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6. Please explain what plans exist to allow this project to become self-sustaining. Include any <br />plans for ticket sales, event sponsors, and other cost -recovery models. <br />As a non-profit we are always searching out local event sponsors. This can be difficult in a small <br />community that is tapped out with sponsorship requests and sponsors outside the area tend to want to <br />sponsor only events within their own community. Therefore the 2017 Sponsorship packet has been <br />updated to not only continue to include our higher priced all-inclusive sponsorships but we have now <br />added smaller priced sponsorships that will allow a larger number of businesses to sponsor the event at <br />a more affordable fee. Our comprehensive sponsorship program continues to offer businesses and <br />individuals the opportunity to choose among 11 different sponsorship packages so that they can find <br />one that will best suit their needs. We also offer the opportunity for businesses to promote themselves <br />on our event program with different page sized business ads. New for 2017 we will be offering <br />businesses a rip card partnership. These are rack cards that will be distributed year-round where a <br />business can include a special coupon discount. We continue to listen to our event attendees survey <br />results and improve on entertainment choices, ticket prices and concert venues with the goal of <br />increasing ticket sales. In order to cut costs and not have to eliminate free events, we will not be <br />holding a concert in 2017 at the larger, more expensive Central Washington University Concert Hall. Our <br />goal is to not only save money on venue costs, but to sell out at a slightly smaller concert venue and <br />therefore not have to raise ticket prices. We have also increased our local partnerships in order to <br />obtain decreased fees for venue locations. With the lowering of vendor fees from last year and reaching <br />out to past and new vendors earlier in the year, we are hoping to continue to increase the number of <br />vendors who are able to participate. We also listened again to vendor feedback and will not be using <br />pipe and drape which is an added expense. For 2016 we partnered with Daniel Beard of Bares and <br />Broncs and offered a pre -event party as a fundraiser that included dinner, drinks, western poetry and <br />music along with the crowning of Miss Spirit of the West and a Live Cowboy Auction. New for 2017 will <br />be the Spirit of the West Showcase event that will offer new performers an opportunity to present their <br />music and poetry for a chance to actually participate as a performer at the 2018 Spirit of the West <br />Cowboy Gathering. The final performers will present their poetry and music at a ticketed event where <br />attendees will have the opportunity to vote on the performers. This event is planned to occur twice <br />during the year. <br />