Funding Drive FAQs

Can we do this?
Blindfolded, hands tied behind our back, walking backwards with our eyes closed ... which is a way of saying that if we actually try this will be no problem. Every time we have had a membership drive those volunteers who made the effort found it was easier than they imagined - but you have to try it.

How many potential members are out there?

About 1% of the population say that the environment is one of their top concerns. That's 10,000 people in the Ottawa area.

In the last election over 20,000 people in the Ottawa area voted for the Green Party. Of course many, many people from all parts of the political spectrum, from Conservatives to NDP, care about peace and environmental issues. That means that there are at least 20,000 potential members, and probably more like 40,000 or 50,000 potential members in the Ottawa area.

This year we are trying to recruit a mere 300 new members. Really it should be no problem to recruit 3,000, so 300 should be easy.

So there are lots of potential members out there - we just need to ask them.

IF we fail it will because we did not try, not because it could not be done.

Does everyone have to do this?
No, but if they don't, the PERC is going to fail.

To be absolutely honest about 10% of PERC volunteers already make significant contributions well above the norm such as large personal donations and always recruiting new members. They have already done their part and we do not expect them to do more, although we will certainly be gratefull if these volunteers do even more.

About another 10% are dealing with life issues that are taking all of their time and energy, such as personal health or family crisises. We recognize that their situation means that they are not able to participate.

That leaves 80% of the PERC volunteers. In just about every organization you can normally expect 20% of the people to do 80% of the work. We cannot afford to have that happen at PERC. We really do need 80% to participate - basically everybody who can.

Do they have to be $25 memberships?
No. Of course even larger donations help even more 8-), but we understand that for some people even $25 is a lot of money. If a $10 membership is all that is possible then that will help too, and it is needed.

Where to start?
Make the pledge. Think about it, recruiting three members means you only have to recruit one person every couple of weeks and it will be done in 2 months.

A lot of PERC volunteers are not yet PERC members. If you start with yourself that's 1/3rd of your pledge already. In fact if all PERC volunteers who are not currently members were to join that would be about 25% of the drive accomplished.

When do we have to do this?
We do not need the whole amount immediately, but we do need it soon. Do not pledge if you are thinking you will wait until the end of the year before you start.

We need about 1/2 of the money soon, within a couple of months. The rest can come later, but it would be best to have it relatively soon as well. That way we know where we are and what we can do.

We need to know if PERC volunteers are willing to recruit the members we need by the Anuual General Meeting on Apr 20th, so we are setting a pledge deadline of Apr 10th.

Eveyone should then plan to have recruited 1/2 of their pledges by the end of June. The resat should be recruited by the end of the summer.

Why Memberships?
Several reasons

Grant are for Projects
Grants from business, government or foundations are given for specific projects. If you get the money you must spend it on the project, not on your other expenses. If PERC got a $10,000 grant tomorrow we would have to do the project it is meant for and we would still need $10,000 for the PERC.

Further, grants are short term. Even if we somehow managed to spend the grant money on our current deficit (not possible, but let's pretend) we would need the whole amount again next year. We would be right back where we started.

Membership is long term
A significnt number of members renew their membership. If 2/3rds of the memebers recruited this year renew then next year we only need to raise a further 1/3rd of the money.

Membership helps the mandate
Every member receives the PEN. Once they have it in their hands many of them will read it, at least in part. This means we will accomplish more education on peace and environment issues - you know, the reason we exist ;-)

Membership is something we can control
Grants and other funding sources can disappear overnight if the funding agency decides to end the grant. This is something that is happening to many organizations and agencies right now.

Memberships are in the control of PERC. We can go out and recruit more members any time we decide to. Yes individuals decide whether to become members (or renew), but membership is a much more predictable source of funds.

For example, a $10,000 grant can completely disappear overnight. In contrast we know that if we recruit 400 members this year then next year 50% to 70% will renew (avg 60%). This means we have a very good idea of where we will be and what we will need to do.