Cost of Leadnow operations

Dear Asarial,

This is Rachael and I work behind the scenes as Leadnow’s Operations and Finance Manager.

Frankly, it’s never been more challenging to run operations at Leadnow, as our people-powered movement fights against profit-driven Conservative Premiers, pushes the federal government to be more bold and ambitious with their policies and takes on greedy corporations raking in record-breaking profits.

This past year has been a difficult one to say the least. At Leadnow, we’ve worked hard to campaign on the issues that you care about most like making Big Oil pay their fair share with a windfall tax and a Just Transition towards a greener more sustainable future.

I’m writing to you today about Leadnow’s 2023 budget. I’m working to finalize our 2023 budget, pay the last of the 2022 bills, and ensure we have enough left to cover the costs of the first few months of the new year. And the truth is, we’re falling short of our fundraising goal. We need to raise $72,563 before the end of the year if we want to keep up with our cost of operations in the new year.

We’re a member-driven organization. That means every dollar we receive is a result of generous contributions from members like you. And we are so grateful — it’s what allows us to stay independent and powers campaigns that our community cares about most. To make sure we can continue our people-powered work and fire on all cylinders in 2023 and beyond, can you chip in a few dollars to help us close the $72,563 gap?

• Delivering powerful tactics: From newspaper ads to billboards to protests, our campaigns team works hard to maximize your impact and win on the issues that matter. Leadnow is able to deliver some of the most unique tactics that keep those in power on their toes and feeling the heat of public pressure.
• Upgrading the Leadnow website and our tech: It might look simple, but behind the scenes of our website are the best internet campaigning tools in the world. Keeping our tools up to date and top of the line is what allows us to ramp up the pressure on politicians and decision-makers at critical moments. It’s what allows us to connect with over 600,000 people from coast to coast.
• Salaries for Leadnow staff: The small but mighty team of 12 who spring into action to run campaigns on the things you care about the most. Their time is spent strategizing, working with allies, and putting together campaigns at a moment’s notice.

Asarial, if we’re not able to close the gap before the end of the year, we’ll have to make some tough choices in order to scale back. A well-designed ad will have no impact if we can’t get it in the papers. Cutting-edge phone banking technology will go to waste if we can’t afford to buy the minutes to make thousands of calls. And our staff won’t be able to do their work if we can’t cover the cost of our essential tech systems.

And next year is going to be pivotal. From fighting to save our crumbling healthcare systems, to taking on greedy corporations that are flush with cash while the rest of us struggle, to campaigning hard for a Just Transition. With so much at stake, we can’t afford to head into 2023 with a $72,563 shortfall that could force us to cut back. If you’re able, will you chip in what you can now to help us close the gap?

Thank you for all that you do,
Rachael, on behalf of the Leadnow team