Laurie Weed's Portfolio  Grant Writing

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ethical Traveler (ET) is a global alliance of individuals who love to travel, and view travel as a powerful force for social change. ET unites travelers, tourists, and travel service providers in a unique diplomatic mission:  to support human rights and protect the environment. Ethical Traveler is a project of the prestigious Earth Island Institute, a 501(c)3 organization. Founded in 1982 by veteran environmentalist David Brower, Earth Island develops and supports projects that conserve, preserve, and restore the global environment through education and activism. 

 

Mission

Ethical Traveler is dedicated to:

   ·      Building a community of travelers who advocate for environmental conservation and human rights

·      Providing travelers with a useful, adaptable code of ethics to take on the road

·      Educating travelers about key environmental and human rights issues around the world

·      Creating a forum that unites travelers’ voices with those of like-minded activist organizations

·      Promoting collective action to communicate with policy makers and initiate change

 

Need Statement

Travel is one of the world’s largest industries, generating $462 billion in the year 2001[1]. Tourism dollars shape the political and cultural climates of our increasingly global society. Those dollars have a profound impact both in developed nations (like China and Mexico) and in countries that depend on tourism for survival (like Ecuador, Mali, and Nepal). Indigenous communities often lack the money and power to protect their basic human rights, let alone protect local habitat. Travelers, and the companies that serve them, have a vested interest in protecting the planet’s resources, and when large numbers of travelers make economic decisions in line with shared values, business and government leaders are compelled to listen. Ethical Traveler is creating such a coalition of travelers, which—like the AARP or Public Citizen—can engage the economic power of this community on a comprehensive scale. In the same way that many environmental groups have harnessed the power of concerned consumers, Ethical Traveler educates, connects, and mobilizes the travel community. By making responsible choices, educating ourselves about the issues, and calling attention to environmental and human rights offenses through letter-writing campaigns, informed travelers become the planet’s strongest allies.

 

ET’s founder and Executive Director Jeff Greenwald brings 30 years of experience and connections as a journalist, author, world traveler, and activist to this vision. By leveraging his professional reputation, network, and visibility, ET has a unique opportunity to build and promote a global community. Through grassroots effort to date, a legion of more than two thousand international members has already formed around the values of ethical travel, and tens of thousands more visit ET's website every month. Building on the momentum of its first year of “kitchen table” operation, ET’s ambitious Outreach & Education Campaign will truly establish a worldwide alliance of travelers, provide them with timely, critical information, and encourage them to exercise their collective strength. This project is designed to be action-oriented, community and capacity building, and revenue generating.
 

Outreach and Education Campaign Goals

Implementation

The campaign strategy includes local community outreach through a series of presentations at conferences and schools; distribution of brochures and bookmarks at bookstores, travel agencies and outfitters, and hostels; national outreach through conferences and partnerships; and international outreach via online community building and development of three new letter campaigns. While the volunteer executive team continues to donate their time and expertise to the organization at this fledgling stage, ET must raise funds to cover capital expenses. 

 

Public Education at Conferences & Schools:  The first scheduled conference is the high-profile Adventures in Travel Expo, held in October 2004. As many as 50,000 people are expected to attend the Bay Area show, and ET’s Jeff Greenwald has been invited to speak on Saturday, October 9. This is a prime opportunity to introduce ET to a large national audience, build membership, solicit donations, and develop critical partnerships with tour agencies, outfitters and other travel professionals. The capital costs for attending such conferences include exhibitor’s fees, booth construction, travel expenses, and materials. ET plans to attend four conferences within the next year.    

 

Another vital path to public awareness is through school programs. Last year, Jeff Greenwald spoke to 100 middle school students at Sierra Prospect School about travel and the importance of environmental and cultural awareness. The dozens of letters he received from students inspired ET to roll out a twelve-school program in Northern California during the 2004-2005 academic year. Capital costs will include materials and travel expenses.

