Sometimes, You Just Don't Know.

I sit here coming down from the high of last night's trivia event at Solly's Tavern. The Solly's staff was enthusiastic and friendly, and the tables were filled with Reach fans and supportive strangers. In a closely contested trivia battle, "Smooth as Eggs" took home first prize while a strong showing by "The Boote Bunch" earned second place. Arash Jahanian and Randi Greenberg, our big raffle winners, will enjoy fantastic tickets to a Nats game next week. We are very appreciative to The Newseum, Jackie Jenzen, and Federal Realty Investment Trust for donating the evening's prizes. Overall, it was a great night!

Still excited from last night's festivities, I sat down this morning to continue work on some financial documents for a meeting of Reach's Board of Directors. After finishing a revised version of our FY2011 budget, I began developing revenue projections - estimations regarding how and when we will collect donations. It was both frustrating and freeing to recognize that, frankly, I have little idea. So much of this process is new to me. There is not yet any standard revenue cycle for Reach. I can tell you when we will apply for funding, but I certainly cannot predict with any certainty when we will receive funding.

While it makes planning difficult, this has been one of the great joys of our first year. I don't always know where the money's coming from, but I have repeatedly been surprised by the generosity of our supporters:

• When leaving Los Angeles at the end of a visit last summer, a friend handed me an envelope as she dropped me off at the airport. When I opened it, I discovered a check for $2,000. It was, at that time, our largest gift ever.
• Last September, having just returned from a wedding, I found myself spending time with old friends from college. When asking about my "pitch," a friend asked if I usually dressed up. I said, "yes, I'm usually in a suit." She then indicated she would donate $1,000 if I put on a suit to give the pitch. Minutes later, after a quick change in my rental car, Reach had another donor join our Founder's Circle.
• During a rough stretch, a classmate from Harvard's Graduate School of Education sent a simple e-mail: "My family has a small foundation. I can think of no better organization to support than Reach. Send a brief description, and we should be able to provide a grant of about $1,300."

I have no doubt that our revenue patterns will become more predictable, but I am confident now. The generosity of our supporters continues to surprise me. I am growing more comfortable with the fact that I don't know how we will raise every necessary dollar; however, I have faith that we will make it.

Thanks, as always, for reading.

Mark