Help me come up with some snazzier terminology

Sparrow, thrush, woodpecker, pheasant, owl, hawk, eagle, condor?

It's a cultural event for Deaf and hard of hearing residents of Illinois. It will include performances, an art exhibit, and workshops on a wide range of topics related to deafness. (That's me going into my automatic spiel, "a wide range of topics" is code for "the workshop coordinator hasn't actually gotten any commitments yet." ) There will also be a trade show type area. The overriding purpose is to give Deaf people a reason to get together from all over and socialize for 4 days, but it will have actual educational and cultural nuggets, enough hooks for grants et al. Expecting about 1,000 to attend.

(Don't think they'd like albatross!)

Not bad, dlowan, not bad. Again, though, the lowest rung has to have enough dignity that it's still a desirable rung -- does anyone really want to be a sparrow?

Definitely not albatross!

Oh didn't really answer "for what purpose" -- basically just to cover the costs of the conference. Conference tickets/ registration covers about half (that's based on a conservative estimate of attendees, though.) Just stuff like interpreters, (non-signing hearing people will be attending, too, as well as deaf-blind), honorariums for the speakers, cost of hotel rooms for the speakers, etc., etc., etc.

Tit? Finch? Terribly Dignified And Venerable Sparrow?

We got superb fairy wrens over here - with HUUUUGE testicles - but I suppose the fairy part won't wash?

Sorry Soze, I been infected by Craven's evil!

I think his particular brand of evil just has to do with testicular fortitude -- fairies with major testes kinda goes a different direction.

Yeah, the fairy part prolly won't wash, unless I approach, like LAMBDA. They might like it. Or they might not.

Donor
Friend
Sustainer
Leader
Co-Sponsor
Underwriter
Guarantor
Benefactor

Found a couple of websites with excellent content if you're interested.

Fundraising for special events on-line class

http://www.fundraiser-software.com/fundclass/fctop020.html

Guide to Special Event Fundraising

http://www.pch.gc.ca/progs/pc-cp/pubs/e/Specev1.htm

Thanks. I'm actually doing quite well with the fundraising part of it -- just got 501(c)3 status and all systems are go. I have about 100 links in my "fundraising" folder. Organizing the many grants I have found now according to target audience (disabled kids, arts for the disabled community, etc.), and deadline.

This is what I used to do for a living... I came up with funding to start and run my center in L.A. for 3 years. Just happy to be able to really get going (had been waiting for that 501(c)3...)

That list is similar to Sofia's, with similar problems.

Bronze ---> platinum might have to be it. Wouldn't be the end of the world.

The lists offered by Sofia and butrflynet are the ones that the corporate cheque-writers are most likely to understand. They're often not big on amusing - they just wanna know if they're gonna be a supporter or a patron or a 'friend of X organization'. I've done a bit of this with the Young People's Theatre here, as well as a golf tournament thingie. Stick to the traditional rankings, especially if any of the money is to come from national/multinational corporations or federal agencies. They're not likely to be appreciative of local references.

Traditional is Bronze-->Platinum, for this type of one-time event/conference, as opposed to something ongoing.

Most of the money will come from local sources.