QUOTE
Desperately Seeking Sponsors
No sooner did we get the Bigfoot Riverside Retreat up and running, when we ran out of funding. For the last five years our full time bigfoot research and museum project has been funded by the equity in our home. We had hoped the museum sales and subscriptions would be enough to recover a portion of the mortgage payments, and cover our operating and living expenses. That has not happened yet. Moreover the current downturn in the economy has made things even worse. We've invested all we can at this point, and have come very close to the point where the project will be able to fund itself.
When we launched this project five years ago we realized there was a chance we could lose our home should the revenue stream not live up to our expectations. Our dedication to the goals and ideals of the project impelled us to make the choice to move ahead regardless. Due to unforeseen circumstances we have thus far been unable to follow through with the original business plan and as a result the revenue flow needed at this time is not being met. We now have an "upside down" loan and have become a potential victim of foreclosure. To keep the Bigfoot Discovery Project underway and to save the newly created Bigfoot Riverside Retreat, we are now seeking outside funding sources. We need serious sponsors (investors? partners?) who realize both the importance of bigfoot research and the profit potential of our project.
The good news is that in spite of the setbacks and other impediments to progress, we now have a functioning museum with well over 100 members, including an ongoing field research program that is just starting to garner physical evidence to back up the local reports gathered over the past five years. We also have designs for a myriad of educational and artistic products that will generate revenue as soon as they are produced and marketed. The Bigfoot Riverside Retreat was opened just in time for Bigfoot Discovery Day II and has already rented sporadically since then, yet to date we've spent virtually nothing on advertising and marketing. What we need is enough funding for another year (maybe less). After that the project will be able to sustain itself through revenues from sales and services.
The Bigfoot Discovery Project is totally unique and includes...
a website
a museum/gallery (tourist attraction)
a retail store
a database of bigfoot reports (many of which are local)
ongoing field investigations
50+ years of bigfoot research experience
a line of educational & entertaining products about bigfoot (many are ready and waiting for production)
The groundwork is done, all systems are ready, but we need help to make it happen. Help in the form of funding and additional staff (and/or volunteers).
Why should anyone want to help us?
Because they'll be able to make a healthy return on their investment while doing a service to the community, creating jobs, and helping to solve a mystery.
Our mission is to find evidence for bigfoot and establish a center for scientific exploration, delving into a variety of natural mysteries of science (we want to help legitimatize cryptozoology, for example).
We are 100% dedicated to the project: solve the bigfoot mystery via scientific evidence while making the museum self-sustaining
The primary founder (Mike Rugg) has over 50 years of experience in bigfoot research (including the last 5 years of full-time study)
The museum is fully operational and attracts 1000s of visitors from all over the world each year, including an average of 1.5 bigfoot "experiencers" per week
We have field operations underway and are making progress in several areas - Building a local network of observers - Gathering invitations to do research on private land in suspected local habitat areas - Y.E.T.I. project operational on a weekly basis (recording screams in the night)
Our first educational project (Bigfoot Discovery Book) was published several years ago and is "out there" and many more are on the drawing board
The membership program is into its fourth year, documented by our monthly newsletter
Our annual conference (Bigfoot Discovery Day) is established and growing
The Bigfoot Riverside Retreat is ready to accept rentals and house events
The web site has been growing recently and will soon be generating revenue
Our database is based primarily on personal interviews and indicates a local presence (we have dozens of local sighting reports; even more reports of anomalous animal calls, and reports of large naked human-like footprints)
Our study area is close by and easy to access on a regular basis
We have established lines of communication with other respected researchers (such as NABS, AIBR & BFRO)
We debunk sightings that result from mistaken identity, bigfoot fever, hoaxes and psychoses - We are the "real deal"... researchers who do not rely on false claims and hoaxes to get attention!
Where will the money go?
It will be spread in a number of different directions, all of which make the project possible: Inventory for the store, advertising and marketing collateral (printing and distribution), acquisitions for the library and the collection; field & office equipment; and overhead, for example.
What can you do as an individual to help?
Become a museum member ($25 - 500)
Renew your existing subscription (membership) early or upgrade it
Rent the Bigfoot Riverside Retreat for a weekend
Make a direct donation (cash, check, PayPal)
Send a letter of support, expressing how the Bigfoot Discovery Project or Bigfoot Discovery Museum has had a positive influence on your life or how it is a valuable asset to the community
Become a sponsor or ask the company you work for to consider a sponsorship for the museum
Forward this plea to others you think might be able to help
Volunteer some time as an intern or docent or searcher
Dedicate your full-time-on speculation-to the project as a co-entrepreneur
What can you do as a business to help?
Sponsor the museum for a year and in return we'll display your logo or products on our web site and at the museum. You can write off the expense as advertising and 1000s of people will know of your sponsorship. Enter into a partnership with us based on profit sharing from future revenues. Partner with us on certain aspects of the business plan only, such as the ecotourism or events.
We need-$5-10K per-month to keep the project going strong as it is envisioned. We've asked for help in the past, but this time its critical. This project has been going strong for the last 5 years; it would be a shame to see it stall out after coming so close to success.
Thank you sincerely for any help you can give... if we can keep at it we'll solve this mystery together.
Michael Rugg
831-335-4478
mikerugg@sbcglobal.net
No sooner did we get the Bigfoot Riverside Retreat up and running, when we ran out of funding. For the last five years our full time bigfoot research and museum project has been funded by the equity in our home. We had hoped the museum sales and subscriptions would be enough to recover a portion of the mortgage payments, and cover our operating and living expenses. That has not happened yet. Moreover the current downturn in the economy has made things even worse. We've invested all we can at this point, and have come very close to the point where the project will be able to fund itself.
