A MESSAGE FROM THE TREASURER
Dear Fellow ASOR Members and Friends:
We are hurtling towards the June 30 fiscal year end. In his June 7 message, Executive Director, Andy Vaughn, focused on our goal of 410 discrete donors for Fiscal Year 2016. With less than ten days to go, we have 280 discrete donors.
We have a long way to go in a short period of time. We need your help. And we need it now. So if you have not made a donation this fiscal year, please consider doing so. Your gift—no matter the amount—is crucial to achieving our goal. And while we’re at it, let’s go ahead and set a new all-time record of 418 discrete donors in a single fiscal year.
Remember—high donor participation by our members translates into large grants from foundations and substantial individual donations. Success breeds success. For the last two years, ASOR has ranked first among learned societies in membership donor participation—let’s keep it that way.
But I also want to speak to the actual dollars received. With less than ten days to go in Fiscal Year 2016, we have received $393,742 in memberships and subscriptions revenue. The all-time record is $412,750. So while we are setting a new record for the number of discrete donors, let’s also set a new record for memberships and subscriptions revenue in a single fiscal year.
Why? Because ASOR delivers on its membership benefits and publications, and we want to continue to do so.
But we also want to continue to grow and strengthen the organization; produce successful and thought provoking Annual Meetings; expand our student scholarships; engage in programs to safeguard and protect cultural heritage; and support our members in their research and professional endeavors through fellowships and grants.
All of which takes money. Your money. And I am not too bashful to ask for it.
This is an exciting time to be an ASOR member. Our Annual Meeting will be at a beautiful, family-oriented resort in the Texas hill country. We recently adopted an ambitious strategic plan that will expand our presence on the world stage, and further our mission into the next decade. We also are in the throes of a re-branding process that will result in a totally overhauled ASOR website. It will be visually stunning, chock full of useful information, and provide enhanced membership benefits. And, of course, be more user-friendly.
Did I mention it takes money to do all of this stuff? It does and we need it. Whether $10, $25, $100 or more, your contribution will be significant and meaningful. And it also could be record setting.
So if you haven’t made a contribution this fiscal year, now is the time to stand and deliver. June 30 is fast upon us. We accept cash, checks, and money orders. Credit card donations may be made through the ASOR website (just click here to DONATE).
If you have already contributed, thank you for supporting ASOR. That said, please consider joining me in chipping in a little bit more. Let’s set some records.
Best regards,
Richard L. Coffman
ASOR Treasurer
