Fundraising has been sporadic, ad hoc and unpolished over the years. Is it time to deal with this activity in a more professional and properly managed manner? There is a lot to learn and a simple start might be here: givenow.com.au which promises a lot of support and low fees.

From talking to current TI management, I get the idea that they think things have never been so good with the finances. In 2018, the relative value of $1,250,000.00 (what we paid for 3 Mavis Avenue) in 1987 ranges from $3,065,000.00 to $8,084,000.00 [measuringworth.com]. I think TI turned over less than $450 grand in 2018, but in 1987 the interest bill /on its own/ was about $40 grand a quarter. That interest (which got us nothing but the loan) is equivalent to $400 grand today — then on top of that, we paid all the costs of running the Centre. Where is that "loan" money today and why do we not have at least half of it clear of running expenses?

Wikipedia: "Project management is the practice of initiating, planning, executing, controlling, and closing the work of a team to achieve specific goals and meet specific success criteria at the specified time." This is how one off projects should be treated at TI. We shouldn't have to wait until the AGM to try to work out how a project such as the front porch turned out (hidden in the figures). Discrete areas such as residency, kitchen, program, Geshe Care etc should also be run so that their specific costs and funding can be managed on a monthly basis rather than waiting until the end of the year before knowing where we stand.