Fundraising FAQs

Rye400 Money Matters

The Rye400 Committee, under the auspices of the Rye Historical Society, was formed to plan and execute a series of community-wide events and activities to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the first European settlement that would evolve into the State of New Hampshire. To accomplish all that, the committee must raise funds from a variety of sources to support its goals. In the spirit of transparency, the Rye400 Committee offers the following questions/answers we believe are important to understanding where the funds come from and how those resources are used.

  • The Committee is an all-volunteer, unpaid arm of the Rye Historical Society (a nonprofit/ charitable organization). Committee membership is representative of town government, education and community groups.

  • The committee has planned a variety of programs and activities to benefit the community in celebration of this once-in-a-lifetime milestone. To ensure those plans come to fruition, a fundraising plan was created and implemented.

  • Plans range from a lecture series — including world-renowned author Dan Brown, and local historian Dennis Robinson — to walking tours, town-wide scavenger hunts, and teacher-created education programs. There will also be trolley tours, holiday tree lightings, boats trips to the Isles of Shoals, a family-oriented Rye Day, an art exhibition and more. An Events Calendar was published in the December 2022 issue of Stroll Magazine and is continually maintained on the Rye400 website (www.ryenh400.org).

  • The goal is to raise $150,000 to support all the programs planned.

  • A variety of sources. The residents of Rye approved a $20,000 town warrant specific to the effort. Many events have business sponsors in the range of $400 to $5,000 and individuals are making donations ranging from $40 to $10,000. All donors are publicly acknowledged on the Rye400 website and in social media.

  • All funds are being used to pay for the cost of the planned activities. They include graphic design, printing, mailings, vendor services, and rentals. We are also fortunate to have pro-bono (no-cost) support for web design, legal services, as well as the volunteer services of the Rye Fire Department to hang town banners and “dress” the holiday tree with lights.

  • No. All members are volunteers providing many unpaid volunteer hours to ensure a successful celebration.

  • Yes. The Rye400 Committee believes in full transparency and will publish a report to the community at the conclusion of the Rye400 celebration year.

  • The Rye400 Committee believes that all funds raised for the purpose of celebrating the 400th anniversary should benefit the community. With that in mind, the committee will evaluate any surplus funds and identify appropriate, public-facing projects — e.g., a potential legacy project (TBD) — as recipients of those funds.

  • Keep up on everything Rye400 @ www.ryenh400.org, on Facebook, Nextdoor and on Instagram (ryenh400).

Have more questions?

We’d be happy to hear from you!
Email us at ryenh400@gmail.com.