A letter to prospective founders

I know you are busy so I will not waste your time.

The Chicagoland Gluten-Free Collective is something I have envisioned for the better part of a decade. After our Long Grove festival was disrupted by the police, I believe it is time to take action and organize our local gluten-free artisans into a unified brand.

I want this Collective to advocate for gluten-free businesses, to leverage the size of our business community, and to ultimately increase all of our revenue, because that’s what we’re here for. Hosting gluten-free festivals is only the beginning. Massive ingredient purchases in bulk. A shared catalog of offerings for approaching retailers, restaurants, and major events. Acquiring & fulfilling high-volume contracts with multiple independent suppliers working together. A single-checkout online marketplace with dozens of gluten-free businesses.

But the first steps are organizing the paperwork. We all know the proper steps it takes to be taken seriously, and none of us want to risk our business with a poorly structured entity. I come before you today asking for your financial buy-in to this concept so that we share the risk and embark on this journey together. This is not meant to be “MY” organization; this is an advocacy union for all of us. Without the complete support of our local industry, this plan isn’t worth anything.

I am asking for a minimum of 30 founders to contribute $250 each to the Chicagoland Gluten-Free Collective. These founders will develop & approve the official bylaws, including changing the name if they so decide, and receive VIP status in the Collective (for as long as they pay their dues), with perks like early registration for events, priority placement in catalogs, and discounts on membership dues. In fact, these founder perks are part of what the founder group will decide when developing the bylaws.

This founder money will be used for attorney, CPA, & other administrative fees to create & file a 501c6 trade association. Leftover funds will be used to finish development on this demo web app.

If we do not get at least 30 founders to commit, all money will be refunded and I will personally pay any transaction fees incurred.