**IMPORTANT** Please help us Keep NMP up and running!!

[honeycakes]

it depend what you qualify as personal loss, if you're saying we need to reimburse Nic for everything she paid out of pocket vs. help keep the site alive at the moment those are two different things.

there are alot of websites and discussion boards out there that are running for free with a greater volume of people coming in then i've seen here.

there's nothing wrong with asking for donations to keep the site going but saying you need money to reimburse someone for what they've put into the site that's something that's hard to quantify. a lot of people here don't work and would probably give 5$ if it meant keeping the site going but vs. reimbursing someone for what they paid in the past, esp. since it was a free service being offered to us... I know what I paid personally yearly in the past to have a forum and discussion board split between 2 people. I don't know how much this site costs in comparision.

if there was a thermometer thing going on right now and I had a clear idea what the costs of running this site was I'd donate right away even if it were just for the extra chat room

[nomorepanic]

I am sorting the donation amounts now but it is taking time because the Paypal account I use is also one I use for selling on Ebay so I have to sort out what are donations and what are sales.

I am not in this to make money believe me.

Yes we will get a new chat room from the money raised as well.

[nomorepanic]

there are alot of websites and discussion boards out there that are running for free with a greater volume of people coming in then i've seen here.

I would be interested in knowing what they are please so I can take a look

I like to see how other forums run etc.

[MyNameIsTerry]

it depend what you qualify as personal loss, if you're saying we need to reimburse Nic for everything she paid out of pocket vs. help keep the site alive at the moment those are two different things.

there are alot of websites and discussion boards out there that are running for free with a greater volume of people coming in then i've seen here.

there's nothing wrong with asking for donations to keep the site going but saying you need money to reimburse someone for what they've put into the site that's something that's hard to quantify. a lot of people here don't work and would probably give 5$ if it meant keeping the site going but vs. reimbursing someone for what they paid in the past, esp. since it was a free service being offered to us... I know what I paid personally yearly in the past to have a forum and discussion board split between 2 people. I don't know how much this site costs in comparision.

if there was a thermometer thing going on right now and I had a clear idea what the costs of running this site was I'd donate right away even if it were just for the extra chat room

Also, why would us newer members subsidise the costs of previous members who have been & gone? What about the "old-timers" on here, should they pay a load out to cover them?

Moving forward is best. A target for 2015 and then each year as Nic's situation as changed and would appreciate any support she can get I'm sure.

This is why having a target like they do on JustGiving is useful as it can spur people into action. If people think costs are covered, they won't bother but if they think there is still a way to go they might do things to raise money.

[ricardo]

it depend what you qualify as personal loss, if you're saying we need to reimburse Nic for everything she paid out of pocket vs. help keep the site alive at the moment those are two different things.

there are alot of websites and discussion boards out there that are running for free with a greater volume of people coming in then i've seen here.

there's nothing wrong with asking for donations to keep the site going but saying you need money to reimburse someone for what they've put into the site that's something that's hard to quantify. a lot of people here don't work and would probably give 5$ if it meant keeping the site going but vs. reimbursing someone for what they paid in the past, esp. since it was a free service being offered to us... I know what I paid personally yearly in the past to have a forum and discussion board split between 2 people. I don't know how much this site costs in comparision.

if there was a thermometer thing going on right now and I had a clear idea what the costs of running this site was I'd donate right away even if it were just for the extra chat room

I think that for a number of reasons some are very personal, Nic who has put years and years into NMP subsidising it entirely herself, needs people to donate if possible as there is an issue with The Chat Room, others don't use this room, but generally she wants to maintain the standards she initially alone and then with a band of dedicated admin people has achieved, going.

It has nothing to do with other sites. people do come and go on all forums regardless of the theme..

NMP is a lifeline to many, a community, do I need to say anymore.

[MyNameIsTerry]

I'm afraid that due to several events in recent months I have found myself questioning whether I should continue trying to promote this and also donate the small amounts that I do. Sadly, I can no longer justify this and its not only due to the current situation so I don't want people to think that.

Its hard for me to raise some of these issues as I feel I have made friends on here hence I have tried to remain quiet with recent events but I have become quite disappointed in how some things have been left and its not something I have experienced in other forums which is leading me to make some rather negative observations about NMP. By removing my support, I can at least make my thoughts known in some small way.

For the current time, I cannot contribute any further and I will be diverting my EasyFundraising to charities. Any unclaimed funds, I will be asking them to transfer if possible, if not, NMP will benefit from them.

This is not something I will be discussing in the public forum, it's purely my choice and for admin to be aware. I'm not expecting any response over this and any such discussion would be exclusively with Nic, if needed.

Please don't let this put you off donating to something you believe in or agree with.

[nomorepanic]

No worries Terry. That is your personal choice of course. Thanks for what you have done so far anyway.

[nomorepanic]

Terry - if you want your donation and money raised from easyfundraising returned then please let me know.

This applies to anyone else that has donated as well.

I don't want people donating if they are not happy with things.

[lior]

I've been out of this discussion for a while. Ages ago I sent out some emails looking for funding. I looked through my emails and this came back from the Big Lottery. Not sure if it's the right funding body - funders want to contribute something new, rather than just maintaining a good thing. Silly really. Anyway, here it is. Let me know if you need any help to write the bid, if you want to apply.



Hi Lior

Thank you for your-e-mail, the Big Lottery Fund provides grants that supports not for profit groups to deliver outcomes around health, environment, education and charitable purposes. We fund eligible organisations to deliver projects that help people and communities most in need. Unfortunately we are unable to fund individuals or activities that primarily benefit individuals, which included sponsorship and fundraising.

If you are a voluntary or community organisation, school, health body or a parish or town council, have a UK-based bank account in the name of the organisation, that requires at least three people who are unrelated and do not live at the same address, you should be able to apply. You will also need a written governing document e.g. set of rules, articles of association or constitution. We do not fund individuals or sole traders. Funding is available to not for profit groups who have a bank account that requires at least two unrelated people (not living at the same address) to sign each cheque or withdrawal, and has at least three unrelated people on the governing body.


Every project we fund must:

Respond to need
Any project proposal should have clear evidence of need for the proposed services and clear outcomes for the beneficiaries. What other support services are currently available for this group of beneficiaries and how your project would add something different, complementary or additional to existing services.

Need is the term we use to describe a problem or issue, or situation where something needs to change to make things better for a person, group of people or environment. It may be barriers to accessing help possibly due to cultural barriers. The need may be linked to learning difficulties or problems such as poverty, social isolation. Be realistic and specific about the needs you are addressing. How did you identify the need existed? What are the reasons for the need? What types of people will benefit from your project? What is the problem/issue you wish to address with your project? We also have a number of resources and guidance materials designed to assist you with your application along with the ‘help notes’ in the margins of the form.


You may be able to apply to Awards for All this programme makes awards of between £300-£10,000 for projects that will be completed within 12 months of receiving funding. Application form and guidance notes are available here www.awardsforall.org.uk on average it takes between 4-5 months from submission of application to receiving funding.

Kind regards

Linda

Linda Yeo
Funding Officer (BIG Advice)
Big Lottery Fund
2 St James' Gate
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE1 4BE
Tel: 0191 376 1619
Fax: 0191 376 1661
Email: linda.yeo@biglotteryfund.org.uk
office hours Tuesday - Friday

[nomorepanic]

Thanks. Not sure NMP would qualify for a few reasons but I appreciate you looking into it for us.