A Letter to the CatComm Community

This letter, explaining the importance of the PledgeBank initiative, has just been published in CatComm's latest newsletter. I thought it was important to post it here, too, so those debating whether to support the organization get a sense of the present urgency:

Dear Friends,

Catalytic Communities has come a long way over these past five years. As the only organization working actively to build a global network of grassroots community leaders, hundreds of community groups now depend on us to bring them together, to facilitate their learning through peer networks across borders.

But a nonprofit organization is not an easy thing to sustain, especially in trying times when there are so many vital demands on our philanthropic monies, when urgent catastrophes tug at our heartstrings.

That is why I am calling on you now. Catalytic Communities finds itself today at its most fragile moment in five years. This is ironic given the exciting position we are currently in, the reputation we have built, the brilliant team we now have to take the work forward, the planning process we have just completed for three years of promising work to come…

But it is the current reality: if CatComm does not receive US$96,000 in pledges by year’s end to cover its basic costs in 2006, we will have to reduce our current programs, compromising much of what we have built over the past five years.

For this reason we have launched the PledgeBank challenge, to bring realizing this year-end goal within the reach of our current network of supporters and collaborators. If 399 people join us in committing to a $10 monthly donation at www.pledgebank.com/catcomm by December 31st, our work will be able to continue throughout 2006, and beyond.

I hope to greet you with a heartfelt **thank you** message on January 1st, that together, we have done it! Please help us meet the Pledge.

Sincerely,

Theresa Williamson
Executive Director