[Note: This chapter was written in 1994 and is substantially out of date. We welcome anyone who is willing to bring the information up to date. Contact admin@amnesty-volunteer.org if you have suggestions.]

Any AIUSA group can sell merchandise in this column. The guidelines are:

· Your ad should be 40 words or less.

· You should include the following:

1. TITLE (example: T-shirt; notecards; buttons)

2. DESCRIPTION (colors, sizes, dimensions)

3. PRICE (please include postage)

4. ADDRESS (MUST be good for at least one year)

5. GROUP IDENTIFICATION (group number or school)

6. PHONE NUMBER (for Amnesty’s files, in case the office or potential customers have questions)

· Your group must commit itself to maintain a stock of merchandise for one year.

The list will run twice, in the Jan./Feb. and Sept./Oct. issues. Deadline for inclusion is approximately two months in advance of Jan. 1 and Sept. 1. For listing in the following year, you must resubmit your ad. Please send your ad to: Amnesty Action Group Exchange, AIUSA, 322 Eighth Avenue, New York, NY 10001.

Once a year, you can request a list of national members in your area, free of charge, printed on mailing labels. Please do not use this list to solicit contributions directly. You can use it for any other purpose, for example: inviting people to a meeting or special event, sending a sample copy of your newsletter, advertising a yard sale, asking for volunteers to staff a Radio-Thon. Allow plenty of advance time to get the list. Send your group name and address and a list of the ZIP codes in your area to:

Development Unit, Group Requests for Mailing List Use, AIUSA, 322 Eighth Avenue, New York, NY 10001.

The Special Initiatives Fund (SIF) was established to encourage creative projects that help advance the goals of AIUSA and to allow groups to take advantage of unforeseen opportunities that would be difficult to fund otherwise. The Fund provides financial support for projects that would normally be beyond the funding capabilities of campus groups, local groups, clusters, co-groups, etc. Funding is also available to help members take advantage of opportunities that might be difficult or impassible to meet due to prior budgetary commitments.

The Fund was not designed to replace local fundraising; groups are expected to provide as much financing for projects as possible, without depleting their treasuries. Ordinary and day-co-day group expenses must still be met by other means. Funding may not be granted for projects currently underway or already completed.

AMOUNT AVAILABLE

Grants will be considered up to a maximum of $2,500.

WHO CAN APPLY

AJUSA groups and members can apply. Please note that proposals submitted by group members should have the support of the entire group.

WHO DECIDES WHICH PROTECTS TO FUND

A Board-appointed National Committee consisting of one member from each of AIUSA's five regions decides which projects to fund. In approving grants, the Committee considers various issues, such as questions addressed, project feasibility and focus, and originality.

CRITERIA FOR SPECIAL INITIATIVES

(A) The project should have the potential to substantially advance AIUSA's goals in at least one of the following ways:

(B) The proposal should demonstrate that the project is feasible and should indicate the means by which it is to be carried out. It should be specific, including a time-line and an outline of the project. Please include itemized costs you expect this project to incur in the greatest possible detail and comment on why each item is needed. Do not submit projects that are already in progress or that have been completed.

(C) The project should contain a "special initiative" rather than be a means to meet ordinary group expenses.

(D) Demands on staff co-groups, or others for implementation must be agreed upon in advance.

(E) The same or similar projects should not be submitted if funded in a previous year.

1. Prepare a summary of your project, explaining how your proposal meets the above criteria.

3. Complete the attached application and send it along with the project summary to:

Amnesty International USA MidWest Office
Special Initiatives Fund
Staff Liaison
53 West Jackson, Suite #731
Chicago, IL 60604

The proposal must be received by the Staff Liaison by the last working day of the month in order to ensure consideration during the next month’s conference call.

4. Upon receipt, your proposal will be distributed to the SIF Committee. In drafting and submitting your project, allow for sufficient time so that you can implement it following the Committee’s decision, or if necessary to consider any suggested changes that the Committee might recommend. You should also plan sufficient time for the reimbursement process which will take several weeks.

AIUSA established this fund in 1978 in memory of Professor Ivan Morris, founder of the first Al group in the U.S. The Fund assists groups in providing relief money to adopted prisoners of conscience and their families, prisoners under investigation and their families, and families of disappeared persons. Annually, the Fund will match up to $250 raised by a group to help such families with legal and medical costs, basic sustenance, and education. A group which finds that relief is needed in a given case should make plans for a proper relief program (deciding how much should be sent, how frequently, in what form, and by what means), consult with the appropriate County Coordination Group, and afterward apply to the Fund. Applications appear twice yearly in the Monthly Mailing (October and March) and are also available from Regional Offices.

The Fund is made up of contributions from groups and individuals; 100 percent of contributions are used for relief. In 1991-1 992 the Fund helped local groups donate more than $19,000 to victims of human rights abuses and their families. For more information, or to make a contribution to the Fund, write: The Ivan Morris Fund, AIUSA, 322 Eighth Avenue, New York, NY 10001.

