The Militant (logo)  
   Vol.66/No.29           July 29, 2002  
 
 
Supporters of Socialist Workers Party
set to surpass $300,000 yearly goal
 
BY STUART CROME  
SEATTLE--Supporters of the Socialist Workers Party are well on their way toward the goal of raising $300,000 in annually contributions to the party. The funds are collected in local areas and are sent to the party national office on a monthly basis and have become an integral part of how the party finances itself.

In a July 14 letter to supporters, Sara Gates, the head of the steering committee that organizes the monthly supporters contribution campaign, wrote, "Congratulations to all of us. We are heading into the party convention with the projection of $300,000 in the SWP operating budget by the end of the year, right on target for the goal launched at the beginning of the year.

In June, Gates wrote, supporters sent in $23,468, putting the four-month average at $25,038. This adds up to $300,456 a year, but with further anticipated increases the steering committee expects the total to go up even more. The number of contributors also grew from 290 in December 2001 to 323 in July.

Last December the supporters’ finances steering committee met in Seattle and discussed the opportunities and challenges facing the party. This included attending international books fairs, responding to developments in the international movement of anti-imperialist youth, and steps to transform the production and distribution of Pathfinder books. Out of this meeting, a goal of increasing the supporters’ contributions to $25,000 per month, or $300,000 a year by August 2002, was adopted.

Recognizing the importance of these political opportunities, SWP supporters around the country responded enthusiastically to the new campaign. Most areas were able to report their goals for increasing the amounts and number of contributions by March.

A new tool has also helped centralize and organize the supporters’ financial campaign. This is a web site on which supporters in each local area can list current contributors and their monthly payments. The web site, which was up and running in April this year, has made the record keeping of each area’s financial director and that of the national office more efficient.

Party supporters are working on a display for the upcoming SWP convention to show the progress in this campaign. They also plan to hold a workshop on organizing supporters’ finances and the use of the web site.

If you would like to become a contributor to help in this effort, please send an e-mail to Sara Gates at sjgates@attbi.com.

Stuart Crome is a member of the Seattle steering committee that organizes the monthly supporters’ contribution campaign.  
 
 
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