Funding

Other than finding a suitable anchor, the greatest challenge for creating a Service Ashram is financial. In terms of fundraising, by demonstrating a cost-benefit analysis between a Service Ashram and a typical nonprofit, it's a pretty easy sell.

There are various scenarios for how it could survive financially:

• Donor-Supported - ideally, the Service Ashram space itself would be owned so that the pressure of having to pay rent or mortgage every month would not act as a distraction from the service work.

• Fundraising Campaigns - if need be, the group could work together on various fundraising campaigns. Some ideas:
  • Sponsor of the month
  • An hour a month's worth of pay donated from a variety of people
  • Hosting events

• Sustainable Income - the group could also do something individually or collectively to generate income.

Out of these, the first scenario is the best as the investment is an extraordinary one, and it would empower highly motivated individuals to maximize their capacity to give.