[Note on the electronic edition: The paper version of Funds for Freedom contains contact information for obtaining some of the following resources. To respect the privacy of individuals who may not what to have their contact information published on the web, we have deleted references to individuals' addresses or phone numbers in the electronic edition. We encourage you to contact your section office or regional offices to obtain updated lists of similar resources.] 

Tom Stoppard, Every Good Boy Deserves Favor, a three-man play about a political prisoner and an insane person imprisoned in a mental institution. Mr. Stoppard has permanently given any AI group permission to produce this play (Grove Press, 1-800-521-01 78, $7.95).

Group 60, Denver, Co., James Terry, about James Terry Roach, a mentally retarded man executed by South Carolina (at least 6 performers, 45 mm.); Killer’s Head, a monologue by a man in an electric chair (10 mm.) .

Where Does the Horizon Lie, about a man on death row (1 woman, 9 men, about 90 mm.); Wheel of Misfortune, a black comedy in game-show format depicting the arbitrariness of the death penalty (6 performers, most can be men or women; about 20 mm.) 

The Cellar, a one-act, one-set play about human rights; and Thomas Oboe Lee’s musical setting of five poems from I Never Saw Another Butterfly, an anthology by children who were inmates at Terezin concentration camp near Prague. Scored for clarinet, piano, and voice (mezzo-soprano); there is a modest royalty fee. Info on both available from the Northeast Regional Office.

Available from the National Student Program in the Mid-Atlantic Office:

· Chile, a 6-page, 9-person dramatic reading on human rights violations in Chile; also introduces Al’s work (writton by Smoky Hills H.S. and Denver #60).

· a 3-page, 7-person reading about Urgent Action cases in six countries (this and the next two readings were developed by the Urgent Action office).

· a 6-page, 15-person reading describing the growth of the UA network as illustrated through 13 cases.

· a 7-page, 10-minute reading of excerpts from children’s letters and government’s replies; requires 5 to 14 children and at least one adult.

Any listing will be out of date soon. We encourage you to contact Amnesty International section or regional offices near you to get the latest listings that are applicable in your situation. Alternative, you can create your own Amnesty TV shows and make them available in your community. A step-by-step description of how to do that is available else where on the amnesty-volunteer.org site.

ALA: Birmingham PL 205-226-3600; Auburn UL 205-271-9649

ALASKA: Alaska U, Anchorage Libr 907-786-1848

ARIZ: Phoenix PL 602-262-4636; Tucson P1 602-791-4393

ARK: Westark CCL 501-785-7000; Central Arkansas PL 501-370-5950

CAL: Fdtn Info Center/L.A. 213-413-4042; Monterey Fdtn 408-375-9712; San Diego Fdtn 619-239-8815; Grant Resource Ctr/San Jose 408-452-8181; Orange Co Dev Council 714-540-9293; Peninsula Fdtn/Burlingame 415-342-2505; Santa Barbara P1 805-962-7653

COL: Denver P1 303-571-2190

CONN: Hartford PL, 203-293-6000; DATA/New Haven 203-786-5225

DEL: Delaware UL 302-415-2965

FLA: Jacksonville PL 904-630-2665; Miami P1 305-375-2665; Orange Co P1407-425-4694; Leon Co P1 904-487-2665

GA: Atlanta P1 404-730-1700

HAWAII: Hawaii UI 808-948-7214

IDAHO: Boise P1 208-384-4466; CaIdwell PL 208-459-3242

ILL: Donor Forum/Chicago 312-431-0265; Evanston PL 312-866-0305: Sangamon UL 217-786-6633

IND: Allen Co PL 219-424-7241; Indianapolis P1 317-269-4259

IOWA: Des Moines P1 515-283-4259

KAN: Topeka P1 913-233-2040; Wichita P1 316-262-0611

KENT: Louisville Free PL 502-561-8600

MAINE: U of Southern Maine, Office of Sponsored Research 207-780-4871

MD: Enoch Pratt Free Libr/Baltimore 301-396-5320

MASS: Assoc Grantmakers of Mass 617-426-2608; Boston P1 617-536-5400; Western Mass Funding Resource Ctr/Springfield 413-732-3175; Worcester P1 508-799-1655

Marie Schools, Office of Compensatory Ed 906-635-6619

MINN: Duluth P1 218-723-3802; SW State UL 507-537-7278; Minneapolis P1 612-372-6555

MISS: Jackson Metro Library 601-968-5803

MISSOURI: Midcontinent Fdtn Clearinghouse/Missouri UL 816-276-1176; Kansas City P1 816-221-9650; Metro Assoc for Philanthropy/St Louis 314-361-3900; Springfield P1 417-866-4636

MONT: Eastern Montana College Libr 406-657-1662; State Libr 406-444-3004

NEB: Nebraska UL 402-472-2848; West Dale Clark Libr/Omaha 402-444-4826

NEV: Last Vegas Co Libr 702-733-7810; Washoe Co Libr 702-785-4012

NH: New Hampshire Charitable Fund/Concord 603-225-6641

NJ: State Libr/Trenton 609-292-6220; The Support Ctr/Newark 201-643-5774

NMEX: Albuquerque Comm Fdtn 505-883-6240; State libr/Santa Fe 505-827-3824

NY: State Libr/Albany 518-474-5161; Buffalo PL 716-858-7103; Plattsburgh PL 518-563-0921; Rochester PL 716-428-7328; Onondaga PL/Syracuse 315-448-4636; White Plains PL 914-682-4480; Suffolk Libr/Bellport 516-286-1600