When we launched this project five years ago we realized there was a chance we could lose our home should the revenue stream not live up to our expectations. Our dedication to the goals and ideals of the project impelled us to make the choice to move ahead regardless. Due to unforeseen circumstances we have thus far been unable to follow through with the original business plan and as a result the revenue flow needed at this time is not being met. We now have an "upside down" loan and have become a potential victim of foreclosure. To keep the Bigfoot Discovery Project underway and to save the newly created Bigfoot Riverside Retreat, we are now seeking outside funding sources. We need serious sponsors (investors? partners?) who realize both the importance of bigfoot research and the profit potential of our project.
The good news is that in spite of the setbacks and other impediments to progress, we now have a functioning museum with well over 100 members, including an ongoing field research program that is just starting to garner physical evidence to back up the local reports gathered over the past five years. We also have designs for a myriad of educational and artistic products that will generate revenue as soon as they are produced and marketed. The Bigfoot Riverside Retreat was opened just in time for Bigfoot Discovery Day II and has already rented sporadically since then, yet to date we've spent virtually nothing on advertising and marketing. What we need is enough funding for another year (maybe less). After that the project will be able to sustain itself through revenues from sales and services.
The Bigfoot Discovery Project is totally unique and includes...
a website
a museum/gallery (tourist attraction)
a retail store
a database of bigfoot reports (many of which are local)
ongoing field investigations
50+ years of bigfoot research experience
a line of educational & entertaining products about bigfoot (many are ready and waiting for production)
The groundwork is done, all systems are ready, but we need help to make it happen. Help in the form of funding and additional staff (and/or volunteers).
Why should anyone want to help us?
Because they'll be able to make a healthy return on their investment while doing a service to the community, creating jobs, and helping to solve a mystery.
Our mission is to find evidence for bigfoot and establish a center for scientific exploration, delving into a variety of natural mysteries of science (we want to help legitimatize cryptozoology, for example).
We are 100% dedicated to the project: solve the bigfoot mystery via scientific evidence while making the museum self-sustaining
The primary founder (Mike Rugg) has over 50 years of experience in bigfoot research (including the last 5 years of full-time study)
The museum is fully operational and attracts 1000s of visitors from all over the world each year, including an average of 1.5 bigfoot "experiencers" per week
We have field operations underway and are making progress in several areas - Building a local network of observers - Gathering invitations to do research on private land in suspected local habitat areas - Y.E.T.I. project operational on a weekly basis (recording screams in the night)
Our first educational project (Bigfoot Discovery Book) was published several years ago and is "out there" and many more are on the drawing board
The membership program is into its fourth year, documented by our monthly newsletter
Our annual conference (Bigfoot Discovery Day) is established and growing
The Bigfoot Riverside Retreat is ready to accept rentals and house events
The web site has been growing recently and will soon be generating revenue
Our database is based primarily on personal interviews and indicates a local presence (we have dozens of local sighting reports; even more reports of anomalous animal calls, and reports of large naked human-like footprints)
Our study area is close by and easy to access on a regular basis
We have established lines of communication with other respected researchers (such as NABS, AIBR & BFRO)
We debunk sightings that result from mistaken identity, bigfoot fever, hoaxes and psychoses - We are the "real deal"... researchers who do not rely on false claims and hoaxes to get attention!
Where will the money go?
It will be spread in a number of different directions, all of which make the project possible: Inventory for the store, advertising and marketing collateral (printing and distribution), acquisitions for the library and the collection; field & office equipment; and overhead, for example.
What can you do as an individual to help?
Become a museum member ($25 - 500)
Renew your existing subscription (membership) early or upgrade it
Rent the Bigfoot Riverside Retreat for a weekend
Make a direct donation (cash, check, PayPal)
Send a letter of support, expressing how the Bigfoot Discovery Project or Bigfoot Discovery Museum has had a positive influence on your life or how it is a valuable asset to the community
Become a sponsor or ask the company you work for to consider a sponsorship for the museum
Forward this plea to others you think might be able to help
Volunteer some time as an intern or docent or searcher
Dedicate your full-time-on speculation-to the project as a co-entrepreneur
What can you do as a business to help?
Sponsor the museum for a year and in return we'll display your logo or products on our web site and at the museum. You can write off the expense as advertising and 1000s of people will know of your sponsorship. Enter into a partnership with us based on profit sharing from future revenues. Partner with us on certain aspects of the business plan only, such as the ecotourism or events.
We need-$5-10K per-month to keep the project going strong as it is envisioned. We've asked for help in the past, but this time its critical. This project has been going strong for the last 5 years; it would be a shame to see it stall out after coming so close to success.
Thank you sincerely for any help you can give... if we can keep at it we'll solve this mystery together.
Michael Rugg
831-335-4478
mikerugg@sbcglobal.net
I agree, 'Teresa', but it is now such an unfavorable economic moment to have to search for funding for any reason, let alone BF related projects. The best bet is finding a sympathetic benefactor with personal BF interests; and that might not be easy. I am reminded of how financially difficult it has been for Loren Coleman to maintain Cryptomundo and his museum over the past year. I'm afraid the timing isn't good for anyone involved in the fringe sciences. A shakeout may be close at hand, I'm sorry to say.