Grist Magazine, an online environmental magazine and project of Earth Day Network, used Groundspring.org's DonateNow service to raise more than $65,000 in three weeks with a highly creative and innovative online fundraising campaign. Grist sent several personal, humorous, and compelling appeals to its subscribers (including one from the mother of editor Chip Giller), using a combination of HTML and straight text. Says Chip about the campaign: "We were amazed and gratified by our readers' generosity. The campaign has provided us with essential funding, and we couldn't have pulled it off without Groundsppring.org."
Sample Email Appeal:
A letter from the Grist staff
Dear Grist reader,
Although you read our magazine, you probably don't know much about us, the Grist staff. We like it that way; we're more interested in calling attention to the best environmental journalism and the most important opportunities for environmental activism than to ourselves.
Still, every once in a while, there's a good reason to stick our heads out from behind the scenes. Right now, we're doing so to ask for your help. In the past, our parent organization, Earth Day Network, has generously supported us out of its general budget. Now, as nonprofit organizations all over the country face a financial squeeze, we need to raise money directly for Grist if it is to remain alive.
And it's critical that it does. Since Grist began three years ago, its audience has grown to 60,000 readers a day. Folks tell us they rely on Grist to stay on top of environmental news, to find out about opportunities for activism-and to get a laugh. A typical piece of fan mail: "You are not only the best source of environmental news, but the funniest, too. Once again, I cracked a smile while reading some of the most horrific news out there."
Grist consists of precisely four paid staff members (that's us!) working on a shoestring budget, even by nonprofit standards. We run a very tight ship, but we still need your help to keep it afloat. You don't have to be well-off to make a difference; if every one of you gave us a penny for every blurb you read in "Daily Grist" last year (that's about $11, assuming you read us religiously), we'd be sitting pretty. We know that's a pipe-dream-not everyone will be able to give to Grist right now-but we hope you'll be among those who are able and willing to support us. We promise we won't run out and buy a company SUV.
Since we started this readership fundraising drive a week ago, the response we've received has been heartening. We've heard from many of you that $20, or $50, or $250 -- whatever the amount-is a price well worth paying for what you get from Grist. We appreciate all the support, and we hope to hear from more of you in the final week of the drive.
Grist is the lifeline to the environmental movement for 60,000 people; please help us keep it alive. Tax-deductible donations to Grist can be made on this page: http://fw.memesys.com/b/ct_click.cgi?type=1&ct_id=7644
With gratitude,
The Grist staff
Chip Giller, Editor
Kathryn Schulz, Assistant Editor
Sherry Bosse, Production Coordinator
Meredith Hall, Research Assistant
P.S. Over the next week, we'll be sending out one more email appeal asking readers for their financial support. Please forward this message to friends who might be willing to help. And please give what you can to support Grist: http://fw.memesys.com/b/ct_click.cgi?type=1&ct_id=7645
To check out the magazine or give to Grist, go to:
http://www.gristmagazine.com/about/support.asp
