Yesterday I once again asked for your help in providing last mile grants to bloggers from diverse regions and communities to help them attend Yearlykos Chicago.
Once again, your response was strong.
With my partners in this fund drive, Howie Klein of Blue America and Vicki Cosgrove, a California DFA activist, we've raised $2450 in pledges from 43 donors in our Donor Match program.
Already, four bloggers from Red States who would not otherwise have been able to attend Yearlykos have locked in their attendance. We are half way to our goal of raising $5,000 and providing bridge funds for ten grantees.
Those who read my diary last night know that we're not done yet. It's time for someone to meet the Meteor Blades challenge.
{Update: and that someone was PsiFighter37! With an assist from BarbinMD...and now further Kossacks are answering the call: Cat! Vigilant Meerkat! Jaybat! Mimi! and several anonymous others!}
Last night one of the most highly respected and accomplished bloggers here at dailykos, and someone I consider a warm online friend and ally, offered this challenge to Dailykos readers:
OK. $275 from me ... (20+ / 0-)
...if one other person will pledge the same.
Inspired by this pledge, dailykos member AnotherMassachusettsLiberal sweetened that challenge by offering an additional $175 IF someone met Meteor Blades's challenge within twenty four hours.
We're still waiting. (Not anymore!)
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here's how you can help.
First, Meteor Blades offered his challenge based on the ability donors have through Yearlykos to offer the full price of a Yearlykos registration directly to one recipient. If you are able to purchase the entire price of a Yearlykos Registration, currently $275, you can provide a diversity grant directly to one recipient by paying their entire registration fee and then allowing us to match that registration with a recipient.
Here's how that works:
Send the following form email to yearlykosdonormatch@comcast.net and then pay for a registration at the Yearlykos website...(Save your ID and Password!)...following these steps. When Vicki and Howie and I match you with a recipient, we will contact you and activate your pledge. You will then pass on the ID and Password of your registration to us and we will reregister that account in the name of a worthy recipient.
You will have made it possible for a deserving blogger to attend Yearlykos and made a donation to the convention at the same time.
Email to: yearlykosdonormatch@comcast.net
I would like to make a pledge of one Yearlykos Registration to allow a blogger to attend Yearlykos. I have paid for this registration at the Yearlykos website. When I receive a reply email with my donor match, I will pass along the ID and Password for that registration so that my recipient can attend Yearlykos Chicago using that registration.
Important: if you have already registered and cannot attend...send us the exact same email as above. You can donate your valid registration, whatever you paid for it, and help a blogger at the same time!
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The Meteor Blades Challenge...Met!!: 8 Hours to go
If JUST ONE of you makes that commitment today before 9pm PST, Meteor Blades will unlock his $275 donation and JustAnotherMassachusettsLiberal will unlock another $175 in cash grants.
You donation will have a $725 impact on our fund drive. That kind of generosity will allow Vicki and Howie and I to commit to more deserving recipients and lock in their attendence at Ykos Chicago.
If you can do so, please make the pledge and either make a comment below, or, if you prefer to remain anonymous, mention that in your pledge email to:
yearlykosdonormatch@comcast.net
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Not everyone has $275 to spare. There's another way to give... and you'll be helping the Registration Recipients make the last mile to Chicago.
We understand that and appreciate every last donation. Forty three of you have already stepped up to the plate, and every dollar makes a difference. If you have the means to make a smaller contribution and the willingness to make a pledge, here's how you can make a direct difference for a deserving blogger:
You make a pledge of $25 or $50 using the form email below and we will then match your pledge with a recipient. When that recipient turns in their budget and gives us the amount they need, we will call on you to "activate your pledge" and make a one time contribution to that recipient's Pay Pal or Google Check Out account for the amount you pledged.
It's that simple. It's that direct. That is your "Donor Match." You will know you made a difference.
Here's the form email:
Email to: yearlykosdonormatch@comcast.net
I would like to make one pledge of $25/$50 to help defray the cost of a blogger attending yearlykos. When I receive a reply email with my donor match, I will follow through by sending $25/$50 to that recipient's PayPal or GoogleCheckOut account.
If you are willing to support more than one recipient, and that is certainly welcome, we ask that you simply change the number of pledges, not the monetary amount. For purposes of simplicity and logistics, pledges are accepted only in $25 and $50 increments and no one donor will be allowed to contribute more than $50 to any one recipient directly. (For those with larger pocketbooks, see below.) For all intents and purposes you should consider this pledge an anonymous, small dollar gift.
We also ask that you use the form email as written above, so that we can make processing the donor matches simple and straightforward. We will complete the donor matches as swiftly as possible. This is a one weekend event with a specific goal. We will report back quickly on what we've achieved together.
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Conclusion
The bloggers I'm working with are people just like you and me, they are fundraising on their own and raising the dollars they can, they just need some extra help to make it to the convention. Howie and Vicki and I made a commitment to them that we would work our tails off to give them a chance to attend Ykos Chicago.
Your contribution to these bloggers is some of the most effective seed money you will ever give. These folks will take the training, the networking, the insights and connections they make at Yearlykos Chicago directly back to their communities. We are building something powerful here, one blogger at a time.
To all 43 of our donors, you have my thanks. Your anonymous gifts are making a difference. To anyone considering giving today, especially someone who might be able to meet the Meteor Blades Challenge, you should know that this is EXACTLY the kind of fulcrum money that makes a difference:
- Your pledge supports Yearlykos.
- Your pledge supports a local blogger.
- Your pledge builds the 50 State Strategy and increases the regional and ethnic diversity of our progressive movement.
- And, finally, your pledge, large or small, will enrich the experience of every last attendee at Yearlykos Chicago and the organizations and campaigns who have already committed to be there.
When a blogger from a rural area of a Red State or an underrepresented community attends Yearlykos with your help, you will have made a leveraged difference.
Vicki and Howie and I thank you in advance for your support.