E-Mail This Article to a Friend FUNDRAISING Scarcity breeds cooperation in search for AIDS funds BY DAVID S. BERNSTEIN

When Rebecca Haag, executive director of the AIDS Action Committee of Massachusetts, approached other AIDS-service providers in the state to partner with her in this summer’s inaugural Mass Red Ribbon Ride, she hoped for five takers — eight at the max. After all, these agencies have typically fought one another for scarce AIDS/HIV resources; collaboration, she says, is a relatively new concept for them.

Times have changed. Eighteen groups, ranging from AIDS CARE/Hampshire County, in Northampton, to Tapestry Health Systems, in Florence, to AIDS Project Worcester, wanted to work with her to make the three-day, statewide, fundraising bicycle ride happen. The event is scheduled for August 13, 14, and 15.

While the groups have occasionally worked together before on isolated programming or advocacy initiatives, "this is the first time we’ve collaborated on something operational like fundraising," says Cathy Morales, executive director of the Boston Living Center. Morales adds that directors of several other groups were cautious, asking her if she was participating before committing themselves. "Fundraising is usually the most competitive — what could be more precious than your donor list?"

Participating agencies will put up $5000 or $10,000 each toward the creation and promotion of the event; revenues will be distributed based on the size of that buy-in. Ironically, the scarcity of funds is driving the collaboration, Haag says. State and federal funding has decreased, and private donors trying to make up the difference may be facing "donor fatigue." The annual AIDS Walk raised only $1.1 million in revenue last year, compared with $3 million just five years ago, according to Haag.

Combining forces should lower overhead costs, Morales says, leaving a higher percentage of donation funds for actual services. "When we work against each other with a little event here, a little event there, we only hurt ourselves," she says.

A big, statewide event can also generate more interest than separate small events, notes Meredith Collins, development assistant at AIDS Project Worcester. "The interest in HIV/AIDS has been waning," she says. "We feel like this is a way to rejuvenate and rekindle that interest."

Of course, this assumes the Mass Red Ribbon Ride will be a success — at least down the road, if not in its first year. Last year, a similar event sponsored only by AIDS Action Committee raised a little less than $200,000. The Ride will have to do much better to keep the partnership together, says Haag.

For more information on the event, go to www.massredribbonride.org.