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HomeMy WebLinkAboutGrant Request - Ropeway TechniciansFOR: 8/18 Economic Development Fund Discretionary Grant Program Organization: Society of Ropeway Technicians (SORT) Organization Description: SORT promoted communication and technical advice in an effort to impact public and technical safety with respect to ropeway systems. This exchange of information is significant for technicians operating in isolated regions or businesses lacking adequate institutional knowledge. SORT is the only non-profit, independent organization facilitating technical information sharing among ropeway professionals. This is a newly formed entity. A ropeway technician maintains, troubleshoots, constructs or services any portion of a ropeway. Ropeways are used extensively for skier transportation, such as tramways, gondolas, chairlifts and surface tows. Project Name: Initial organizational promotion Project Description.: SORT will use grant funding to enhance and refine its overall web presence. Additionally, comprehensive promotional efforts involving communication with related industries, such as nechanical and electrical organizations and governmental entities, will be uesd to establish the organization. Project Period: November 2008 Amount of Request: $16,201 (20% of total operating budget) Previous Grants: None Society of Ropeway Technicians The Society of Ropeway Technicians is a nonprofit independent association with inform August 4, 2008 Deschutes County Economic Development Fund Honorable Commissioners Baney, Daily and Luke: rin.as LE ktJ us.E AUG 1 1 2008 BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ADMINISTRATION • Thank you for your valuable contributions to our community, and for your time in reviewing this_ request for funding. On behalf of the Society of Ropeway Technicians (SORT), I respectfully submit this grant proposal. I believe that SORT will directly impact the economic growth of our community. We are fortunate to reside and recreate in Central Oregon, and we have a responsibility to protect and promote a healthy and safe lifestyle in our region. The mission of the Society of Ropeway Technicians is to improve public safety in all ropeway settings. This is accomplished via information exchange that is available to all members. As the only organization of its kind, SORT aims to expand its independent operations with support from the Deschutes County Economic Development Fund. Please note that SORT's information exchange has been available online for over five years, but is password protected due to the sensitive nature of its contents. Currently, we have over 5,500 pages of content. We welcome you to access and review this information. To do so, please contact us. Please refer to the remainder of this application for a detailed explanation of our organization and its goals. You will find that public safety and the improved exchange of technical information is foremost in our mission. Thank you for your consideration of this request. I look forward to hearing from you. Sincerely, Mr. Kelly Renwick President/Founder A ropeway technician is a person who maintains, troubleshoots, constructs or services any portion of a ropeway. They possess a deeper level of understanding and higher level of technique to perform those services. Examples usually considered are skier transportation conveyances such as tramways, gondolas, chairlifts and surface tows or ropeways that carry people or material not associated with the ski industry. Please consider the example below to illustrate SORT's unique role when a ropeway incident occurs that jeopardizes public and technician safety: On July 25, 2008 a SORT member notified our organization about a catastrophic bolt failure on a ropeway that is no longer being manufactured or represented. The ropeway involved has over 1,000 installations nationwide. SORT's president immediately disseminated this information, including technical advice, preventative action, and engineers and bolt manufacturers contact information. Society of Ropeway Technicians P.O. Box 1003 Sisters, OR 97759 kelly@ropetech.org www.ropetech.org 541-549-9411 1 -10 CO c 0 CO • c= -10 02) E = < 0 ra = 1 CO =.4., t • CD u) • = u) 1 0 O -C E a) w cn z 5 0 E = E -0 1E1 < ° Cn2 ID CD E -C c) rn j4= > 't Q) LE, uc 40_ z w • >, . • 2 -5 . - 000E0 -10 (!)..... O tu -: ,2 a) 0= Zr) 15 2 a- .• .0 c = a a) E -0--- 2 n L— 2a) g 'ma(' § lc 0 co ;;4'-;„' Deschutes County Board of Commissioners 1300 NW Wall St. Bend, OR 97701-1960 DESCHUTES COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FUND DISCRETIONARY GRANT PROGRAM APPLICATION Direct Application to: Commissioner Tammy Baney Commissioner Michael M. Daly Commissioner Dennis R. Luke Date: August 4, 2008 Project Name: Society of Ropeway Technicians (SORT) Project Beginning Date: Immediately upon funding Amount of Request: $16,201— this represents 20% of total operating budget Date Funds Needed: November 2008 Applicant/Organization: Tax ID #: 36-4609767 Address: PO Box 1003 Sisters, Oregon 97759 Contact Name: Mr. Kelly Renwick Telephone: (541) 549-9411 Email: ke11y@ropetech.org 1. Describe the applicant organization, including its purpose, leadership structure, and activities. The Society of Ropeway Technicians (SORT) is a nonprofit independent organization created to effect a more uniform development, practice, interest, and appreciation of tasks that ropeway technicians provide. SORT promotes communication and technical advice in an effort to impact public and technician safety in settings involving ropeway systems. This exchange of information is significant for those technicians operating in isolated regions, or businesses that do not have the institution of knowledge that more experienced corporations might have. SORT is the only non-profit, independent organization aimed at ensuring technical information sharing among ropeway professionals. As a newly formed entity, our initial goal is to publicize the availability of ropeway information and to formalize content. This information exchange will directly impact public and technician safety. A ropeway technician is a person that maintains, troubleshoots, constructs or services any portion of a ropeway. Examples of ropeways usually considered are skier transportation conveyances