Dear MoveOn member,
This is Cheryl Zando, MoveOn's chief operating officer. I don't typically
write emails to you, but I told our staff that we need to be transparent
about what's happening at MoveOn.
I'll get right to the heart of it: MoveOn's fundraising is down by just
over 16,000 monthly donations so far in 2023. And that comes on top of a
tough 2022.
I understand why: When President Joe Biden took office, many of us were
exhausted from fighting Donald Trump 24/7, excruciating year after
excruciating year. At the same time, the cost of living surged in 2022,
and the number of Americans living paycheck to paycheck jumped to
64%—making it harder for many people to donate.^1
MoveOn isn't alone. Donations to progressive organizations are down across
the board since President Biden took office. But unlike most other
organizations that are largely funded by big grants or wealthy donors,
MoveOn is funded primarily by small-dollar, grassroots donations from
people like you!
Focusing on small donations of $5, $15, or $35 has been a core tenet of
MoveOn's mission since our founding in 1998, because it ensures that we
can remain fiercely independent and responsible to only our members, not
the whims of corporate interests or the 1%.
Meanwhile, MoveOn's work truly is as urgent as ever: A single judge in
Texas may this week attempt to ban the abortion pill nationwide; the MAGA
Republican House is holding our economy hostage and refusing to pay our
debts, threatening a global economic crisis; and Republican presidential
hopefuls are trying to gain an upper hand by denying LGBTQ+ people, and
especially trans youth, their rights, dignity, and humanity.
John, that's why I need to ask you: Will you start a
$5 monthly donation now to help keep MoveOn strong and close
our fundraising gap? Monthly donations are so important to MoveOn, because
they allow us to have a more stable income and solidify our future plans.
[ [link removed] ]Yes, I'll chip in monthly.
[ [link removed] ]No, I'm sorry, I can't make a monthly donation.
Just as MoveOn's been grappling with a sustained dip in fundraising,
Politico is reporting that Republican PACs and dark-money groups that
support far-right MAGA extremists entered 2023 with tens of millions of
dollars in the bank—ready to fund candidates, ballot measures, and
terrifying anti-democratic policies.^2
The good news is that MoveOn has never needed to match these groups dollar
for dollar. For nearly 25 years, we have been nimble, innovative, and
lean—but given how hard it has been to meet our fundraising goals so far
this year, I'm concerned that we are not going to have the money we need
to fight back.
So I'm asking, John: Can you help us close our budget gap by
chipping in $5 a month? Every single monthly donation makes
a difference.
[ [link removed] ]Yes, I'll chip in monthly.
[ [link removed] ]No, I'm sorry, I can't make a monthly donation.
You may be wondering what MoveOn does with the money we raise.
The short answer is: a lot!
Some will go immediately to turning out voters to win the Wisconsin
Supreme Court election on April 4, which will decide whether the far right
controls the court or not and could end up deciding the 2024 presidential
election in one of the most critical battleground states in the country.
Some of the money will be put toward research and development of new
techniques to identify and energize young voters and voters of color as we
quickly prepare for the 2024 elections.
Some will go to supporting, training, and amplifying member-led organizing
to unseat the Complicit Caucus—18 House Republicans who represent swing
districts that President Biden won in 2020—and end Republican control of
the House in 2024. The 18 Republicans got elected by masquerading as
moderates, but in reality they vote in lockstep with a hard-right MAGA
agenda. A gift of $10, for instance, can allow a volunteer to send up to
500 personal text messages to organize voters in those key districts.
Some will be put into campaigns to combat the disinformation that pervades
the United States, from exposing Fox News for knowingly lying about the
2020 election results to campaigning for young people to have access to
accurate information about how to access abortion.
And some will be used to ensure that MoveOn is able to continue paying our
incredible, hardworking staff the good, fair wages that we believe every
single worker in America deserves.
I fully understand that many people aren't in a place now to donate. But
if you are, John, please make a $5 monthly gift
to help us close our budget shortfall and keep MoveOn strong and fighting
day in and day out for a world in which everyone can thrive.
[ [link removed] ]Yes, I'll chip in monthly.
[ [link removed] ]No, I'm sorry, I can't make a monthly donation.
Thanks for all you do.
–Cheryl Zando, Chief Operating Officer
Sources:
1. "64% of Americans are living paycheck to paycheck — here's how to keep
your budget in check," CNBC, January 31, 2023
[link removed]
2. "Haley, Pence and other potential '24 candidates buff up their dark
money groups," Politico, December 2, 2022
[link removed]
Want to support MoveOn's work? Voters just defied history and stopped a
MAGA wave of extremism at the polls. But there is more work to do to end
the filibuster, codify abortion rights into law, and defend our freedoms,
our families, and our futures. We can accomplish all this and more, but
only if we work together.
Will you chip in monthly to power our critical work?
[ [link removed] ]Yes, I'll chip in $5 a month.
[ [link removed] ]No, I'm sorry, I can't make a monthly donation.
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