All the Gear Has Arrived!

The last couple of weeks have been highly anticipatory. I had received all of the gear I ordered with the exception of a pair of sE X1 S microphones. The X1 S mics are brand-spankin’ new – the first run hot off the production line – and the few available reviews on their performance have left many eagerly awaiting their arrival (me included). This past Friday, the pair appeared at my doorstep. Thanks sE Electronics! This completes my grocery list of gear and allows us to move forward with the Phase I, Proof of Concept Project.

While assembling this set of gear, I have also been working to establish a few new and essential partnerships. Things are looking very promising in that regard and I anticipate having some news to report about partnerships in the near future.

Next steps include assembling our esteemed team of subject matter experts to begin working on our virtual socio-educational platform. This is getting exciting, folks!

An Exercise in Transparency: Phase I Proof of Concept Equipment Update

To date, the biggest stumbling block to our projects’ forward progress has been acquiring the needed funds to purchase equipment and run the organization. In Colorado, we initially sought to raise over $30,000 in grant money to conduct Phase I. We were able to receive limited financial successes through grants from Wells Fargo and Target. While we applied for numerous local, regional, and national grants, our financial goals of $30,000 were far from realized.

Locating the organization to the East Coast will have a definite impact on how we might acquire grants, equipment, and operational funds. Grant money was hard to come by, and we learned from the experience.  The Board of Directors has approved a new strategy that will allow us to conduct our Phase I Proof of Concept project on a ‘shoestring’ budget. I am purchasing the audio production gear necessary to will allow us to complete our proof of concept using personal funds, and loaning the equipment out to Global Z. The purchase of this gear is about 90% complete. Once all of the necessary gear has been secured, we can move forward with making the necessary connections that will allow us to get Phase I underway.

Through these successes, we hope to attract the funding necessary that will allow us to operate in the black for future years to come. 2017-2018 will undoubtedly be exciting years for Global Z!