such as tramways, gondolas, chairlifts and surface tows. This also includes ropeways that carry people or material not associated with the ski industry such as ore mines and amusement style ropeways. SORT's President and Founder has over 30 years of experience as a ropeway technician, primarily in supervisory and management capacity. In addition, he has been a business owner for 18 years, including an extensive engineering background. SORT has existed for 6 years, and its current membership is now over 450 members. Its individual members include State Tramway Board inspectors, Engineers, ropeway manufacturers, cable splicers, Forest Service inspectors, ropeway mechanics, ropeway electricians and construction technicians. It has members from most of the North American ropeway installations, along with members from eight countries. SORT is the only organization that facilitates the collective expertise of these individuals. Membership is free, with no other requirement than being associated with ropeway maintenance — engineers, managers and inspection or monitoring agencies are also welcome to access or contribute to our information. This is not a union or political organization. 2. Describe the proposed project or activity. Immediately upon funding, SORT will enhance and refine its overall web presence. In addition, work will ensue to establish the organization's existence via comprehensive promotional efforts. This will involve communication with related industries such as mechanical and electrical organizations and governmental entities. 3. Provide a timeline for completing the proposed project or activity. To be completed within one year of funding 4. Explain how the proposed project or activity will impact the community's economic health. Deschutes County is located near three of Oregon's premier ski areas. These resorts represent significant economic opportunities from recreation dollars. These communities' economic health is directly related to income from tourism. SORT's primary mission is to promote ropeway expertise in order to improve public safety in these areas. The economic health of our communities decline when local ski resorts experience operational concerns and negative publicity. The expansion of SORT's operation will ensure an improved system of technical information exchange that will directly impact our community's public safety. 5. Identify the specific communities or groups that will benefit. SORT benefits the public by improving ropeway operations via information exchange among ropeway technicians. Our local tourism and recreation industries will also benefit from these efforts aimed at public safety. 6. Itemize anticipated expenditures. Figures included best represent historical prices, catalog prices, bids, and verbal estimates. They include: establishing a separate member registration mechanism, refined software systems, hardware, promotional efforts, establishing media contacts, establishing community support, administrative costs for technical research and dissemination, membership fees, accounting (project costs only), and utility costs. Project Items Request Amount Administrative Costs 1,000 Salaries 1 Website Development 2,000 Software 2,600 Advertising 2,300 Office Supplies 1,000 Travel Expenses 1,500 Computers/Hardware 4,700 Professional Dev 500 Membership Fees 250 Accounting 200 Office Utilities 150 TOTAL $16,201 Describe how grant funds will be used and include the source and amounts of matching funds or in-kind contributions, if any. Please see item #2 If the grant will support an ongoing activity, explain how it will be funded in the future. The project will be sustained partly through in-kind donations from individuals. It is the intent of SORT's founder to maintain the organization's independence from any for profit enterprise. Therefore, the organization will pursue further foundation funding as well as private grant opportunities. Economic Development funding will result in increased diversity and depth of membership due to the refined website presence and promotional efforts, and we project that a portion of SORT's expansion project costs will be supported by membership. The organization will continue to pursue grants for the remaining portion of this project. INTERNAL REVENUE SRRVICE P. 0. BOX 2508 CINCINNATI, OH 4.5201 Bate OCT 1.:1 20011 SOCIETY OF ROPEWAY TECHNICIANS C/O KELLY A RENWICK P .0 BOX 10.03 SISTERS, OR 97759-,0000 Dear Applicant: DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY E<oployer Identification, Number: 36=4609767 D7;YJ: 60.729:.02 Co ttact Persolt: L. WADE BOTiiE Cori act Telephone '.Number.: (877.} S29-55:00 Accounting pe led Ending: :December 31 Public Charity Stattxst i7.0 (b.) (1). (A) Ivi) F`( rm 990 Required:. Yes. Effective Date of Exemption:. August 44, .2.0-07 Contribution D.eduetibility: Yes Advance Ruting Ending Date: December 31, 2011. Addendum :Applies No ID# 31462 We are: pleased to inform you that upon review of your application for tax exempt status we havedetermined that you are exempt from Federal income tax under section 501(c)(3.) of the Internal Revenue Code. Contributions to you are deductible under section 170 of the Code. Yon are also qualified to receive tax deductible bequests, devises, transfers or gifts under section 2055, 21.06 or 2522 :of the Cede. Because this Tetter could help resolve: any questions regarding your exempt status, you should keep it in your permanent records. Organizations exempt under section: 5.01 (c) (3:) of the Code are furtherclassified aS either public charities or private foundations. During your advance ruling period, you will be treated as a public charity. Your advance ruling period begins withthe effective date of your exemption and. ends with advance ruling ending date Shown in the heading of the letter. Shortly before the end of your avice ruling period, we will pend you Form 8734 Support -Schedule fpr Advance Ruling Period.. You will have 90 days after the end of your advance ruling Period to return the completed form, We will then notify you, in writing, about your public charity status. Please see enclosed: Publication 4221 -PC, •Compliance Guide for 541(c) (3) Public' Charities, for some :helpful information about your. responsibilities as an exempt organization. Letter 1045 (DO/CG)