Over 4000 new donors have contributed to the Democratic Party since
Grassroots Donor Match 2006 was launched. And those contributions have been matched by 4000 previous donors who, together made this our most success fundraising e-mail,
ever. Real time stats,
here.
So we want to first say thank you, again, for making this such a crazy success. The enthusiam for this kind of people-powered Party building is contagious. When you step up to the plate to support us, be it in support of Governor Dean, in defense of the 50-State Strategy, or with your hard-earned money, it inspires us to work even harder. You've all seen the response our fellow Kossacks have had. First, Fran for Dean's diary and then Josh's diary yesterday were chock full of wonderfully inspiring stories.
Frankly, I don't think I can do a better job of telling that story than they already did...so follow me below the flip to hear what they had to say about this program. After reading their words, I bet you take the leap yourself and, if you are an existing donor, Make a Pledge or, if you are a new donor, Contribute For the First Time.
First, Paul Loeb, blogging over at
HuffPo:
I've never been the kind of donor who gives matching grants. In fact I've never been a major donor at all, just someone who gives $25 here and $50 there to a bunch of causes I believe in, because that's what I can afford. So I loved the Democratic National Committee email that invited me and other ordinary citizens to make modest online pledges, to be redeemed when new donors contributed.
For a moment, I got to play Ford Foundation. And a woman in Knife River, Minnesota matched the $50 that I pledged on the DNC site. "I'm newly retired and uncertain about what I can actually afford to give," she emailed, "But the matching offer prompted me to respond despite that uncertainty. I agree with you that this regime must be stopped."
But it was more than the matching offer that's made this the DNC's single most successful fundraising email since 2004. And more even than the timing. Like most of us, I'm sure the Minnesota woman had gotten plenty of requests for contributions, including promises that some Senator, Congressperson, or anonymous wealthy donor would step in and amplify what she gave. But she hadn't responded. These matching appeals help our modest dollars go further. I respond to them when I can. But I also wonder why donors who have so much more money than I do (or so much in their campaign coffers while sitting on safe seats) don't simply give whatever they were planning to anyway without all the gamesmanship. They're trying to multiply their impact, I know, and often this works. But it also sends a bit of a double message.
This appeal felt different. Like the Party's new social networking tool, PartyBuilder, it offered those participating a human connection. It allowed me and others who'd already contributed a way to increase the impact of what we gave, and those responding to remember that they were being joined not just by generic donors, but by specific ordinary citizens who, like them, would contribute despite having to juggle budgets, bills and other normal commitments. That made all the difference to the woman from Minnesota. And it made all the difference to me, letting me tell the story of why I was contributing, and giving more than I'd originally planned. It made the process more personal. [...]
And, of course, our fellow Kossacks:
I'm a Democracy Bonds owner who made a Very Special Pledge to participate in this program, which I think is pure genius...Within a few hours, I got an email that my pledge was matched, along with a nice note from the donor, a woman from Iowa... and so I immediately logged on to fulfill my pledge. All in all, this was a really gratifying experience.
Kudos to the DNC - and Chairman Dean - for their progressive and innovative programs to finance the party from the grassroots! - Malacandra
This whole idea of matching small donations from others around the country relates to that theme of re-building our community - where human beings are connected to others and we care not just about our neighborhood, but others as well. For me, it was the single most important theme of Howard Dean's presidential campaign and the reason I was so hooked.
So.. I had to play a small part in this program. - TheC
This is a terrific idea because veteran donors get more bang for the buck AND because it brings in new donors who, once invested in the DNC, may well invest again.
I pledged $250 yesterday as soon as I got the note from Howard, and I have to say I enjoyed it... Dean always talked about community, and it's wonderful to see it grow. - MTinMD
This is people power and it must be worrying to them to know that each pledge and matched donation is tied to a vote!
I feel empowered! - Working Mom
Some took me up on my matching offer...
That was the highlight of this election season for me... - johnnyNYC
I pledged $50 an hour ago...and 20 minutes ago the DNC told me that Alan L. in Lagunitas, CA, had matched $15 of it. Way to go, Alan! Just now they told me that Idith H. in Chicago, IL, had matched the remaining $35. Woohoo! Neither had donated before.
I have to say, this made me feel GREAT! Best money I've spent in a long time...I was proud to give it to Howard Dean and the 50-state strategy, which is looking more brilliant by the day. - Veritas78
There are of course, tons more of great stories like these. And I hope they keep coming. You can follow our real time progress over on the DNC Homepage, www.democrats.org
I am waiting to see who my most recent matcher is going to be. It could be one of you! It could be someone totally unrelated to DailyKos, though its hard for me to imagine those people exist! Either way, it will be someone who wants a stake in our Party and who cares about where our country is headed. We've got 19 short days until Election Day, when all of our hard work could pay off. Republicans will try and use every trick in the book to outwork, outspend, outsmart us - but we refuse to let them. We've all had enough, and we all want a new direction for America, with a Democratic Congress and a Democratic Senate, and in two years, a Democratic President, leading the way.
You can help make that happen.
Thanks, again. We'll keep you updated as the day goes on.
Oh, and remember, we still need feet on the street! Volunteer Today if you haven't already!