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National Museum of the American Indian, direct mail fund raising (coupled with the development of a membership program) must play an early and prominent role because the campaign must develop its own base of support [[underlined]] and [[underlined]] must use the mail as a publicity tool. The income and expense projections for this program are provided in substantial detail in the [[underlined]] Report [[underlined]] and have been reviewed favorably by Smithsonian staff who are skilled in this fund-raising technique. 

4. Public Relations Program. A substantial public relations program is recommended in order to both improve the "climate" for fund raising and to define it. This program will be directed toward Indian and non-Indian audiences and relies heavily upon: the promotion of the Museum's Director and his vision for the new Museum; the opportunity to heighten awareness of Native American concerns generally; and a more accurate understanding of Indian life, culture and aspirations in the United States today. The fund-raising planning team believes that the campaign for the National Museum of the American Indian is truly the most unique philanthropic opportunity in the United States today. In comparison to the almost countless other campaigns which are currently being planned or are actually underway throughout the country, the fund-raising planning staff believes that there is nothing which can compete with the [[underlined]] uniqueness [[/underlined]] of the Museum's campaign. The proposed public relations program is the vehicle by which [[underlined]] appropriate positioning of the new Museum and its case for support [[underlined]] will be achieved. 

STAFFING 

Hiring must begin immediately. 

The Taft [[underlined]] Report [[underlined]] recommends that ten professional and support staff be hired to form the nucleus of the campaign staff. The proposed number of full-time permanent staff has been kept deliberately low, due to the expectation that once the campaign is concluded the staff will evolve, as is the case with other Smithsonian museums, into a Museum-based development office. 

The types and qualifications of personnel needed for the campaign staff are somewhat different from those needed in an ongoing membership and development operation. In campaign fund raising, it is not wise to become "loaded up" with numerous staff, but to secure external technical services and resources when and where they are needed. This approach will help to keep ongoing operating costs at a minimum in the long term. Hiring will follow this prudent path, especially in the early years, with the anticipation that the campaign will reach its most intensive period in 1992-1993.

External technical assistance and services will complement the campaign staff in the areas of campaign oversight, leadership identification, membership/direct mail fund raising, public relations, advertising and public service promotions, cause-related marketing, writing (case statement, brochures, proposals, etc.), audio-visual and promotional materials, prospect research, and special events. Of particular importance, through external technical assistance services the campaign staff will provide special workshops on fund raising and public relations for persons employed by organizations which serve the Native American community.

Contracting for external technical assistance and services will permit greater campaign efficiency and will also mitigate large, long-term overhead.