We propose to establish a 501(c)3 named eNABLE Odenton Limited. We would use the requested funds for that purpose. We would then split fundraising 50/50 with eNABLE until we have repaid the starting funds and them we would share 10% of future funds raised in perpetuity.

Further, we will document the entire process for the community's use to aid other chapters who wish to take this step. I will also offer to mentor any other chapter who needs assistance going through this process.

My proposed corporate structure is below, with job descriptions. I believe this could be an effective model for chapters run by individuals who do not have the support of academic institutions. eNABLE gains a new funding stream and a model for future use, we gain the support we need to grow to meet future demand and provide support to other chapters.

Structure: The Board of Directors would consist of five members who are also the chapter’s officers. The positions are Chief Executive Officer, Chief Operations Officer, Chief Communications Officer, Chief Financial Officer, and Chief Administrative Officer. The Board would vote on changes to corporate structure and establish elections to replace itself on a regular basis.

Responsibilities:

CEO: Overall manager of the organization. Makes final decisions on governance, recruitment, vision, long-term planning and outreach. Has authority to sign for the chapter on legal and financial documents. Represent the chapter by speaking at local events.

COO: Manages all device production, equipment use, inventory. Runs chapter presence on Enable Web Central. Coordinates and assigns volunteers to chapter cases. Works to become able to serve as an expert on EWC cases.

CCO: Manage chapter social and traditional media initiatives. Handle public relations. Conduct outreach to find potential device users. Follow up worth users to assess success of donated devices. Generate media material for use and sharing with eNABLE community.

CFO: Manage chapter finances. Purchase supplies and equipment for chapter use. Keep accurate financial records for review. Collaborate with CEO to make required filings. Coordinate fundraising activities.

CAO: Responsible for records management. Manage chapter correspondence with outside groups. Keep accurate and transparent records for review by stakeholders. Create and transmit notes of any chapter meetings.

I have thought a lot about this but I would really welcome any feedback and I'm excited to hear the community's opinion. Thanks for your time!

Description of Proposed Project:

Creation of an e-NABLE Community Printables Packet, Posters, Business Cards and event materials that can be edited by volunteers who may want to replace the English text with text in their own language and add their own e-NABLE Chapter logo and information to it.

While we have a small handful of printables that have been created over the years for use by e-NABLE Volunteers at events and school functions, we do not have a solid informational pamphlet with the history and info requested by attendees at events on how they can get involved and what it takes to become a chapter or volunteer or how to get involved as a recipient or designer.

I would like to propose that some of the funds that have been set aside for me from the Community vote to support my work, be used to pay for my time in creating a solid Printables packet for the community.

Expected Results/Impact:

• A universal set of editable print materials and informational flyers and pamphlets, event banners, posters etc will allow the global community to more effectively represent the global community at events and talks or while giving presentations to medical clinics or potential funders for their work in their local areas.

• I flyer with the accurate timeline of events, correct history of e-NABLE and other important facts will ensure that the story is told properly everywhere it is presented. There have been numerous times over the past few years where presentations have been given or articles have been written that give inaccurate information about the origins of the e-NABLE Community and I think it would be valuable to the global community to have tangible printable pamphlets to share.

• This will give volunteers and chapters a set of printable tools to take with them when approaching possible funders or to attach to grant proposals etc.

Estimate of work involved:

200-300 hours

Deliverables:

Editable Tri Fold pamphlet with background history + information on how to get involved:
Editable Event posters - 5-10
Editable Updated Event banners - 3 different ones to choose from
Editable Business Cards 2-3 different designs (front and back or just front)
Editable Small postcard sized info sheets (printable at 4 per legal US sized sheet)
Editable “Get involved” flyers
Editable History of e-NABLE booklet with small images
Small social media sized e-NABLE Video
Image slides with history for presentations

Estimated timeline for completion:

6-8 weeks.

Names of individuals responsible for deliverables:

Jen Owen

Amount of Funding being requested:

$4000 from the $12,500 that has been set aside for my work and gifted to me already by the community. This funding request does not come out of the general funding amount, it comes out of the funds that the community has already set aside for my work.

*$20 per hour with an estimated 200 hours minimum to complete this project completely.

• The average wage for professional graphic design work of this level in the Seattle area and level of experience = $29 an hour.

A brief overview of my background with e-NABLE:

I am the founder of enablingthefuture.org, a leader and co-founder of the e-NABLE Community and I have provided various graphic design work and materials for the e-NABLE Community for the past 4 years.

The first 3D printed e-NABLE Hand was created by my ex husband, Ivan Owen, in 2012 and I created a blog that helped to spread the word about e-NABLE and the first designs so that we could grow.

I have created the logo for the global community, the website (enablingthefuture.org) and numerous other designs for use by our volunteers, all of the badges being used by our volunteers, design challenges, event materials and many other useful tools for the global community and enjoy helping to make it possible for our chapters and volunteers to share their work and our community story with the world.

Proposed payout schedule:

4 Payments of $1000 dependent on deliverables. Each deliverable will take different amounts of time as some are more complex than others but on average, there should be at least 2 deliverables created in an equivalent of approximately 50 work hours.

Some deliverables will be faster to create than others and may result in 3-4 being produced in the 50 hours per payout period.

On average, payment will be requested after every 50 hours of work time and when another deliverable or group of deliverables are completed.

Payment should

The proposed update is:
* In order to propose a project the "PROJECT OWNER" need to be part of an e-NABLE Chapter and the chapter act as "PROJECT SPONSOR".
* If the PROJECT OWNER is not part of a chapter, the PROJECT OWNER need to connect to a chapter.
* The PROJCT OWNER will report the project status of the chapter and the chapter will report back to the community via weekly SPC meetings.
* The funds will be given to the Chapter and the chapter will be passing the funds to the PROJECT OWNER/TEAM based on project deliverables.
* The PROJECT OWNER will be accountable for the project deliverables and the Chapter will act as the PROJECT SPONSOR, auditing the project and validatig that what was proposed is what is being done.

This small change will ensure that the volunteers in charge of the proposed projects are really part of the community and that they are in touch, even if not face-to-face, with people that understand e-NABLE values and needs.

With this process change we will have the following improvements:

1. The PROJECT OWNER reports the project status to the chapter and the chapter report back to the community via the Weekly SPC Meetings.

2. e-NABLE will have a due registered entity (The chapter) being accountable for the project.

3. The project proposals will in most cases be validated by the chapter before goeing to Loomio. This will add more reliability to the project proposed.

4. The risk of someone that have never before interacted with e-NABLE request a project fund and never deliver after approval will be drastically reduced as the chapter will be part the project stakeholders and and also an auditing part.

Please share your thoughts and votes.
Lets make the community more organized and ensure that the funds are being well spent.