A personal message from DC Downsizer, Kraig Clark . . .

Subject: It's in your hands whether I give $25,000

I've offered to give DownsizeDC.org $25,000. I've done this because I believe in the DownsizeDC.org vision. And I also believe that in order for this organization to become "viral," significant funding is needed for outreach.

DownsizeDC.org has spent less than $6,000 on direct outreach. This is because the organization first has to cover its modest operational budget. DownsizeDC.org needs to make sure that the lights stay on, the website stays fresh and operational, while also staying on top of Congress and how they are spending our money.

Performing these functions allows DC Downsizers to send hundreds of thousands of messages to Congress so that the politicians know we're here, that we're informed, that we care, and that we're not going away.

DownsizeDC.org, despite their modest budget, has accomplished impressive milestones to date:

1) 31,358 users have registered to use the site, and sent more than 1,350,316 messages to Congress.

2) Since DownsizeDC.org was launched in July, 2004, their small staff has launched 106 campaigns.

3) Since January, 2006, DC Downsizers have sent messages resulting in 16 legislative victories, most of the time stopping bad legislation.

If that's what DownsizeDC.org can do without a real outreach budget, then imagine what could happen if more money was directed at outreach, so that, for instance, we could have four times as many members and monthly pledge totals.

We're talking about an organization that could be as viral as the social networking sites; an organization that could cause a tsunami of pressure, and that could enact policies that would wipe out this recession by having Congress spend less money rather than more. We could repeal the damaging laws and regulations that are strangling the hardworking taxpayer. 

This is the potential I see.

If DownsizeDC.org had its annual budget covered, then nearly all of its future fundraising efforts could be applied to direct outreach. $6,000 per month is quite realistic at our present size, and even such a modest amount could lead to rapid growth, resulting in still more outreach and more growth.

This is why I want to contribute $25,000, but I can't do it without your support.

Jim Babka says he only needs another $10,851 in order to cover DownsizeDC.org's operating expenditures for all of 2009. With that number, DownsizeDC.org will be able to collect my $25,000.

Please, help Jim and his team achieve this goal. We've seen the damage that a large central government can inflict on its' citizens. We need to change that. I think DownsizeDC.org has the right approach. But to realize their vision they need a small wave of support from you to make a tsunami of difference in all of our lives.

If you want my $25,000, please go to our Close the Gap page, where you can also learn how to get an "I Am Not Afraid" T-shirt.

Thank you for your consideration, and for being my partner in growing Downsize DC.

Kraig Clark
Donor
DownsizeDC.org, Inc.