If you are like me, you have probably been receiving email and social media pleas for weeks to Give the Max to various organizations. Every non-profit that has managed to get my email has sent at least one message asking for money. Well, here’s another.
If you are reading this post at all, it likely means that you value the content and conversation that streets.mn provides. But you might not know that streets.mn is entirely run by volunteers and is a non-profit. Last year’s Give the the Max and our December fundraiser were our largest sources of income. streets.mn has certain fixed costs that keep the lights on, so to speak. We have to pay for web-hosting and the like. But, the Board of Directors would like to do more than just keep the lights on.
One of our biggest priorities for the coming year is a redesigned website. streets.mn has grown! We have more writers and more content than ever before. Our forum (I didn’t even know this existed until a few weeks ago!) is active and we would like it to be easier to use. We are out-growing our website and need money for a redesign that makes it easier to use, access, interact with, and find content.
We would also like to be able to pay an editor. Currently members of the Editorial Council volunteer 10-20 hours per week reviewing submissions, working with writers to polish their work, posting the stories, and other behind the scenes work necessary to bring you content. They are very dedicated people who make streets.mn happen and our goal is to have enough regular income to compensate some of these hours.
Finally, the mission of streets.mn is “To expand and enhance the conversation about transportation and land use through research and informed commentary.” As we expand and enhance that conversation, we are working to increase the diversity of voices – rural, urban, suburban; women and people of color; people from non-planning backgrounds to name a few – and to increase the of ways of having the conversation – including more podcasts and more events.
So, as you prioritize your charitable giving, please consider a Give to the Max donation to streets.mn. A $10 donation helps to keep the lights on. A $25 donation helps redo the website. A recurring donation helps us work toward compensating an editor. Any amount helps us reach out to include more people and more voices.
If Give to the Max is not your thing, there are other ways to help out. We are having our second annual December fundraiser on Thursday, December 1 from 5:3o to 7:30 p.m. at the Riverview Condo Tower. Eventbrite information is coming soon so save the date. Join us for food and drink and the opportunity to meet the people behind streets.mn.
Finally, to help support our mission we are looking into a more robust membership program. Please take a moment to complete this survey so we can better understand what a streets.mn membership program should look like and how it would most benefit you.
Thank you! We truly do appreciate everyone who contributes to this community, financially or otherwise.
