The End Of Stonewall Democrats?

National Stonewall Democrats are going on an indefinite hiatus due to ongoing funding difficulties. Executive director Jerame Davis spoke today to David Taffet at the Dallas Voice.

“A lot of decisions are being made,” Davis told the Voice. “It’s likely our office will be closed for most of this year.”  Davis continues to work as an unpaid volunteer and will use the current office in Washington, D.C., at least through the end of the month. Local and state chapters will continue to operate normally. Stonewall Democrats of Dallas President Omar Narvaez said his group’s regular monthly meeting is Jan 15. He described the Stonewall as very grassroots, operating from the bottom up, and said locally nothing will change.

In an email to members in early December, Davis warned the organization was facing a $30,000 deficit and might be forced to close if the money was not raised. Davis became executive director of National Stonewall Democrats in December 2011 and inherited the organization’s debt. “We’ve never raised enough money out of dues alone to keep the organization going,” he said. Most memberships come from the local Stonewall organizations. When a member pays dues to the local group, $10 is passed along to national. Davis said some groups are not passing along membership money.

You stay classy, Log Cabin.

Stonewall Democrats Face Budget Crisis

Via email for the National Stonewall Democrats:

For the second year in a row, our income has not met expectations. In 2011, we were able to offset the downturn by cutting costs - staff, services, programs; we cut everything to the bare essentials. We saw an uptick in funding at the beginning of 2012 as our renewed messaging and mission focus invigorated new and former donors, but as the campaigns heated up, donors were pulled in many directions and we felt the impact. As the year closes, we're facing a budget deficit of over $30,000 and if we do not bridge this gap, we will likely be forced to close our doors.

We will never be a huge multi-million dollar organization - and we don't need to be - but we do need the resources to complete this important work. That's where you come in. If everyone receiving this email contributed just $5, we could retire our debt and have a nice cushion going into the new year. If everyone gave $10, we could pay off the debt and have nearly 3/4 of our 2013 operating budget covered too. You have stepped up in the past and we're asking you to do so again. Please show your support by contributing any amount you can today - $5, $50, $500, even $5000. Every penny counts.

Here's the donation link.