NC: Asheville-Buncomb CC Resource Ctr 704-254-1921 x300; Duke Endwmt/Charlotte 704-376-0291; State Libr 919-733-3280; Winston-Salem Fdtn 919-725-2382

NDAK: N Dakota State UL 701-237-8886

OHIO: Cincinnati PL 513-369-6940; Dayton PL 513-227-9500; Toledo PL 419-259-5245

OK: Oklahoma City UL 405-521-5072; Tulsa Libr System 918-596-7944

OREGON: Multnomah PL/Portland 503-223-7201; Pacific Non-Prof Ntwk/Medford 503-779-6044

PENN: Erie PL 814-451-6927; Dauphin PL/Harrisburg 717-234-4961; Free Libr/Philadelphia 215-686-5423; Pittsburgh UL 412-648-7722; Dev Council of NE Penn/Pittston 717-655-5581

RI: Providence PL 401-521-7722

SC: Charleston Co Libr 803-723-1645; State Libr/Columbia 803-734-8666

SDAK: State Libr 800-592-1841 (for SD residents); Sioux Falls Fdtn 605-336-7055

TENN: Knoxville PL 865.215.8750; Memphis PL 901-725-8876; Nashville PL 615-259-6256

TEX: Fund Info Libr/San Antonio 512-227-4333; Corpus Christi State UL 512-994-2608; El Paso Fdtn 915-533-4020; Texas Chrstn UL 817-921-7664; Houston PL 713-236-1313; Lubbock Fdtn 806-762-8061; Dallas PL 214-670-1487; Pan Am U/Edinburg 512-381-3304

UTAH: Salt Lake City PL 801-353-5733

VT: State Dept of Libraries/Montpelier 802-828-3268

VA: Hampton PL, Grants Resource Collection 804-727-1154; Richmond PL 804-780-8223

WASH: Seattle PL 206-386-4620; Spokane PL 509-838-3364

WVA: Kanawha Co PL/Charleston 304-343-4646

WISC: Marquette UL/Milwaukee 414-288-1515; Wisconsin-Madison UL 608-262-3242

WYO: Laramie CCL 307-778-1205

You can donate funds to Amnesty International without spending an extra dime! You can also get more letters written every month, on behalf of victims of human rights abuse--through your telephone bill.

When you sign up for Working Assets Long Distance, the company gives a percentage of the cost of every call to AIUSA. Their rates are very competitive--guaranteed lower than AT&T’s--and they offer discounts for high-volume phone users, discounts on calls to other WALD members, and a $10 incentive for each new member you bring in. You get 30 free minutes of long distance calling when you sign yourself up.

Every month, the WALD phone bill includes two urgent action cases. You can write a letter yourself or check a box and get WALD to send one on your behalf. A separate page lists upcoming events, publications, and other information from AIUSA.

Please join! Call 1-800-788-8588, extension 835. Be sure to specify that you want to join the Amnesty International program.

Joan Flanagan, The Grass Roots Fundraising Book. $14.95 + $2.50 shipping from

Kim Klein, Fundraising for Social Change. $22 from Chardon Press, P.O. Box 101, Inverness CA 94937. Covers direct mail, phone banks, donor campaigns, events, and dues; focuses on groups which may be more controversial than, say, the Cancer Society.

"Pluralism in Philanthropy: How American Indians, Asians, Blacks, and Hispanics are Enriching Our Culture of Giving," May/June 1990 issue, Foundation News, $5 from Council on Foundations, 1828 L Street NW, Washington, DC 20036. Includes bibliographies, but not much concrete, practical information on multicultural fundraising.

Joanie Shoemaker, ed., Note by Note: A Guide to Concert Production. $15.95 from Redwood Cultural Work, P.O. Box 10408, Oakland, CA 94610. Includes timetables, sample contracts and budgets, checklists, etc.

Asking for Money. $3 + $2 shipping from The Grantsmanship Center, P.O. Box 6210, Los Angeles, CA 90014; (800) 421-9512. Basic techniques for overcoming fears and making face-to-face requests for funds.

Guide to Public Relations for Non-Profits. From The Grantsmanship Center--same price, same address as Asking for Money. Building your group through contacts with the media.

Susan Vineyard and Steve McCurley, 101 Tips for Volunteer Recruitment. $9.50 + $3.50 shipping from the Society for Nonprofit Organizations, 6314 Odana Road, Ste 1, Madison, WI 53719; 608-274-9777. Covers all aspects of recruiting and motivating volunteers.

M. Jane Williams, Foundation Primer, from SNO, same address as 101 Tips; $37.50 + $5.50 shipping. Step-by-step guide for starting a foundation solicitation program, with many examples.