At this time of Thanksgiving, we would like to take a moment to thank all Crossmen for your support over the years and to give you some general updates.
At this time of Thanksgiving, we would like to take a moment to thank all Crossmen for your support over the years and to give you some general updates. As you know, the rising cost of providing a Drum Corps experience and the day to day challenges all organizations in this activity face create questions, so here are some Crossmen answers.
The 2024 season is financially secure
While costs will exceed our traditional revenue in 2024, through one-time items such as grants, asset sales, and a large donation, the 2024 Crossmen season is financially secure. Our major expense items are clear, and our reasonably precise projections of smaller expenses in 2023 indicate our ability to effectively manage our budget. While we expect the unexpected, we believe we have a secure plan.
In 2024 we must show revenue growth to secure 2025
We have spent the last 3 years optimizing our cost structure, paying off operational debts from 2017, 2018 and 2019, recovering from the COVID crisis, changing operational models to reduce cost and looking at every dollar spent. To raise money for 2024, we are selling assets including our building and transitioning to a virtual office model.
Now we must show that we can grow revenue to secure 2025. Our traditional revenue will not be enough to cover expenses. The one-time grants, asset sales and donation that enabled 2024 will not be available in 2025. We have to step it up. To ensure the next generations can have the life-changing experiences the Crossmen provide, we are focused on five major areas for revenue growth:
Texas Bingo
Donations
Large events/fundraisers
Grants
Lots of small events/fundraiser
Here is some information on each one of these:
Texas Bingo
We have begun receiving revenue from our work over the last 18 months on Texas Bingo. To be clear, Texas Bingo is NOT like bingo in some other states. Revenue is capped around $100K, and long-term $80K seems like the maximum potential goal. Working with our partners, a new set of Bingo games is being established. We are at the beginning, with the last few quarters resulting in a revenue run rate of $15K per year and growing. We expect the ramp of revenue to take 2 to 3 years. Bingo is crowded in Texas, and times are tough for the average Bingo player, but we must try to take advantage of the tools the State of Texas gives non-profits.
Donations
Donations are an area where Crossmen have traditionally lagged significantly behind our peer drum corps. To be blunt, we lag behind by 6 to 9 times what our peers raise. We have a number of actions here. First is to try to understand why, through listening and providing opportunities for feedback and involvement. We can't change the past, but we can understand it and work for the future. There are clearly things that could have been done differently over the last 50 years, but we all value the life-changing experience that each Crossmen Alumni has had. In our 50th year, we hope you will help enable the next generation through Club Unity or one-time gifts.
Large Events / Fundraisers
We will expand the number and type of national and large events, you can help by participating in these events and by helping us define new ones. Without a “home show” fundraiser, we have to expand our large events beyond just a raffle and premiere show.
Grants
We continue to focus on grants and have benefited greatly from the receipt of grants during the 2023 season. Over time, you will see us refine the messaging on existing programs such as the San Antonio Community Wind Ensemble and the San Antonio Jazz Collective to highlight their impact on underserved youth. We are also creating two exciting new programs that will be rolled out over the next two years. Our overall focus remains creating tomorrow’s leaders today through youth development in the performing arts and we will continue to search for support for these efforts.
Lots of small events / fundraiser
Every dollar matters. You will see opportunities to join in small and local events that gather Alumni, families and friends to celebrate, engage and expand the impact of the Crossmen. You can help not just through participation, but also by helping to host easy to create events using our guidance and How-To guides.
50th Anniversary Year: 2024 is the year for Action
2024 is a very exciting year for the Crossmen. The Alumni Corps is 425+ members strong and will perform in San Antonio, Allentown and Indy. The 2024 Crossmen are honored to be representing 50 years of rich tradition and history. We can't wait to show you what we are planning!
Our 50th year also focuses us on working to provide another 50 years of life-changing experiences. 2024 must be the year we show revenue growth to secure 2025. We cannot do this without your help and without a change in revenue sources.
Happy Thanksgiving and Thank You
We extend warm Thanksgiving wishes to you and your family, expressing heartfelt thanks to everyone who has contributed to furthering the Crossmen mission over the past five decades!
When all else is gone, the Bones remain
