On February 28, 2019, #BBATX will participate—for the first time ever—in Amplify Austin Day, a citywide fundraising event for tax-exempt nonprofits in Austin, Texas. So, on February 28, 2019, we’re calling on the community to help us raise $2,000 through online, crowdsourced fundraising. :)
Click here to pledge a donation or share our donation page.
So, how can you help? Whether you make a donation or save the campaign, amplifying our message will help us better amplify women and nonbinary creatives, entrepreneurs and community leaders year-round. Read on for more information on what we do, what we’re fundraising for and how you can help on Feb. 28, 2019.
— what do we do? —
#bossbabesATX (#BBATX) is a Texas-based nonprofit that amplifies and connects women and nonbinary creatives, entrepreneurs and organizers. We create space to share our crafts, catalyze multi-industry coalitions, promote intersectionality across disciplines, seek guidance and provide each other with practical and emotional resources. Anyone interested in our mission, core values, and initiatives are invited to participate—and learn more about how intersectional gender equality can improve their daily lives.
— how do we do it? —
We provide 1500 opportunities to women and nonbinary creatives, entrepreneurs and community organizers per year. More than 15,000+ community members also annually attend our showcases, markets and dialogues—and in the last three years, our programs generated an additional $1million for the Austin economy. So, whether you apply to participate in one of our programs, attend our workshops, conferences and dialogues, or come out to a festival or market to support the community we’re building, you’re a member of this movement. All are welcome. :)
— so, how can you help? —
Founded by Jane Hervey (a multidisciplinary creative and entrepreneur), #BBATX began as a simple meet-up series for women in creative industry in 2015. To Hervey's surprise, the organization served a distinct gap in Austin's entrepreneurial ecosystem, and the project quickly gained momentum. Within one year, the organization's programs—which have now expanded from meet-ups into public dialogues and workshops, craft markets, music festivals and creative education conferences—had garnered the attention of thousands, including the City of Austin's Women's Hall of Fame, the Austin Chronicle, Texas Monthly, Tribeza and more.
That growth hasn't stopped. Now a 501c3, #bossbabesATX employs two part-time staff members, leads a volunteer committee of 15 community leaders and collaborates with more than 50 nonprofit organizations year-round to create accessible, affordable education opportunities and exhibition opportunities for women and nonbinary creatives and entrepreneurs. These programs, beyond their social and cultural value, are estimated to provide more than $1million in additional revenue for its participants per year.
And to keep it going, we could really use your help! The organization currently operates on a budget of less than $150,000 per year. Hervey, our founder and Executive Director, has bootstrapped the organization from top to bottom, working without pay for the first two and half years of our existence—so our operational model is lean, effective and centered in our community. Although we've been able to accomplish so much, we just moved into a much-needed headquarters for our operations and have significantly increased our staff overhead to accommodate our growth. Moreover, we're actively expanding upon the value we offer the community. We'd like to introduce ongoing workshops and courses to our community that provide financial literacy, creative education and entrepreneurial access. We'd like to expand our craftHER Market program to accommodate more booths, in turn providing more opportunities to women and nonbinary small business owners. We'd also like to introduce a micro-grants initiative, so that our programs can also serve as a launch pad for new projects by women and nonbinary leaders.
So, this year, we're looking to increase our operational budget to $200,000 per year so we can effectively hire staff and expand upon our programming. Every dollar counts, so whether your donate $2 or $200, we'd appreciate your support during Amplify Austin!