Unbelievable.
Just two month from announcing the $100,000 funding gap that threatened to close down FORGE, exectutive director Kjerstin Erickson announces today that they’ve closed the gap and are ready to take on the rebuilding process in 2009.
Now, for the really good news – in the past month, donors have stepped forward to allow us to effectively close the funding gap for 2008. In a surprise turn of events, a foundation has generously offered to provide us with a $20,000 matching grant followed by a $30,000 administrative support grant in 2009. In response to the challenge, many of our past supporters rallied with second and even third large donations for the year. We had until February to raise the $20,000 matching, but we were actually able to cross the threshold today. The foundation has been very progressive and generous with its terms, and in the spirit of transparency even published its reasoning for offering the grant.
Of course, this story is far from over. 2009 is going to be an unpredictable year for us all. We can proudly say that we made it through the thick of 2008 and will be able to send more funds to continue our programs into 2009, but we’ll need to stay extremely cautious and diligent to ensure that we leave 2009 in a stronger position than 2008. That is what so many people have bet on when they decided to take a chance to invest in us in these risky times, and that is what we are committed to delivering.
My hat is off to Kjerstin and her unbelievable determination, the Tactical Philanthropy community for their role in all of this and FORGE’s existing supporters who dug deep when the broader community rallied to their side.
Wow!