Free-Range Drama Farm

So, now that we’ve got a whole year to plot and scheme before we actually do anything, we’ve got a few things that we’d really like to accomplish, in order to be ready to roll once we’re settled in Pittsburgh. Here’s what we want to do:

1. Set up the company’s structure. Ultimately, we’ll want the Drama Farm to be a tax-exempt nonprofit organization - that way any contributions our supporters make will be tax-deductible, we’ll be eligible for more grant funding, and we’ll get all the other benefits associated with nonprofit status. The question is: do we need/want to set that up now, or would it be better to wait? And when we do get it set up, what kind of nonprofit structure do we need?
2. Create an education plan. We’ve got a lot of ideas about the direction we want the Farm to go in, and things we want to work on with the students, but we really don’t know anything about coming up with a real plan for what we’re doing. The idea behind the Drama Farm is very much a free-form education model, but I’d like to work with someone with a real background in education, to come up with a formal plan for how the program will work. Ideas are great, but the more thought and planning we put into it, the better the students’ experiences will be.
3. Create a fundraising plan. Once we get ourselves settled in Pittsburgh, we’re going to want to start doing things - which means we’re going to need some money. Should we do some fundraising this year? Should we wait until we get to Pittsburgh and do a big fundraising push there? And what sort of fundraising should we do?

I know you talented people out there could be a huge help with some of this - some of you have already expressed an interest in helping, which we’re incredibly grateful for! I’ll write more on each of these goals - what we’ve found out so far, what our thoughts are, etc. - through the coming week, but if you see something you’re interested in helping with, jump right in! Leave a comment or drop me an email - your expertise would be greatly appreciated!