Virtually Connecting Equip & Travel
Virtually Connecting is an international grassroots project to connect people at conferences with people who would like to attend but can't.
Virtually Connecting is 100% volunteer driven, and everything we do is free and open to anyone who wants to participate. We have no connection with any formal organization and depend upon volunteer time and, occasionally, small contributions. That's why we're asking for your help.
In order to improve the sound quality of our virtual connections, we're raising money to pay for a $300 mic/speaker that will let participants hear and be heard in typical conference conditions. In addition, we would like to raise a few dollars to support Virtually Connecting volunteers who do not have access to institutional funding and attend conferences with their own money. Some conferences have generously offered free passes for Virtually Connecting coordinators, but that still leaves travel and lodging costs, and not everyone has easy access to resources.
As an "advisory buddy" of Virtually Connecting, I am collecting the money in my own account. Virtually Connecting is not a non-profit organization (at least, yet) and there's no formal way to give, and no way to get a tax deduction (sorry!) This is on a person-to-person, trust basis. I can only offer you my assurance that every dollar you give will go to the project. I will personally match the 8% in fees that GoFundMe collects, so if you give $10, Virtually Connecting will get the full $10.
Virtually Connecting is an amazing group of energetic and creative volunteers. We invite you to join the more than 200 people who have participated (see the website for the current list!) and, if you have the financial resources, please consider offering $5 or $10 or $50 to support our efforts. Thanks for your support!
Michael Berman, Camarillo, California, USA
Vice President for Technology & Communication, CSU Channel Islands
(This affiliation is provided for your information - CSU Channel Islands has no connection with this fundraising effort.)
