…to look for last minute places to make year-end tax-deductible donations!
Good day, NJ Highlanders.
It’s that time of the year again. You know, that moment that I’ve told you all about in the past – the thought I dread every year:
“How in the heck am I going to keep the New Jersey Highlands News project alive for another year while paying my mortgage and other bills?”
Sadly, funding continues to be scarce for this project, so once again I’m asking you, the readers, for your direct help. In the past, the New Jersey Highlands News had received financial support from other charitable foundations, but that has not been the case the past few years. (Again this year, let me remind you of two articles – providing an interesting perspective on foundational funding in the environmental movement from two very well respected environmentalists/journalists – ‘Time for environmental funders to stop neglecting the grassroots,’ by Grist’s David Roberts and ‘Why the Environmental Movement Is Not Winning,’ by New Jersey’s own Peter Montague.)
The good news, however, is that once again there is a generous grant from the Victoria Foundation to help match what you contribute!
The Musconetcong Mountain Conservancy did received a $5,000 grant again this past July from the New Jersey Highlands Coalition Small Grants Program to help support the New Jersey Highlands News project. And another generous donor has made a significant contribution to the project as well. Even with that, we are still funded for less than a third of the cost needed to keep the project alive. Once again, the remainder of funding will need to come from the generosity and support of local conservation organizations, grassroots groups, planning and legal professionals, and individual activists like you.
I know that like me, many of you are stretched thin by continuing tough economic conditions, so it’s by no means easy for me to ask for your assistance. A contribution of any size will be much appreciated and helpful.
So are you ready to help?
Great! Just follow these four easy steps:
1) Go to the New Jersey Highlands Coalitions Gift Contribution web page at http://www.njhighlandscoalition.org/HTML/join_contribute.html
2) Select an amount from the “radio buttons” under Gift Contribution: SINGLE PAYMENT, or choose “Other” by filling in an amount in the blank box.
3) Next, the most important step! In the “Memo” box under SINGLE PAYMENT options, type in “New Jersey Highlands News” so that your contribution is dedicated to New Jersey Highlands News funding for 2014.
4) Finally, click “Donate” under SINGLE PAYMENT options, and you will be directed to a secure PayPal payment page, where you will need to fill out the appropriate information and make payment by Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover or your own PayPal account.
It’s that simple. And since the New Jersey Highlands Coalition is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, and will acknowledge your contribution upon receipt, your donation will be tax deductible.
If you prefer not to contribute via the online process, checks are also accepted. Make your check out to “NJ Highlands Coalition” and please write “NJ Highlands News” in the memo portion of the check.
Checks should be mailed to:
New Jersey Highlands Coalition
Attn: Highlands News Matching Contribution Fund
508 Main Street
Boonton, NJ 07005
Your contribution is important.
The New Jersey Highlands News project is completing its seventh year of operation – can you believe that? Born on April 12, 2007 as an unfunded discussion list with approximately 60 hard-core Highlands activists as subscribers, the list has grown to now include over 370 daily readers, folks whom I like to consider absolutely THE most informed in the region on Highlands issues.
Our mission is to provide an electronic outlet for distribution of news and information to educate the public about the Highlands – its water, and its natural, culture and historic resources – and increase awareness of important Highlands issues. A simple and worthy objective, but without the necessary funding, the possibility of the New Jersey Highlands News project ending in 2014 is very real.
Creating a 5-times-weekly digest of important Highlands-related material is no small undertaking – approximately 21 hours per week goes into producing the New Jersey Highlands News – a regular “part-time” job as far as time is concerned. Last year just over half of the cost of providing this service was funded, with the balance provided as in-kind work through my own volunteer time.
I believe that the New Jersey Highlands News project provides a useful tool for all of us involved in protecting the NJ Highlands. If you share that sentiment, I hope that you are able to help keep the project moving forward with a generous contribution.
Many thanks in advance,
Scott Olson
ps. While you are at it, have you also considered forwarding the subscription sign-up information (which can be found here) to others who might be interested in keeping up with NJ Highlands issues? Help spread the word!