SXSW 2012

Austin Browncoats is a 501(c)(3) Non-Profit Organization located in Austin, Texas. We started as a small fan group, but, in 2007, changed paths and became a non-profit organization. We are often asked about this journey, from fan-group to non-profit and how we: created our identity, transitioned from fun to business (and fun!) and maintained the integrity of the original group, while allowing it to adapt for business needs. We want to share our unique take of raising money for charity, while still maintaining close ties to our fan group community. We will show individuals how to make the most of their grassroots, street team marketing, as well as social networking. We have an entire team who costumes for charity who will be at our panel, as live models, for photography. We will also demonstrate how an effective use of conventions and genre-fan events can lead to a very generous donor pool. We will also talk about the best way to find a dedicated team of volunteers who are willing to work 20+ hours a week, for free, in order to make the world a better place!