 

Distribution of Collateral:  ET’s brochures, bookmarks, and newsletters will disseminate information, solicit donations, and drive audiences to the website where they can access current news and campaign information. The brochure and bookmark designs are already complete, thanks to many hours of donated graphic design services. Volunteers will distribute the brochures and bookmarks to travel bookstores, outdoor outfitters, travel agencies, and libraries. Hostelling International has already requested a supply of brochures to distribute at all of their facilities, and other partnerships are in the works. In addition to periodic e-mail updates , ET plans to develop a member newsletter as part of this year’s donation drive. The publication budget includes printing, newsletter design, and a nominal monthly stipend to the editors of our web-based news feeds.

 

Letter Campaign Development:  ET’s Internet-based environmental and human rights campaigns provide members with current information on crises, and a simple mechanism for sending a letter of concern to local authorities and policy makers. In the coming year, ET will research and commit to three letter campaigns on issues where travelers’ voices can have the most impact. Campaign development includes expert research, collaboration, and partnership with like-minded agencies. Other associated costs include travel expenses, research time, public relations, materials, and mailing costs.

 

Evaluation

Evaluation methods will include tracking membership numbers and member engagement via website software and mailing lists, and tracking campaign participation and impact through letters received and membership surveys. Campaign reporting will be accomplished by monitoring news services, communicating with partner agencies, and conducting on-site evaluations when possible. Other quantifiable results will include:  the number of students reached through school programs; the amount of funds raised internally through membership drives, private donations, events, etc.; and number of publications distributed through bookstores, events, conferences, hostels, travel businesses and other partner agencies. Quarterly updates will be made available to funders upon request, and Earth Island Institute will provide assistance with annual financial reporting and analysis.

 

Project Budget

The full budget of ET's twelve-month Outreach Campaign is attached. To cover the capital costs of this campaign, ET is seeking [X dollars] in foundation support, and plans to raise the balance through private donations and member contributions. Nine percent of all funds raised goes directly to Earth Island Institute for fiscal sponsorship and operational support.

 

History & Structure

Author, educator, and widely published travel writer Jeff Greenwald founded Ethical Traveler in 2003, in an effort to manifest his conviction that travel can be a tremendous force for international goodwill and a positive model for change. ET bootstrapped through its first year on the founder's personal resources, private contributions, member donations, and generous in-kind support. Continued exposure through personal appearances, articles, and media contacts keeps membership steadily growing. The ongoing time committed to the organization by Executive Directors Jeff Greenwald and Kirstin Williams, Communications Director Michael McColl, Technology Consultant Gregg Butensky, and Web Developer Andy DePasquale has been invaluable. ET is also privileged to maintain an advisory board of international experts in environmental, economic, and human rights issues. In addition, numerous talented people have stepped in to offer pro-bono legal advice, strategy assistance, public policy consulting, grant writing, web content, graphic design, and other services.

 

In just one year, ET has developed a dynamic website, launched a membership drive, created an online member forum, drawn attention to environmental/human rights crises in areas that are reliant upon tourism for survival, and generated frequent e-newsletters and press releases. ET also initiated an Internet-based letter campaign program and implemented two environmental campaigns. The first campaigns were directed at the governments of China (to protest the tourist road construction around Mt. Kailash), and Costa Rica and Ecuador (to support the protection of endangered species, in partnership with the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society). In 2003, ET was at the forefront of the first tourism boycott of Nepal, to protest the Nepali government’s practice of selling Tibetan refugees back to China. Since joining Earth Island Institute, ET is poised to step up to the next level as a tax-exempt, non-profit entity, and establish long-term sustainability. 

 

Summary

Ethical Traveler is committed to building a global alliance of travelers, and educating and mobilizing that alliance to protect the world in which we travel. A grant from [name removed] would be more than matched by the many hours of donated time and services devoted to this project. Your commitment of $25,000 would be directly applied to the capital costs of building and educating our community, and developing action campaigns that will have local, national, and international impact. Ethical Traveler is very grateful for your consideration of this request. Please contact Executive Director Jeff Greenwald with any questions you may have.

 

[1] Plunkett Research, Ltd.

 

 

(c) 2004, Laurie Weed. All rights reserved.