Attendees: Jacqi Hodgson, Gerry Granshaw, Mark Bevan, Chris Bird, Steph Bradley, Andrew Baldrey & Fiona Ward

The focus of the meeting was to look at ways to generate income for TTT core costs, which are approx £30,000 per year (admin salary, rent, utilities, insurance, consumables, printing costs etc). We want to move from ‘asking to earning’ and start to be more self-reliant.

Potential income streams include:

Donations – we could do more to ask for money to support our work from local people. Perhaps they think we already have enough money? The website is already set up with a means to donate online. It can feel awkward to ask for money, but this seems essential and normal practice for any other not for profit. Need to create some standard words about how to ask for donations and why.

• Gerry to look at the words/message as part of the new website homepage design.
• Lou to ensure that a request for donations is made at the end of every public event, using the agreed upon request text.

Membership fees - to be discussed as part of the structure and belonging work that is ongoing – at the least this should be optional, we do not want to put barriers in place?

• Noni to ensure it is discussed.

Events & training – we already generate income from these but in general just enough to cover their costs. We are loathe to charge more for attendance as this will put some people off. We want to be as accessible as possible. We can definitely make money from selling refreshments at events, if only just tea and biscuits.

•  Lou to arrange for refreshments for most events – and a team of people who are happy to do this, where they get supplies from etc. Ideally is this done by the group that’s organising the event?
• Lou to ensure that the charge is enough to cover costs at least.

Core group to agree the profit split that goes to core costs versus the organising group – 50/50 was felt to be too low for the core costs, proposal to be written by Lou for next meeting.

Sponsorship – i.e. general donations from businesses, or donations for a specific project. We can acknowledge the donation on a simple list of ‘thanks’ on our website with no further obligation or connection to the business in question.

•  Hal has been doing some thinking in this area – can this be progressed yet?

Fun sponsorship appeal – do a different appeal every Q perhaps e.g.

•  Like requests to sponsor a zoo animal, could ask for sponsorship for a core group member! Put in a photo and a bio of each – put this on the website. Fiona to talk to Hal.

Products & services – these can relate to TTT projects or general TTT activities:

Wellbeing cafe

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  • This is an idea that Steph is working on – business planning in progress to assess financial viability. Would offer great local food, information about food, health and wellness in an entertaining, engaging way, access to info and people to talk about TTT,  a shop front for TTT (if we get big enough place could also move the TTT/TN offices there too?). Maybe also a deli and could sell ‘transition’ products e.g. e-e bulbs, composters etc.
  • Note that the ‘community shop’ funding that Fiona mentioned is only relevant for villages – shame!

EDP project

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  •  Jacqi already being asked to go elsewhere to tell them about the project and the process
  • The project will produce an EDAP for Totnes (format still under discussion) and a tool kit that is used to produce one anywhere else.
  • The Totnes EDP will be available for free for anyone in Totnes
  • Green Book are offering to publish ‘the EDP book’ – is this still on the table? How much would TTT get from each sale – about £1 per book?
  • So we may have a free web version of the Totnes plan, a printed book of the process and example from Totnes, and a training course to offer.
  • Other Transition places may be asked to pay a nominal fee for the web-based toolkit and example from Totnes – perhaps just £5-10 or something like that to cover costs – nothing prohibitive. Or should this be free? How does TTT look to other transition places if we are charge them anything – is this fair?
  • Non transition organisations will be asked to pay a reasonable amount
  • An EDP training course will likely be developed and rolled out by Transition Training & Consulting? This would be charged out for non transition organisations for sure, possibly just charge enough to cover costs for transition places – or possibly these costs are covered by the revenue from selling it to business? All TBD but same issues as above, we’d like to ensure that TTT gets some ongoing revenue given it did the initial work (albeit funded work). Proposal to be developed as and when, and taking into account precedents set by model for Transition Tales etc.
  • Potential to do different versions for schools, businesses, councils, family etc.
  • Jacqi to work up a ‘commercial’ proposal once the end deliverables are more clearly defined – but essential to ensure that the EDP process can easily be taken up by other transition places with no financial barriers.

Transition Tales project

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  •   Hal & Steph already working on plans to make this commercially available – schools will be willing and able to pay the going rate for this great product/service.
  • We had much discussion about potential revenue split models, given that this originated in TTT (who has the IP rights?) but will likely be managed as a roll out project by the Transition Network, but we also want to ensure local transition places get a fair share too.
  • This needs further work and a proposal needs to be presented as part of the business planning process that shares profit in a fair, equitable and transparent way.
  • It is felt that TTT should definitely get a share, either an up front payment and/or an ongoing cut. This model will encourage other transition places to share and roll out their own transition related income generating activities.
  • TTT will also get revenue from delivering Transition Tales directly to our local schools.
  • This should align in some way with the proposal currently on the table for Transition Training & Consulting revenue sharing model.

Jumble sales / car boot sale / bring and buy / clothes swap – or a mixture!

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  • Jacqi offered to organise one for the autumn
  • Can we find out what they typically make at St John’s from their jumble sales – Lou/Noni to call them.

Fundraising social events – music, food, drink, dancing, fun, raffle etc – will attract new people too and help nourish those already involved. Perhaps have 1 per programme 

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  • Chris offered to organise the first one, he knows some local musicians...

Totnes Festival – Hal is already thinking about this...a total takeover of Vire Island by all involved in outdoor education and recreation and environmental education throughout the area.

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  •   demonstrating and celebrating what is available in the area
  • promoting area as destination and centre of this kind of activity
  • visible sign that there is festival going on in town
  • raising money for Devon Wildlife Trust and TTT (Phil does canoe trips in aid of DWT so will build on that and TTT will benefit from association).

Next meeting TBD probably in March/April. Meanwhile networking activities will be progressed and a meeting held with Business Link.