Awwww. Focus on the Family's advocacy group CitizenLink is coming up short on donations this year. They've sent out a cry for help to their members in an effort to raise $2.3 million in the next 30 days.
Via The Gazette:
CitizenLink this week sent an email to constituents pleading for $2.3 million in 30 days to avoid a budget shortfall. If the money is not raised, “our ability to act on your behalf will be severely, and perhaps irreparably, hurt,” wrote Tom Minnery, CitizenLink executive director.
“The threat is still very real,” Minnery writes. “If we don’t stay vigilant, last year’s victories can AND WILL be taken from us!”
Like most nonprofits, CitizenLink has experienced a dramatic drop in donations in recent years. In fiscal 2009, donations were $6.5 million, according to CitizenLink financial records. A year later, donations fell to $5 million. In the run-up to the November 2010 midterm elections, the organization received a sharp increase in donations. But since then, Minnery said Wednesday, giving has fallen off to a worrying degree.
CitizenLink’s 2011 fiscal budget is $5.8 million. The $2.3 million shortfall needs to be balanced by Sept. 30.
Hmmm, let's see if I can do the math. For the fiscal year ending 9/30/2009: $6.5 million. For 9/30/2010: $5 million. For 9/30/2011, with less than 30 days left, they're short $2.3 million for a $5.8 million budget which means their giving is off by about 50 percent.
Minnery has promised to cut back programs rather than lay people off. What programs have they been actively promoting?
According to their 2010 financial disclosures, they spent $700,000 to fund the fight to keep Proposition 8 in force via the California Family Council Foundation, as well as funding all sorts of action against legislative issues. $75,000 went to Coloradans for Liberty. Here's their empty website. Pretty hefty cost for a one-page site, eh? Oh, wait. I did find a little more on their site, thanks to the Google. It looks as though they're funding a ballot initiative to add a "religious liberty amendment" to the Colorado state constitution, similar to other amendments they're promoting in Florida and North Dakota, among others.
Also according to those disclosures, CitizenLink ran about $1.5 million in the red last year. If they've got a shortfall this year, here's the strategy:
As for CitizenLink’s money woes, Minnery said that if the budget is not met by Sept. 30, none of his 46 staffers will be laid off. Instead, CitizenLink will cut back on its projects.
From his lips to God's ears.
[h/t Right Wing Watch]
