The Equipped To Survive Foundation is officially a "charity case" having finally received tax-exempt 501(c)(3) status from the Internal Revenue Service. We established the Foundation this past summer (just prior to 9/11) to support the continued operation and expansion of this Web site and to seek grants for survival ralated programs from government agencies and other organizations. Contributions to the Foundation are tax-deductible.<br><br>For more information, see: http://www.equipped.org/etsfi_mr1.htm<br><br>For some reasons why you might want to contribute and explanations why it's important to the future of this site, please check out: http://www.equipped.org/etsfi_whydonate.htm<br><br>If you do contribute, please include your name so we can keep track. This may become important down the road and it helps maintain our 501(c)(3) status because we can use this to show widespread public support (hopefully!).<br><br>Please note that ETS receives 100% of any money you contribute, there are no service or processing fees using the Network for Good system. Either link above will allow you to make a donation.<br><br>Our aim is to establish ETS on a reasonably sound financial footing so that we can not only afford to continue its operation, but also so that we can expand it as it deserves. With adequate funding, we can make ETS our day job and accomplish a great deal more.<br><br>Thanks for your support!

congrats! <br><br>You might want to set up a pay-pal account.

Brad,<br><br>Thanks.<br><br>I don't do PayPal anymore and never expect to again, for a variety of reasons. Their system has very serious problems and potential liabilities for anyone who particpates. You take considerable risks using it. Sooner or later you can expect to be reading about it in the news and watching it on TV, I will bet money on it. Meanwhile, they rake in the bucks. Forgetting for a moment all the potential liabilities and existing problems, they take an extraordinary percentage of every transaction, not something that I feel comfortable with for a non-profit organization. That's one reason I gave up on the Amazon.com Honor System, they took too much.

Congrats Doug! Obtaining the tax-exempt letter is a great accomplishment, nice to have THAT ordeal over....right?<br><br>At the risk of sounding REALLY mercenary--have you considered a "sustaining members" or "friends list" page. Not just for narcisstic people, but in a small business environment, it makes a company donation exponentially easier to sell to partners and associates. It can transform the transaction from a "pet charity" to a legitimate advertising decision. Maybe "For $1000, your company name in lights!" Er....well...maybe not in lights, but on an ETS friends list...just enough to keep the partners/shareholders happy. Perhaps this might also work for General Motors types.....but, I have unfortunately never had any experience with that. <br><br>The VERY best of luck to you. Robb<br><br>

Robb,<br><br>Thanks, sounds like you have been there. "Ordeal" is definitely correct and yes, very nice to have it over, though the paperwork never seems to end. <br><br>I sincerely appreciate your suggestion. Sounds like a viable idea. We are going to have to become a bit mercenary if we are to survive. How far to go and how to do it are big questions. Selling is not my forte, but that's what's required to get bigger money from companies. It also takes time, a rare commodity around here. We'll have to see how things develop. Thanks!

Doug, We could approach the producers of that wretched " survivor" series for a real scenario sans culturally insulting fetish figures and silly contests. Ill volunteer to have my arm broken ( will slow down my incessant posting), there will be a real knife performance challenge ( opening coffee cans) and if we vote somebody off the winnebago tribe they have to throw their photon 11 into a Altoid tin of boiling water. The winner donates the million to the site ;^)

ROTFLMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!<br><br>I need that!<br>

Chris, I'd watch just to see you running around an island with members of the opposite sex wearing nothing but your "Buff" around your waist!

Slipping Lord of the Flies into my VCR and taking notes on my Rite in the Rain notebook. At my age I don't do loin cloths ( cotton, wool or chamois.) Old Age is a Shipwreck- Gen. Charles de Gaulle.