Methodology:

Work with the most dedicated experts available in areas from environment and sustainability, to build and manage GLF, as well as in entertainment and  promotion to organize and execute GLA concerts and events.

Demonstrate that an entertainment program can be truly environmentally sustainable, financially viable, and supportive of a community and its natural surroundings.

Utilize advantages available to both US and Canadian corporations (under their national laws) to maximize the benefit to commercial partners.

Examine models of existing programs - even partial programs which don't share our entire scope - and use the same keys that made them successful.

Timeline / Plan of work:

First Year (Summer 2005-Summer 2006)

         1. Already Underway

               1. Lining up partner organizations

               2. Assemble Steering Committee

               3. Contact possible funding organizations

               4. Identify celebrity spokespeople and anchor sponsors

               5. Meet with mayors and civic leaders in potential host communities

               6. Identify appropriate stage talent and record/radio station 

                   promotional assistance

               7. Begin to detail 2007 events, acquire sponsors

               8. Develop international media contacts and other affiliations

Second Year (Summer 2006-Summer 2007)

         1. Select venues for first two events-one smaller city and one large city

         2. Gather support of corporations that can sponsor GLA and

             demonstrate their company's efforts to achieve sustainable operations

         3. Begin venue negotiations and infrastructure

         4. Assemble team of nonprofit organization members

         5. Update website and outreach materials

         6. Schedule and confirm performers

         7. Promote Great Lakes Aid event, mission and supporting organization

         8. First Event

Third Year (Summer 2007-Summer 2008)

         1. Refine the process

         2. Begin accepting applications for organizations wishing to receive     

             Great Lakes Aid support

         3. Begin working in major markets throughout US to generate "buzz" for         

             events like Great Lakes Aid.

         4. Help move "leads" out to national and international partners

         5. Begin distributing "GLA toolkits" to organizations wishing to replicate

             GLA events

           6. Plan for and execute 2007 event

Limiting Factors:

Budget vs. Time - The longer it takes us to collect the needed $100,000 in seed money, the less likely we will be able to pull off an event in Summer 2007. Moving beyond our 2007 target risks losing the momentum built so far.

Coalition Development - Although Farm Aid and others have been here before, the application of concert/entertainment promoters to good works is relatively rare. Although we have received good support to date, our success clearly depends on the cooperation of partners throughout the program areas.

Scheduling - As with limitation #1, the longer we wait to get things in place, the more "prime dates" for the performers will be taken. Working this far in advance seems unusual, but in the world of entertainment performers it's actually quite normal.

Community Commitment - Right now, the Great Lakes environment is of key national and international concern…making our program perfectly timed to achieve maximum effectiveness. Should this concern wane over the coming years, it may be less fashionable to concentrate on the Great Lakes region and a bit more difficult to execute the program. Once in place, however, the GLA series will be somewhat immune to such changes in policy, because (like Farm Aid) we will become an institution people look for and support.

Feasibility / Sustainability

We are not the first to try such an adventure. Farm Aid, USA for Africa, Live Aid and other organizations have developed successful "concert for a cause" initiatives. We are in contact with some of them, and have a strong understanding of what it takes to succeed.

The demand is there - for sustainability information as well as for entertainment. Each year, the demand for and profits from top-shelf musical concerts increases, as does the interest in well-known artists participating in such programs. In short, the demand (for the tickets) is there, the supply (of talent) is there, and the need is there…this will work!

The team is experienced, capable, and advised by the best.

Once launched, the program will be financially self-sustaining. Let's consider a 50,000 seat venue (many seat almost 75,000), horribly undersold to 50%. At an average of $50 per ticket (low for fundraising concerts), the gross door receipts would total $1,250,000.00 not including promotional, concessions, marketing or TV/DVD broadcasting rights. Often, corporate sponsorships, donations, and the aforementioned "side money" programs more than equal ticket sales income - raising our gross receipts to around $2.5MM. But even without those "side monies," this hypothetical pays all the expenses of GLA and the concerts for year 1 and 2, and allows the Great Lakes Aid the ability to spend more than $250,000 in supporting environmental sustainability efforts in the region.

Program founders are dedicated to the cause working for "the greater good." They are dedicated to preserving the world we live in…and demonstrating sustainable business and society practices to a mass audience.