As a founder of this community, and a co-founder of Tinnitus Hub, I want to thank
@Ed209 for this fantastic initiative (which he started all on his own, we didn't ask for it!). It's remarkable what a single individual can achieve if they put their mind to it.
Many fail to realize it actually does cost something to operate a community, a website, or a volunteering-based organization. This thread has been read some 1,200 times, yet the percentage of people seeing enough value to contribute a minimum of $7 is relatively minuscule, which gives a good idea how difficult it is to raise funds.
But I also don't want to make those feel bad who can't, or won't, chip in financially. We have many such members who haven't, yet they provide an immense value to the community and its members in the form of providing support, experience, friendship. And that's what matters most at the end of the day, a community that thrives, people who work together and support each other.
Speaking of finances, our web server (actually two as we're developing another tinnitus related project) and email hosting alone costs about £1,000 / year. The surveys we organize, we use SurveyMonkey for it, and the plan costs approx £350 / year. Add a couple of other software licenses with annual fees, and it starts to add up.
Want something custom designed, developed? That's a load of money needed unless you have the skills yourself, or find a volunteer. We were very lucky last year when we got an anonymous person wanting to help us with a tinnitus app that we're developing. The access to a development team has been nothing short of amazing. Keep an eye out soon for a beta group call, we will be asking some members to test the app.
I'm not even touching our Facebook stuff (which we've lately neglected in favor of other things). We've used Facebook advertising quite a bit to reach out to a larger audience, whenever we've posted content that we feel needs to be given more of a spotlight. The sky's really the limit there, when it comes to use of funds. Generally speaking, the more funds you have access to, the more people you can reach (and raise more awareness in the process). Of course it's also an art in and of itself, to get the advertising cost to a minimum while still having broad reach and effective engagement.
And other things here and there, such as now, as per
@glynis' idea, I'm going to design a shirt for those who are going to this September's Tinnitus Expo in the UK. At least Glynis, Steve and Hazel are planning to attend, maybe more, and all will be wearing our own shirt. Not too costly, but not free either.
Previously, over the last seven years of running Tinnitus Talk, I can only think of one similar initiative to
@Ed209's, and that was a couple years back when
@attheedgeofscience started a campaign where he would write an article if people contributed $300 to our work - which they did, and the article was written as promised.
That and now Ed's campaign are the kind of vision and ingenuity the tinnitus community needs. Without a doubt, galvanizing the community is extremely difficult, hence some creativity is desperately required.
I also saw Ed is planning to do a research fundraiser later on in the year, that is excellent. There I would maybe think about collaborating with the BTA, whom we have collaborated quite a bit with before (e.g., it was mainly us, BTA and ATA who organized this year's Tinnitus Week, and next year's one is already well in planning).
BTA are able to organize campaigns where funds raised are earmarked for research.
But that's a discussion of its own. Ed, feel most welcome to contact us when the time is right.
Thanks everyone for your support. I look forward to a bright future together.
Member
. Cheers Bartek for your generosity. Every penny of that will make a difference. 
Founder
